Following Which King?

We began our day saying the Shema and walking through any updates regarding our plans. First stop The Temple Mount!!!

When we got to the Temple Mount we were faced with significant lines. Thankfully it did not take us long to get through security and get inside. At the top of our climb to the outer courtyard (non-Muslims are generally not allowed inside the dome of the rock) a Muslim man immediately spoke out to any of the women whose arms were exposed. COVER UP!!! COVER UP!!! Quickly ALL of the women put on sleeved garments. And we moved deeper into the site ...

As we stood in what was once known as the court of the gentiles, Rod gave us a clear picture of what the experience would have been for someone coming in to worship during the second Temple period.

It was here that Jesus overturned the money changers tables due to their making His Fathers house into a den of Robbers!!! This pointed back to where the scriptures speak of Gods house being a house of prayer for all people. He was offended that this system (the current religious leaders) had pushed out the gentiles. Is (56:7, Jer. 7:11) Someone from the team highlighted that Jesus was cleaning out His Father's house prior to Passover - getting rid of the old leaven.

We were reminded that the blind and the lame came to Jesus in the Temple and the leaders saw that He healed them! They also saw the children dancing in the streets shouting hosanna !!! hosanna !!! They were incensed.

It is here Jesus points out to the leaders ...

"Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?" Matt 21:16

Yeshua here directs the readers back to the original verse - Psalm 8:2 which emphasizes the fact the praise from these children is designed to stop the mouths of those leaders opposing Yeshua.

Acts 2:46 - The apostles / disciples were here in the Temple daily.

Yeshua taught here every day of the feast.

From our location we could see in the distance the mount of olives and coming toward the Temple Mount the Kidron valley.

The original Temple had all been destroyed just as Jesus foretold - not one stone will be left standing. What we are seeing has been restored here at the Temple Mount.

We gathered at a shrine for the actual stone of Mount Moriah ... the very Mountain Abraham attempted to sacrifice Isaac. -WOW!

Rod took us through a Muslim cemetery on the other side of the Lions gate - Stephens gate. We waited for a Muslim all girl class to finish their lesson and Rod walked through the topography and some of the history of Abrahams worship of Melchizedek. It was so interesting to see how many of the young Muslim girls gave our team dirty looks, while some were actually friendly.

There was a powerful somberness as we walked across the valley from a huge Israeli cemetery down from the Mount of Olives.

Next the TKU team entered the city of David and all of the women no longer were required to cover their arms :). Hezekiah's tunnel was the next stop with water UP above the knee... Archeologists believe this is The location of King David's Temple.

For the first time a Islamic call to prayer is heard by the team here in Jerusalem - something that is supposed to be very common.

Next stop - Herod's Mausoleum !!

Herodion - is a location King Herod built just outside of Bethlehem. The size is approximately 30 acres - with a HUGE swimming pool!!! This guy was all about HUGE!!! Josephus said "Herod had the vision to move a mountain" He wants you to think He is God!! And He actually built a mountain. Josephus had written that Herod was buried here and archeologists have proven this to be true. Therefore Herodion is the world's largest mausoleum.

Rod could not resist taking us ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP through the center of the mountain UP to the center of Herod's palace. Hiking even higher we were blessed with a clear day where we could see the entire valley... AND GAZE ON THE LAND OF MILK AND HONEY.

We were standing in the very area where the Angels descended and sang glory to God in the highest at the time of Jesus birth!!! Absolutely Amazing!!

Jesus Christ is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Rob asked us to seriously consider which King are we following and which King are we becoming like.

Next stop Bethlehem!

We all had a great time shopping at Johnny's in order to help support the Christian community there.

Bethlehem the team went through a little bit of an emergency... a truck in front of the bus caught fire and flooded the bus with toxic smoke. In a fast response the team exited the bus and our driver Egal was able to get the bus out of the fumes so everyone could get back on. In the end we were all safe!! Great teamwork and calm responses by all.

We ended the day with a visit to Yad Vashem - The Jerusalem Holocaust museum. It was an extremely emotional visit for everyone.

God Bless,

John