Day 08 - Temple Mount, Western Wall, Rabbinic Tunnels, Southern Steps, Church of Peter in Gallicantu

Today we spent most of our day on the Temple Mount. We started with a check for modest dress for women. Then we removed our Bibles from our backpacks and set our study guides to blank pages out of respect for the holiness of the environment at the Temple Mount. Next we went through a security checkpoint to enter the plaza.

We proceeded onto a walkway providing a bird’s eye view of the Western Wall and into the plaza that surrounds the Dome of the Rock. What a beautiful sight to see up close!

In the Jewish Mishna it is written that the rock remnant of the destroyed temple inside this dome is the beginning rock of creation. The Mishna also states that the presence of God has never left this spot and this is why the Western Wall of the ancient temple is considered a holy place for prayer for Jews and Christians alike.

While at this site, we had a look back in time to the ancient history of this place. First to Abraham, 4000 years ago,  this is where God stopped him from sacrificing his only son and God himself provided the sacrifice (Genesis 22:9) next, King David 3000 years ago who wanted to build a temple here, but God would not let him because of the blood on his hands as a warrior king. Finally God allowed Solomon to build His Temple around 960 BC. 

In 517 BC  the Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar conquered Judah and destroyed the temple. After years of captivity in Babylon, Zerubbabel rebuilt the temple on Mt Zion (Ezra 3:8-10).

When Herod the Great was King he dramatically expanded the temple and plaza by building retaining walls and around the mountain top the Temple was built on extending the plaza to an area about the size of 10 football fields. The menorah is the symbol of the second temple.

In addition to the numerous Biblical references to the Temple Mount, the Dome of the Rock is one of 3 high holy places for Muslims. (The other 2 are Mecca, the birthplace of Muhammad and Medina, the place where Muhammad is entombed).

Next we toured the Rabinnic Tunnels – an underground Jerusalem tour along the tunnels connecting the western wall prayer area to the north-west corner of the temple mount.

Next we walked down the “Cardo” ruins, a first century street that was at one time the “heart” of the City of David. Jesus walked this street and here is where we saw the massive cornerstones of the Temple. What an amazing example to compare to our beloved Jesus Christ who is “the cornerstone the builders rejected”(Matthew 21:42) “So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic.” (Ezra 2:16)

Next we climbed the Southern steps to have a teaching from Acts 2. It is believed that the disciples were at the Southern Steps when the Holy Spirit came upon them at Pentecost causing them all to speak in different languages preparing them to take the “gospel to Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

Our final stop of the day was at the Church of Peter in Gallicantu (which translated means rooster). This is now a Catholic Church believed to be the former residence of the high priest Caiaphus at the time of Jesus. The church is built atop of excavated ancient rock rooms believed to have been used as a dungeon type prison under the home of the high priest. It is believed that Jesus was incarcerated in this dungeon the night he was arrested in the garden. (Luke 22:54-62) There are catholic monks that pray at this site 24/7.

It is bittersweet to know tomorrow is our last day in this land. What an amazing journey this has been and we are not done yet!