Journey Day 7: City of David, Hezekiah's Tunnel, Old Jerusalem, Church of the Nativity

Today was all about experiencing Jerusalem - both old and new - and it did not disappoint in any way, shape or form.

Our morning started with some of these beautiful views and experiences from our hosts families in Bethlehem again....

We then headed off to Jerusalem.  Our first stop was up on a hill overlooking the city and getting a lay of the land, the valley that surround the city, and pointing our significant areas.

Next was into the City of David and into Hezekiah's Tunnel.   The tunnel was literally a 40 minute walk through some pretty tight quarters all underground.  I'm not sure the pictures do it justice, I will try to upload a video later.  Was pretty cool as our group of 26 began to sing some songs of praise as we passed through the darkness!

Then it was into the old city.   We walked around the retaining walls of the temple mount - getting an idea of when each stone was added to the wall and the massiveness of their size.   We walked around some of the ruins they have uncovered, but without a doubt, the highlight was spending time on the Southern Steps together.  This is where Jesus would have done most of his teaching - both when his parents left him behind as a young boy, and when he returned to Jerusalem during his ministry.   How cool that we are a group were sitting there talking about some of the very same words that Jesus shared.   Groups of people literally crowded these steps to hang on his every word, and we were doing the same!  We also visited what is believed to be the site of the "Upper Room" where Jesus shared the Last Supper with his disciples and also where the disciples would have been hanging out when Pentecost arrived.

Then it was walking through a few of the 4 quarters of the Old City - one for Jews, Christians, Muslims and Armenians.   Amazing to see all the shops and streets.   This culminated with a short stop at the Western Wall.   Definitely an emotion experience.   Also hard to see so many pouring this heart out to a physical space, not knowing the joy and power that awaits us in Jesus name.

A day culminated with a trip to the Church of the Nativity - a literal church built over the place where it is very likely that Jesus was born.   Holy and moving to say the least.

We have just spent a wonderful evening in fellowship with our host family - so cool how God can tie people from two different parts of this world together in His name.

HOST FAMILY:

How would you like to wake up to this view each day!?

Here is a clearer view of the Herodium from our host families home.   It is the flat topped hill off in the distance - just huge!

Probably one of the best breakfasts I have had in a while.  Jams and dips and eggs and pita bread - and all FRESH!   So delicious. 

Anita was a little scrunched on the way to the bus....as were Pat and Bryce, you just can't see them :)

CITY OF DAVID:

This is our view of Jerusalem before we descended upon the city for the day.  A beautiful view to do devotions and set our focus for the day.   This picture, you can catch the Dome of the Rock on the left side, just above the light pole, and the Kidron Valley, and the Mount of Olives/Garden of Gethsemane going back up to the right.

View of the Garden of Gethsemane/Mount of Olives on our drive down to the City of David.

People have decided to be buried on this hill right by the city because they want to be the first to rise with Jesus when he returns....I guess I can't blame them :)

One of our first good views of the city wall.   Stones are enormous.

So, this would have been a view from David's Palace.   As you look down the hill, it begins to be easier to understand the scripture of David looking and seeing Bathsheba bathing on the roof right?!?

HEZEKIAH'S TUNNEL:

And....down we go :)

And...into the water.

Not a huge fan of tight places, so this was my excited face to get me through ;)

This was a fairly large opening for the tunnel....I spent most of my time with my hands on my knees walking through hunched over.   Water was about knee deep, a few times a little more than that.

Tight squeezes, but SO cool!

And the stream came out at the Pool of Siloam.

A not very great pictures of were the Pool of Shilom would have been - the pool that Jesus sends the blind man to so he can be healed.

OLD CITY & 4 QUARTERS:

We caught a Bar Mitzpha going on - here is a group of them dancing their way into the city.

This is the corner of the walls surrounding the temple mount.   Very likely this is the spot that the devil took Jesus as he was tempted in the desert and told him to throw himself down.

These are rocks that feel from the Temple and temple mount.....

And this is the damage they did to the road below....

Check out the size of the stone above Daniels head.   Probably 25 feet long, 6 feet high and 4 feet wide.   Literally weight thousands of pounds.   And there are hundreds of stones this size in the walls around the temple and the city.

Walking the ramparts of the city wall on the way to the Southern Steps.

The Southern Steps on to the left side of the picture leading up into the wall.  The stuff down to the right are just ruins from the city from 1st century.

The Southern Steps....where Jesus would have done many of his teachings and were people flocked to hear him speak.

Quite possible that these steps and this middle gate is where Jesus entered Jerusalem on Psalm Sunday - gives it a whole new look and meaning!

The sheer size and might of this wall....

A view of the Dome of the Rock as we make our way into the 4 quarters.

What the streets look like in the quarters.

Joppa Wall.   Riddled with bullet holes from the recent wars.

Some amazing architecture around every corner.

The Upper Room.   Can just imagine Jesus and his disciples up here for the Last Supper, or for Pentecost.

Pano picture of the room.

A quick stop at Jerusalem University College - a beautiful motto - Read the Land, Live the Book!

Essean Wall they discovered, dating back to the 1st Century. 

Hey...windmills in Jerusalem?!?!

Walking the roads...

Into the markets....

And more markets....

Bryce practicing his Joshua horn.

and some more markets....

The Western Wall.

Powerful and moving place to be.   So glad our God is a God who is no longer confined to a temple, but lives and moves and breathes within each one of us!

Just hanging with my best friend in Israel - life's pretty good!

Pano of the Western Wall area.

CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY:

View of the outside of the church.

This is the place where Jesus lay.    This shrine is down under the church, literally inside of a cave, just like what Jesus would have been born into.

Praise God!  For the hollowed, manager ground!

A lot of the church was under remodeling, which was a bummer, but still very beautiful.

LAST NIGHT WITH OUR HOST FAMILY:

Alah, Abeer and their 4 boys, and Alah's mother and father, and sister and girls, and a family friend from Switzerland.   Our God is the God of ALL!   We ALL have a story and are created to bring Him glory - what a beautiful picture and reminder of that we have experienced here.

Tomorrow - we head to Galilee for the next 4 nights.   Literally returning to the area where Jesus performed almost all of his miracles and did a majority of his teaching.   Ready to see God on the move - thanks for the prayers, keep them coming :)

Journey Day 6: Holocaust Museum, Tel Bet Shemesh, Tel Azeka, Host Families

This morning, we packed up from our beautiful hotel in Jerusalem......

View of Dome of the Rock from our hotel upstairs balcony.  The hill in the background you see is Mount of Olives and Garden of Gethsemane - how cool!

And we began an awesome day of seeing the Bible once again come to life is some really powerful ways.   But first, we started with a trip to the Holocaust Museum, which was a very emotional journey through the worst that mankind has to offer, and understanding the influence that has had on the Israeli people.

HOLOCAUST MUSEUM:

Room of names.   A very intense reminder of the millions of Jews who lost their lives....all named here.

A beautiful view of the land just outside the museum.  Strategically placed to show that the Jewish people have returned home, and their future lies before them.

Probably one of the most emotional things I have seen in a while.   This is a tribute to the millions of children that lost their lives during the Holocaust.   Using mirrors, you literally see thousands and thousands of lights, while a child's name, age and country are read aloud.

TEL BET SHEMESH:

We took a quick hike to a site that gave a beautiful view of the Sorek Valley, which played host to many stories of the Bible....Samson, the Ark of the Covenant being lost and then returned, etc.

Just thought this was a beautiful picture of what we are doing....a disciples journey.  This is how they would have followed Jesus around the country side as they traveled.   "Walking in the dust of the Rabbi" takes on a whole new meaning.

This is a panorama of the Sorek Valley standing from the top of the Tel.

As we hear the story in 2 Kings 14, of Bet Shemesh.  It also appears with Samson as he sends foxes with their tails on fire to run through the wheat fields, just like these!  The entire valley is filled with them.

One of the coolest things they have uncovered here are 1st century tombs, probably hundreds of them.   It gave this beautiful reminder of what we will experience in Jerusalem in Jesus EMPTY tomb, and how the angel's would have appeared.

TEL AZEKA:

This is a panorama of the Elah Valley, where the Philistines and Israelites would have squared off for the story of David vs. Goliath.  The green mound in the middle is surrounded by this valley, and the little white area you see is close to the area we believe they would have battled.   So, we headed down the mountain to walk the creek....

The stream bed that David would have chosen his 5 stones from.  You could just imagine David out here, prayerfully selecting each stone as he prepared to do battle in God's name.

The most probable size of the stones (just smaller than baseballs) that David would have used, and been able to throw harder than 100 MPH.   "Only a boy named David, only a rippling brook, only a boy named David, and 5 little stones he took!"

Can't you just see the armies on each side of the valley with David and Goliath squaring off in the middle.

 HOST FAMILIES:

So, tonight and tomorrow will be one of our biggest blessings.  We are getting to spend two evening in the home of a host family just outside Bethlehem.   These Palestinian Christians are beautiful people and they have a beautiful home with an absolutely beautiful view....

Anita, I and Bryce and Pat are together.  Here we are riding their vehicle back to their home.

This is the view they have from their upstairs balcony.  Hard to see, but in the distance is the Herodium where we did the birth of Jesus story yesterday morning.

Our DELICIOUS supper.  Rice with meat, potatoes and veggies.

Some of our dessert!

Apricot!

The wonderful people we get to call family for the next 2 nights!

Thank you for your continued prayers.  The heat sickness has left, energy has returned!   Tomorrow will be a huge day for us to wrap our minds around as we begin walking the streets of Jerusalem.  We are spending the whole day there - visiting Old City, Hezekiah's Tunnel, and just walking and becoming familiar with the city after seeing the model yesterday.   God is good!