Today is a bank holiday in the UK, so probably more people are watching the news and folks are excited about the signs going up for the forthcoming new US embassy.   This is a good thing, this is a landmark event, as it shows the first of many nations (the US) is making Jerusalem the capital of Israel, and recognition of God’s holy city.

So years ago, when I lived and volunteered in Jerusalem, I saw another sign that excites me.   Its this one.

This is the East part of Jerusalem.   Many people, the Islamic world, and much of the western world which wants to appease the Islamic world think it would be a good idea to make this part of the city into the capital of a Palestine state.   Two issues with this.   Cutting a city in two for capitals of a couple of nations has and would never work.   Look at how that worked out in Berlin for instance.   The other significant issue is that bible believing Jews and Christians believe that Jerusalem should never be divided.    The scriptures warn of catastrophic consequences for any authority that tries to do this.

On the Google Street view, you can spin to the left and see the Mount of Olives or to the right and see the walls of Jerusalem’s old city.

This sign to me show “The last path”  as its the place where Messiah Jesus returns.

Why did I come here? 1. I was with two other men from my youth hostel 2. I wanted to see various historical sites, and 3. I visited this place as a Christian to try and get some understanding of what makes up Buddhism so I am in a better place to tell explain the gospel of Jesus with people from other faiths.  I’m not a liberal.

The tall vase thing on the right is there for people to throw coins up in the air and if it lands in the centre section that I think you get good luck.

All faith systems prosletyze, usually through people visiting a religious building jsut for curiosity, and therefore information on that belief is available for visitors to take away.

This wooden structure contains incense sticks which visitors are encouraged to burn.   So of course, foreigners and non-practising Buddhists take part in this, including two men I was visiting with.   I preferred to just observe what was going on.

So the big rooms in the temple have these very large deity statues in them.   People offer fruit and flowers.   I’m not sure if people are discouraged when the offerings just rot when the people that oversee the site do the cleaning up every so often.

The temple is a nice design with attractive wooden balcony all the way around it.

This 7 tonne bell continues to ring for 3 minutes!

It was during my time here, one night I had this really dreadful dream.   Something demonic, a picture or face of a ‘thing’ that had a representation of death and torture.I am a Christian of 40 years old, I am still trying to get better at responding to prompting by the Holy Spirit, and it would seem that visiting this place was unwise on my part, and I think setting foot in a temple of a foreign god isn’t recommended for followers of Jesus.  Talking to friends back in the UK who are Chinese and missionaries to China have confirmed this.

This verse came to mind today.   Psalm 135 : 13 Your name, Lord, endures forever, your renown, Lord, through all generations. 14For the Lord will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants. 15The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by human hands. 16They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. 17They have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths. 18Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.

25. Chinese Dragons and the bible

27. Unusual street food in China

Every building of significance, actually most hotels, and some restaurants and my hostel have these dragons either side of the doorway.   Seems the bigger the better.   All these dragons have one with one paw on a ball, and the other one has a paw on baby dragon turned upside down.   I’m still trying to figure out the meaning of this.

Being a language geek and also knowing that Dragons are mentioned in the bible I decided to look this word up using Google translator (using VPN app, as everything Google is banned in China) on my phone:-

דְרָקוֹן

This is the Hebrew word for Dragon, which is transliterated as “Drakon”

תַּנִּין

This word is from the Tanakh (the Hebrew Bible, aka the Old Testament) which is pronounced “Tanin”  you can see the meaning of the Strongs link here.

δράκων

This is the Greek word for Dragon I just looked up that appears at various times in Revelation, this is also pronounced “Drakon” in Strong’s.

I listened to a recording of one of my favourite Christian teachers Derek Prince.   Derek liked Chinese art and had some hanging fabrics with Chinese dragons on them, and he reluctantly threw them out as the Lord prompted him to.   Revelation shows the dragon to be a representation of Satan.

I am not asking all my Christian readers to throw out all things with dragons or Chinese art, but I think its necessary if you are a follower of Christ to make sure you don’t have anything in your house that could be a representation of evil.   I think its important when you buy souvenirs that you are not promoting another deity in your house.   I’ve started to really like oriental art, a pastor friend in Israel had lots of interesting pictures brought back from China.   I’d ask and pray to the Lord of anything you are not sure about if it has a place in your home.  One example of this is people often have Buddha statues in the UK, as you can buy them from any garden centre!

Dragons and other mythical creatures, also appear on the corners of these characteristically Chinese roofs on buildings everywhere I have seen in this country.

24. Staying healthy in China

26. My visit Buddhist temple as an evangelical Christian