We started with the former Temple now known as the Dome on the Rock. Did you know? 1) The Muslims do not believe Mohommed ascended into heaven from said spot. 2) The dome was designed by Bysantine Christians and it looks like a Byzantine Christian Church. 3) The gold color was added much later by the Jordanians using American money. 4) While the Jewish state tried to compromise with the Arabs by offering to take what was below the ground and let them have what was above ground the Muslims secretly built a mosque below ground as well. 4) The Muslims deny the Jews ever had a Temple built on the spot of the Dome On the Rock. Neither did I.
Bobbi Lynn and I spent lunch with Rev. Walter And Nelda Banek walking up the Mt of Olives and then to the possible place of the garden of Gethsemene. There are trees there that date back to the days of Jesus. Very powerful to imagine what transpired there. We also viewed the pool of Bethesda and imagined the lame man being healed! Again, it is a great privilege to take in. Peace, Pastor Eric
Today was colder and windier than yesterday! We walked to the Temple Mount and walked and stood around the area for teaching times and gazing. The Muslim's are in control here and have a checkpoint where they will not allow any outward sign of Christianity through. There are armed security all around. From the Temple Mount we walked to the pool of Bethesda and saw a Crusader Church nearby where some of our group sang the doxology and canticles that were beautiful to listen to. As the group headed back to the Christ Church museum the Baneks and us, being we were close 4 miles(apprx.) from Mount of Olives, we choose to leave the group on our own and make our way out of the walls to the mount. We found our way to Gethsemane and the Church of Gethsemane as well as a russian orthodox church as well as climbing a little higher a church said to be built where they believed Jesus wept over Jerusalem. We were able to view what Jesus may have viewed of the area. We decided to take a taxi back to the guest house, where we warmed up with some lunch and had to get ready to go to the Holocaust Museum with the group. A very somber afternoon visiting the museum. Most of us decided to come back to the guest house while 3 of our group went to the Israel Museum. I was physically exhausted and didn't think I could be on my feet anymore. It is 9:15pm now and tomorrow we leave at 7:30 for Galilee.
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