Day 5 in Israel
Day 5 – Jerusalem
We stood upon the Temple Mound. This is a very holy site. For Muslims, this is where Mohammed supposedly received his vision and started the Islamic religion (although there is no historical evidence or anything in the Koran that says this). For Jews, this is where the temple was. For Christians, this is where Jesus would have come to be circumcised 8 days after his birth, taught on the steps leading up to the Temple, where Jesus offered up his sacrifices and cleaned out the money changers, and where Peter would have taught on Pentecost and baptized 3,000 people. This is the holy site for the three monotheistic religions.
Now upon this site where the temple had been is the Muslim Dome of the Rock. It is the third most holy site for Muslims. The golden plates on top of the dome are real gold. King Hussein replaced the original lead plates with real gold. I received a totally different feeling at this place than anywhere else we have been this week. When I see this Muslim site, it feels like nails on a chalkboard. Satan is certainly alive and well in this place and in this religion. But the Gates of Hell will not overcome!
We visited the site of the Pool of Bethesda. There were two pools – a northern and a southern pool with a dike in between. The pool is actually the size of a football field with arches in between. Not a little wading pool like you may have imagined. Jesus heals a paralyzed man here. (John 5) This isn’t even the full size of the pool. Archeologists have not dug up everything.
Right next to the Pool is the Crusader Church from 1099. All stone. The acoustics in this church are great. After singing a line, you can hear the echo reverberating for about 4 seconds. Pastors are great singers. At least most of us. 18 out of 20 excellent singers stood in the front of the church singing “God’s Word is Our Great Heritage,” “The Doxology,” and “A Mighty Fortress.” Very cool! I even became a little choked up.
We walked the Via Dolorosa, the Way of the Cross. The Catholic Church has set 14 Stations of the Cross where events happened on Jesus way to Golgotha. At the end of the Via Dolorosa is the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. This is traditionally the place for Jesus crucifixion and burial. A very impressive and ornate church, but very different from the quiet and serene garden, Golgotha and tomb we visited yesterday.
The Western Wall surrounding where the temple had been is called the Wailing Wall. This is the most holy place for all Jews. This is the wall that would have been closest to the location of the Holy of holies in the temple. Jews come to stand by the wall and pray. They write out a prayer on a little piece of paper and stick the prayer in the cracks of the wall. I had my picture taken with a young man from Baltimore who is getting married today. It is tradition to pray at the Wailing Wall on the day of the wedding.
We had a devotion on the steps where Jesus would have walked to enter the temple area. He would have taught here as a 12-year-old boy. As we listened to the devotion we could hear the prayer chants of the Muslims from one direction and the prayers of the Jews from the Wailing Wall in another direction. They were praying to gods who do not hear them. Yet we were listening to the living Words and praising the real God who only can hear our prayers. Then we sang “How Great Thou Art.” Neil Armstrong said that walking on these steps was more emotional for him than stepping onto the moon.
We are teaching where Jesus taught, praying where Jesus prayed and walking where Jesus walked.
We stood upon the Temple Mound. This is a very holy site. For Muslims, this is where Mohammed supposedly received his vision and started the Islamic religion (although there is no historical evidence or anything in the Koran that says this). For Jews, this is where the temple was. For Christians, this is where Jesus would have come to be circumcised 8 days after his birth, taught on the steps leading up to the Temple, where Jesus offered up his sacrifices and cleaned out the money changers, and where Peter would have taught on Pentecost and baptized 3,000 people. This is the holy site for the three monotheistic religions.
Now upon this site where the temple had been is the Muslim Dome of the Rock. It is the third most holy site for Muslims. The golden plates on top of the dome are real gold. King Hussein replaced the original lead plates with real gold. I received a totally different feeling at this place than anywhere else we have been this week. When I see this Muslim site, it feels like nails on a chalkboard. Satan is certainly alive and well in this place and in this religion. But the Gates of Hell will not overcome!
We visited the site of the Pool of Bethesda. There were two pools – a northern and a southern pool with a dike in between. The pool is actually the size of a football field with arches in between. Not a little wading pool like you may have imagined. Jesus heals a paralyzed man here. (John 5) This isn’t even the full size of the pool. Archeologists have not dug up everything.
Right next to the Pool is the Crusader Church from 1099. All stone. The acoustics in this church are great. After singing a line, you can hear the echo reverberating for about 4 seconds. Pastors are great singers. At least most of us. 18 out of 20 excellent singers stood in the front of the church singing “God’s Word is Our Great Heritage,” “The Doxology,” and “A Mighty Fortress.” Very cool! I even became a little choked up.
We walked the Via Dolorosa, the Way of the Cross. The Catholic Church has set 14 Stations of the Cross where events happened on Jesus way to Golgotha. At the end of the Via Dolorosa is the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. This is traditionally the place for Jesus crucifixion and burial. A very impressive and ornate church, but very different from the quiet and serene garden, Golgotha and tomb we visited yesterday.
The Western Wall surrounding where the temple had been is called the Wailing Wall. This is the most holy place for all Jews. This is the wall that would have been closest to the location of the Holy of holies in the temple. Jews come to stand by the wall and pray. They write out a prayer on a little piece of paper and stick the prayer in the cracks of the wall. I had my picture taken with a young man from Baltimore who is getting married today. It is tradition to pray at the Wailing Wall on the day of the wedding.
We had a devotion on the steps where Jesus would have walked to enter the temple area. He would have taught here as a 12-year-old boy. As we listened to the devotion we could hear the prayer chants of the Muslims from one direction and the prayers of the Jews from the Wailing Wall in another direction. They were praying to gods who do not hear them. Yet we were listening to the living Words and praising the real God who only can hear our prayers. Then we sang “How Great Thou Art.” Neil Armstrong said that walking on these steps was more emotional for him than stepping onto the moon.
We are teaching where Jesus taught, praying where Jesus prayed and walking where Jesus walked.
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