It is Shabbat in Jerusalem. Actually for all intents and purposes it began yesterday at about 2:00. Everything began closing down then. We have been staying Southwest of the Old City. We walked across the Hinnom Valley, over the north end of the old City of David (south of the Temple Mount), down into the Kidron Valley, past Absalom’s monument and up to the foot of the Mount of Olives.
There are several sites that claim to be the Garden of Gethsemane, but the most famous is run by the Franciscans. It was not opening until 2:00. So Jesse and I found a little coffee & sandwich shop and had a drink and toasted cheese sandwich. I asked the Owner if he was from here. He said that he was born and raised here. He claimed that his family had owned this land for 3,000 years. He produced some old photographs that went back as far as 100+ years ago and gave a chronology for his house and how they had sold land over the years to various churches that have built their church buildings and shrines all around him. He was a very interesting fellow. We had plenty of time to kill so we decided to walk up the mountain to the church of the Ascencion. Inside the chapel we read the Scripture from Acts 1 and prayed for the filling and power of the Holy Spirit. Here is a view from close by:
Turning to the left one can also see the Herodian in the distance.
Jesus would cross near this spot when traveling from Bethany to Jerusalem. Herod moved part of the mountain on the left in order to build the Herodian. The Dead Sea is to the left. The Herodian, a symbol of the world system which stands against the kingdom of God, was a moved mountain. The Rabbis used to teach that idols should be cast into the sea. The lesson of the withered fig tree occurred near this site on the Mount of Olives. It was a visual lesson that anything that is keeping us from establishing our role in the kingdom of God in our lives, we can speak to that in faith and see it removed. Lord, show me what idols are keeping me from fulfilling my role in your kingdom.
We descended the Mount of Olives to the Franciscan site of the Garden of Gethsemane. There we read Matthew and John concerning Jesus’ struggle there and His arrest. Then we sat and prayed and enjoyed peaceful meditation.
We traveled back through the Lion’s Gate to follow the Via Delorosa. I think we got pictures of each station of the cross.
My favorite station was station #3. We visited the Lithostratos. It is the stone pavement which many believe was the pavement of the dungeon of Pilate where he had Jesus flogged and the soldier mocked him, gave Him a crown of thorns and brutally beat Him. We read the Scripture and thought upon it.
We took a break from the Via Delorosa to visit the site of the Pool of Bethesda. Where Jesus healed the paralytic on the Sabbath. Since it is the Sabbath we sat and read about the event and pondered it.
We then returned to the Via Delorosa. We got lost trying to get out of the Old City. Some police helped us find the way out. We had dinner in the Old City and walked home. Boy, am I beat!
There are several sites that claim to be the Garden of Gethsemane, but the most famous is run by the Franciscans. It was not opening until 2:00. So Jesse and I found a little coffee & sandwich shop and had a drink and toasted cheese sandwich. I asked the Owner if he was from here. He said that he was born and raised here. He claimed that his family had owned this land for 3,000 years. He produced some old photographs that went back as far as 100+ years ago and gave a chronology for his house and how they had sold land over the years to various churches that have built their church buildings and shrines all around him. He was a very interesting fellow. We had plenty of time to kill so we decided to walk up the mountain to the church of the Ascencion. Inside the chapel we read the Scripture from Acts 1 and prayed for the filling and power of the Holy Spirit. Here is a view from close by:
Turning to the left one can also see the Herodian in the distance.
Jesus would cross near this spot when traveling from Bethany to Jerusalem. Herod moved part of the mountain on the left in order to build the Herodian. The Dead Sea is to the left. The Herodian, a symbol of the world system which stands against the kingdom of God, was a moved mountain. The Rabbis used to teach that idols should be cast into the sea. The lesson of the withered fig tree occurred near this site on the Mount of Olives. It was a visual lesson that anything that is keeping us from establishing our role in the kingdom of God in our lives, we can speak to that in faith and see it removed. Lord, show me what idols are keeping me from fulfilling my role in your kingdom.
We descended the Mount of Olives to the Franciscan site of the Garden of Gethsemane. There we read Matthew and John concerning Jesus’ struggle there and His arrest. Then we sat and prayed and enjoyed peaceful meditation.
We traveled back through the Lion’s Gate to follow the Via Delorosa. I think we got pictures of each station of the cross.
My favorite station was station #3. We visited the Lithostratos. It is the stone pavement which many believe was the pavement of the dungeon of Pilate where he had Jesus flogged and the soldier mocked him, gave Him a crown of thorns and brutally beat Him. We read the Scripture and thought upon it.
We took a break from the Via Delorosa to visit the site of the Pool of Bethesda. Where Jesus healed the paralytic on the Sabbath. Since it is the Sabbath we sat and read about the event and pondered it.
We then returned to the Via Delorosa. We got lost trying to get out of the Old City. Some police helped us find the way out. We had dinner in the Old City and walked home. Boy, am I beat!
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