Dr CarlMcIntire on Psalm 12:6-7
Founding President of the International Council of Christian Churches (ICCC)—Dr Carl McIntire—believed the Bible to be 100% perfect without any mistake, and that Psalm 12:6-7 teaches the Verbal Plenary Preservation (VPP) of the Holy Scriptures: “Now come verse 6, ‘The words of the LORD are pure words,’ not one of them is mistaken, ‘as silver tried in the furnace of earth, purified seven times.’ All the dregs are out. Here is a marvelous affirmation and vindication that God’s Word is perfect. …
“Now, ‘The words of the LORD are pure words.’ And then verse 7, how I love this: ‘Thou shalt keep them O LORD,’ that is, keep His words; ‘thou shalt preserve them from this generation forever.’ No matter what happens, one generation comes and another passes away, God is going to preserve His words … from one generation to another. The words of God will be preserved throughout all the generations.” [taken from his sermon entitled — “Help, LORD!” (Psalm 12) — preached on January 11, 1992, accessible from www.sermonaudio.com].
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The 12th Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
March 9 – 23, 2006
by Mrs Quek Siok Eng
On Thursday, 9 March, 44 adults and 3 children led by Rev and Mrs Timothy Tow set off on a tour of Israel, Palestine and Jordan. Our 15-day tour started at the city of Amman, the capital of Jordan. After a short drive through streets lined with relatively low buildings of fairly uniform type and colour, we arrived at the ruins of Jerash. Passing through the South Gate of the ruins, we were struck by the grandeur of the architectural structures of the Forum, Theatre and the Temple of Zeus, which were decorated with colonnades, niches and monumental gates. Leaving the ruins of Jerash, we pushed on till we reached Petra in the evening. The beautiful Panorama – Petra Hotel thrilled us as we gazed at a panoramic view of the surroundings from the spacious balconies of our hotel rooms.
Before setting off to tour Petra in the early cool morning, Rev Tow briefed us on the historical background of Petra and the rest of the country down to the Red Sea. We marvelled and were literally awestruck by the archaeological wonders of the “Treasury”, the most famous monument in Petra, and the tombs that were cut from the famed red rock. Undaunted by the 1.5 kilometres distance, we trudged along the gravel path. In the evening, we reached the Jerusalem International Hotel in Amman.
We headed for the Allenby Bridge the next morning. Crossing the checkpoint at the border was an experience for us. Here we encountered strict security checks by the Israeli authorities. We thanked the Lord for a safe entry into Israel. Jericho was our first stop. It was easy to imagine the biblical stories of Zacchaeus and Jesus’ temptation that took place here. The sycamore tree fascinated the huge crowd that was present. We journeyed through the Jordan Valley to Bet Shean after a hearty lunch. Bet Shean, one of the cities of the Decapolis, is noted for its archaeological sites, with a major Roman Theatre. Rev Tow conducted the Lord’s Day Worship here. In the evening, we arrived at the Hagoshrim-Kibbutz, Galilee. Our four-day stay enlightened us with a taste of Kibbutz Community lifestyle.
On 13 and 14 March, we toured the sites around the Sea of Galilee where Jesus preached and performed his many miracles. We made our way to the sites which marked the beginning of Jesus’ Ministry, Nazareth – the site of the annunciation and childhood, Cana – the transformation of water into wine at the Wedding Feast, Tabgha – the miracle of the Loaves and Fishes, Mount Tabor or the Transfiguration and Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus prayed all night to God. Rev Tow read the Beatitudes to the pilgrims who gathered under a canopy of shady trees. The boat ride from Tiberias to Capernaum was the highlight of the afternoon. The Singapore National Anthem was sung as our flag was slowly raised up the flagpole on board the ship, followed shortly by a message from Rev Tow, who read a passage from Matthew 14. The last stop was at Jordan River, the place where Jesus was baptized.
The places mentioned in the Bible came to life as we were able to view the sites first hand.
We covered the ports and towns of the coastal plains on 15 and 16 March. Tsipori, the Roman Capital of Galilee at the time of Jesus, achieved fame in Christian lore as the birthplace of Mary. The number of magnificent mosaics here is unparalleled anywhere in Israel. Akko is an ancient port city conquered by the Crusaders. At Rosh Hanikra, the ride in the cable car was exhilarating. We took in the breath-taking view of the cliffs and the natural caves as the cable car glided to the top. No visit is complete without touring Megiddo, the restored Templar Colony, the Bahai Shrine and Gardens, Elijah’s cave and the Carmelite monastery, the site of the struggle between the priests of Baal and Prophet Elijah. Megiddo is the site of history’s first recorded battle and will be the site of the greatest battle of all, the Armageddon.
We checked into Jerusalem on the night of 16 March. The strategic position of the hotel, Seven Arches, enabled us to have a bird’s eye view of the city. Jerusalem by night is a breath-taking sight from Mount of Olives. The morning was spent at the Garden Tomb. As we queued patiently to enter the Tomb, thoughts of our Saviour dying for our sins and being raised again stirred strong emotions of hope in our hearts as we look to Him. Rev Tow gave a message of salvation and resurrection while we waited in the beautiful garden. We enjoyed a biblical meal at Neot Kedumim, the Biblical Landscape Reserve. Next we drove to Emmaus to see the church.
We toured Mount of Olives, Gethsemane and Shrine of the Book on 18 March. Mount of Olives with its spectacular view of the Temple Mount was also the site which Jesus chose for many of his most moving discourses. Jesus taught the Lord’s Prayer at the Pater Noster Church. The Lord’s Prayer is written in dozens of languages on huge tablets that adorn the walls and vicinity of the church. It was a wonderful experience for us as the FEBC students took turns to recite the Lord’s Prayer in their mother tongue. The Church of All Nations in the Garden of Gethsemane has a mosaic façade depicting Mary. We descended to the crypt to view the Tomb of Mary. It was here that Judas betrayed Jesus. Our next visit brought us to the Shrine of the Book, the home of the Dead Sea Scrolls. We viewed the many exhibits on display. It was a daring night’s out in the city that we attended the Folklore Show, featuring Israeli and Arab folklore.
Lord’s Day Worship Service was held at the Baraka B-P Church, Bethlehem, on 19 March. We were blessed with the presence of our Christian brethren. We had lunch and fellowship together in the newly built hall. From there we visited the Church of Nativity, the Shepherds’ Fields and Yad Vashem, the Holocaust History Museum which showcased the Jewish perspective of that historical event.
The last day in Jerusalem, 20 March, was spent at the Western Wall (Wailing Wall), the Dome of the Rock, the Al-aksa Mosque, Tomb of David, Upper Room and the Stations of the Cross (Via Dolorosa).
The Western Wall (Wailing Wall) is the most sacred location of the Jewish people and has an enormous spiritual significance to them. Our early arrival made it possible for us to draw close to the Wall. Pieces of notes containing prayers could be seen wedged in between the stone crevices. The Dome of the Rock could be seen towering above the other buildings. The multi-coloured tiles on the walls of the Dome formed intricate designs. After a quick survey of the compound, we continued to Mount Zion to see the Tomb of David and the Upper Room where the Last Supper took place. Both the Tomb of David and the Upper Room are located within the remains of a Crusader Basilica. The most memorable site we set foot on was the Via Dolorosa or the “Way of Sorrow”. As we retraced the steps taken by Jesus bearing His cross on his back, we remembered and meditated on Jesus’ agony 2000 years ago. We passed nine of the fourteen stations. It was a moving spiritual experience for us to wander along the narrow route.
On 21 March, we travelled through the Judean Wilderness to Qumran, the site of the Essene enclave. The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in these caves. In the afternoon, we headed for the Dead Sea for a swim and to soak in the curative powers of the rich mineral water. Floating on the Dead Sea’s buoyant waters is a joy to us, the non-swimmers and swimmers alike. Massada, the last stronghold of the Jews, with its towering rock walls greeted us as the coach reached the foothills.
Soon we were back in Jordan after crossing the Allenby Bridge. Our last site was at Mount Nebo where Moses viewed the Promised Land. The homeward journey to Amman Airport brought to a close our pilgrimage. The trip has deepened our understanding of God’s Word. Each step of the way we took, our Saviour went before us. All praise and glory to Him!
Lastly, we would like to take this opportunity to thank Rev and Mrs Tow for making the 12th Pilgrimage a wonderful and memorable experience for us.
