Biblical Moment 15: Celebrating Jesus’ Miracle at the Wedding Church of Cana!
Day 8: Biblical Moment No. 15 of Andy’s Spiritual Journey to Israel & Palestine… visiting the Wedding Church of Cana where Jesus performed His first miracle by turning water into wine…. here are the Scriptures from John:
Miracle at Cana
John 2:1-11: “On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”
Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each. Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it to him.
When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom, and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.”
This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.
(Andy Reistetter; Facebook Post with 36 Pics; 1-14-19)
John Proclaims the Savior’s Arrival: “John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Luke 3:16
After the tour I ventured into the upscale though outdoor Mamilla Mall and then onward to Ben Yehuda Street and the best schwarma in all of Israel & Palestine!
Join me on this tour as I relive this spiritual experience in the picture gallery below of 88 pictures…
This spiritual experience would continue throughout this Christmas Eve visit and again later in the Spiritual Journey to Israel & Palestine when I would come and stay for three nights within the walls of the Old City at the Christ Church Guest House.
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On the third day Abraham caught sight of the place from a distance. Abraham said to his servants: “Stay here with the donkey, while the boy and I go on over there. We will worship and then come back to you.” So Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two walked on together, Isaac spoke to his father Abraham. “Father!” he said. “Here I am,” he replied. Isaac continued, “Here are the fire and the wood, but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?” “My son,” Abraham answered, “God will provide the sheep for the burnt offering.” Then the two walked on together.
When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. Next he bound his son Isaac, and put him on top of the wood on the altar. Then Abraham reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, “Abraham, Abraham!” “Here I am,” he answered. “Do not lay your hand on the boy,” said the Angel. “Do not do the least thing to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you did not withhold from me your son, your only one.” Abraham looked up and saw a single ram caught by its horns in the thicket. So Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering in place of his son. Abraham named that place Yahweh-yireh; hence people today say, “On the mountain the Lord will provide.”
A second time the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham from Heaven and said: “I swear by my very self—oracle of the Lord—that because you acted as you did in not withholding from me your son, your only one, I will bless you and make your descendants as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore; your descendants will take possession of the gates of their enemies, and in your descendants all the nations of the earth will find blessing, because you obeyed my command.”
This time though instead of passing by the taxi-cab corral and walking the couple of miles to Nativity Square I decided to take a taxi. I would like to say I chose the cab driver but more accurately he chose me seemingly remembering me for the snub from a week ago.
With an experience driver and tour guide like Khalid one simply could not be driven to their destination, at least not directly. I asked him what would be a good place to visit, somewhat nearby and related to the birth of Jesus. Without hesitation he said Shepherd’s Field. He was right as their role that sacred night and later along with the Magi is so biblical!
“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night… And it came to pass, when the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us… And all those who heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds… And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.”—Luke 2:8, 15, 18, & 20
“The Angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a Savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. And suddenly there was a multitude of the Heavenly Host with the Angel, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”—Luke 2:9-11,13,14
