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Israel Study Tour with Northpointe Community Church
February 19 - March 2, 2018
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To sit on the southern steps
Today we started by visiting the Temple Mount. After leaving our backpacks and bibles on the bus, and making sure we were in modest clothing, we went inside and heard about the rich history of the place we stood. We even heard and experienced some of the political tension and complication involved in the site.
As we continued, we walked through the rabbinic tunnels against the western wall of the Temple Mount, underneath the homes of many Muslims living there today. We heard about the incredible construction of the massive walls, and learned that the smallest stone found as part of the wall was two tons!!
Rabbinic Tunnels
The tour of the western wall tunnels is one of the most popular tourist sites in Jerusalem. These underground tunnels connect the western wall prayer area to the north-west side of the temple mount, passing along the side of the temple mount and under the present day houses in the Old City. Along its path are remains from the second temple period, as well as structures from later periods.
Then, we got to experience praying at the western (wailing) wall. From there, we walked down and had the opportunity to literally walk on the road Jesus would have walked up to the temple. From here, we could also see the cornerstone that the temple was built on. They would have started the building here as the foundation. So when Jesus talks about the cornerstone, the people would have known that He meant this as the starting point and foundation to build upon.
We then had the chance to sit on the southern steps. This is a place that Rabbis would come and teach their disciples, which means it was a place Jesus would’ve taught his disciples. As we sat, we also read through Acts chapter two where Peter preaches at Pentecost. This site relates to that story because behind the southern steps there were many pools used to cleanse themselves before going to the temple, which is the Jewish tradition. These pools may have been the ones that were used at this time when we hear in Acts about 3,000 people being baptized.
Southern Steps
An enormous flight of steps leads to the Southern Wall from the south. They were excavated after 1967 by archaeologist Benjamin Mazar and are the northernmost extension of the Jerusalem pilgrim road leading from the Pool of Siloam to the Temple Mount via the Double Gate and the Triple Gate, collectively called the Huldah Gates. These are the steps that Jesus of Nazareth[2][3] and other Jews of his era walked up to approach the Temple, especially on the great pilgrimage festivals of Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot. [2] The stairs that lead to the double gate are intact and "well-preserved."[4] The steps that lead to the triple gate were mostly destroyed.[4] / The risers are low, a mere 7 to 10 inches high, and each step is 12 to 35 inches deep, forcing the ascending pilgrims to walk with a stately, deliberate tread.[2] The pilgrims entered the temple precincts through the double and triple gates still visible in the Southern Wall.[5][2] Together, the double and triple gates are known as the Hulda Gates, after the prophetess Huldah.[2]
Last, we visited Yad Vashem, the holocaust museum. This was a very different experience as we walked through remembering this tragic event. As we were walking through and as Ronen was talking to us about the experience, I couldn’t help but think of a simple truth I’ve heard and learned over the last couple years. That is, that death always makes us evaluate the life we’re living now. I couldn’t help but think that as we remember these horrific events, our response should be to evaluate and address these issues of injustice today. This should also cause us to think about the way that we love others, even those that are different than us. We loaded back on the bus to drive back to the hotel, reflecting back on another incredible day by singing some classics chosen by Ronen the DJ.
-Collin Crain
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