Random Bits of Information

We have been given so much information since we stepped foot in Israel. It is completely overwhelming. One of the members of our tour group explained all of the information we have been given as “opening a fire hydrant”. I would agree. However, I would add that for me to try and comprehend even half of it is like trying to catch all of that water with a dixie cup.

Frankly, my tiny head is hurting.

Some of the information just comes at the most random times, and I don’t know where to put it in my journal, so I created this entry for Random Bits of Information. So here is a collection of random bits…

There are laws of nature -the way God created things… many of these laws match up with Scripture. For instance:

-There are 613 seeds in a pomegranate.
-In the Old Testament there are 365 “Do Not’s” and 248 “Do’s”
-That is a total of 613 commandments in the Old Testament… The same number as seeds in a pomegranate. No wonder the pomegranate is such a common symbol in Judaism.

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In a synagogue the entrance, exit, and point of focus was all towards Jerusalem. How embracing to enter the service late. Haha. Perhaps that would help our “coming in late” problem at church.

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It is easier for a “camel” to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man… The word for camel in Greek is also the word for the cable tied around a millstone which was made of wound camel hair. This makes the words of Jesus possible but difficult. A camel will NOT fit no matter what. Jesus is claiming the difficulty but not the impossibility. The cable would have to be unwound, passed through line by line, and then wound back up.

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Unlike popular portrayals, Jesus most likely was standing at the bottom (Luke’s gospel) and the people were on the mount (Matthew’s gospel) when He gave the beatitudes.

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With the current exchange rate and liters per gallon ratio, the current cost of gas in Israel is approximately $8.30 per gallon.