Let Us Go Up to the Mountain of Jehovah - Israel Museum
“And many peoples will go and say: ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah.'” – Isa. 2:3
In 1991 Oasis began escorting groups to the Bible Lands together with Emmanuel Zervides of Magnify Bible Tours, who himself began encouraging the brotherhood by conducting Bible based tours in the world renowned British Museum beginning in 1969. Today, our tours to Israel include a tour of the one-of-a-kind Israel Museum in Jerusalem. It contains the greatest collection of Biblical artifacts in the world and boasts an amazing scale model of first-century Jerusalem. It’s replica of the so-called Second Temple which existed in the time of Christ and is itself an amazing archaeological site!
In 2016 responsible brothers in Israel formed Eyewitness Tours and approached Oasis about the possibility of working together on an expanded Bible-themed tour at the Israel Museum. Their idea was to create in Israel something similar to Oasis’ tours at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Their goal was to provide a permanent free tour at the museum that could be conducted year-round for the encouragement of their brothers and sisters visiting Jerusalem.
Experience has shown that for most, even if we enjoy history and/or museums, nothing makes those experiences more enjoyable than to have someone guide us along with a narrative that puts what we are seeing into biblically chronological and historical perspective. So when writing this tour the objective was not just to show the museum’s most interesting items, but to tell a story because stories affect not just the mind but also the heart. That affect leaves a lasting impression and makes it more enjoyable for all. As the Come Be My Follower book states, “Because we often think best in pictures, illustrations can make even abstract ideas easier to grasp.”
A theme was chosen and development work began. After many months of detailed research and preparation what was the result? A marvelous tour entitled “Let Us Go Up to the Mountain of Jehovah” This tour is tailor-made for Jehovah’s Witnesses by Jehovah’s Witnesses and encompasses the three most relevant wings of the museum:
The Archaeological Wing
The Shrine of the Book
The First-Century Model of Jerusalem
The first of these tours were conducted in March 2017 and since then many have continue to enjoy this faith strengthening experience. Shortly thereafter, beginning in May of 2017, Oasis began including this tour as part of our comprehensive 15 day tour of Israel called “The Most Beautiful of All the Lands” However, whether you are going with us to Israel, visiting that land on your own, or simply looking to experience some of this information virtually, we consider this a “don’t miss” opportunity to deepen your appreciation for bible truth. In April of 2020 a shortened, “virtual” version of this tour also became available online.
No matter how you experience this tour, you will have etched into your hearts and minds details like:
What it was like to ‘go up to the mountain of Jehovah‘ in the first century
What the scroll that Jesus read in the synagogue looked like
Biblical characters that made their mark on Jerusalem
The steps of Jesus’ momentous final day as you see 1st Century Jerusalem right before your eyes
A deeper appreciation for the “the greatest archaeological discovery of the 20th century”
We at Oasis Biblical Tours are in heart-harmony with the brothers at Eyewitness who seek neither prominence or acclaim and wish to remain anonymous. These self-sacrificing brothers in Israel, with decades of full-time service, have helped to ensure that this tour meets the same criteria that Oasis also seeks for all of it’s tours, namely, Biblical accuracy and harmony with current understanding of publications of the Faithful Slave.
The goals of this tour are the same as any tour we give or recommend: to bring glory and honor to Jehovah and build the faith of those who visit. In line with that approach, these tours are conducted for free. All who part of Eyewitness are Jehovah’s Witnesses and most are in full-time service. All guides are volunteers and dedicate much time to train for the tour and to strive to make it an unforgettable spiritual experience for their guests. At our core, we at Oasis and Eyewitness share two things in common:
A passion for the Bible, history and archaeology that bring praise to Jehovah
We consider it a privilege to share what we have researched for the encouragement of our brothers and sisters as they examine these items more closely themselves.
We wholeheartedly thank our dear friends at Eyewitness Tours. We have benefitted from their precious support and expert advice in the constant development and refinement our own Israel travel tour and we look forward to continuing to work with them going forward as we collaborate on both program’s tours.
The “Let Us Go Up to the Mountain of Jehovah” tour was conceived and written by Eyewitness Tours. However, our close relationship with these brothers has make it possible for you to reserve space on their a virtual tour of Israel Museum by clicking the links above or below.