Oh Glorious Day

I have been thinking about doing a Beth Moore study for some time now, called The Patriarchs. 
I am deeply interested in Bible history, and this study explores the lives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Count me in! So Tommy called me on Christmas Eve from the mall and asked me what I wanted for Christmas. Hey I'm at the mall, and was wondering what you would like, I don't know what to get you.  I said, "Welll...there is this one thing I have been wanting, but it can't be bought at a store. It's a Bible study and it cost fifty bucks." Great! He said. Win win. I was so excited about it. I had been wanting to do this particular study for a long time, but the cost was very prohibitive at over 200 dollars for the whole series. One day while searching the Internet I discovered I could download just the video lessons for fifty dollars. But first I read some reviews on Amazon and was dismayed to see some that were slightly negative. Hmmm...wasn't sure I wanted to spend that much money on a Bible study that might not be what I hoped it would be. I have taken several of her studies, and have always enjoyed them. Two of her studies, Daniel and Esther had life changing effects on me. I wanted to do it, but was weighed down by those negative reviews.
Middle of January and I finally made up my mind to do it.
In my sunny yellow bedroom, I sat beside my friend, who was also interested. We got out our Bibles, put on our glasses (sigh, yes, glasses), pens at the ready. and opened the download file.
A few minutes into the introductory session, she said something odd. My friend and I looked at each other over our glasses. What is she TALKING about?? I was thinking. I haven't been in this study ten minutes and already we are going in a strange direction. She had been reading from Genesis 11. Ah yes, the tower of Babel. "And the whole Earth was of one language, and one accent, and one mode of expression. And as they journeyed eastward, they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they settled and dwelt there. Then she made a note of the fact that they were moving eastward. She equated moving eastward to distancing yourself from God. For a minute I was stumped. HUH? I replayed that part with furrowed brows.
Then I got it. I understood. So God drove out the man; And he placed at the east of the Garden of Eden the cherubim and a flaming sword, which turned every way, to keep and guard the way to the tree of life. Genesis 3:24.
OH. She is right. Moving eastward away from the eastern boundary of the Garden. Away from the last place they had contact with God. Further and further away in their sin. Got it.
Fast forward. It's kind of late. I'm again sitting in my yellow room and pondering all of this, while looking at Facebook. Up pops a link from a friend for the New York Library's new online digital library of things you can look at. I'm hooked. I type in Jerusalem. Up come a multitude of photographs from 1857. The land of the Bible. The pool of Siloam. The Temple Mount. The Western Wall with nineteenth century people praying. The Tomb of David. The Eastern Gate, which was sealed up by the Ottomans in the 16th century. The prophet Ezekiel prophesied in 600 B.C. that the gate would be sealed up and nobody would enter it until the Messiah comes through it. Well Jesus DID enter that gate in 30 A.D. the first time, and then the Ottomans, afraid that He would return through that gate did exactly what old Eez said they would do, and sealed it up.
The picture was fascinating. I blew it up to look at it. I had a picture in my mind of Jesus returning through that gate with all his saints, on his return.
And then it hit me. We (the sinners) left God and his Garden, and went East. Away from Him. Banished. Scattered.
But.
When He returns...We will be with Him...and we will be coming back the way we came. Not towards the East, away from God, but FROM the East, WITH Him!
How is THAT for amazing? I can't wait to watch the rest of the videos. Who knows what's in store? It's bound to be good, and I'm sure you all will be hearing about it.

So the redeemed of the Lord will return
And come with joyful shouting to Zion;
Everlasting joy will be on their heads. 
They will obtain gladness and joy, 
And sorrow and sighing will flee away. Isaiah 35:10

Here is a link to the picture.
From the New York Library Digital Collection. The Golden, or Eastern Gate.