God’s Special Mountain
It feels like God has some geographic bias. We read about Mt. Horeb that God gave the Law there, and later refreshed and redirected a depressed Elijah. Earlier in our trip, we learned that just as Peter gave his confession of Jesus being the Christ at the foot of Mt. Hermon, outside of Bania (Caesarea Philippi), so also Jewish tradition holds that it was up on Mt. Hermon that God made the covenant with Abraham. We also believe that the “very high mountain” that was the site of the transfiguration was also on the same mountain. Today, we visited another place of God’s geographic bias: the Temple Mount.
After a later night last evening, we had an early morning, leaving our hotel at 7:30 to try and beat the long line to go up on the Temple Mount. We entered the line just outside the Dung Gate. To our surprise, it did not take us as long a time to get through two security checks on get up on the top. We had to be careful with couples holding hands, etc. Nir explained the history behind Herod’s building of the Temple complex; the Muslim conquering and destruction; etc. We took a group picture on the stairs on the south side of the Dome of the Rock with that building in the background (see below). Nir told the story of the Muslims building of the Dome and the Al Aqsa mosque and the idea that Mohammed ascended to heaven from there. We walked over to the area in front of the Eastern Gate (or Golden Gate). There are some scholars that say that the entrance to the Temple lined up with that gate, meaning that the Temple could sit on the Mount beside the Dome of the Rock. In support of this theory, we went to the Dome of the Spirits which lines up with the Eastern Gate and saw the flat bedrock area that looks more like a threshing floor, like David would have purchased from Arunah.
On this mountain, Abraham offered Isaac; David purchased this land and said he would not offer something to the Lord that cost him nothing; the Temple was built; and on the extension of this mountain Jesus was crucified. God’s presence is on this mountain.
We exited the Temple Mount and made our way to the Western Wall. After some explanation, time was given for everyone to approach the wall, pray, place prayer requests from folks back home, and experience the reality that “the Divine Presence never leaves the Western Wall.” Passions were raised and tears flowed for some.
Following a “snack or brunch” break, we broke into two smaller groups to take a tour of the rabbinical tunnel. A Jewess by the name of Leah was our guide. She told the history, using an animated projection to help us understand what we would be seeing. Walking through along the streets Jesus would have used was moving. And it helped us appreciate once again the ingenuity of Herod and those who built for him. One stone in the wall is 40 ft long by 10 ft. By 6 ft. How did they get it in place? No idea. But amazing. We came out of the tunnel in the Muslim quarter of the Old City and headed for the Lion’s Gate to exit and get on the bus for the short trip to the City of David. It’s been some full days, so a third of our group returned to the hotel while we toured this last location. The City of David (also a term used for Bethlehem) is the 12 acre original town of the Jebusites. In recent years, archeologists discovered seals belonging to people mentioned in the Bible. They also found the foundation of a very large building. Too big for a normal home and not containing the markings of a temple, so it must have been the palace of the Davidic kings. Further excavation supported that theory. After seeing the palace areas, Nir showed us an additional home model build beside the palace. We then went down to the areas of Warren’s shaft, understanding the water system of the Canaanite period (used by Joab to conquer the Jebusite city for David) and then the water tunnel dug by King Hezekiah to protect the city water supply. This tunnel was 500 yards long and was dug opposite directions. Several hearty souls in our group walked the water tunnel while the other part of the group took the dry sewer tunnel. We met at the Pool of Siloam (or in Hebrew Shiloach, meaning “sent.”). Nir described the pool and showed us the picture of it. We also read the story of Jesus healing the man born blind from John 9. He had to find help to do what Jesus sent him to do, but through doing so, he went home seeing clearly for the first time in his life.
A short bus ride home to Prima Kings gives us some rest time and starting the process of sorting, packing and preparing for our final full day in Israel tomorrow. A free morning will lead us to our experience of the Garden Tomb in the afternoon.
Here are some pics from today:
After a later night last evening, we had an early morning, leaving our hotel at 7:30 to try and beat the long line to go up on the Temple Mount. We entered the line just outside the Dung Gate. To our surprise, it did not take us as long a time to get through two security checks on get up on the top. We had to be careful with couples holding hands, etc. Nir explained the history behind Herod’s building of the Temple complex; the Muslim conquering and destruction; etc. We took a group picture on the stairs on the south side of the Dome of the Rock with that building in the background (see below). Nir told the story of the Muslims building of the Dome and the Al Aqsa mosque and the idea that Mohammed ascended to heaven from there. We walked over to the area in front of the Eastern Gate (or Golden Gate). There are some scholars that say that the entrance to the Temple lined up with that gate, meaning that the Temple could sit on the Mount beside the Dome of the Rock. In support of this theory, we went to the Dome of the Spirits which lines up with the Eastern Gate and saw the flat bedrock area that looks more like a threshing floor, like David would have purchased from Arunah.
On this mountain, Abraham offered Isaac; David purchased this land and said he would not offer something to the Lord that cost him nothing; the Temple was built; and on the extension of this mountain Jesus was crucified. God’s presence is on this mountain.
We exited the Temple Mount and made our way to the Western Wall. After some explanation, time was given for everyone to approach the wall, pray, place prayer requests from folks back home, and experience the reality that “the Divine Presence never leaves the Western Wall.” Passions were raised and tears flowed for some.
Following a “snack or brunch” break, we broke into two smaller groups to take a tour of the rabbinical tunnel. A Jewess by the name of Leah was our guide. She told the history, using an animated projection to help us understand what we would be seeing. Walking through along the streets Jesus would have used was moving. And it helped us appreciate once again the ingenuity of Herod and those who built for him. One stone in the wall is 40 ft long by 10 ft. By 6 ft. How did they get it in place? No idea. But amazing. We came out of the tunnel in the Muslim quarter of the Old City and headed for the Lion’s Gate to exit and get on the bus for the short trip to the City of David. It’s been some full days, so a third of our group returned to the hotel while we toured this last location. The City of David (also a term used for Bethlehem) is the 12 acre original town of the Jebusites. In recent years, archeologists discovered seals belonging to people mentioned in the Bible. They also found the foundation of a very large building. Too big for a normal home and not containing the markings of a temple, so it must have been the palace of the Davidic kings. Further excavation supported that theory. After seeing the palace areas, Nir showed us an additional home model build beside the palace. We then went down to the areas of Warren’s shaft, understanding the water system of the Canaanite period (used by Joab to conquer the Jebusite city for David) and then the water tunnel dug by King Hezekiah to protect the city water supply. This tunnel was 500 yards long and was dug opposite directions. Several hearty souls in our group walked the water tunnel while the other part of the group took the dry sewer tunnel. We met at the Pool of Siloam (or in Hebrew Shiloach, meaning “sent.”). Nir described the pool and showed us the picture of it. We also read the story of Jesus healing the man born blind from John 9. He had to find help to do what Jesus sent him to do, but through doing so, he went home seeing clearly for the first time in his life.
A short bus ride home to Prima Kings gives us some rest time and starting the process of sorting, packing and preparing for our final full day in Israel tomorrow. A free morning will lead us to our experience of the Garden Tomb in the afternoon.
Here are some pics from today:
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