Day 07 - Mount of Olives, Gethsemane, Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Day 7 y'all!! We were graciously given 30 more minutes to sleep in this morning, preparing us for another BIG DAY (Ben Post's two favorite words, as we have quickly come to find out).  

We started the day by getting a bird's eye view of the Temple Mount from the perspective of the Mount of Olives. Here, we read about when Jesus was anointed by Mary using expensive perfume and how the fragrance of royalty likely stayed with him for days. 

We then walked down from the Mount of Olives to the Temple Mount in silence, reflecting on the heaviness that Jesus must have felt while he was descending from the east into Jerusalem to face his trial and take on all the sins of the world. 

We stopped along the way in a garden to remember Jesus' time in the garden of Gethsemane, just before he was betrayed and brought to trial. We learned that Gethsemane comes from a Hebrew word meaning "oil press" — a beautiful and purposeful reminder of how Jesus would soon be pressed with the weight of the world’s sin. 

After yet another incredible lunch, we trekked over to Herod's Palace where few ancient steps remained. It is here that we believe Jesus was brought to trial and became the sacrificial lamb without blemish that would not only cover, but take away our sins. He died once and for all so that we could be brought back to right relationship with God. 

We then made our way through Jaffa Gate and to the Holy Sepulcher, which is a place where 6 sects of Christianity come together. We were able to walk around and view various items that are traditionally presumed to be sacred, such as the potential place of Jesus' tomb and where his body was initially laid after being crucified. 

We finished off the day by meandering through shops within the old city walls and talking once more with the local shopkeepers, which of course led to some bartering over souvenir items. 

As we boarded the bus, we were sad to say goodbye to Jerusalem, but we are expectant and ready for what God has in store for our last week in Israel!