A PLACE LIKE NO OTHER ON EARTH

A few days ago, I approached the Western Wall in Jerusalem with the idea that I would
pray for a few moments. I had no prayer focus until I asked for one. I soon realized that I was
standing at the most spiritually potent epicenter in the entire world. Within feet of where I was
standing, three monotheistic religions and literally millions of followers, for thousands of years
have prayed and worshiped. Apparently, the majority of humankind senses a need for “God”.
       As opposed to one another as Islam, Judaism, and Christianity are, they do have
someone extremely significant in common- Christ.
        To Islam, Jesus is a prophet and a wise teacher. According to Islam, prophets are gifted
teachers who speak on behalf of God and cannot lie. Jesus claimed to be the Son of God. There
obviously is a conflict here that can only be overcome by totally dismissing Him from the Koran
or acknowledging His deity. Jesus is either the Son of God or a crazy fool who claimed to be God
Himself. No world religion makes Him out to be psychologically unstable. That seems strange to
me. If you or I claimed to be God, we would have serious problems.
       Judaism highlights Yahweh as God. What does Judaism have in common with Jesus? A
careful study of the Old Testament actually reveals Christ in Judaism. This kind of study worked
well for the apostle Paul, one of the most devout Jews ever, who devoted his life to glorifying
Christ. Christ is the fulfillment of the law. He is the ram in the thicket (crown of thorns) sparing
Isaac’s life (Gen. 22). He is the manna in the desert (Exo. 16), born in Bethlehem, the “House of
Bread”. He is the scapegoat for our sins, sent outside the city to die (Lev. 16). Christ is the
Passover Lamb whose legs were not broken (Exo. 12). Of course, there are many other shadows
of Christ in Judaism as well as a couple hundred messianic prophecies that specifically point to
Him as the Messiah. This seems to be working for Messianic Jews who are part of an ever-
growing move of God throughout the world.
       At the Western Wall I prayed for a revelation of Christ for all those in Jerusalem seeking
answers, meaning, and identity in life. Why has the world and her religions not let go of Christ?
Why do gurus and holy books accentuate His ministry? Why do non-Christian movements
highlight his sermons and teachings? In Jerusalem, the spiritual epicenter of the entire world,
there remains a spiritual convergence of pilgrims longing for something more. The “something
more” is actually a Someone more. Join me in a deep prayerful desire for Christ to continue to
reveal Himself to the peoples throughout the Middle East, through the word of God, dreams,
visions and through Christians on the front lines of a spiritual battle that will one day come to
an end.

-Dr. Gary Hewins
lifepoints.life