Walking Where Jesus Walked

Today is our second to last day of touring here in Israel and the second full day spent in Jerusalem. Our first stop was The City of David just south of the temple mount. Here we learned about the typical Jewish home of that time and Yehuda our guide showed us the remains of what they believed to be the home of a wealthy family… indicated by the presence of a family toilet.

From there we proceeded to the beginnings of “Hezekiah’s tunnel” where we learned about how the Jerusalem residents used the safety of the underground tunnels to retrieve water from the Gihon Spring below in the Kidron Valley. There were 2 tunnels we could explore that were used to access the spring - the well-lit dry tunnel and the longer, darker ‘wet tunnel’. While most of us chose to stay dry, a few brave souls took the ‘wet’ route and we all met at the Pool of Siloam where Don Stout shared a devotional on the healing of the blind man by Jesus (John 9:1-11).

We heard how Jesus healed the man blind from birth. He spat on the ground, made some mud, pasted it on his eyes and sent the man to wash his eyes in this pool we were by. We have all heard that Bible story many times, but when you sit there on the steps of the pool, you realize how far that blind man walked, over the rough, uneven stairs of the road and it becomes clear how much he endured and the faith required to regain his sight.

Our second stop was to return to the old city - to the bottom of the southwest corner of the temple mount. Our ultimate destination was the southern steps where it is believed that Jesus and His apostles walked and taught. We were on the stairs where our Savior may well have stood personally 2000 years ago.

We heard from Pastor Rob as he recounted the events surrounding Pentecost, the miracle of speaking in the many languages of those who were in Jerusalem and that powerful and convicting sermon from the Apostle Peter just after this whole miraculous experience. How the people were touched by God (cut to the heart) and asked “Brothers, what shall we do?” And finally how 3000 people responded that day in repentance and baptism. It is possible that sermon was preached by Peter on those same steps we were on and the resulting baptisms were done in the ritual washing pools we passed right below.

After an interesting lunch organized by our guide and bus driver (Yehuda and Igal), we spent the afternoon at Yad Vashem, The World Holocaust Remembrance Center. This was a huge facility dedicated to the 6 million Jews who died in World War II.

Our trip is a “Holy Land Tour Study Tour” - walking where Jesus walked, learning and understanding some of the subtle nuances of His teaching that become so apparent when one is in the land. We have learned much about the various occupations and oppressions that the Jewish people have been subjected to as well. To not recognize the horrors and violence perpetrated on God’s Chosen People in our remembered history would be doing a disservice to the country that is hosting us.

God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations and that through him, all the world would be blessed. I personally experience that blessing through the gift of salvation offered by my Savior, Jesus… the Messiah. Join with us and pray for peace for this land of Israel and for salvation for all the people who live here in this “Holy Land”.

Arden and Sharon