Saying goodbye to Jerusalem

Before we leave Jerusalem

 there are some place I must show you.

 

 

This is one of the walkways in Old Jerusalem. When you think of Jesus, if you ever picture him walking on a flat surface, your visual is probably off, unless He is on the Temple mount. Everything in Israel seemed to be on a slant.

 

 

And this slant is truly extreme. Here we are headed down into Hezekiah's tunnel, under the city.

 

And down we go.

 

This Tunnel was built during the reign of King Hezekiah. The Assyrians were on there way to besiege Jerusalem. While Jerusalem was well placed to avoid capture, it had no water within the city walls. The Tunnel connects the Gihon Spring (outside the walls) to a man-made pool (Pool of Siloam) inside the walls.

 

 

The curving tunnel is 1748 feet long. It took us about 45 minutes to walk through it. The tunnel still has water running through it.

We got soaked from our legs down. 

We walked hunched over in some places,

 while other places would have allowed us to walk on stilts. 

An extremely tight fit in many spots.

This walk is not for the claustrophobic.

The reason for the variations fascinates me.

The Assyrian army, notorious for their brutality and lack of mercy, would be arriving far faster than King Hezekiah wanted. The only way to get the tunnel completed in time was by digging from both ends and meeting in the middle somewhere. Amazing. Also please note: these walls are not dirt, but solid rock. This tunnel was not easily built.

 

 This statue of King David sets outside his false tomb. Craziness. His real tomb hasn't been found so for now "Let's just fake it."

This lie is considered a holy place to the Jews. Men must cover their heads and women must go to a separate entrance.

Sad, exalting a lie and making it holy.  

Yet, unfortunately, sounds all too familiar.

 

 

 

Through this walkway you can see the church, which stands where the "upper room" once stood.

Church tradition is fairly united on this place. This is also believed to be the place where Jesus washed the apostles' feet.

 

 

Acts chapter 2 happened in this very location. Different building but same place. The room could easily hold 120 people waiting for the gift Jesus promised.

 

 

This was a weighty experience.
 Traveling back over 2000 years.
 Imagining the conversations.
 Their questions.
Their arguments.
Their guesses as to what this gift might mean for them.

The church was birthed from this place.

 Nothing spectacular.

But the Holy Spirit doesn't need spectacular,

He simply needs people waiting and willing.

 

Our final look today is an overview of Jerusalem.

 

This is model of Jerusalem from the time of Jesus.

You are looking at the city from what would be the Mount of Olives!

The large structure right in front is the Temple Mount.

Our guide showed us possible routes taken as Jesus made his triumphant entry.

And the possible path of the cross.

I envisioned so many scenes unfolding in this city as we walked around the walls.

 

But what astounded me the most was the size of the Temple.

 It could be clearly seen from any place in the city.

Can't you just see Jesus driving merchants out with a whip, furious with the condition of his Father's house.

But I can also picture Jesus sitting on the Mount of Olives weeping for this city and the people he so dearly loved.

Jerusalem, a city full of history, where God showed his immense love over and over again. And finally demonstrated the full extent of his love by allowing his son's crucifixion right outside the walls.

I'll never fully grasp this, but being in this city brought improved understanding and a deeper appreciation.

 

Stay tuned... from here we travel to Bethlehem!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Garden Tomb

The Garden Tomb

 

 

One of our favorite stops, right outside the walls of Jerusalem.

We learned, we worshipped, we prayed and we marveled.

This stop changed the resurrection story for us.

 It no longer looks the same in my head or heart.

I'll try to share some of the facts and some of the truths with you.

The first fact is about the stone that covered the tomb. I have always imagined a humongous boulder. I couldn't have been more wrong. 

The stone is a cut stone. It is about a foot wide and much shorter than one would expect. The stone, while much smaller than I ever imagined, is oddly enough incredibly heavy. Over 1000 pounds.

 

 

You can see from the picture with Rosalba just how small the stone would have been.

The next picture shows the track the stone rolled along in front of the tomb.

 

 

If you look at the bottom of the picture you can see the large groove that held the stone and allowed the stone to be moved.

Several of the guys on the trip tried to "roll the stone away."

They were not successful.

 

Next is a picture of the front of the tomb. It has a small opening. We had to duck down to enter the tomb.

 

The garden was once a vineyard. A vat was found not far from the tomb.

 

The Gospel accounts of the resurrection combined with the beauty and peace of this place left a mark on my soul that I sincerely hope never fades.

I could see Mary with the other women watching Joseph of Arimathea struggle to lay the dead body of Jesus in the tomb. How he would have had to stoop as he entered carrying precious dead weight.

How Peter and John ran through this garden, found an empty tomb, and left marveling and confused.

Can you imagine the angel declaring the good news to the Marys.

Their shock.

Their joy.

They had seen the very dead body of their Lord just days before this.

Romans 8:11 reminds us that the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in us! That same power is available to me!

I have seen a dead marriage brought back to life by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I have seen a dead relationship restored to fullness of life.

The list could go on and on.

Do you see something dead that needs new life!

He who rose from the dead is able and He is good.

Ask Him and trust Him for miraculous new life.

 

 



The Garden Of Gethsemane

The Garden of Gethsemane

This was another stop on our first day in Israel. The place where Jesus often came to spend time with his disciples.

Where he taught.

Where he prayed.

Where he was betrayed.

The Garden of Gethsemane is located at the foot of the Mt. of Olives and is actually an olive tree grove. Some of the trees still standing are believed to be over 2000 years old.

They may have witnessed both the prayers and the betrayal. If only trees could talk the stories these could tell.

 

 

They could tell us of a heart wrenching prayer repeated three times.

They could tell of sleepy friends too tired to watch and pray.

They would trip over each others roots trying to describe the soldiers and the flying ear. They would raise their branches praising the healer of the ear and its owner. They would droop as they whispered of the flight of the friends and the betrayal.

It was a night I am sure they never would forget.

Unfortunately, much of this Garden is now gone. And what is left can only be seen from the outside of a protective fence.

No one prays under these branches any more.

 

 

This church now stands where much of the garden once stood. The church, elaborate and ornate, is beautiful, yet seems out of place. The columns and gold seem far removed from the antiquity of the gnarled olive trees.

 

 

After some prayer and reflection at the end of this first day in Israel, a powerful truth arose from pictures and discussion. Troy and I both were somewhat disgruntled with all the "stuff."

Vendors grew out of the pavement and could smell tourists before a bus even rounded the corner.

Churches dotted the landscape in a most unbecoming way.

All the extra distracted from the essential.

 

 

God opened my eyes to see how this truth applies to my life.

I also have "extras" that distract me from the "Essential."

Removing the distractions may create a void,

but that void leaves room for the Spirit of God.

 

 

 

 

Our Saddest Stop

 

The Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall

 

Millions visit this historic site every year, Jews and non-Jews.

 We are now part of that number.

We watched. We prayed. We marveled.

 And our hearts hurt.

 These precious people, who love God, remain blind to the resurrected Messiah. I desperately wanted to stand up on the nearest chair and declare for all to hear,

 "He has come! (and you missed it)."

Of course this would have accomplished nothing positive.

 Yet, this stop lays heavy on our hearts and minds. 

 

 

We didn't judge them. We didn't hate them.

We loved them and ached for them.

So we prayed for them.

And we continue to pray for them.

 

 

These precious people love God! They love His Word.

But their eyes remain blinded.

Only the power of God will open their eyes.

Not all my clever arguments.

Not ridicule. And NEVER judgment.

My prayers, partnered with your prayers and other prayers around the world--that will open their eyes.

 

"No one can come to me unless

 the Father who sent me draws them."

John 6:44

 

 

Please join us in praying for the Jews around the world.

God loves each of them, just as he loves us.

So we must love each of them

and from this place of love,

 we can powerfully and effectively pray for them.

What breaks God's heart should break our hearts.

He wants NO ONE to perish, but all to come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:9

 

 

Please share this post asking your family and friends to pray for Jews everywhere, asking God to open their eyes and their hearts to Jesus, their risen Messiah.

Thank you.