BACK TO ISRAEL WITH NO APOLOGIES WHATSOEVER TO HELEN THOMAS
The Eastern Gate is the only gate in Jerusalem that has survived since Jesus' time. It is also the only gate built by Herrod. The rest of the walls of the Old City were built under the direction of Suleiman, the Turk in the 16th century. Between the gate and the church is the Valley of Jehoshaphat (translated--the judgment of God.)
No trip to Jerusalem would be complete without seeing the Tomb of David at Mt. Zion (translated--where the Word of God came to the people.) There, a covering adorned with a crown, harp, violin, and shopar sat on top. Connected to the Upper Room, although it may not have been the actual spot, it was certainly close to it. It is part of the Byzantine constructed church including the Chapel of Mary destroyed by Muslims and rebuilt after the Crusades.
The Upper room experience, I'd heard about and studied all my life. It was simply overwhelming to experience. To be able to stand there and visualize the Last Supper. To be there was indescribable, even though it may not have been the actual place.
From there, the Temple Institute sits inside one of the four quarters inside the city gate. The Temple Institute, along with David's Tomb and the Upper Room lies inside the Jewish quarter. There is also the Arab quarter, Armenian quarter, and Christian quarter.
The only remains of the Temple left and closest to the Holy of Holies is the Western or Wailing Wall. Many Jews lament their grief there as a symbol of destruction of the Temple by the Babylonians and Romans. It represents the return of the Jews to the Promised Land.
We witnessed Jews bobbing up and down in prayer indicating "with our whole bodies we praise you Lord in love". Prayers are written and folded and stuck in the mortar crevices every open place in the Wall.
There's no better place to end my discussion today of Jerusalem than at the Wall, reminded of the city Jesus wept over because He knew of the destruction to come. Where He "wanted to gather you like a chicken to its chicks".
(The photo below is of the crucifixion flower)
The Eastern Gate is the only gate in Jerusalem that has survived since Jesus' time. It is also the only gate built by Herrod. The rest of the walls of the Old City were built under the direction of Suleiman, the Turk in the 16th century. Between the gate and the church is the Valley of Jehoshaphat (translated--the judgment of God.)
No trip to Jerusalem would be complete without seeing the Tomb of David at Mt. Zion (translated--where the Word of God came to the people.) There, a covering adorned with a crown, harp, violin, and shopar sat on top. Connected to the Upper Room, although it may not have been the actual spot, it was certainly close to it. It is part of the Byzantine constructed church including the Chapel of Mary destroyed by Muslims and rebuilt after the Crusades.
The Upper room experience, I'd heard about and studied all my life. It was simply overwhelming to experience. To be able to stand there and visualize the Last Supper. To be there was indescribable, even though it may not have been the actual place.
From there, the Temple Institute sits inside one of the four quarters inside the city gate. The Temple Institute, along with David's Tomb and the Upper Room lies inside the Jewish quarter. There is also the Arab quarter, Armenian quarter, and Christian quarter.
The only remains of the Temple left and closest to the Holy of Holies is the Western or Wailing Wall. Many Jews lament their grief there as a symbol of destruction of the Temple by the Babylonians and Romans. It represents the return of the Jews to the Promised Land.
We witnessed Jews bobbing up and down in prayer indicating "with our whole bodies we praise you Lord in love". Prayers are written and folded and stuck in the mortar crevices every open place in the Wall.
There's no better place to end my discussion today of Jerusalem than at the Wall, reminded of the city Jesus wept over because He knew of the destruction to come. Where He "wanted to gather you like a chicken to its chicks".
(The photo below is of the crucifixion flower)
posted by TQ @ 5:24 AM
1 Comments:
At 8:42 PM,
Fort Wayne Tour Guide said…
The ritual of the last supper. How could that be - for someone to say 'this is my body, take and eat', and 'this is my blood, take and drink?' I am so humbled by that. I find it a hard thing to explain to young children in these modern times. Yet, not nearly as hard as something like the Holocaust - thank you again for your words. Thanks for being there.
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