David Whiting Live

Mukawir - Middle East Trip - Post #23

On Tuesday - we stopped by the mall to do some grocery shopping (the City Mall has the largest grocery store also).  And we also went to Mukawir (where John the Baptist died).  Mukawir is one of my favorite places here in Jordan. Here are some picture highlights of the day:

While Sue, Morgan, and Emily did the grocery shopping, Ali and I went looking for Starbucks!  This is the City Mall - a newer mall in Amman.  Very Americanized in some ways, but totally Middle Eastern in other ways...  Every public building you enter here (it seems) - you walk through a metal dectector.  I wonder how long until that happens at home... ???

Mission Accomplished.  I think Starbucks is the most "Americanized" environment in all of Jordan (if it weren't for the menu board being in English and Arabic - you wouldn't guess you were in Jordan).  Many places are a mix of Western and Middle Eastern, but Starbucks has their "brand" and they keep it the same wherever they are in the world.  And I'm not a huge fan of the local coffee - so Starbucks was a huge hit with me.  It tastes just like it does in Rochester! I think I found it 3 times during our month here.

Then it was off to Mukawir.  Mukawir was another palace of King Herod.  It is here at Salome danced for King Herod.  You can read the entire story HERE.  It really is an incredible story - worth reading!

Herod loved to build palaces that could also serve as fortresses. This was no exception.  It is quite a climb from any direction.  Here are the girls taking a break on the way up... It was a VERY hot day.  One of the hottest we experienced in Amman.  While we were here, Obama was speaking at the Citadel (where we visited our first day).

You can see the Dead Sea in the background.  It is a beautiful view up there.

According to the first-century historian, Josephus, it was here at Mukawir that Salome danced for King Herod.  The Bible tells us that Herod had married his brothers' wife Herodias, in an act forbidden uner Jewish law (Leviticus 18:16); when he was publicaly accused of adultery by John, Herod had him arrested and imprisoned.  Yet - according to Mark 6:20 Herod loved to listen to John too.  In fact, while Herod was having a birthday party here at Mukawir (Mark 6:21), he was so impressed by Salome's dancing (it was his step-daughter) that he promised her anything she wanted (Mark 6:22-23).  Where the girls are standing is right inside that palace next to the dance floor (although not original anymore).  Herodias, who hated John (Mark 6:19) took her opportunity and asked for John's head on a platter. And Herod didn't want to break his promise in front of his guests (Mark 6:26-28) and so he had John beheaded.

The reason we climbed the side of the hill was to find John's cave.  They think this was the cave where he was kept prisoner because of the doorway.  If you look over Morgan's shoulder - you can see that it was built to hold a door.  Why would you build a door onto a cave?  This probably was John's prison.  This is most likely where John died (Mark 6:27).

We decided to take the easy way down (a road has been added to make the climb more possible).  One other thing I LOVE about this story is Jesus' reaction to it.  Mark doesn't record it, but Matthew does.  When Jesus hears the news, Matthew tells us that he withdrew to be alone (Matthew 14:12-13).  John was the forerunner of Jesus (Matthew 11:10) and now - his mission was accomplished.  Jesus had no higher words for another human being than his cousin, John the Baptist (Matthew 11:7-15).  I image the death of John was a sad, sad day for Jesus.

While driving back to Amman - we herd of goats were crossing the road.  Here is a Bedouin shepherd with his goats.  You can see the Dead Sea in the background and Mukawir on the left.

Today (Wednesday) was a day of laundry, packing, a quick trip out for lunch, ice cream and final shopping.  Tomorrow (Thursday) - we leave at 12:25 PM and arrive at Rochester Thursday night at midnight (7:00 AM Amman time). 

We have LOVED our trip here, but it is always good to go home!  Thanks for following along through this trip. Your words have been incredibly encouraging!

Petra - Middle East Trip - Post #22

On Monday morning, we left Wadi Rum and drove to Petra.  Petra (meaning "Rock") was one of the premier commercial centers of the world at one point and had some 20,000 to 30,000 people.   The name "Petra" wasn't given for the city until near the time of Jesus, but the city is "hinted" at throughout the Bible (more on that at the end)...

Here are some of the pictures...

Emily has been waiting MONTHS to ride all the animals that we will ride today!  Here is her horse (the animal that takes us to the entry point of Petra)... 

After the horses, you walk down a narrow pathway called "the Siq" - and this is the view that awaits you at the end.  You may recognize it from one of the Indiana Jones movies.  It is called the Treasury. 

This is a view from the Treasury looking back toward the Siq (the 1/2 mile path we had to walk into Petra).

This is the best known building in Petra - the Treasury.

Next - it was time for some camel rides.

The camels walked us through the city of Petra - to the other side...

At the other end of Petra (perhaps 3 kilometers) - you get on a donkey who takes you up 800 steps to "The Monastery." It is a bit intimidating...  It gets pretty steep.

This is Sue & her donkey going through a tight spot on the way up to the monastery.

That is our family - standing in the doorway...

Here we are resting - before walking down the 800 steps back into the city of Petra.

Then it was donkeys again.  They took us through the Siq and back to the main road.  Emily's and Ali's were running fast.  Josh had to run next to Emily because her saddle wasn't tight and she started to fall off.  Josh claims that he was dragged more than ran next to the donkey.

For those wondering how Petra connects with biblical events - here are a few details.

The first time that Petra may work into biblical history is Genesis 4:21-22. This is a passage talks about the descendants of Cain who made all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron.  We know that the Petra "area" was where the descendants of Cain lived, and the region of Petra abounds in old copper mines and metal workings.  And just seeing Petra - it is obvious that this was an important city.

Genesis 14:6 talks about Seir and the Horites.  The capital of the Horites was Petra!

Esau moved to the "hill country of Seir" (Petra) in Genesis 36:6-8. 

Quite possibly Joseph was taken through Petra on his way to Egypt.  Petra was on the common trade route from Israel to Egypt. History says that slaves were often taken through or traded and sold in Petra.  It was the Ishmaelites that bought Joseph and Petra was their "home turf."  Probably they travelled through their home before selling Joseph to an Egyptian.  (See Genesis 37:25-36.)

There is much more I can mention, but a "curse" that Moses delivers is fascinating to me.  In Deuteronomy 32:15-39 he curses the Edomites (they lived in the territory of Petra).  Make sure you read that passage.  It is a great section!  We also know that in Petra - there was much sacrificing that went on (the passage talks a lot about false sacrifices).  So notice that Moses says, "Their rock is not like our Rock!"  I LOVE THAT!  Petra (the rock city) is not like our Rock (God). What a GREAT line!!  That line is from verse 31!  During those verses - he uses the word "Rock" or "Petra" five times.  I can't believe it is coincidence.  Moses is mocking them for finding security in a beautiful city of rock.

Anyway - it is a beautiful city with historic significance and we loved being there!!

Wadi Rum - Middle East Trip - Post #21

Sunday AM we drove to Wadi Rum in southern Jordan.  Here are a handful of picture highlights:

On the drive to Wadi Rum - my wife got her FIRST TICKET ever!  :)  See was traveling 94 KPH in a 80 KPH zone.  I must defend her - the signage for speeds are hard to spot and change constantly, but I was laughing pretty hard. (FYI - The typical speed is 110 KPH.)  The policeman asked us for $15 JD (approximately $23 US) cash on the spot.  I don't know if that paid for the ticket or if he just was looking for some extra cash... We will find out when we turn the car in.  Apparently, the rental companies are sent information on all speeding tickets...

We hired a guide in Wadi Rum.  I found him recommended in a book I have about Jordan.  His name is Mzied.  He has 7 children and grew up in Wadi Rum.  The Bedouins (the word means "a dessert dweller") used to take care of animals in Wadi Rum, but tourism is much more lucrative.  So now all the Bedouins in Wadi Rum are tour guides. Mzied showed me articles written about him in various magazines - including National Geographic.  One of the pictures in National Geographic showed a picture of Mzied and the caption said: "Bedouin used to kill strangers, now they are hospitable to them and give tours of the desert of Wadi Rum."  Was that supposed to make me feel better? :)

Before leaving on the trip - we sat in his home and he serves us tea and introduces us to his children.  He has seven.  We met five of them (we assume that the two older daughters and wife stayed out of site because of their Arab traditions and strick Islamic faith - in which a woman wouldn't be seen by a man).

We saw many beautiful sites in the desert that pictures cannot do justice.  But here is a natural canyon that we walked through.

We saw a few natural arches and decided to climb this one.  We saw VERY FEW people in Wadi Rum.  It is the VERY HOT off-season.  The one other tourist we saw we this girl on the left. She's from Texas. Sue did not think this climb was very safe (I wish I had a recording of her all the way up)... :)

We were getting ready to climb a huge sand dune and run down it, but the guide wanted to wait until it was totally in the shade.  So he had us rest while he made us a snack and tea.

This is one of those pictures that definitely doesn't "do it justice."  We are descending a very large sand dune.  It was a long, hard climb, and a fast, speedy descent.  Sue took pictures on the first run.  And Emily and I got her to go with us a second time.

Here is the view from our tent.  You can see the sand dune on the left. I took this picture from inside the tent Monday morning.

Here are our tents.  This was a great adventure for our family!!  We loved it!  We packed our stuff up and headed for Petra on Monday morning.

Call to Prayer in Jerusalem - Middle East Trip - Post #20

Morning Call to Prayer in Jerusalem

I thought you might want to experience the 3:50 AM Morning Call to Prayer in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. Enjoy! This was SO LOUD every morning in Jerusalem that it was impossible for us to sleep through.  After the first morning - I gave up and sat outside for 15 minutes or so.

If you are receiving this by email, you will need to "left click" on the title above to see the video.  It will take you to the blog website and you can watch it there.  Or just click HERE. I hope you enjoy...

A Relaxing Day - Middle East Trip - Post #19

After a VERY busy and tiring week - we did a lot of relaxing today.  There was a lot of laundry to do too!! 

Josh and the girls went shopping and Emily and Josh decided to wear some unique sunglasses to see what responses they may get. (answer: not much... crazy Americans, I guess)

Here is Emily being Emily.

Game time... Emily and I playing Stratego.

Josh, Nannette, Ali, and Morgan playing Dutch Blitz.  That game is too stressful for me.  I'm on my sabbatical!!!  Stratego is more my pace these days!!  There are rumors of a big game of RISK tonight!

It was time to go back and pick up a rental car.  Which means all seven of us pile into their Hyundai!  Josh drives, Emily is on my lap in the front, Morgan is on Sue's lap in the back with Nannette and Ali in the back too.   Unsafe?  Come on!  This is the Middle East! :)

The rental car is picked up - so now we get to spread out...

We went to the International Church tonight (they meet on Saturday nights)...

Big plans tomorrow and Monday!!!  Tomorrow morning we will leave for Wadi Rum and spend a night in the deserts with Bedouins (desert dwellers).  Then Monday - we will head for Petra.  Josh & Nannette plan to join us in Petra!  Hopefully you will hear from me again on Tuesday morning... :)  We fly back home on Thursday!  That will be four weeks!  It has gone very quickly!

Back to Jordan - Middle East Trip - Post #18

Today was our final morning in Israel. A lifelong dream has been fulfilled and I feel that we saw most (but not all) of what I wanted to see.  We pushed hard and tired ourselves out. We are looking forward to a couple of "low key" days back in Jordan.

We began the morning by checking out "The Broad Wall."  Here is a picture:

The Broad Wall is a wall discovered in Jerusalem in the late 60's/early 70's. It is 22 feet wide!  Archeologists believe it is part of the wall built by king Hezekiah in the 8th century BC to expand Jerusalem.  When the refuges returned after the Assyrian invasion of 722 BC - King Hezekiah needed to expand the city.  Nearby you can also see the remains of housing that was demolished to make room for the wall. Perhaps this was a fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 22:10? (read that HERE).

We also went to see The Burnt House. In 70 AD the Romans took Jerusalem and destroyed the city of Jerusalem (including the Temple). This Burnt House was a more recent archeological find. Because of the thick ashes and soot - it was almost perfectly preserved for 2000 years! 

A stone weight was found among the debris that said "Son of Kathros."  So it seems that this house belonged to a wealthy family of high priests.  It was moving to see this room.  They found a weapon and the bones of a woman who seems to have died in the fire that burnt the house.

Then it was time to head for the bus to take us back to the border and go back to our home away from home, Jordan!  It was sad to leave the city I've dreamed of visiting for over 20 years. Jesus once wept as he entered Jerusalem... I was fighting tears as I left her.

Once we got back home (Josh & Nannette's apartment) - the girls checked email (on my computer and on Uncle Josh's)...

Sue washing dishes and Josh drying after another great dinner!  Food was VERY expensive in Jerusalem.  It was SO nice to sit down to a great, home-cooked meal!!

In the evening, Josh & I walked over to a community center event - an international event for children. The Community Center is right across the street from their apartment. You can see part of the city of Amman in the background.

There were a couple of reminders that this is a different part of the world.  The day before we arrived, there had been a shooting at the Damascus Gate (the old city gate that we entered and exited every day). So police presence is always heavy around Jerusalem was even heavier. The bulldozer tragedy of a couple of weeks ago happened on a street near where we walked to dinner on Thursday night. And meanwhile, back in Jordan - one of the locations we toured early in our trip (the Roman Forum in Amman) had a shooting occur this week while we were in Israel. This has always been a volitile place in the world and that is even true these weeks we have been here.  We still pray for the peace of Jerusalem!

Caesarea - Middle East Trip - Post #17

Caesarea is an incredible city. Herod had it built in honor of Caesar (hence, the name).  And the city is hard to describe. I won't bore you with the details, but here are a few pictures and links.  (I put links on these posts for those who want to read more.  Feel free to click - or ignore.  I just want to be helpful for those that would like to see more...)

Caesarea is not prominent in Jesus' life and ministry (Caesarea Philippi is a different Ceasarea).  But the book of Acts is full of references to this city.

Right after Philip's interaction and baptism of the Ethiopian treasurer, we are told that he ends up preaching the Gospel in Caesarea. (You could read about it HERE.)

There is a cool story in Acts 10 about Paul and Cornelius.  (Read about it HERE - if you choose).

Paul sailed for some missionary journeys from the port of Caesarea. It had an incredible port (that Herod had built).

Paul also was imprisoned here for a couple of years. He stood trial before Felix, Festus, and Aggrippa here.  I love that part of the book of Acts.  You can read it in Acts 23-27.

All that to say - this was a VERY significant city throughout the book of Acts...  OK - a few of pictures...

This is part of the aqueduct that Herod had built.  It brought fresh water from a spring approximately 13 kilometers away to Caesarea.  It is incredible engineering.  This was a thriving city during the lifetime of Christ and after.

Here is a picture of that aqueduct that stretches for 8 miles!

We had to take some time to play in the water.  It was beautiful! It was our first view of the Mediterranean Sea.

This is a view of part of Caesarea from Herod's palace to the port of the city.  Josephus wrote about this city is his book, "The Jewish War" but for a long time historians believed that he was exaggerating. They couldn't believe that Caesarea was nearly as advanced and nice as he described. But with the excavations - they have discovered that it was every bit as advanced of a city as Josephus described.

Here is a picture of the theater. It could seat 4000.  It faces the Mediterranean Sea.  It has been updated for current use (which is disappointing).  In fact, there were setting up for a concert while we were there.

Herod seemed to be all about entertainment in Caesarea.  Next to the theater was this "sports arena."  It was used for horse racing and other sports. There also was a hippodrome in Caesarea (but we didn't go to see that).This picture is of the girls walking some of the "bleachers" at the stadium.

Although very hot - the breeze coming off of the sea was very refreshing!

Not being part of an official "tour group" caused me to do a lot of research for this trip.  I was nervous about not being part of a group, but I am now convinced that I'm glad we did it this way.  I think we have seen the most interesting sites (to me) and we've seen things and a large group probably wouldn't see. In reading a few nights ago - I discovered something we missed at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.  Behind the shrine of Christ's tomb are two 1st century tombs - still fully in tact.  So this afternoon we walked over to see them.  Emily ran right in and found a candle lit and began to investigate.  These tombs are within 50 feet of the place where they believed Jesus was laid. How cool to see these tombs that were on the very hillside where Jesus was for 3 days. There were a couple of hundred people waiting to see the "shrine" built around Jesus' grave, but we were alone in this 1st century tomb...

We ended the night by going out to eat with Dave & Ann (plus their son, Ryan, and daughter, Amy). It was nice to spend time with "workers" here in the city Jesus loved SO much!

Tomorrow - we head back to Jordan.  There were rumors of them closing the border because of the situation with Lebanon today, but hopefully we won't be stuck here! :)  Although there are worse places to be stuck! We have felt safe the entire time, and we've seen more men and women with guns in one week than we probably have in our lives... :).

The Sea of Galilee - Middle East Trip - Post #16

Today's main goal was the Sea of Galilee.  We got quite a bit in today... Here's some picture highlights. I include several scripture links to make it easier (if you want to read more about them).

Here was one of our first views of the Sea of Galilee.  Jesus spent more time around that Sea of Galilee than anywhere else during his three years of public ministry. SO MUCH happened here.  It was hard to pick just a few things to share with the girls.

This is Peter's house.  The story behind this is rather fascinating, and I found the argument rather convincing.  Jesus came here to heal Peter's mother-in-law.  You can read about that HERE.

In Jerusalem, it can be difficult to find anything that is truly from the 1st century (the city has been destroyed several times).  So it was great to see homes from the time Jesus lived there.  I wonder how many of these very homes he had been in...  We know that he lived here for a time (you can read that HERE).  This became his "home base."  So many parts of the Gospels happened right here in Capernaum. One of my favorites is the story of the men who cut a hole in a roof to lower him to Jesus!  That happened here in Capernaum.  Mark 2:1 says that "A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home."  This was where Jesus lived! It was his "home town." That is hard to imagine!!

This is a synagogue from the 4th century. What is significant about it - is that it is was built directly on top of the synagogue used in Jesus' day. And the reason THAT is so significant is for two reasons.  1) Jesus taught here.  We know that (click HERE).  2) The man who paid for the synagogue to be built is mentioned in the New Testament. You can read that story HERE. 

In this picture, notice where the color of the foundation changes. The darker basalt stone is the foundation of the synagogue in which Jesus taught!

Emily decided to preach on the shores of Galilee like Jesus did. (I think we are all getting tired.) :)

Here we are on the shores of the Sea.  Near here there is a "natural amphitheater."  Some scientists did a study on this amphitheater and said that the BEST location to speak from would be ten feet from the shore into the Sea.  From there - 30,000 people could hear a person speaking in a normal voice. We were up on the road - and even with traffic, we could easily hear people talking and playing in the water.  Perhaps that was the place that Jesus taught from a boat.  Read about it HERE. It is a pretty cool concept!!  I love that verse and being at that site!!

We then looked around and found a man willing to take us out into the Sea of Galilee.  I wanted to read some of the stories to the girls that happened ON the Sea of Galilee.  Here are two of my favorites.  Click on the passage to read it yourself, if you'd like.  MARK 4:35-41 (calming the storm) and MATTHEW 14:22-33 (Jesus and Peter walking on water).

When we returned to Jerusalem, we wanted to go to the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane (which sits at the base of the Mount of Olives).  This picture is looking back at the old city from the Garden of Gethsemane (this is where Jesus went after the Last Supper; it is where he sweated drops of blood while praying and where Judas betrays him).  I could have sat here for a long time and just read, prayed and thought.

We did some climbing, and wow... it was a steep descent back to our rental car!

Here is a view of the city from the top of the Mount of Olives.

We have discovered that if you ask for directions from anyone under about the age of 12 - they will expect to be compensated with a few shekels. This boy didn't want to let me go because I only gave him one shekel. He grabbed the steering wheel and kept asking for more.

This is Herod's Family Tomb. Herod is buried on the Herodian (south of here), but his family is buried just outside of the city walls. What is significant about this is that this is a 1st century tomb. Certainly Jesus' would have looked much like this one.  You can see the stone rolled that rolls in front of the tomb.

It seems the girls get a little goofy toward the end of each long day (all four girls, by the way)...

We've seen very little grass in the entire Middle East - so the girls decided they wanted to lay in it for a while.

Here we are - our home away from home - the Ecco Homo Convent entrance.

A Day of Protection - Middle East Trip - Post #15

Today was focused on "protection."  1) Masada was the final location where the Jews were PROTECTED against the Romans after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD.  1) En Gedi was the place that David went to hide from King Saul and was PROTECTED from being killed. It also was a place that David and Solomon used as a retreat. 3) On the way back to Jerusalem, we stopped at Qumran - the place that PROTECTED the Dead Sea Scrolls for over 2000 years!  Here are some highlights...

THE MASADA FORTRESS:

Masada was a place built by King Herod as a winter palace, but during the Jewish revolt in the late 60s AD - the Jews took Masada for themselves, and it became their final stronghold. The story of Masada is amazing (there is an old Hollywood movie of the story you could watch - if you'd rather not read Josephus).

I don't know how high Masada is (I could look it up), but it is WAY up there!!  The Dead Sea is in the background.

To this day, when an Israeli soldier takes his oath, part of the oath is, "Masada shall not fall again." Here you can see the ramp the Romans built to capture Masada. Once it was clear that they were doomed, all the Jews on Masada killed their wives and children - then each other.  Lots were drawn to see who would kill the last nine men, and then he fell on his own sword.

It was VERY hot on top of Masada. The Dead Sea is the lowest place on earth and the heat is unbearable. I wanted to walk up Masada (instead of the cable car), but they weren't allowing anyone to walk up.  It was too hot.

EN GEDI: for protection and refreshment

En Gedi is an amazing place. All around is desert, and then - it seems from nowhere, you find this wonderful place of refreshment. David lived here for a while (and it is no wonder). He also hid from Saul here. One of my kids favorite OT stories happened here.  You really should read it.  It's not often that the Bible talks about going to the bathroom.  You can read about it HERE.  This is one of the waterfalls of En Gedi.

The waterfall wasn't that cold, but it would sting when it hit you.

We had NO PROBLEM imagining David and his men refreshing themselves right under this very waterfall.

I could have sat under this for an hour - NO PROBLEM!

Our girls LOVE the water and pools. So it was a good time to "take a break" from the touring and just enjoy "David's pool" as I call it.

By the way, Solomon apparently loved this place too.  You can read it referenced HERE by Solomon.  One more "jumping" picture.  Morgan was the first and most frequent jumper in the family.

Now - you have to look VERY CLOSELY to see the ibex (mountain goats) in this picture. What I LOVE about seeing them - is it made the BIBLE so real (once again) for our family.  Two passage you should read about...  First, read 1 Samuel 24:1-3 (click on THIS to read it). I love that we saw caves and mountain goats (we saw about four mountains goats) while we were walking in En Gedi!!  How cool is that?  Also, you should read what David said about the ibex (mountain goats). Also, read PSALM 104 (click HERE).  Especially notice verse 13 and verse 18 (click on them to read them).  In verse 13, David talks about God watering the mountains from above.  One of the waterfalls in En Gedi is 600 feet long. I wonder if David was thinking about En Gedi when he wrote verse 13.  I also believe he MUST have been thinking of En Gedi when he wrote about the mountain goats in verse 18.  Seeing these mountain goats and watching them descend an incredibly steep mountain was a worshipful moment for me, and it felt even more amazing.  I was watching what DAVID watched!!!

QUMRAN: Protecting the Dead Sea Scrolls for 2000 years.

The Dead Sea Scrolls were found somewhere in one of these caves.  The Dead Sea Scrolls are the most significant manuscript find in modern times.  Although we didn't hike up to the caves, it was amazing for me to be at the base of them - when think about this important find. At the Israeli museum, we saw the "Isaiah scroll" that was discovered here.

MY BLOGGING SPOT:

Here is the place I prep my blog each night. It is on the roof of the Ecco Homo Convent (where we are staying). It is the balcony of the fourth floor.  It is a MASSIVE balcony. And it is so nice and peaceful up here. It is also nice and cool - a welcome relief from the hot temps each day. Inside the old city is loud and busy during the day, but it really quiets down at night (until 4:00 AM when the call to prayer occurs RIGHT OUTSIDE OUR OPEN WINDOW!!)

Here is another angle - looking toward the Dome of the Rock and the Mount of Olives.

Jerusalem Day 3 - Middle East Trip - Post #14

This was the most-packed day yet!  We got up early and headed out a little after 7:00 AM.  Here are some pictures of the day...

Every day seems to take us by the waiting wall once or twice.  Today, as we were headed up a "ramp" to the Temple Mount (Dome of the Rock) - I thought this was one more good view.

We went up to the Temple Mount.  The Dome of the Rock is behind the girls.  It was built in the 7th century and dominates the landscape of the old city. Here was the place of the temple before Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD.  It also was called Mount Moriah (where Abraham took Isaac to sacrifice him). Perhaps the architecture is beautiful, but I understand why the Jewish people do not want to go to the Temple Mount (nor are they allowed to by the Rabbis). God's presence was in the temple - it isn't here!

After the Dome of the Rock - it was time to hop our first taxi.  We went to the new part of the city to see the Holocaust Museum. I have been to the one in DC a few times, so this was was good to see many things I had not seen before. We also spent a lot of time walking the girls through the story, the reasons, the consequences, and the results.

Back in taxis to another museum - the Israeli Museum. This taxi driver wouldn't take all five of us - so  we had to split up... :(

Two things we wanted to see at the Israeli Museum: the Dead Sea Scrolls and the model of Jerusalem. This model of Jerusalem is the largest model of any city in the world. It is based on what Jerusalem looked like during Jesus' life.

We were given electronic "guides" that gave us details as we went along (you held them to your ear like a phone).  It was very interesting, and it helped all of us get a real "bird's eye" view of the city Jesus loved SO MUCH!

We then took a taxi back to our hostel for lunch - then to the City of David (where David settled when he took the city from the Jebusites). Near the city of David is Hezekiah's Tunnel.  This is an AMAZING tunnel that supplied water to the city of Jerusalem. I could give you all the details of this incredible engineering feat, but you can read more about it here if you choose.  Basically, Hezekiah wanted to bring water into the city in case they were under attack - so he created this tunnel. 

The tunnel is filled with water in the bottom.  It went up to my mid-thigh for a short time.  Mostly it was just above my ankles.  And it was pitch dark. If not for flashlights - we wouldn't see a thing. This width was the consistent width throughout the tunnel.

This pictures gives you an idea of the depth of the water.

The girls said that this was their favorite thing we've done so far on the trip.  It was quite an experience.

At the very bottom of the picture - you can see the Hebrew inscription written during Hezekiah's reign. This is in the middle of the tunnel.

The tunnel exits in the pool of Siloam.  Jesus healed a man here.  The girls are in the pool... You can read about it in John 9 (click here). This is one of my favorite healing stories because of what happens after the healing... the questions and investigation that occurs.  It is GREAT stuff!  Great quote: ""Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" (John 9:25). I love that!

We left there and climbed up some big hills - back to the city and along the Eastern walls.  And finally to the north to the Garden Tomb.  This is the other location that many believe Jesus was crucified and buried.  It says in John 19:16-17, "So the soldiers took charge of Jesus.  Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha)."  Can you see what seems to be a "skull" in the rock?  That is why some believe this is the place. There are graves nearby (one is the Garden Tomb where some believe Jesus was laid).

This is inside the tomb.  It is quite a moving place - even if it isn't the real location.  It seems to me that the evidence is weak for this being Golgotha and the tomb, but I REALLY love the setting.  There isn't a church over it, and it certainly is close to the location (less than a half mile from the commonly held place - the Church of the Holy Sepulchre). You could tell the girls liked being here, and kept saying that they hope/think THIS was the place.  It just "sits" better with all of us than a church building and altars on top of locations, but the evidence isn't very strong...

It was fun to imagine with the girls, "what if this WAS the place?"  We talked about the details... like how the stone would roll into place, etc... 

I read all four Gospel accounts to them.  They would talk about their favorite parts of each one.  It was a special time for me.

I LOVE this idea that hit me: A lot of people come here to see... NOTHING!  Why?  Matthew 28:6 - "He is not here; he has risen, just as he said."