In northern Israel you can visit Armageddon, the site of the final battle of good against evil. After arriving there last month, one of our group threw up – probably a fitting response to any situation that feels like the end of the world. But what do you do next When things are falling apart, what guidance does our faith give us for how to respond?
On the top of Mt. Megiddo or “Har Megiddo” in Hebrew (which gets transliterated into English as Ar-megiddo or Armageddon) sit ruins from fortified cities going back thousands of years. Throughout history armies have fought to control this high ground and the valley it overlooks.
On the day we visited, we went into a deep hole within the ancient city walls that inhabitants had dug by hand through solid rock to reach a spring, so that the city would have access to water in times of siege. Unfortunately for one of our group, days of travel, jet lag, different foods, and a long descent down a stairway led to “leaving lunch” at the bottom of the hole.
After we left I thought about how appropriate it was to throw up at an end-of-the-world site. When I feel like everything is falling apart and the world as I know it is coming to an end, I often feel sick to my stomach. However, that’s not the whole story either at Megiddo or at any other place that feels like the end of the world.
Our tour guide pointed out that from the top of Mt. Megiddo, you can see other nearby mountains. To the far left in the photo above you can see Mt. Carmel. To the far right is Mt. Tabor. And to the left of Mt. Tabor on the hillside is the city of Nazareth. When you find yourself at the end-of-the-world site of Armageddon around you are Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth, the hill where Jesus was transfigured and revealed as the Son of God, Mt. Tabor, and the mountain where the prophet Elijah battled an overwhelming number of enemies and emerged victorious, Mt. Carmel.
The geography of this area mimics the spiritual reality wherever we are. Even when things are falling apart and it seems like the end of the world, that’s not the whole spiritual landscape. God is also nearby doing good things: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28 NIV). Sometimes we just have to look around. And sometimes we need to be the tour guide that helps others to look around and see the good that’s in view.
See you Sunday!
Rich
Rich Rindfuss
Access Pastor
First United Methodist Church Richardson