Our final day

We started our final morning on the Temple Mount on Mount Moriah. The story of the Temple Mount begins with a father and a son in Genesis 22, much before a temple was ever built there. God commanded Abraham to take his only son Issac and sacrifice him there. As Abraham lifted up his knife to slay His son, God called out and provided a substitutionary sacrifice. Many such sacrifices would be made on this mountain over the following 1900 years until Jesus Himself, God's Son was slain to be the final and complete sacrifice. Understanding the interwoven nature of the scripture magnified our awe at the intricacy of God’s word. It was also insightful to understand the politician, cultural and religious tension that has ensued because of that very location.

After the Temple Mount we gained a greater understanding of the Old city of Jerusalem by going to the Western Wall. The Western Wall is the retaining wall of the Temple Mount built by Herod the Great and now serves as the boundary for Jews and the Temple Mount due to restrictions. Many Orthodox Jews were seen praying at the wall or reading the scripture.

In the afternoon we continued our tour of Jerusalem and traced the route of Jesus’ trial and crucifixion including Gabbatha, the Via Dolorosa, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (which is believed to be the location of Golgotha). Ronen (our tour guide) continually reoriented us within the city of Jerusalem in order to cement our perspective within the larger context of the surrounding hills, valleys, and towns that we had already visited. 

We ended our time sharing memories, highlights and a meal in the old city. We have been tremendously blessed by seeing and experiencing the context within God’s Word and the relationships that we have developed with each other.