Day 08 - History – Jerusalem

Erev tov (Good Evening) to all of you! Thanks to each and every one of you who has read about our daily adventures here in Israel. It has been a deeply meaningful experience for us and we can feel your prayers and support. We greatly appreciate you.

Guil kicked-off our morning devotional inquiring of our favorite moments/sites over the last seven days. After several of us named our favorites, Guil talked about the Temple Mount and how it’s been disputed by many nations, many religions. He reminded us not to think for a single moment that it is more important than your heart!  

Today was so full of the beautiful sights and sounds of the Old City of Jerusalem. The traditions of the Jewish people are so rich and deeply foundational to our identity as Christians. Being here, we feel that connection. The concept of being grafted in as children of Abraham (Romans 11) and therefore children of the Promise, is at the forefront in our minds as we walk the Old City. We have grateful hearts. God is good. He has invited us into His story.

A short walk away from the Temple Mount (where we were yesterday) is the City of David. We were able to see the foundation of David’s palace up close. When his son Solomon built the first temple, David’s palace became a government building. There is still evidence on site that this is true. What’s fascinating about being here is that even now, today, there are more excavations being done of ancient cities and ruins providing even more to explore on future pilgrimages. Everything that is still being unearthed continues to prove the Bible’s accuracy and validity. 

City of David
The city of Jerusalem was originally built around the Gihon Spring, on the southeastern hill to the south (left) of the Temple Mount, which is today crowned with the gold-domed Dome of the Rock. Jerusalem has been continuously inhabited since at least 3000 BC, but it was only in the time of Solomon that the city limits expanded beyond the southeastern spur, known today as the “City of David.”

We continued to walk down to the Pool of Siloam, some of us traveling through Hezekiah’s tunnel. The original pool that was here at the time of Christ has been partially excavated, and we were able to sit beside it today. Absolutely amazing. Remember the story of the blind man from John 9:1-12? Jesus saw him close to the temple and explained to his disciples that the man wasn’t blind because of any sin, but because God desired to display his great works through him. Jesus spit into some dirt, making mud, and placed it on the man’s eyes. He then told the man to go down to the Pool of Siloam to wash, and that when he washed, he would be able to see. Ralph taught us about this story today and the first thing we thought of—since we just walked from the Temple Mount yesterday—was just how far the walk is. This man had mud caked in his eyes and Jesus told him to find his way down to the Pool of Siloam. How did the man get there? The streets were steep and uneven. He needed help. What does this teach us?  Lots of answers, including…’walk by faith’, ‘God’s timing’, ‘obedience’ and… ‘don’t do life alone’. Choose people in your life who will help you get to your destination—who will help you complete the mission God has called you to.

After a nice lunch under the shade trees, we made our way to the Israeli Museum. This museum includes The Shrine of the Book, which houses the actual Dead Sea Scrolls found where we were a few days earlier. It was special for us, since we just visited Qumran, to see the scrolls and pages of text in person. Yehuda led us through the museum explaining centuries of human history. We are continually more and more amazed by this man and all he knows. If any of you have the chance to visit Israel in future trips with Crossroads Impact Church, we’re certain that Yehuda will be a favorite of yours. It’s unfathomable how much he knows and how well he explains complex history and concepts. At this point in the trip, a lot of these places described in the museum we’ve already seen. The information we saw today, and the way Yehuda summarized it, tied everything together for us and made it connect—made it more understandable and impactful.

It's important to remember that while we learned a lot of statistics and facts….It's not about relics, it’s about the reality of Jesus!

Tomorrow is our last day in Jerusalem before we head home. Please be praying for our last day, that we will feel the presence of God and enjoy the time with one another. We are sure that we are going to have some “Appreciation Moments” with the LORD and with one another. We’re so thrilled we got to experience this trip, and we hope that some of you will consider joining us the next time we go. Yehuda is already telling us about the brand-new adventures in store! 

Until tomorrow, 

CIC Israel ‘22