FROM SARAH, OUR SABRA
ON THE GROUND IN ISRAEL
Dear Friend,
Shalom from Jerusalem, “the city of the Great King” (Matthew 5:35). The fall festivals have passed yet again without pilgrims coming to worship the Lord, due to the pandemic. Israel is working on a new pilot program and hopes to be able to receive tourists soon.
As we continue our study about the Garden of Eden and the city of Jerusalem, I encourage you to read any Personal Letters that you missed. (Please see levitt.com/newsletter.) This monthly study builds upon previous installments. Every letter contains valuable revelations — “keys” — meant to enlighten you about God’s purposes for us Believers. God planned your redemption from the time of Eden, and I want to help you see how specifically He explains His plan through His Word, the Holy Bible.
In last month’s letter we discussed several new keys:
- The key of the Tabernacle — eastward: The opening of the Tabernacle was always set toward the east, in the direction Adam and Eve were cast out of Eden after they sinned. The significance of this eastward orientation is found in the Hebrew word for repentance: T’shuva. T’shuva means “turn around and return in the direction you came from.” God has set a detailed pathway through the Tabernacle, ready for the moment when man decides to turn around and return to the Lord.
- The key of the Tabernacle — cherubim: The Tabernacle was an earthly image of God’s heavenly throne room, the place where God’s Presence is fully manifested. God instructed Moses to design images of cherubim on the veil that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies (Ex. 26:31). These images depicted the cherubim that God had set to guard the entrance to the Garden and restrict humans from entering (Genesis 3:24). When Yeshua/Jesus died on the cross, this veil was torn in two, showing that Yeshua paid the price of our sin that separated us from God.
- The key of the Holy hill: The city of Jerusalem is set on a hill, with a river that will one day flow eastward from it. This hill is the final resting place of the Tabernacle — the “tent of meeting,” the Temple. Eden also had a hill in it — “the hill of meeting” — and a river that flowed eastward out of it.
THE KEY OF THE TWO TREES
When God created the Garden of Eden, He placed many trees in it. He told Adam and Eve that they could eat from any of the trees except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17). After they ate from this tree, God’s cherubim guarded Eden’s entrance so that man would not be able to eat from the tree of life in his fallen state. We find the Garden of God mentioned again in the Book of Revelation, along with the tree of life: “To the one who overcomes, I will grant to eat from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise [Eden] of God” (Revelation 2:7).
In this verse, Yeshua promises His disciple John that He will restore access to the tree of life in the Garden of Eden to those who hear what the Spirit of God is saying, and overcome.
We read about the tree of life again in the last chapter of Revelation. This time the tree appears in the context of a city: “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22: 1–2).
The tree is mentioned in the context of the city twice again:
- Revelation 22:14: “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city” and
- Revelation 22:19: “And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.”
Thus, according to Revelation chapter 2, God will grant the righteous access to the tree of life in the Garden of God. And according to chapter 22, the righteous will have the right to the tree of life in God’s Holy City. Are these two different locations? Or are the Garden and the city in the same place?
THE KEY OF THE MOUNT OF OLIVES
The Mount of Olives derived its name from the olive trees that grow on and around it. The Bible mentions it at least 12 times. One of these times mentions its geographical location — east of Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:4). Yeshua spent time teaching His disciples on this mount. It is also next to the house of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus — where Yeshua frequently stayed when visiting Jerusalem.
The Mount of Olives also had gardens on it (John 18:1). Today, the traditional — not necessarily the historical — site of the Garden of Gethsemane is at the foot of this mount. As we saw in last month’s letter, Adam and Eve were cast out of a garden east of Eden.
Could it be that the act of opening the way for mankind’s restoration — the ultimate payment for Adam and Eve’s original sin — would occur in the exact same place?
Four major roads led in and out of Jerusalem. The road from the east came from Jericho through the Mount of Olives. Galileans used it to avoid the shorter, more direct route via Samaria. When Yeshua rode into Jerusalem on a donkey from the Mount of Olives, thousands walked with him (Matthew 21:8–9).
The Mount of Olives has the highest elevation in the area, rising above Jerusalem and the Temple Mount itself. The Bible tells us that when Yeshua was crucified, His disciples could watch it from “a distance” (Luke 23:49). The Romans crucified people along major roads so that as many people as possible would see the crucified. The Mount of Olives is the only location that would make this possible and is outside the city itself (Hebrews 13:12). Additionally, Yeshua was crucified in a place with a garden (John 19:41), which also fits the description of the Mount of Olives.
The New Testament offers three descriptions of the Crucifixion: Matt. 27:50–54, Mark 15:37–39, and Luke 23:44–47. These descriptions relate four concurrent supernatural events that occurred at the time of Yeshua’s death and that caused the Roman centurion to believe in God:
- The sky went completely dark in the middle of the day.
- Yeshua cried out as He died, committing His spirit to God.
- An earthquake released many dead from their tombs nearby.
- The veil in the Tabernacle was torn from top to bottom.
Everyone around Jerusalem saw the darkness and everyone felt the earthquake. So what did the centurion see that was so special? And how (according to Matthew) did the centurion see the torn veil? If the centurion (who was standing next to the cross) saw the veil torn in two, the only place this could have happened was on the Mount of Olives.
We already learned that the Temple opening faced eastward; therefore, the Holy of Holies was on the west side of the building. The Temple Mount rises 2,427 feet above sea level. The Mount of Olives stands taller, at 2,709 feet above sea level. Historian Josephus Flavius described the Temple sanctuary as being 150 feet higher than the top of the gates and walls that surrounded it.
According to my friend Steven Harel (Steven is the Messianic Israeli tour guide referenced in September’s PL on Separation Theory), this meant that if you were standing higher than approximately 2,460 feet on the Mount of Olives directly opposite the Temple, you would be able to see the veil in the sanctuary. (During the feasts, the second veil that sealed off the Holy Place was opened so people could see into the Temple.)
Just imagine this scene: Yeshua hanging crucified and gazing into the Temple at the cherubim on the veil guarding the entrance to the Holy of Holies.
Today, the Dominus Flevit Roman Catholic church (“the cry of the Lord”) occupies that location on the Mount of Olives. It is shaped like a tear drop.
I look forward to sharing more of these keys with you in future letters. Still to come: the sacrifice, restoring waters, the inheritance, the two women, the circling paths, and others.
Im tirdefu lada-at oto —
“Press on to know HIM!” (Hosea 6:3 NLT),
Sarah Liberman
P.S. There are two traditional sites for Yeshua’s crucifixion in Jerusalem: the Garden Tomb and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Many Evangelicals visit the Garden Tomb. However, the Garden Tomb is an older tomb — from the time of the Kingdom of Judah (9th – 6th centuries b.c.). Yeshua’s tomb, according to the New Testament, was new (Matthew 27:60). 
: David and Kirsten
If you know the name Andraé Crouch (1942 — 2015), you’re more than likely familiar with his 1976 song “Soon and Very Soon.” Andraé wrote these lyrics: Soon and very soon we are going to see the King. We at Zola Tours feel that soon and very soon, we are going to be back in the Holy Land! Aren’t we all ready for the freedom to travel once again?
The pandemic may require us pilgrims to follow specific protocols. We believe they will be worth the effort to walk where Yeshua walked on the dusty roads of the Galilee and glorious streets of Jerusalem. More than ever, the people of Israel need to see Believers in person and feel the love of Yeshua from around the world. Please contact our travel manager Sandra at 214-696-9760, travel@levitt.com, or levitt.com/tours. She can help you prepare for your journey of a lifetime!
| Deluxe — Israel | March 14–24 | $5,288 |
| Grand Petra — Israel & Petra | March 14–27 | $6,488 |
A Note from David and Kirsten Hart
AN ON-TIME GOD
It’s not unusual for us Harts to break out in song. Road trips are full of singing! There’s a lot of truth in the lyrics of the Black Gospel hit “He’s an On Time God”: “He may not come when you want Him, but He’ll be there right on time.” God has perfect timing.
Like many others during today’s ongoing pandemic, Our Jewish Roots has had to adapt and persevere while navigating uncharted waters. Yet, we know that God’s plans and timing are perfect even when our eyes see turmoil. We trust; we hold on. Galatians 6:9 reminds us, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Here’s good news. We’re gearing up for new television series with fresh, insightful teaching from Dr. Jeffrey Seif and new music videos. Once the doors for filming in Israel reopen, we’ll produce brand-new, Biblical, dramatic re-enactments on location in Israel. We anticipate a bountiful harvest of blessings as a reward for our patience and cannot wait to share it with you!
Whether you’ve been a partner of this ministry for decades or just recently discovered us, we want you to know that our whole team is working tirelessly to present fresh broadcasts full of timeless Bible truths. Zola Levitt was gifted in teaching complex Biblical concepts in a way that all of us could grasp. We hope you’ll agree that November’s programing carries on his tradition while bringing to light the very heart of God.
Kirsten and I eagerly await each of Sarah’s Garden of Eden installments. They provide lots to discuss, and we know that our readers feel the same. We’re thankful for all the resources that Sarah brings to this ministry. We continue to pray for her and her fellow Israelis, and we remind you also to …
Sha’alu shalom Yerushalayim! —
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!” (Psalm 122:6),
David & Kirsten
P.S. On a recent visit with my 89-year-old parents, I happily discovered that they are leaving a generous portion of their estate to ZLM! I agree that bequests are a wonderful way to “disperse” earthly treasures. Contact our office if you would like to discover creative ways that you can support this established and worthy ministry. — Kirsten
Our Jewish Roots TV programs in November
Another year of programming is nearing its end. Is it our imagination, or has this year flown by? While we grieve the fact that we haven’t been able to film in the Holy Land, we rejoice that TV production has continued. The creative mind of our producer Kenneth Berg continues to explore ingenious avenues of bringing the Bible to life for our viewers each week.
As Dr. Jeffrey Seif and the production team brainstorm, research, and explore the best ways to present the Jewish roots of our faith, I’m sure you’ll agree that their hard work is paying off. We love to hear from our viewers. Please tell us what insights you’ve learned from watching this year’s programs! Here’s what we have for you in November.
Faith for the Future:
Our Journey with the Patriarchs
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob demonstrated their faith in God by taking small steps — and sometimes leaps of faith — that often altered the course of their lives while redirecting them toward greater dependence on the Lord. This ten-part series includes dramatic re-enactments filmed in Israel.
- Life’s Detours
- God reminds us of His provision and blessing, but situations don’t always work out according to our plans. Sometimes the Lord uses our present circumstances to drive us toward what He has prepared for our future.
- Patient Endurance
- Jacob was promised a land, but was sent abroad for 20 years. He was promised Rachel, but had to wait an extra seven years for her. Good things come to those who wait on the Lord.
- Stepping Closer to Destiny
- Jacob confronted his brother, who felt betrayed. Jacob’s wants were still foremost in his mind when he wrestled with an “angel” until he received a blessing. Faith in God pays the most blessed dividends.
- Thanksgiving — Year in Review
- We’re thankful for our viewers. In our Thanksgiving program, we will look back at the 2021 television series and chat about the significance of this year’s programming. As always, you’ll hear Israeli-flavored music. Let’s gather together with thankful hearts.
Zola Levitt Ministries is ECFA approved and has Charity Navigator’s top rating of 4 stars.
