Jerusalem

The excitement was palpable as we boarded the coach this morning for our ride into Jerusalem. This was the first time that we had seen the city in daylight and for many, this would be their first time ever to witness the splendor of this Holy site. From the quieter region of the Galilee and the starkness of the desert, we were now thrust into the traffic and bustle of city life, albeit in historic surroundings.

We entered the city on foot through the Zion Gate and made our way down through the narrow streets and alleys, passing years of history, down toward the Western Wall. Our guide, Dr. Tom, made frequent stops along the way to point out Roman artifacts and points of interest until we finally made our way to the steps above the plaza before the wall. Here we observed the Menorah, plated in gold, and ready for service in the new temple, when it is rebuilt.

The Western wall experience is very moving and as we separated to pray, (male and female going to different areas of the wall), Dr. Tom reminded us of the passage in 1 Kings 8:41 which is a prayer for foreigners, coming from a far country, to pray towards the temple – that God would do all that the foreigner asks, that all the people of earth may know His name and fear Him. We certainly fit that description, so we were encouraged to pray big!

From the wall, we moved into the tunnels that run along the wall but underground, giving a glimpse of the stonework and the effort that went into building the temple mount by Herod some 2,000 years ago. This was certainly impressive as the size of some of these blocks were massive and carved with such precision that they fit together so well it is hard to believe that this is not a modern structure.

Leaving the tunnels, we emerged into the sunlight of the Arab Quarter and made our way down the Via Dolorosa, stopping at some of the key locations to learn more of the stations of the cross. One of the key comments of this walk was to realize just how far Jesus actually carried the cross and along pathways that were not level, with several elevation changes.

This took us into the courtyard outside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where amidst the throngs of tourists, Dr. Tom explained the history of the site and the church. We entered the church and mounted the steps to view the site of Calvary and realized that the church really is built into a hill and the bedrock is clearly visible, so this really could be the authentic site of the crucifixion. This was a sombre moment and as we descended the stairs and made our way towards the sepulchre, it was evident that we had all been moved. The tomb today is enshrined in a stone built structure that bears no resemblance to a rock hewn cave, but we were able to visit a traditional tomb in a chamber in the nearby wall, which really made it seem a lot more credible as one could now imagine what this site would have looked like before the church was constructed around it.

From there we took a side visit to the Alexander Nevsky Church, which is a rare stop for tour groups, but likely one of the most interesting. Here you can step down on to what would have been the original Via Dolorosa, as this is below the modern street level, and pass through an original Roman Gate, thus guaranteeing that this is without any doubt the actual route that Jesus would have walked. The quietness and serenity of this Church is very fitting and the nuns of this Russian order do an excellent job of maintaining a truly Holy site. Interestingly, it is also the home to the “eye of the needle”. A literal gate that was made for camels to pass through, albeit without any load and on their knees, meaning it would have to totally unload any burdens before it could pass through. A number of the group took great delight in passing through the eye of the needle.

After a picnic lunch in a sunny square in the Jewish quarter, we returned to the coach for our drive down to Qumran. This took us from the elevation of Jerusalem, back down to the floor of the Dead Sea valley, with the barrenness and heat that goes with it. This is the site of the Dead Sea scroll finds and the former home of the Essenes. It was here that the scribes of the Essenes wrote out the parchment scrolls of scripture, some of which that are now on display in Jerusalem at the Shrine of the Book at the Israel Museum. Learning all of this history, seeing the living conditions and then some the actual caves in the rock walls was an eye-opening experience.

Our day concluded with our drive back up to Jerusalem and with some of the younger, more adventurous members of our group planning a night visit into the city. For the others, maybe a nice dinner in the hotel and then some well-earned rest!