Day 07 - Jerusalem: Temple Mount, Western Wall, Rabbinic Tunnels, Herodium, Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem

Today was full of discovery and wonder!

We started the day on the Temple Mount. What an interesting site! The architecture is incredible and being there, knowing this is the site where the Hebrew temples were located inspires a sense of awe. While we are impressed by the engineering and architecture we must always remember that buildings are just that, they are buildings. They will not last forever, regardless of their impressive and incredible engineering.

After spending a bit of time on the Temple Mount we took a tour through the Western Wall tunnels. This is a newly opened tour (only in the last couple of months) and we were one of the first groups to see it since new excavations has been completed!  Simply stated, when you come, you need to do this tour!  You will see deeper into the foundation of the Temple Mount wall than ever before and will gain an appreciation for ancient architecture and engineering.  The precision they achieved in building the walls and the bridge are nearly unbelievable.

We also toured the Southern Steps before heading out to our next destination…the Herodium.

Let’s talk about Herod the Great for a minute. This man accomplished many building projects in his lifetime. From rebuilding the Temple, to Caesarea Maritima, and the Herodium, he really was an accomplished builder. We cannot take that away from him. However, what he built is crumbling. We have ruins and instead of his buildings being used today they are visited as vestiges from the past long ago. I am struck by the contrast with Jesus. Jesus didn’t build a building because he didn’t need one. He didn’t ride a war horse or flex his might to get his way. Instead, Jesus captured the hearts of people through his words and actions. His followers didn’t even take his name until long after (and even that was a derogatory term at first). And now while Herod the Great’s accomplishments are in ruins, what Jesus built is continuing to flourish and change the lives of people all over the world.

So while we can marvel at the construction projects of ancient people who came before us I am taking a step back to stand in awe of God who sent his son to take my place and pay for my sins so that I can be with him forever. And that is something that will never be a ruin.

PS. You’ll also see some photos of the Church of the Nativity and Saint Catherine's.  They were both incredibly immaculate and interesting and we certainly enjoyed the opportunity to go through them!