For us, the final day was all about the final hours of Jesus life! We walked the Mount of Olives, stopping to relive the triumphal entry. We stopped on the way down, pausing where Jesus wept over Jerusalem. We continued to the bottom of the hill, to the Garden of Gethsemane, spending some time reflecting, as Jesus did, about what he was to endure.
When then headed up into the city. marking the path from Caesar's palace, to the High Priest Caiaphas, to the Judgement Seat just outside the walls from Caesar's palace, and walking not the 'traditional' Via Deloraosa, but instead, following the very likely path that Jesus took from that judgement seat to the hill of Golgatha.
Absolutely one of the most powerful walks I have ever taken. Also came to know that where Jesus was crucified, where his body was prepared for burial, and where he was actually buried all lay within about 50 yards of each other, and all all within the "Church of the Holy Sepulcher. The best part, The tomb where he was laid, the stone slab he was laid upon, IT IS STILL EMPTY!!! CAN I GET AN AMEN :)
Such a cool and meaningful way to end our journey together, before spending a little bit of free time in the city. We spent some time walking the ramparts of the walls around the old city, doing a little shopping, and just taking in the uniqueness of a different culture and lifestyle than our own.
At first I was worried that I would never be able to remember all the different sights, smells, tastes and sounds - but have found that it is now woven into my faith. While I appreciate the knowledge, today I rejoiced that I don't need to approach a hill where a cross was lifted, and I don't need to constnatly visit a tomb that is empty - while those are all great and powerful reminders of our faith - JESUS LIVES IN US! We take him everywhere and He is in everything we do.
Tonight, we will spend some time debriefting as a group, packing stuff up, and then heading to the airport around 9pm. Many would agree, we are ready to be home and to hold our families again - but never again will our hearts be the same. Touched once again by Jesus in only a way that he can do.
There will be a few 'debrief' posts to come, but thank you for following along. When the blog started, there was 200 page views. By the time this article is viewed, we will be over 8,000! God is up to some mighty cool things, and those of us on this journey have been reinvigorated in deep way - and pray we find joy in continue to be on a "Disciples Journey" together as we head home.
Enjoy some sights from the last day.....
MOUNT OF OLIVES:
Cory Nikkel shares his story on the triumphal entry of Jesus, and the truth that Jesus was thinking of us (me, you) when he was entering the city. That is deep love. You can see the Dome of the Rock in the background.
As we head down the hill, we begin to pass several tombs. These boxes hold the bones of the deceased, all from the same family.
As we get lower down the Mount of Olives, we arrive at the place where Jesus stopped and wept over the city. You can imagine the view he had in front of him as he was brought to tears.
A cool view out the windows in the front of this church - you can see just what Jesus was looking at.
So glad to be on this journey with her. I have seen her faith grow, her heart be tugged, and he love blossom!
The church was built to resemble a tear drop.
I had posted a picture of these a few days ago from afar. But these tombs line the hillside, as they are longing to be the first to rise when Jesus returns.
GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE:
The place where Jesus and his disciples went to pray. I think one of the coolest things to experience here was that Jesus would have seen the soldiers coming for him as the torches marched out from the city. He could have turned and fled back up the hill and to an area of safety - - - but he didn't! He stayed for you and for me.
Pano of the garden.
Some cool stain class windows in the church built near the garden.
Some of the olive trees in this grove are approaching 800 years old. Beautiful and majestic. We got to spend some time alone reflecting on what this journey and time must have been like for Jesus - and again reminded that his power is alive in us, and because of what he has down, we can not be separated from the love of God!
POOLS OF BETHESDA/ST. ANNE'S CHURCH:
Some ruins of the pools of Bethesday, where Jesus asks the blind man "Do you want to be healed?!?" A great question and reminder for us too, as sometimes we cling to our sin and brokenness as our identity, forgetting that Jesus has called us to be whole and new in him.
The 2nd pool would have been down at this deepest level - but this gives you an idea of how the continue to build things on top of each other over and over and over.
JUDGEMENT AND VIA DELOROSA:
The new evidence that was uncovered showing the judgement seat where Jesus would have been brought out and put on trial with Pilate.
It is hear, once condemned, that he would have been tried to his cross to carry around the outside wall of this city and up onto Golgatha. The judgement seat is the main white stone structure in the middle.
It doesn't capture the 'uphill' trek that this would have been for Jesus to go up the hill, but a great reminder of the agony with which he would have walked.
What is now markets and stores, would have been a hillside and rock quarry, which we know as Golgatha, where he was heading.
CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHER:
The church from the outside. A reminder of our Christian brokenness, this church is shared by 4 or 5 different 'Christian denominations' that continue to fight and bicker, so much so that it is a Muslim man who comes to lock the church each night. Father, we need your help. Allow us to seek you, not in places and spaces, but in our hearts and in spirit and in truth, to become more like you - that the world would see who you truly are.
Hard to see, because they use a different part of the church to proclaim it was where the cross was placed, but you can see the small cross just above the candle light, this would be the actual place the cross was placed on Golgatha.
This is the 'preparation stone', where Jesus would have been laid and prepared for burial. This stone is literally 50 feet away from the place the cross was placed.
If we were to like the Jews, we would call this the "Western Wall". This is the wall about 10 feet from the where the cross was placed. Again, praise God that we don't have to show up at this place for our prayers to be heard. Praise God that this place is nothing more than evidence of our faith, but that he is alive and in us.
This cave, about 100 feet away from the cross, is part of the rock quarry where the Romans disposed of all the crosses after using them. Of course, the story goes, they went into this pit to retrieve the actual cross. Again, whether or not that happens doesn't really matter - we don't worship the cross, we worship Jesus!
Cool view looking up. This is the shrine built around the tomb of Jesus. There is so much evidence that this is the actual place of Joseph of Arimathea's tomb. And awesome to know that by giving Jesus this unused tomb, was the same as saying - Jesus, you are part of my family, and I am a part of yours.
THE EMPTY TOMB!!!!! The stone slab where he was laid.
THE EMPTY TOMB!!! The tomb is literally about another 50 feet away from the preparation stone.
This is to give you a little layout help. Behind that way, under the far dome is where the cross would have been. This middle of this room, under the huge chandelier is how far away the preparation stone is, and where I am standing to take the picture is about 10 feet from the entrance to the tomb. Definitely not the layout and orientation I have in my mind.
This picture is taken with me literally turning around on the spot from the above picture.
FREE TIME/RAMPARTS:
David's Tower, and the beginning of our walk around about half of the old city up on top of those walls.
A look back behind us of where we were walking. Literally about a 4 foot wide walkway. I can't imagine having been a solider sprinting along the ramparts with no railing on the other side to brace against.
A view outside the city wall.
A mosque located in the NW Corner. You can see the two towers in the back - those belong to the hotel we are staying at.
This would be along the northwest side of the city, and the wall that you could see. This is also very close the caves that Zedekiah discovered and took much stone from to help build the walls.
"I am the vine, and you are the branches." A traditional grape vine set-up.
A view of the Dome of the Rock as we get closer and with the benefit of being on top of the wall.
These two domes are from the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. There is a dome over the place of the cross and one over the tomb. Just gives you a good idea of how close together they were.
The Damascus Gate. Named because it points in the direction of Damascus.
Couldn't resist this....I am sure it is the place where Jesus and the disciples played some 1 on 12. I can only imagine who won :)
The New Gate, located just outside our hotel.
Prayers for safe travel. And excited to begin sharing with many of you what we experienced and what God is up to in our lives. God has been so good, and this truly is a journey that will live in us. Hope you are able to take the journey some day.
