I recently went on my second pilgrimage to the Promised Land. My first pilgrimage was about 10 years ago.

I urge everyone to make this pilgrimage at least once in their life.

The words that come to my mind are “Come and see.”

These words appear again and again in the Scriptures.

For example, an angel said to the women who came to the tomb of Jesus early on the first day of the week: “Come and see where he lay.” (Matthew 28:6).

On my pilgrimage, I saw where he lay. I knelt down. I touched the place where he lay. I kissed the place where he lay.

I felt the terrible grief and anguish of those who laid the dead body of Jesus in that tomb.

They had heard Jesus die, when he “called out in a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’” (Luke 23:46).

They had seen Jesus die when “he breathed his last”. (Luke 23:46).

They had seen proof that Jesus was dead. They were eye witnesses when a Roman soldier verified that Jesus was dead because he “pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.” (John 19:34).

Just as today, different people show their grief in different ways.

Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus, committed suicide. (Matthew 27:3-5).

Peter, who denied he knew Jesus, wept bitterly. (Matthew 26:75).

Most of the disciples hid in fear that they would be crucified, too, as followers of Jesus. (John 20:19).

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus (who had been keeping their love for Jesus secret) dealt with their grief by publicly showing that they loved Jesus. How? By quickly burying Jesus before sunset on the day of his crucifixion with about 75 pounds of spices. (John 20:38-42).

Some women, who had been following Jesus and caring for his needs, dealt with their grief by keeping busy. They gathered additional spices and perfumes for his body. (Luke 23:56-24:1).

Several men left Jerusalem with “their faces downcast” because their hopes were crushed. They “had hoped that [Jesus] would be the one who was going to redeem Israel.” But now he wad dead! (Luke 24:13-21).

Most of this grief and fear took place within an area smaller than a football field.

Inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, I could see from the line where I was waiting to enter the empty tomb of Jesus to the line where I had walked up to the place where Jesus was crucified.

All of this grief and fear took place within a few days encompassed by the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.

I was struck that the whole future of Humanity changed completely within that limited space and within that limited time.

For example, the Way of the Roman Empire was exactly the opposite of the Way of Jesus. The Romans were cruel. They were consumed by their lust for power, money and prestige.

The Way of the Romans (and of similar people throughout the millennia, including today) is “obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.” (Galatians 5:19-21).

For proof, you need look no further than the pages of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon.

For proof, you need look no further than the sights and sounds of the news, video games, and entertainment of the 21st Century!

In contrast, Jesus embodied the Spirit of the LORD who revealed his Presence to Moses. (John 1:1-5,14,29-34).

This is the Spirit of the LORD, the LORD, the One who is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands of generations, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin, while having people bear the bad consequences of their bad choices as little as feasible. (Exodus 34:6-7).

This is the Spirit of the One LORD our God whom Moses and Jesus commanded us to love with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our strength and with all our mind. (Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Matthew 22:36-40).

And so, in contrast to the Way of the Romans, the Way of Jesus embodies: “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23).

For proof, you need look no further than the multitude of followers of the Way of Jesus, including me, who bow down and kiss the place where they laid the dead, disfigured body of Jesus.

For proof, you need look no further than to bow down and kiss (as I did) the place where they laid the dead, disfigured body of the Suffering Servant (Jesus):

—who brings healing and peace to those who have gone astray (Isaiah 52 14; Isaiah 53:5); and

—who justifies many by bearing their iniquities (Isaiah 53:7-9,11) (my blog “Come and See the Promised Land: The Crucifixion of Jesus”)

QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT

How do you deal with grief?

Which ways of dealing grief are the best?

Which ways of dealing with grief are the worst?

In what ways did the whole future of Humanity change completely within the limited space and limited time between the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus?

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For other blogs arising from my pilgrimage to the Promised Land, please read my blogs “The Immense, Towering Rock Overcomes the ‘Gates of Hell’”, “Moving the Temple Mount”, “Come and See the Promised Land: Desolations”, “Come and See the Promised Land: A Place of Abundance”, “Come and See the Promised Land: Where Jesus Stayed”, “Come and See the Promised Land: Jesus of Nazareth”, “Come and See the Promised Land: Jesus Weeping”, “Come and See the Promised Land: Jesus Praying”, and “Come and See the Promised Land: The Crucifixion of Jesus”.

For related ideas, please read the portions of my book Hoping in the LORD that discuss the arrest, trials, crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus, pages 208-333.