Jerusalem in a Day!

Jerusalem in a Day! (Hezekiah’s tunnel, the Western Wall, Southern Steps, Mount of Olives, Garden of Gethsemene, Pool of Bethesda, Via Del Rosa, Church of the Holy Sepulchre)

To say today was a packed day would be a bit of an understatement. We began this morning by ascending the streets of Jerusalem to Hezekiah’s tunnel where we put our water shoes, grabbed our flash lights, and walked through the tunnel Hezekiah dug through the rock to divert the water from the Spring of Gibhon into the walled city of Jerusalem. The spring – which made it possible for people for people to live in Jerusalem – was located outside the city walls which made Jerusalem vulnerable to attack. So to protect Israel Hezekiah dug the 500+ yard tunnel into the city. It really is a remarkable feat.

We emerged from the tunnel at the Pool of Siloam. We sat on the steps of the pool and read the story of Jesus making mud, putting it on the blind man’s eyes and telling him to come wash in this pool. There were a couple powerful takeaways from this story. First, it was unusual for Jesus to tell him to wash in this pool. This was the “pool of sending,” the “pool of mercy” would have been where you would have expected Jesus to send him. But he sent him to this pool – passing the other one along the way – to be healed. Maybe this is a statement about Jesus not only healing him but sending him to tell others. Second, once the man follows Jesus instructions he is healed and follows Jesus boldly. When the religious leaders call him in for questioning three times he becomes more emboldened in his commitment to Jesus each time. How amazing to realize that those who are most change are most emboldened to stand for Christ.

After this we re-entered a tunnel (this one not wet and not nearly as significant – it was actually an ancient drainage system, haha) and emerged at the foot of the western wall of the Temple Mount. We paused briefly thinking about Jesus as a child walking through this area during the three major holidays when all Jews would come to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices. A short walk up from this spot we came upon the Wailing Wall and we were able to walk up to the wall where many of us paused and had a time of prayer.

After breaking for lunch we made our way up the Mount of Olives and got a breathtaking view of entire Temple Mount. The size of it is staggering. This seemed like a good spot to sit and think about what happened on this mountain in Jesus’ story. As the time came for him to be crucified and Jesus was approaching Jerusalem, he stopped on this mountain and instructed the disciples to go and get a colt for him to ride into the city on. I wonder want he was thinking a he sat and looked over Jerusalem and the Temple? Was he nervous, anxious, sad? I can’t image the weight of what he was preparing to do for us. What a loving savior who would willingly take upon himself the sin of the world.

We descended from the Mount of Olives to the Garden of Gethsemene where Jesus returned to after the last super to pray before his crucifixion. It was a beautiful olive orchard at the foot of the mountain that was so peaceful and serene. We all spread out and sat in the warm sun reflecting on Jesus words from the end of last supper, “proclaim my death until I come.” Each of us reflecting on what it meant for us to proclaim the good news of Christ to those around us.

Leaving this spot we descended into the city of Jerusalem heading toward the Church of the Holy Sepulchre but making a few stops on the way. Our first stop was the Pool of Bethesda or the “mercy pool.” In John 5 Jesus approached a man who had been paralyzed from birth, a man who had been sitting by this pool for years hoping for healing. Then one day Jesus walked up to him and asked, “Do you want to be healed?” and he healed the man. Later in the story we learn that even after this amazing event the man didn’t even know Jesus’ name. The temple bought that we all sat on here is that people went to this pool for healing but Jesus showed us the true source of healing, himself. Not only that Jesus showed such unbelievable mercy by healing this person at “the pool of mercy.” He healed this man solely out of his living nature, the man didn’t even know Jesus name. Jesus healed him completely out of mercy. What a merciful God we serve.

Our next stop wasn’t really a stop, it was more of a way. We left this pool and snaked our way through the streets making our way along the Via Del Rosa to the church. This would have been the roads that Jesus carried his cross to the place he was crucified. At the end of the path we emerged – suddenly – at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.. This church was carved into the side of Golgotha and inside it is the most likely place of Jesus Crucifixion and burial. As we descended into the basement of the church a striking black rock began to protrude into the room, hanging over our head. It was here in the basement, one lonely candle stood burning on the floor. It is believed that directly above this place on the top of the rock Jesus was crucified. We have said a few times on this trip that we are about “sacred moments, not sacred places,” so whether that is the exact spot or not was not the main point. The thing we all wrestled with was the sacrifice that was made on Golgotha for our sin. Many students reached up and touched the rock there as a way of showing thankfulness for what Christ did for us.

It was a busy day covering so many aspects of Jesus’ life, but it needed on such a powerful note. We are all ready for some rest and a light day tomorrow visiting some museums. God is good and this trip continues to shape us all in a powerful way. Only one day left