Walking Where He Walked - Day 4 in Israel

Yesterday on day 3, we explored the Dead Sea region. Today we spent the whole day inside the Old City, with a short walk outside the city walls. 

Jerusalem…three thousand years of history and eternally young.  Strolling on 2000 year old pavements or a lively pedestrian mall,  Jerusalem is simultaneously an open air museum and a vibrant, modern city, where the past is alive amidst the present.  The unique character of Jerusalem tantalizes the senses.  It is in the golden aura of the setting sun reflecting from every building, in the black-clad men and boys with side curls hurrying to the synagogue, in the mingling sounds of tolling church bells and the muezzin calling the faithful to prayer, and in the bustle of people going about their normal business in the most extraordinary city in the world.

 
In Biblical times Jews fulfilled the injunction to make offerings at the Temple on three feast days, and it was the Passover that brought Jesus to the city at the end of His earthly life.  According to tradition, Mohammed’s night ride to heaven to receive the Koran started from the Temple Mount.  All three monotheistic religions are interwoven into the fabric of the city, each revering and making pilgrimage to its various holy sites: Jews to the Western Wall, Moslems to the Temple Mount, and Christians to the many sites where Jesus walked and ministered to the people.  Today, sites central to all 3 monotheistic faiths were seen. We explored Jerusalem with you.

Here was our itinerary for day 4:  

    

1- We started today on Temple Mount. This is the location of Solomon’s Temple, and 1000 years later, Herod’s Temple.  Jesus visited this location many times during his growing up years and during his public ministry. Now this site is under total Muslim control and is the 3rd holiest site in Islam, after Mecca and Medina.

• here is a short 1 minute video that shares the importance of this location to all three monotheistic religions.  http://jerusalem.com/videos/temple_mount_jerusalem 
• check out the short 3 minute video that focuses on the Muslim aspect of Temple Mount  http://jerusalem.com/videos/temple_mount_al_haram_al_sharif  We can't get into the buildings on Temple Mount because we aren't Muslim, so this video will let you see what is inside.

2- We left the Temple Mount and headed right next door to the Pool of Bethesda.  Read John 5 and see how Jesus healed the paralytic at this location, and then went to the Temple Mount area right next door.

3- Our third stop was at the Western Wall…the most holy site in Judaism since Jews can’t worship on Temple Mount.  This spot is holy to the Jews because it is the closest spot they can worship to the where the Holy of Holies was located in the Temple.

• check out the 1 minute video on the Western Wall.  We'll stop here to talk about Jewish worship customs.  http://jerusalem.com/videos/the_kotel_western_wall 

4- After a lunch break in the Old City we headed to the City of David, right outside the current city walls.  This in one of my favorite sites and is the location of the some of the oldest ruins of Jerusalem.  This is the area David captured from the Jebusites and made his capital over all of Israel. We spent a few hours here, and end our visit by walking through Hezekiah’s tunnel.  Are you ready for a little water walking in the dark?  You will not find a more authentic site in all of Israel.  

     

• here is a 1 minute video of the Jewish Quarter, where we will find lunch  http://jerusalem.com/videos/jewish_quarter_jerusalem
• Check out this quick 90 second video on the City of David.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZhFteuv9Is#aid=P8q-5uo1PHA 

5- After dinner at the hotel we have a special evening event.  These tickets are hard to get, so pray we can be confirmed.  We will enter the Western Wall tunnels and walk parallel to the Temple Mount, all underground. Don’t worry…this is ventilated and well lit…and dry.  You will be amazed at the size and scope of the building project Herod undertook to construct the Temple.  Jesus would have walked these streets many times, and now they are under the Muslim Quarter.

• one last 3 minute video on the history of the tunnels  http://jerusalem.com/videos/western_wall_tunnels_opening_model 

Walking Where He Walked - Day 3 in Israel

Yesterday, we had a tour chronologically, but today we took a time out from life of Christ to experience the Dead Sea region.  We were introduced to the wilderness in day 2 with our very fun Wadi Kelt wilderness walk.  Today we spent the whole day in the wilderness, but we got to explore a massive fortress, a Biblical oasis, and swim in the Dead Sea.

•  We departed Jerusalem first thing in the morning and dropped to the lowest point on the earth…the lower Jordan Valley where the Dead Sea is located. We drove right along the Dead Sea and after 2 hours we arrived to our first stop…Masada.  We rode the cable car to the top of Masada.  During the First Revolt against Rome, the Jewish rebel forces under Menachen Ben-Yehuda overpowered the Roman garrison at Masada in A.D. 66. The number of Jews who came to live in the fortress increased in A.D. 70, when some of the leaders of the revolt left Jerusalem with their families before the city was destroyed. They lived at Masada for two years before the Roman procurator Flavius Silva began the siege in earnest.  Using the RomanTenth Legion and thousands of Jewish prisoners of war, he built a wall encircling the mountain to cut off all supplies, as well as eight camps for the housing of the soldiers. He then used the Jewish captives to construct a ramp from the eastern side to the walls, knowing that the defenders inside would not attack their fellow countrymen. On the first day of Passover in A.D. 73, the defenders realized that their situation was hopeless. They chose to burn their fortress and commit suicide rather than to fall into the hands of the Romans.  This is a spectacular site and after spending a couple of hours on the top of it we will only have seen about half of it. 

      

     

• Our second stop today is at En Gedi.  Anyone up for another hike?  You better be, because we will hike up to the waterfall at En Gedi, where David spent time hiding from Saul.  This is a beautiful wilderness oasis overlooking the Dead Sea.  And the hike is pretty easy.  And a bonus is the chance to spot some Biblical wildlife.  Here is a 6:30 video that shows some good shots of En Gedi  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YfIyZJFvrQ&list=PLFE763A800EF8785D

• Our final stop today was at the Dead Sea.  We had a chance to experience a body of water that is unique in all the world.  It is an impossibility to sink in it.  The Dead Sea is composed of minerals and salts that make everyone buoyant.   Time for a short swim…really a float.  Here is a very short video showing you what to expect when you swimming here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTcyACmiaho

Walking Where He Walked - Day 2 in Israel

Day 1 was an overview day, but today we had a long hike. We toured chronologically and today we talked about the first 30 years of Jesus’ life. We call this the preparation period of Jesus' disciple making ministry.

• The beginning of Jesus' life started in Bethlehem.  One of my favorite sites in all of Israel is Herodium, located just outside Bethlehem.  This is one of King Herod the Great’s fortresses he built in case he ever had to flee Jerusalem.  I’ve attached 3 pictures of Herodium in a PDF. And the following link contains a 5 minute video shot on top of Herodium…check it out.     https://vimeo.com/113131122   And yes…we climbed to the top and talked about the birth of the King of Kings who threatened Rome’s puppet king.  In 40 B.C., Herod barely escaped from Palestine.  The combined forces of the Jews and the Parthians had closed in on him as they supported a Jewish Hasmonean contender for the throne, Matthias Antigonus.  However, Herod managed to defeat the coalition and escape to Rome. Once the Roman Senate conferred the kingship of Palestine on Herod, he returned and made plans to build a palace and a fortress on the site of his great victory.  The building of this very unusual fortress, (named after Herod, hence Herodium) began in 24 B.C., was completed in 15 B.C., right before Christ was born.  Herod was buried here and his grave has recently been found after a search lasting over 30 years.  As you stand on top of Herodium you will have an unobstructed 360 degree view: east toward Moab in Transjordan, from where Naomi and Ruth came to Bethlehem; south toward Tekoa where the prophet Amos was a shepherd; west toward Bethlehem; and north toward Jerusalem.  Below this fortress is the subtle transition from the wilderness to the cultivated area where shepherds lead their flocks from place to place, depending on the time of year. It was in the shadow of this fortress the Prince of Peace was born.

• Stop 2 today was at the Jordan River, where Jesus was baptized by John.  A mere 10 yards across the river is the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.  This is a key spot that launched the next phase of Jesus' ministry…the Ministry Foundations Phase. We were oriented about the next 18-21 months when Jesus started to build relationships with his early disciples.

            

         

• Our final stop on day 2 is a BIG adventure.  We hike the lower part of the Wadi Qelt the last few miles to Jericho.  Most of it (I said most) is downhill.  This is the main route from Jericho to Jerusalem and Jesus would have been on this route many times during his life.  This is the Judean wilderness where Jesus was tempted right after his baptism.  You will experience the Biblical wilderness in a way few other visitors to Israel ever do. And our hike gave me s new insight into many events from the Bible.   Check out these pictures.

Walking Where He Walked - Day 1 in Israel

We woke up our first morning and got ready for an overview day.  Steve (our tour guide) loves to give geographical and historical context right at the beginning of our 12 days together.  We visited 4 major sites today:

• We started by visiting the famous Israel Museum.  We saw a fantastic model of Jerusalem from right after the time of Jesus, and also squeezed in a visit to the Dead Sea scrolls. This visit helped us start to understand Jerusalem geography.

• Our second stop today was walking the Old City walls of Jerusalem.  When we speak of Jerusalem today, we speak of 3 different 'Jerusalems'. 

1.       West Jerusalem is Jewish Jerusalem.  It is very modern and the seat of Israeli government, the location of museums, and has trendy shops and coffee bars. 

2.       East Jerusalem is Arab Jerusalem.  It is also modern, but it is smaller and less developed. 

3.       Finally, there is the Old City of Jerusalem…where our hotel is located.  This is biblical and historical Jerusalem (with a couple of Biblical exceptions). We stayed right in the middle of all the action, right inside the Old City walls built in the 1500s.   The Old City is filled with Jews, Arabs, Christians, Muslims, Armenians;  and tourists and pilgrims of every stripe and color.  So we continued our day by walking on the Old City walls for a couple of hours.  We peered down into city life in the Old City as we walked around the Christian and Muslim quarters.  Every time I’m on the walls I think of Ezekiel 62:6-7 and being a watchman on the walls of Jerusalem.  Check out our walk with this video which lasts less than 4 minutes.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uzjgMqZQBI

• Our third stop today was the Mount of Olives.  This overview gives us a good chance to see all the Biblical geography of Jerusalem. This is the classic view of the Temple Mount, the old site of Solomon and Herod’s temples. 

• Our last stop of the day was the Church of Pater Noster, which is translated as "our Father" in Latin.  This convent was built over the traditional site where Jesus taught his disciples to pray what we refer to as "The Lord's Prayer".  A unique feature of this church is the Lord's Prayer written on large wall tiles in over 200 languages.

Walking Where He Walked- Day 2 (Part 1)

What a beautiful view on top of Herodium! You will have an obstructed 360 degree view: east toward Moab in Tranjordan, from where Naomi and Ruth came to Bethlehem; south toward Tekoa where the prophet Amos was a shephered; west toward Bethlehem; and north toward Jerusalem. 

Below this fortress is the subtle transition from the desert to the cultivated area where shepherds lead their flocks from place to place, depending on the time of the year.

It was in the shadow of this fortress that the Prince of Peace was born. 

In 40 BC, Herod barely escaped from Palestine. The combined forces of Jews and Parthians had closed in on him as they supported a Jewish Hasmonean contender for the throne, Mayathias Antigonus. However, Herod managed to defeat this coalition and escape to Rome.  Once the Roman Senate conferred the kingship of Palestine on Herod, he returned and made plans to build a palace and a fortress on the site od his great victory. 

The building of this very unusual fortress, began in 24 BC, was completed in 15 BC. Herod was buried here and his grave was found in 2007. 

Walking Where He Walked- Day 1

The This is it! Our First Day of Israel Study Tour.  This Tour is all about Disciple Making from the Life of Jesus. 

Today, we walked through The Walls of Jerusalem. Then we went to the Museum to see the "Model" of Jerusalem - the Old City. 

After lunch, we went to the Mount Olive to see the view of Jerusalem at present.  And these are some photos I took. You can compare these with the "model" of Old Jerusalem. 

Seeing this picture brings fresh memories of what I read in the bible. It was here in Jerusalem that Abraham paid tithes to Melchizaseck in Salem. It was here that Abraham offered his son isaac on Mount Moriah. It was here that Joshua defeated Adonai Zadak when he conquered the land. It was here that David ruled for 30 years. It was here that Solomon built the first temple (1 King 6). It was here that Jesus was dedicated at the temple at 40 days old. It was here that Jesus came at age 12 to the temple, where I believe He started to understand that He was the Messiah. 

It was here that Jesus did many miracles. It was here that Jesus died, was buried, was resurrected, and ascended to return to His eternal home in heaven. It was here in this city where the holy Spirit was poured out.

It was here where Peter preached and thousands trusted in Christ and the Church was born. It was here where Paul persecuted early Christians.  It was here where Stephen was martyred and the church was scattered. 

We are told that one day, just as the Lord ascended into heaven from this very Mount of Olives, He will return to this Earth. From here, Jerusalem will become the throne of the Lord. Jerusalem will be inhabited forever. 1 Kings 14- the city that god has chosen. Daniel 8:16- this is God's holy city, his holy hill. Ezekiel tells us that it will be the center of all nations. Joel tells us that it will be holy, and never again will

foreigners invade it.  

Walking Where He Walked

I have this mixed feeling! I miss my family back in the Philippines. How I wish they're with me. 

On the other hand, I am excited to walk where Jesus walked and talked to see His kingdom come here on Earth, starting from His own Jerusalem. And yes, I can't believe it. I am now in Jerusalem. Tomorrow is the start of our 12-day journey of having a fresh encounter with the places where He spent His life with disciples and people who turned to Him & otherwise. 

Tomorrow, I am expectant of the many lessons I will surely learn from Him through this long & yet refreshing WALK where He too WALKED. 

For now, here are some pictures I have taken after checking in at the hotel & taking our brunch...