Last Stops

My final post for this L-O-N-G trip.

We started off to Greece at 12:30AM! Our luggage had to be outside our hotel room door by 1:00am and we needed to be loaded onto the bus at 1:30AM to be at the Tel Aviv airport by 3:30AM in order to catch our flight to Athens at 5:30AM! Talk about an early start! You can't get any earlier than this!

Once we arrived into Athens we immediately hopped onto another plane to fly to Thessaloniki to visit the Berean Synagogue. Paul, Silas, and Timothy ministered to the Bereans here, after Paul fled persecution in Thessalonica (Acts 17).

The marble steps of the synagogue are said to be the original ones from Paul's time.

We stopped in Philippi.

It was a very beautiful church.

This church was built in honor of Lydia, the first Christian convert in Europe. The stream (below)  is the traditional site where Lydia and her family were baptized (Acts 16, Philippians 1).

We also visited the Ruins of the Roman forum and where Paul and Silas were imprisoned.

The cell where Paul was imprisoned.

In Athens, we saw the Panathenaic Stadium which held the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.

In front of the Parliament is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Standing guard with the guard. Their Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is so different from ours back home in DC.

In Corinth, Paul spent significant time here, along with Priscilla and Aquila (Acts 18). He often preached about the judgement seat, or bema seat, which has been reconstructed (Romans 14:10, 2 Corinthians 5:10).

Pastor was sharing on the importance of the bema seat indicating that we will all be judged when we meet God.

The Acropolis in Athens was probably the most crowded place of all the places we visited in Greece.

A lot of this area was being retrofitted and worked on.

On going restoration at the Parthenon

The ruins of Corinth

Personally this whole trip was the most meaningful of all the vacations I have ever taken. It really deepened my belief in Jesus and my personal relationship with our Lord and Savior. To have visited the same places where He lived and walked was remarkable. So again, I urge those of you who have a personal relationship with Jesus to GO! You won't regret it!

Thanks for reading!

Holy Sepulchre vs Garden Tomb

The Holy Sepulchre...

The Roman Catholic altar

This massive church supposedly marks the location of the crucifixion and the tomb of Jesus (Mark 15, John 19). It was built by Constantine and his mother in 326AD. There are many altars and shrines inside, each placed by a different denomination, making it difficult to see or imagine where Jesus would have been crucified and buried.

The Greek Orthodox Altar

The glass encased piece of rock is supposed to be the top of Calvary, also known as Golgotha.

The above shrine is supposedly where Jesus was buried.

This church is located in the Christian Quarter within the current walls of the Old City.

Outside the Old City walls, is the Garden Tomb, an alternate location for Jesus' crucifixion and burial. It is a very serene and beautiful location to remember our Lord's death and Resurrection (Matthew 27-28). Calvary or Golgotha (skull hill) can be clearly seen. Pastor shared with us and we partook communion before exploring the tomb.

Nearby is a cistern and wine press, indicating a wealthy owner such as Joseph of Arimathea (Mark 15:43). There is a rocky cliff that is skull like in appearance. Criminals were crucified on crosses mounted on the ground, not at the top of the hill. This is so passersby can clearly read the sign listing the crime and view the punishment.

Most tombs from this time and area are arranged with the burial chamber located straight ahead when you enter. This particular tomb has the burial chamber on the right side.

When Mary found the empty tomb, the angel was sitting on the right side (Mark 16:5)

There are disagreements as to which site is the actual place of Jesus' crucifixion and burial. We may never know while on this Earth. Nonetheless, no matter where Jesus was buried, we do know he is not there, for He has risen.

NEXT UP: Greece

Via Dolorosa

The Via Dolorosa is the traditional path that Jesus walked, on the way to his crucifixion.

Walking through the Muslim Quarter

Catholic tradition commemorates 14 events of Jesus' crucifixion, known as the Stations of the Cross. The first 9 are along a path starting in the Muslim Quarter and ending in the Christian Quarter

Station 2 was where he was condemned (Church of Condemnation).

As you can see at each station, there is a shrine or church to denote the importance of the place.

Station 3 was where Jesus falls for the first time carrying the cross.

Station 4 was where Jesus meets his mother Mary.

The last 5 stations are at the end point of the Via Dolorosa, within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Station 5 was where Simon helps him carry the cross.

In summary the Stations of the Cross 1-9 were:

1. Praetorium (Mark 15:15) Where he was flogged (Church of Flagellation)
2. Where he was condemned (Church of Condemnation)
3. Jesus falls the first time
4. Jesus meets his mother, Mary
5. Simon helps him carry the cross (Mark 15:21)
6. Noble woman of Jerusalem wipes sweat from Jesus brow (Luke 23:27-30)
7. Jesus falls second time
8. Jesus comforts the women of Jerusalem
9. Jesus falls the third time

NEXT UP: Holy Sepulchre vs Garden Tomb

City of David and Pools

The City of David is the ancient city of Jerusalem, from the time before Babylonian exile. We walked through Hezekiah's tunnel (2 Chronicles 32) and saw Warren's shaft.

The tunnel was created to have access to water from the Gihon spring, located outside the city walls. King David conquered this city by first entering through a water shaft (2 Samuel 2:8).

The tunnels were narrow and...

...dark. If I ate anymore I wouldn't have fit through!

Pool of Siloam

The tunnel leads to the Pool of Siloam, also built by King Hezekiah (Isaiah 22:9,11). Jesus sent a blind man here to complete his healing (John 9).

Pool of Bethesda
It was here that Jesus healed the invalid to when he said "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk!"
(John 5).

NEXT UP: Via Dolorosa

The Holiest of Holies

The Temple Mount is considered to be holy for four religions: Judaism, Greco-Roman paganism, Christianity and Islam.

Jewish and Christian tradition identify the Temple Mount with Mount Moriah which was supposedly the place where Abraham attempted to sacrifice his son, Isaac. More importantly it signifies a place where God's divine presence was manifested.

King Solomon built the first Jewish temple at this location. Herod the Great rebuilt it in the days of Jesus. It was destroyed by Romans in 70 AD and never rebuilt (only the Western Wall remains). The site was abandoned for centuries until 634 AD when Muslim Arabs conquered Jerusalem and brought Islam to the region. In 690 AD the Muslim shrine known as the Dome of the Rock was built.

While Israeli police control the security checkpoints entering the Temple Mount, the Muslim guards have jurisdiction once we entered the area.

Our Pastors wife, who has been here numerous times, had to purchase this lovely outfit because her legs, which were completely covered were too 'shapely', (aka her black leggings were not appropriate even though no skin was showing)

At the site, our attire must be modest, especially for the women. Despite our best efforts, several of our women were deemed immodest and had to buy or borrow items of clothing at the last minute to cover up. Also our men were repeatedly scolded, "NO TOUCH HAND!" for holding his wife's hand or putting an arm around her shoulder.  Matthew was reprimanded twice.. once for putting his hand on my shoulder as he was taking a selfie and second when he was putting a hand on his daughter's shoulder for another picture. Boy they sure take anti-PDA to another level!

My friend Scott at first didn't want to take a picture with his family because he didn't want to be scolded like my husband was. But I told him he couldn't come all the way to the Temple Mount without taking a photo with his girls so I told him to keep his hands behind his back. It worked! He wasn't reprimanded!

The Dome of the Rock is an Islamic shrine located on the Temple Mount. Beneath the golden dome is the Foundation Stone, the site of the Jewish Holy of Holies as well as the place where Muslims believe Muhammad ascended into heaven. This is also the traditional spot where Abraham prepares to sacrifice Isaac; Muslims believe it was Ishmael, not Isaac that was to be sacrificed.

Because the Temple Mount is considered to be one of the most holy sites by Muslims, any non-Islamic religious display is forbidden. No Christian literature, Bibles, large crosses, or Christian emblems on clothing were allowed. Security was tight. They searched our bags before we entered the area.

One unsettling incident happened here though. We lost a member of our group, and after searching vainly for 45 minutes, someone from our group decided we should stop and pray. So we gathered together and started praying aloud. We totally forgot that praying to our God was forbidden.  Remember.. any non-Islamic religious display is forbidden. It was actually unlawful. We broke their law there. The Muslim guards quickly surrounded us and started shouting to us to stop and forced us to leave immediately. All of us. That meant we couldn't look for our lost member. We were stuck and it was frightening and frustrating. Thankfully we eventually found her at another site later on in the day.

It really hit home that the freedoms we enjoy in the United States are not accepted worldwide. Our first instinct when we are in need is to pray, and we couldn't do that here. Freedom of religion is not a right on the Temple Mount, and that was very hard for us to accept and understand.

NEXT UP: City of David & Pools

Tunnels & Walls

The Western Wall is Judaism's most sacred site because it is considered the last remnant of the Second Temple. It is here that King Solomon (1 Kings 8:41-42) welcomed all peoples to come pray.

The Tunnels

A model of where the Dome of the Rock stood above ground

Jerusalem scholars have always wanted to dig more into determining the precise measurements of the Western Wall and how it was constructed.  It was in the 1980s that they started excavating the Western Wall Tunnels.

Going down down deep into the tunnels

These tunnels expose the full length of the Western Wall, with most of it running below the Muslim Quarter.  We saw how large the Western Stone is: some 45' long by 10' high and up to 15' thick.

From our tour guide (in the checkered shirt)...

to Hannah is how long one piece of stone in the wall was

Below is a section of pavement which dates back to the 1st century, where Jesus likely would have walked on many times as he went to and from the temple.

Touching the sidewalk that Jesus walked on.

Jewish ladies are praying in this room, considered to be the closest spot tot he Holy of Holies.

The Wall

Officially known as the Western Wall, a small section of it is from the original Temple Mount of the Second Temple, built by Herod the Great. It is considered one of the holiest sites in Judaism.

The Wall is segregated with a fence and umbrellas as a divider: men on the left side and women on the right

On the day we visited, there were many bar mitzvahs being celebrated on the men's side. Because the plaza is segregated, the women had to watch from their own side, peering over the center divider. It was a very festive mood, with singing, dancing, and laughter. Bat mitzvahs are not allowed, so it was much quieter on the women's side. Complimentary kippahs are available for the men.

Jews come here with prayer shawls to cover their heads, signifying submission to God; on the forehead is a small book and leather strap signifying loving God with all your mind; a leather strap is on the left arm with a small book on the bicep (near heart) signifying loving god with all your heart; the Jews rock back and forth while praying to signify loving God with all your strength.

Jews leave prayer requests in the cracks of the walls. They believe that their prayers will be heard by writing them down and placing them in the Holiest Place.

My friend Grace, slipped a prayer request in the cracks, asking for a little girl to adopt. Her prayer was answered!

Haredi Jews dress in black coats and have long hair and sideburns; they are devoted to the traditional laws and refuse to compromise the laws to adapt to modern culture or technology.

NEXT UP: The Holiest of Holies

A Model and Jericho

The Israel Museum had an incredibly detailed model of what Jerusalem looked like during Jesus time.

model of the old Jerusalem in 66AD

In the picture above, you can see the temple in the middle front; to the right are the upper class homes spread out ; in the center are the middle class homes and to the far left are the lower class/poor which is extremely crowded. The sewer system drains out onto that side of the city also.

The Walls of Jericho really did all fall down! Jericho is one of the oldest cities in the world.

The stone circular structure (in the middle) is what is left of the wall.

Of course we had to ride a camel. $5 per ride for 2 minutes

Jericho is where Jesus healed blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10) and called Zacchaeus to repent and follow him (Luke 19).

Behind the girls is a sycamore tree, one like Zacchaeus climbed to see Jesus.

In Jericho, Bedouin shepherds still live on the mountain side, herding sheep and goats.
Our tour guide was an Armenian Palestinian Christian. Interesting combination huh?

He was one of the few non-Jews studying at the Hebrew University years ago. When we traveled to Jericho we drove through the West Bank and he gave us some insight on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from a Palestinian perspective. Palestine territory (Samaria) was independent for 20 years until the fall of Crusader states which became a part of the Muslim world. In 1948, Jews in Palestine were able to declare an independent state called Israel and the land was divided 50% Israel 50% Palestine/Jordan. In 1967, the Six-Day War occurred and Israel took 50% of the remaining Palestinian area, resulting in 75% of the original area. The remaining 25% is known as the West Bank, which Israel occupies and rules it with their military.  Israeli citizenship is not given to Palestinians. They have very little rights in Israel. You can see why the Palestinians are not happy. They want their land back.

There are 500,000 Jews and 2.1 million Palestinians living in the West Bank. Palestine wants to be a separate state for themselves. Just like the Jews, they are descendants of Abraham. However, there are many Jews that are immigrants/converts and not direct descendants of Abraham, so the Palestinians feel that they are the true inheritors of the land.

NEXT UP: Tunnels and Walls

How Dead Is It?

The Dead Sea

My friend Helen and I taking a selfie with the the Dead Sea in the background. It was easily 100º that day!

This salt lake, bordered by Jordan to the east, Palestine and Israel to the west, is at Earth's lowest elevation- 1,407 ft below sea level. The extreme salt content  (25-30% salt) makes for a harsh living environment for marine life.

Very strict rules to adhere to if you plan to go into the water.

The salinity makes the water very dense, allowing anyone to easily float. It feels like you have a life vest built into your body. The ground below is not sandy, but rather soft, sticky, and muddy.

You must stay on your back and not splash because you can get the salt water onto your face or eyes.

The water level is losing 3 ft each year, due to water from the Jordan River being diverted and only 3-4 inches of rain per year.

Our tour group relaxing in the Sea

The salt stings like crazy. Matthew shaved in the morning like he usually does and didn't think it would effect him but it did. Emily got water in hers eyes and spent the next 10 minutes flushing them out with fresh water at the showers. They say that you shouldn't spend more than 30 minutes in it. I think many of our group spent maybe 15 minutes max. Also there were pockets of hot water and then cold water throughout.

This was how far I got into the Dead Sea.

  Interesting enough this was a place of refuge for King David back in his time.

A silly shirt I saw at the gift shop.

Next we visited, Qumran, the site of 11 caves that contained over 900 scrolls, called the "Dead Sea Scrolls." The scrolls include some of the oldest copies of the Bible, including a complete Book of Isaiah.

The caves on the mountain

Located within the Israel Museum, this building houses the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Actual manuscripts of the Dead Sea Scrolls

NEXT UP: A Model and Jericho