October 15, 2007

Amy Hill
Journal Entry
October 15
The Substitute
It was a tepid day in Jerusalem that day. The sun gleamed dully off the golden dome that never ceases to mark the landscape, and the gray-winged Elijah ravens pecked halfheartedly at the wilted grass. The whole world was waiting for rain. The students at the BYU Jerusalem Center sat in class, jotting notes, and struggling to comprehend the dreary realities of politics in the Middle East. There was a substitute in class that day. The educated Dr. Musallam, teacher of the JC’s NES 347 course, had been forbidden to cross the antagonizing gray wall. Until a permit was obtained, Brother Huntington would have to teach the class.
We learned about the Muslim religion that day, about its origins and foundations. About its history. And then we learned about the political state of those Middle Eastern kingdoms, be they Arab or otherwise. We talked about the successful pattern that Turkey had set for separating the Muslim religion from government rule. Then we learned about the failed attempt of Iran to do the same, and the rather frightening leadership that has since taken control. It was a beneficial lesson, for the students at the Jerusalem Center will forever after have a better understanding of the current events occurring in the Middle East.
I am sure that Isaiah saw our day. He must have seen the confused goings-on in this part of the world. I can’t help but wonder what he saw after our time. He prophesied that there would be a temple in Egypt. That is something. Something profound in fact. I bet that foresight gave him hope in the midst of the wickedness of his day, and in knowing the wickedness of ours. Isaiah spends much time prophesying about the gathering of scattered Israel. That, too, must have given him hope. Through reading Isaiah’s prophesies, I too have hope. It is easy to lose hope here. The politics of this region are so confused, so jumbled, so seeped in historical mistakes, so unwilling to forget and move on, that it is possible just to drown in the despair of it all. But Isaiah teaches of the true role of the Messiah, and promises that one day, both Jew and Gentile will recognize their Redeemer.