I have finally taken the time to complete Day 8!! I know, it's taken forever, but there were a lot of amazing sites seen on this day!! I wanted to devote enough time to each site so I could share several pictures and talk more about each one. Hope you enjoy the long awaited morning part of Day 8. It was a long day and all on foot! We unloaded the bus first thing in the morning and didn't get back on until 5:00!
Our first stop of the day was the Western Wall!! I was super excited about this stop! The security is very tight at the entrances. There are separate entrances for men and women and you are required to walk through metal detectors. I also found it interesting that the chief rabbis of Israel have ruled that walking through the metal detector system does not violate Shabbat or festivals.
The right side of this tells about the Western Wall. I don't know if you'll be able to see it so I will type some of it out here. Jewish tradition teaches that the Temple Mount is the focal point of creation. In the center of the mountain lies the "Foundation Stone" of the world. Here Adam came into being. Here Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob served God. The First and Second Temples were built upon this mountain. The Ark of the Covenant was set upon the Foundation Stone itself... The present Western Wall before you is a remnant of the western Temple Mount retaining walls. Jews have prayed in its shadow for hundreds of years, an expression of their faith in the rebuilding of the Temple. The Sages said about it, "The Divine Presence never leaves from the Western Wall." The Temple Mount continues to be the focus of prayer for Jews all over the world.
The men and women had different sides divided by this small fence.
This is me and Lauren in front of the Western Wall, otherwise known as the Wailing Wall. I was really excited about the opportunity to visit here and even inserted a prayer on a small piece of paper into the wall. This was another powerful experience for me. One that just led into one powerful site after another!
I love the signs that have the Hebrew language on them too so that's why this is posted. The following pictures are some of the excavations. it was pretty cool to see the work in progress!
We got to visit the Southern Wall Excavations of the ancient Temple including the Teaching Steps!
Just another of the better pictures of the excavation site.
Our next journey was walking the Cardo which is the ancient main street of the Old City once lined with shops, now partially restored. This is just a scenic shot I took on the walk. I really enjoyed these walks because I was able to see a whole view of Jerusalem around me instead of being limited to looking out the bus window.
On our walk we saw the Temple Mount, called Mount Moriah in the Bible (2 Chronicles 3:1), which was the site of the temples of Solomon, Zerubbabel, and Herod. It is also a holy place to Moslems, who bellieve that Mohammed went to heaven from this spot. The Dome of the Rock was built between 687 and 691 A.D. and is decorated with beautiful Persian tiles. To Moslems the world over, it is next to Mecca and Medina in importance.
This is St. Anne's Basilica. St. Anne is Mary's mother. It is known for its lines and its special echo. Many come to sing here.
This church is built over the caves where the memory of the Virgin Mary's birthplace was kept.
The Gospel site of Bethesda invites us to take time for meditation and prayer. Everyone is confronted by Jesus' question: "Do you want to be well?" To all who exeprience illness, weariness, fears, or remorse, He still says, "Stand up, take your mat and walk!"
This plaques says, "Jesus healed the sick man near these medicinal baths. John 5 says, "And Jesus said to the man who had been ill for thirty-eight years, 'Rise, take your pallet, and walk.'"
Here we find Jesus as the true Physician. Since He has come for the sick and sinners, He asks us to draw close to our true Father and experience new wholeness and peace, our restored dignity as children of God. A plaque on the wall says this is the Southern Pool.
In full confidence we may bring our sicknesses to Him who says, "Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden..." Matthew 11:28 Then we will experience that He "gives us rest" by healing our bodies and/or giving us inner consolation and peace.
The right side of this tells about the Western Wall. I don't know if you'll be able to see it so I will type some of it out here. Jewish tradition teaches that the Temple Mount is the focal point of creation. In the center of the mountain lies the "Foundation Stone" of the world. Here Adam came into being. Here Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob served God. The First and Second Temples were built upon this mountain. The Ark of the Covenant was set upon the Foundation Stone itself... The present Western Wall before you is a remnant of the western Temple Mount retaining walls. Jews have prayed in its shadow for hundreds of years, an expression of their faith in the rebuilding of the Temple. The Sages said about it, "The Divine Presence never leaves from the Western Wall." The Temple Mount continues to be the focus of prayer for Jews all over the world. 
The men and women had different sides divided by this small fence. 
This is me and Lauren in front of the Western Wall, otherwise known as the Wailing Wall. I was really excited about the opportunity to visit here and even inserted a prayer on a small piece of paper into the wall. This was another powerful experience for me. One that just led into one powerful site after another! 
I love the signs that have the Hebrew language on them too so that's why this is posted. The following pictures are some of the excavations. it was pretty cool to see the work in progress! 
We got to visit the Southern Wall Excavations of the ancient Temple including the Teaching Steps! 
Just another of the better pictures of the excavation site. 
Our next journey was walking the Cardo which is the ancient main street of the Old City once lined with shops, now partially restored. This is just a scenic shot I took on the walk. I really enjoyed these walks because I was able to see a whole view of Jerusalem around me instead of being limited to looking out the bus window. 
On our walk we saw the Temple Mount, called Mount Moriah in the Bible (2 Chronicles 3:1), which was the site of the temples of Solomon, Zerubbabel, and Herod. It is also a holy place to Moslems, who bellieve that Mohammed went to heaven from this spot. The Dome of the Rock was built between 687 and 691 A.D. and is decorated with beautiful Persian tiles. To Moslems the world over, it is next to Mecca and Medina in importance. 
This is St. Anne's Basilica. St. Anne is Mary's mother. It is known for its lines and its special echo. Many come to sing here. 
This church is built over the caves where the memory of the Virgin Mary's birthplace was kept. 
The Gospel site of Bethesda invites us to take time for meditation and prayer. Everyone is confronted by Jesus' question: "Do you want to be well?" To all who exeprience illness, weariness, fears, or remorse, He still says, "Stand up, take your mat and walk!" 
This plaques says, "Jesus healed the sick man near these medicinal baths. John 5 says, "And Jesus said to the man who had been ill for thirty-eight years, 'Rise, take your pallet, and walk.'" 
Here we find Jesus as the true Physician. Since He has come for the sick and sinners, He asks us to draw close to our true Father and experience new wholeness and peace, our restored dignity as children of God. A plaque on the wall says this is the Southern Pool. 
In full confidence we may bring our sicknesses to Him who says, "Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden..." Matthew 11:28 Then we will experience that He "gives us rest" by healing our bodies and/or giving us inner consolation and peace. 
1 comment:
Sorry this one is so hard to read. It squashed all my words together and no matter how many times I change it, it takes out my separation enters every time. Oh well.
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