Wow…it is beginning to hit home that our tour is nearing its end. We have a great group and we have experienced a lot together…and we still have one more day, so we’ll make the most of it!
This morning we left at our usual time of 8:00am, headed for Temple Mount, the lightning rod of conflict in the Middle East. Today, Temple Mount is contolled by the Muslim Waqf of Jordan, but is patrolled by Israeli police. (Geopolitically, what could possibly go wrong!?!) The Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third greatest holy site in Islam, sit atop Temple Mount where the Jewish Temple once stood. The first Temple was built by King Solomon and destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC, and the second Temple, built by Roman King Herod the Great, was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. Since then, there has been no Temple.
Meanwhile, the Muslims laid claim to it in the 600’s AD and built the Dome of the Rock supposedly exactly where the Holy of Holies stood in the Temple. Later, they added Al-Aqsa Mosque. Muslims gather there to pray, though Jews are, by and large, prohibited from going there. Also, no Bibles or prayers (other than Muslim) are allowed by anyone.
(Click on the pictures to see the full versions.)
Descending from Temple Mount on the north end, we made the short walk to the Pools of Bethesda and St Anne’s Church. It is a quiet setting there, so after viewing the Pools, we sat to discuss Jesus’ miracle of healing the lame man. John 5 tells us Jesus was in Jerusalem for the feasts when He came to a the Pools of Bethesda, where many lame and sick people went for healing. First, don’t you love the fact that Jesus went where the need was. He didn’t have some great crusade, asking people to come to Him!
There by the side of the pool was a man who, for 38 years, dealt with an infirmity. Jesus asked him if he wanted to be healed, yet the man said he couldn’t get into the pool of his own accord. Jesus could have helped him into the pool, yet He chose to heal him on the spot. “Take up your bed and walk,” Jesus said.
Jesus performed another healing miracle near the Pool of Siloam, according to John 9. When Jesus saw a man blind from birth, He spit on the ground to make clay and He applied it to the man’s eyes, then told him to wash in the Pool of Siloam. (We were there just a few days ago.) This man obeyed and was healed.
Friends, no matter your ailment, be it physical, mental, emotional or spiritual, Jesus can bring healing. In these cases, they were obvious physical miracles and He is still in the miracle business! However, He may choose to heal in ways you don’t immediately see or feel. It doesn’t mean He’s not working. Keep trusting, allow your faith to grow, and believe He has your best interest at heart! One of our guests shared a devotional about journaling the ways God works in your life. Try it! When you review in a few months you will find that God’s goodness and mercy have surely followed you! (Psalm 23:6)
Right next to the Pools of Bethesda is St Anne’s Church. Named after Hannah (Anne), the mother of Mary, this Crusader church was built in the 12th century AD. It’s claim to fame is the amazing acoustical sound where every voice sounds like an angel. Here is our meager offering of angelic voices.
Leaving through Lion’s Gate, made famous when the IDF entered to recapture Temple Mount in the 1967 Six Day War, we saw plenty of Israeli police presence as we exited through the Muslim Quarter. Taking a hard right, we ended up on the pathway that cuts through a Muslim cemetary just in front of the Eastern Gate. There, I taught from a place I have never taught before, but it was perfect! The subject matter was regarding Jesus weeping over Jerusalem, just across the Kidron Valley from where we were, and Jesus’ entry through those Eastern Gates at His Second Coming! From this location, we were situated perfectly between the two!
We gazed across the Kidron Valley toward the Mount of Olives to discuss what we didn’t get a chance to discuss in the rain when we were on the Mount of Olives. From this vantage point, we focused on Jesus’ laments over Jerusalem in Luke 19:29-44 and Matthew 23:37-39. So much Biblical history has taken place on the Mount of Olives, and so much Bible prophecy will happen in the future. In Zechariah 9:9, we find the promise of a King who is coming, lowly and on a donkey. That is exactly how Jesus arrived on Palm Sunday, though the Jews were looking for a conquering king to free them from the oppression of the Romans.
That passage tells us Jesus actually heard rejoicing as He rode in, but wept because the people missed their visitation. Jesus did not fit the profile of a conquering king that they expected. Little did they know that conquering sin was a much greater feat than conquering the Roman army. Thus, He wept with great sorrow. Later during Holy Week, according to Matthew 23, Jesus issued 7 woes against the Pharisees for misleading the people, then lamented once more before stating, You will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’ They had proclaimed those words when Jesus came riding into Jerusalem, but that is the very invitation they must extend to invite Jesus back.
One day, all Israel will be saved (Romans 11:23) and it will be at the invitation of the Jewish people. Zechariah prophesied such a coming in Zechariah 14:4, 16! Jesus’ feet will stand right there before us, on the Mount of Olives, and it will be split in two, perhaps by a great earthquake or by supernatural means. Then, all the nations who came against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King!
Behold, I am coming quickly…and the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let Him take the water of life freely….He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
There will be a double chorus when the Jewish people declare, “Baruch h’abba b’shem Adonai”…Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, while the Spirit and the bride (believers in Jesus) say, “Come!” I say, let’s start that chorus now!
Thus, we turned that Muslim graveyard into a place of truth and worship, and I just might teach there again! Then we headed to the nearby Pools of Bethesda, where Jesus healed a lame man. Just beside the pools is St Anne’s church. No Biblical historical significance, but a beautiful church with absolutely marvelous acoustics. All voices sound angelic there, so we joined in song!
Then, since plans to see the Knesset were dashed, we visited the Israeli Supreme Court. We planned time to pray there for the court (entangled in a big mess right now), Israel’s government (following very uncertain elections), and the state of Israel in general. What a marvelous time of prayer in a side garden on the grounds of the Supreme Court.
It was my first time there, so it was a blessing to be able to see it. The architecture is beautiful, though many take issue with what appears to be free masonry sybolism (a prominent pyramid and what appears to be an eye, for example). However, when we heard the explanation of the design and architecture, there is certainly room for doubt that free masons had anything to do with it. The pyramid is symbolic of a three tiered judicial process, and the building is actually designed to portray contrasts such as light and darkness, new and old. Examples: the building is lit almost entirely by natural light, but that does leave a few shady places. It is a reminder to the court to look to the light. Also, one main wall looks like the Western Wall – old – but is faced on the other side by a modern wall. A reminder that traditional Jewish law (old) is important, but challenges arise in the modern world which require wisdom on the part of judges. I’ll reserve judgment as to whether or not free masons had anything to do with the design and architecture of this building.
The building contained a law library where attorneys often go to study case law, sitting areas where lawyers will sit to discuss a case, the courtrooms (including the Supreme Court), judges’ chambers, a passageway to the Knesset, as well as rooms for clerks and other court officials. Judges must not cross paths with attorneys or the press, so they have special entrances into the courtrooms.
We were able to take pictures most everywhere other than the Supreme Court. However, Israeli courts are wide open to anyone, so we entered to hear an ongoing Supreme Court proceeding before the chief justice and two others. Cases are always heard before an odd number of justices, 3 to 11 depending upon the case. Today’s case had only three judges. (I’ve included a picture of the Supreme Courtroom off the internet since we couldn’t take live shots.)
Following lunch, we ended our day at the Israel Museum where we saw the model city of Jerusalem during Jesus’ day and the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Model City is always intriguing, and serves as a great tool to visualize what Jerusalem would have looked like soon after Jesus’ day. (The model represents the city in 66AD, just before the Temple was destroyed. Click on the photos to see larger versions.)
The Israel Museum is also home to The Shrine of the Book, which houses a replica of the Dead Sea scroll of Isaiah. (The original is kept well-preserved in Israeli Intiquities.) Outside, the building looks like a white-colored chocolate kiss, which represents the jar lid that would top the jars in which the scrolls were found. That building stands opposite a black wall. The Jewish sect, called Essenes, are thought to have preserved the scrolls in the caves of Qumran. They were a zealous bunch, committed to their legalistic viewpoints. They were known as sons of light against the forces of darkness. Thus, the black wall close to the white roof housing The Shrine of the Book. From that platform, one can also see many government buildings, as well as a view of the Jerusalem skyline…filled with cranes!
(Left, center and right!)
After a few long, strenuous days, we had an early return to the hotel. Some of us took advantage of the hotel amenities and opted for massages! Personally, after 28 days with only 1 day off, it was a welcome respite to a body becoming worn and weary! What a blessing!
Sadly, tomorrow is our last touring day. However, I am convinced everyone in our group will return home changed in ways that will impact them for life. More about that later, but tomorrow we look forward to the crescendo! We’ll visit Yad Vashem (the Holocaust Memorial Museum), and we will hear from a Holocaust survivor. Getting to love on these dear people is such a joy. Then, we’ll go to the Garden Tomb to testify that, indeed, Jesus is no longer in the tomb but was raised to life that we too might live! We will partake of communion there and it will be a fantastic culmination of all we have experienced together. Enroute to the airport, we will see the Valley of David and Goliath and will enjoy our farewell dinner together. Many begin the long journey home late tomorrow night, filled with memories and life-changing experiences!
I hope you are enjoying the experiences along with us. We’ll update again tomorrow, so see you then!
PS: My apologies if you had difficulties with any of the videos. There were issues uploading them.
