Israel! Jerusalem

Our first stop in Jerusalem was the Western Wall.


As we approached the gate, there was a Bar Mitzah ceremony taking place, a first to see this here, according to Pastor Rick!

At the beginning of the tour of the tunnels, our guide used a model to describe the construction of the temple, with the Ark of the covenant set upon the Foundation Stone itself.

There was also a model that included original bridges and the additions of current buildings

There is ongoing excavation

This was under an original bridge


This is the original foundation of the western wall. In the original Herodian construction, the blocks are cut so carefully that each fits the adjoining blocks, with a recess of about .75 ", which gives additional stability to the Western Wall.

We walked along the original (Western) Wall Street, below the existing patio area of the western wall

The blocks ranged from 2 1/2 ton to 500+ tons for the largest

The water aqueduct became narrow

then opened into a "room full of water"

This archway would have been open during Jesus time.

We walked through part of the Old City


to get to the Bethesda Pools, John 5. The top part was built in the 12th century, bottom by the Byzantine. It was quite a bit larger area than I had expected!





St. Anne's Basilica is located in the same area as the pools.

A highlight was singing there with the fantastic acoustics.



We walked along the Via Delarosa






to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre


The site is verated as Golgotha, one of two possible sites. The church was built over cisterns by crusaders in 1300's.
The inside of the church was overwhelming due to its extremely ornate features.
The alleged place where he was crucified

Paul reaching down to touch the top of the rock that was in front of the cross.

Stone where Jesus body was washed.

The Sepulchre


and a cave that had these two tombs


This church is shared for worship by 5 churches, including
Greek

Armenian

Catholic

We had lunch and walked through the Jewish Quarter






and came out the Zion Gate (Border of Judah and Israel)


Bullet holes are present from wars in 1948 and 1967. Keyholes in the wall for arrows are all along the wall.

St. Peter in Gallicante, a French catholic church, is built on the site of Caiaphas home.




The church is built into a rock (on the right of picture, and on the other side of the chairs you can see a bit of it!)

with an underground dungeon

Original steps from Biblical times
and other ruins below the church.


A statute commemorates Peter's denial and immediate regret, Luke 22. Our guide explained "greeting with a kiss" has different kisses. Slave to a master would kiss the feet of the master, while a younger person would greet an older person with a kiss on the arm. Peter's kiss to Jesus was that of an equal.


From here, there was a great viewing spot of the Kedron Valley.
Rioting and resulting smoke on Mt. of Olives

The potter's field, which, as prophesied, has not been built on.


Panoramic view of the Kidron Valley


We were able to see an authentic tomb, which explained a lot about the culture of the day. When a person died, they were put in a cave for a year. At the end of the year, the family came back to get the bones and move to a large hole close by, together with ancestors. Christ would have been prepared on a table, put in a niche for only a few days then would have been moved. That is why they came to the tomb.


Scripture talks about being buried with fathers, excuses that one can't follow Jesus until they bury father (could be a year). Now I understand what it means. This was a custom until 500 years after Christ. They thought he was hidden in another part of the cave, but It was a new cave, so no other bones were in there. Seeing this cave, which would have had a roof, explains so much.

Saw these officers taking a shield off the window of their vehicle. Probably been at the Mount of Olives!

Seeing the presence around the city is both comforting (to know they are prepared) and unsettling (wondering what they are expecting). It makes me think of the fact that it seems like every 20 or so years, there is a war here....

One evening while in Jerusalem, our host had a representative from the Jerusalem Cornerstone Foundation (JCF) come to speak to us one evening about the work they do. Our tour was through this organization. It is a Christian charity committed to spreading the gospel through biblical study and acts of mercy. We were delighted to listen to the testimony of a spunky Australian who came to Israel to "Love the Jews". She describes herself as an ordinary person with an extraordinary God, who makes herself available. What a testimony!