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.

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.

 We woke up early this morning to go see the Temple Mount. This is the highest point in the Old City of Jerusalem and used to be the site of the Temple, both Solomon’s temple and later, that of Herod the Great, which was the temple that was in operation at the time of Jesus’s ministry. Since 695 AD, it has been what is known as the Dome of the Rock, a Muslim shrine. We were struck by the tension of all three religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The Temple Mount was constructed on Mount Moriah, which was the spot where Abraham was tested by God when he was asked to sacrifice his son, Isaac. In God’s mercy, he provided a sacrifice for Abraham, sparing the life of his son (Genesis 22:14).

A short walk away from the Temple Mount 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. Everything that is still being unearthed continues to prove the Bible’s accuracy and validity. 

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. Pastor Joe taught us about this story today and the first thing we thought of—since we just walked from the Temple Mount—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. 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. Pastor Ralph also taught us about the Festival of Tabernacles (Sukkot), which is a celebration involving the water from the Pool of Siloam. The water from the pool would be brought up to the temple and poured on the altar. When Jesus would claim to be living water and would tell all those who were thirsty to come and drink, he was claiming to be God. Within the Jewish culture, they knew this the moment they heard it. The significance of the culture and what Jesus taught is compelling all of us to study further. The more we learn, the more we learn to love Scripture.

Our next stop was the Western Wall Tunnel. As of now, because of Muslim houses that were built along the outside of the Western Wall, only a portion of it is accessible to the Jewish people. The solution? A tunnel built underneath the Muslim houses! We took a tour of the tunnel, which gave us the opportunity to see the length of the Western Wall. One portion of the tunnel is the spot that is closest to where the Holy of Holies used to be when the Temple was still standing. Our group stopped and said the Sh’ma together. It was overwhelming to be in such a holy place. The most beautiful thing we saw in the tunnel was an underground synagogue. The beauty of this place cannot be adequately explained in words. The seats in the synagogue are arranged in the shape of a menorah, and the worshippers face the Western Wall when they attend. When we exited the tunnel, we had the opportunity to pray at the Western Wall, some of us leaving written prayers, as is customary. The passion of the prayers at that place is sobering and awe-inspiring.

Our final stop for the evening was a virtual reality experience called A Look into the Past. This was our opportunity to see the magnificence of the Second Temple (from the time of Christ) in all of its glory. With our virtual reality goggles and headsets, we were able to see and understand just how large and extravagant it was. It was a 360-degree rendition of what it would be like to walk around inside. As large as the Dome of the Rock is now, the Temple of King Herod stood three times taller. 

We only have one full day left in Jerusalem before heading 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 memorable 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,

The Lifebridge Team