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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, OCTOBER 28, 1983
In the hotel where we stayed, the Amman Marriott, a revolving festival of
Common Market goods and foods is being held. It featured foods and wines
from Germany while we were there.
Perhaps Jordan's deepening ties to Europe help explain why "Moab and the
chief of the children of Ammon" (Dan. 11:41) will escape being overthrown
by a future European power striking into the Middle East.
Apparently
Jordan will already be closely linked to Europe by that time.
Israel Muddling Along
Our visit to Israel coincided with nationwide municipal elections. For
tunately for the city of Jerusalem and for our projects there, the tireless
72-year-old Teddy Kollek was easily returned to power as mayor. "Teddy,"
as he is always referred to, personally came up to Mr. Armstrong's suite
first thing on Wednesday morning to convey election results to Mr. Arm
strong.
He hosted a luncheon the previous day for Mr. Armstrong and
appeared again at another lunch on Wednesday. He would have seen us off at
the hotel Thursday morning had he not been detained by business.
Both Mayor Kollek and Knesset Speaker Savidor have been instrumental in
safeguarding Jerusalem's famed archaeological projects from being blocked
by the opposition of ultra-orthodox Hassidic Jews. Mayor Kollek in fact
was attacked by a mob of Hassidim just a few days ago. The reason for the
attack escapes me at the moment, but he showed us evidence of the assault--a
badly bruised left arm. It's good that the mayor is of considerable size.
All of us in our party agreed that Jerusalem is indeed fortunate to have
such a man at the helm. We saw yet another fruit of his tireless efforts in
Jerusalem, in cooperation with archaeological experts. We were taken by
Professor Nahman Avigad to the "Cardo"--an unearthed street and shopping
arcade dating back to Crusader (Byzantine) times and even in portions to
the time of the Roman occupation. It was the main north-south thoroughfare
running through Jerusalem. At one spot a lighted pit along the arcade path
revealed a portion of the wall of the first temple!
Another pit showed
where blocks of the first temple joined those of the second (Herodian).
Nearby a dig has unearthed Jerusalem's city wall dating back to the eighth
century B.C. (Hezekiah's time). It showed, said Professor Avigad, that
Jerusalem was a more extensive and grand city than previously thought.
The Cardo dig, underway for 14 years, was opened to the public only a month
ago. Professor Avigad will soon publish his findings in a book entitled, in
English, DISCOVERING JERUSALEM.
It will be published in the U.S. by
Nelson.
In Israel itself, the Lebanese situation continues to be a running sore.
Two more Israeli soldiers were ambushed and killed in south Lebanon while
we were there. The Israeli shekel is very weak, having recently fallen from
68 to 84 to the dollar. One reason for the weak economy, Mayor Kollek told
me, is that the national government did not--as in previous wars--require
the public to sacrifice to pay for the Lebanese war, which of course was not
fully supported by the people, at least as it dragged on. Government spend
ing on other areas of the economy continued much in the same way that