It's the Feast of Bikes in Israel today! by Pat Franklin
Today is the Day of Atonement in Israel and many Jews fast and seek God’s mercy. But some are calling it the Feast of Bikes, because there is no traffic in many Jewish areas and the roads are full of children riding bikes, trikes, scooters, skateboards etc.
The children love the Day of Atonement! One small child told me: ‘The big people don’t eat, but the little children can eat and ride bikes all day. It is fun!’
What a unique country Israel is, and how wondrous it will be when the entire nation turns to Jesus and begs Him to come back.
This is as certain as day following night, because it is written in Romans 11 verse 25, 26 that ‘blindness in part has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the gentiles has come in. And so all Israel shall be saved…’
All Israel! What a day that will be!
On one visit to Israel I happened to be there on the Day of Atonement and all the Jewish shops and restaurants were closed. So a Jewish Christian friend drove us to Nazareth, which is now a mostly Arab town, where everything was open.
We were planning to go to the Nazareth Experience where we could see what life was like in the time of the Lord, but that turned out to be impossible, as the town was in gridlock with all the tourist coaches trying to get in.
Nazarethwas absolutely packed with non religious Jews seeking entertainment and food. Coaches and cars jammed the roads and there was nowhere at all to park, so our Jewish friend just pulled up on some grass, and we found a café.
Then as we walked around, we came upon the Church of the Annunciation, supposedly the site where the angel Gabriel met with Miriam (Mary), and told her she would be the mother of the Messiah.
We went in because actually we were looking for rest rooms (toilets), but there were none, none we could find anyway. But while in there, a monk came up to me and asked if I would like to see the very spot where the angel came into Mary’s home.
OK. He showed me the spot. Later someone said that the town was actually a mile or so away in the time of Jesus. The monk would probably not want to hear that! If he was looking for a handout, he was to be disappointed.
I think we probably went back to the café and used their toilets.
I don’t mean to be irreverent, as the Day of Atonement is the most holy day of the Jewish calendar, when Jews think seriously about their own sins.
That dread day was fulfilled when the Lord Jesus died on the cross for the sins not only of the Jews, but of all who would accept Him as their sin bearer. I do! He bore all my sins on that horrible cross. If only more people would accept Him!
Meanwhile, the Israeli children are off school today and having a glorious time in beautiful weather, whizzing all over town on their bikes!
It just reminds me of how much Jesus loves the little children and how He loved to bless them when He was here the first time.
There is no better way to teach them than by reading to them from the Bible every day. It does not have to be a whole chapter, just a bit, and then let them ask questions and talk about it a while. A little every day. God will honor this, dear friend!
