A Loooong Good Day
We began our day at 7:00 am. Or we were supposed to. We made it out the door at 7:15. Why so early? We were headed for the Temple Mount and it opened at 7:30. If we wanted to beat the line, we had to arrive early. And we did. What an intriguing time hearing about the building of the complex by Herod; the history of the Al Aqsa mosque and the mosque of Omar (the Golden Dome); and how the Muslims have built a synagogue below the Temple Mount that will seat 10,000 men. They destroy so much of archeological and historic significance in doing so.
We walked on some of the same stones that Jesus walked on. We saw the Eastern Gate from the inside and also went to visit the Dome of the Spirits on the Temple Mount. It has a flat bedrock stone in it that could have been a threshing floor like David bought from Arunah. If so, the Temple could have been built over it. We just don’t know. We do know the Temple will be rebuilt one day and we look forward with anticipation.
We exited the Temple Mount and kept an appointment to tour the Western Wall Tunnel. After viewing and discussing the animated movie about its construction, we walked the length of it. One stone weighed over 500 tons. How did they get it here? We were shown several different methods.
We departed the tunnel in the Muslim quarter and made our way toward the Lion Gate. Just inside this gate (also known as the St. Stephen’s Gate) we found the Pool of Bethesda. It means House of Mercy and it was here that Jesus healed the paralytic man who had been that way for 38 years. He told him to stop sinning or something worse may happen. Beside the pool there is the Church of St. Anne, the mother of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Inside this church we sang Amazing Grace as a group in its dynamic acoustics. It was a blessing.
As we made our way to the Via Dolorosa, many of us bought some bread to hold us over until lunch. It was delicious. We then walked through the stations of the cross, beginning at the location of the Antonio Fortress and proceeding to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The Lithostratos was probably the most intriguing visit we made along the way. The etching in the floor of the King’s game was interesting. With the massive crowds, Nir explained the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and then released us to see it on our own for a short time. Some visited a tomb near where the crypt of Jesus’ tomb was. It was then off to a delicious lunch in the Jewish Quarter at a cafe that overlooks the Temple Mount.
We next visited the Western Wall and spent time praying. The men also visited the synagogue located to the side of the men’s section. We then made our way toward the Dung Gate and down to the Southern Wall steps. Along the way we stood on the street of Jesus’ day near the corner of the Western Wall and Southern Walls. We saw the massive stones thrown down at the time of the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD. We also saw an inscription on a stone that showed where the trumpets were blown to call for prayer. At the Southern Wall steps, a definite triple A site, we discussed the reality of how we as Gentiles are grafted into the covenant promises of God to Abraham. We then took a group picture, loaded the bus and headed to our last site of the day, Shiloh, This is where the Tabernacle was located for nearly 400 years prior to the Temple being built. It served as the spiritual capital at least, It was a non-impressive impressive site.
Tomorrow we start early again. Here are some pictures from our day.
We walked on some of the same stones that Jesus walked on. We saw the Eastern Gate from the inside and also went to visit the Dome of the Spirits on the Temple Mount. It has a flat bedrock stone in it that could have been a threshing floor like David bought from Arunah. If so, the Temple could have been built over it. We just don’t know. We do know the Temple will be rebuilt one day and we look forward with anticipation.
We exited the Temple Mount and kept an appointment to tour the Western Wall Tunnel. After viewing and discussing the animated movie about its construction, we walked the length of it. One stone weighed over 500 tons. How did they get it here? We were shown several different methods.
We departed the tunnel in the Muslim quarter and made our way toward the Lion Gate. Just inside this gate (also known as the St. Stephen’s Gate) we found the Pool of Bethesda. It means House of Mercy and it was here that Jesus healed the paralytic man who had been that way for 38 years. He told him to stop sinning or something worse may happen. Beside the pool there is the Church of St. Anne, the mother of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Inside this church we sang Amazing Grace as a group in its dynamic acoustics. It was a blessing.
As we made our way to the Via Dolorosa, many of us bought some bread to hold us over until lunch. It was delicious. We then walked through the stations of the cross, beginning at the location of the Antonio Fortress and proceeding to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The Lithostratos was probably the most intriguing visit we made along the way. The etching in the floor of the King’s game was interesting. With the massive crowds, Nir explained the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and then released us to see it on our own for a short time. Some visited a tomb near where the crypt of Jesus’ tomb was. It was then off to a delicious lunch in the Jewish Quarter at a cafe that overlooks the Temple Mount.
We next visited the Western Wall and spent time praying. The men also visited the synagogue located to the side of the men’s section. We then made our way toward the Dung Gate and down to the Southern Wall steps. Along the way we stood on the street of Jesus’ day near the corner of the Western Wall and Southern Walls. We saw the massive stones thrown down at the time of the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD. We also saw an inscription on a stone that showed where the trumpets were blown to call for prayer. At the Southern Wall steps, a definite triple A site, we discussed the reality of how we as Gentiles are grafted into the covenant promises of God to Abraham. We then took a group picture, loaded the bus and headed to our last site of the day, Shiloh, This is where the Tabernacle was located for nearly 400 years prior to the Temple being built. It served as the spiritual capital at least, It was a non-impressive impressive site.
Tomorrow we start early again. Here are some pictures from our day.
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