Day 11 – Tuesday, January 20: Jerusalem: Mt. of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, Ein Gedi, Jericho, Dead Sea
Today was our first full day in Jerusalem and surrounding area. The sun was once again shining bright all day, with only a few clouds in the sky. Temps in the morning were on the cool side (40s). This afternoon down at the Dead Sea it was warmer (around 60). After breakfast, we left the hotel around 7:35, reading Psalm 122 as we departed for the Mt. of Olives.
Mt. of Olives/Gethsemane
Our first stop of the day was the Mt. of Olives. We drove around the north side of the Old City, passing the Damascus and Herod Gates on the way on the north side of the Old City (walls date to 1537-44 AD, built by the Turks). Cresting the Mt. of Olives we drove to a spectacular view across the Kidron Valley of the Old City and Temple Mount below. From here we walked down to Dominus Flavet, a small chapel where we enjoyed singing a few songs together. Here we read from Luke 19 (Palm Sunday), Acts 1 (Christ’s ascension), and Zechariah 14 (about the return of Christ). Continuing down the slope towards the Church of All Nations (the traditional Garden of Gethsemane. We walked up a short distance to a private park to consider the Passion of Jesus (Luke 22). We then walked back down into the courtyard of the church to see the very old olive trees.
Ein Gedi
From here we drove northward on Rt. 90 along the western shoreline of the Dead Sea to Ein Gedi. As we drove we read from Ezekiel 47 (about how one day the Dead Sea will become fresh). Together we walked into the canyon (Wadi David) where we stopped to read from Song of Songs 1 (mentioning the henna blossoms), 2 Chronicles 20 (mentioning the “Ascent of Ziz”), and 1 Samuel 24 (the David and Saul “cave encounter”). We all walked back to the first falls where Graydon and Leisa got wet! :). The trail back to the furthest falls in this canyon is still closed since last May).
Jericho
We boarded our bus once again to drove to the northern end of the Dead Sea. We arrived at Tel es-Sultan, or Old Testament Jericho. After a wonderful makluba lunch (chicken and rice prepared together), we climbed the site. We looked east and could see the Jordan Valley the Mt. Nebo on the ridge on the horizon (Dt. 34). Elijah was taken to heaven in the area across the river (2 Kings 2). Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River at “Bethany Beyond the Jordan” (John 1). Looking south we could see the area of NT Jericho (where Zachaeus and Bartimeaus lived, and where Herod the Great died in 4 or 1 BC).
We then turned our attention to the ancient OT site of Jericho. The archaeology of this ancient site of Jericho supports and confirms the Bible’s historicity. Besides seeing the oldest structure (a round tower) in Israel, on the southern end we saw the double retaining walls of this Canaanite city taken by Joshua (Joshua 6). A mud brick wall once stood on top of these stone walls. They came tumblin down.
“We began our day over looking the Temple Mount and the Old City of Jerusalem from the Mt. of Olives. We ended our day with floating in the unique waters of the Dead Sea. It was another engaging day.”
Dead Sea
Our last experience of the day was to float in the Dead Sea. We enjoy floating in this unique body of water (33% salt and minerals). We drove to our hotel at Qumran close by for dinner and overnight.
Jerusalem / Western Wall
We returned back to Jerusalem for dinner. Most in the group then enjoyed an optional walk to the Western Wall, the most holy place for Jews today! This wall served as one of the four retaining walls built by Herod in order to support the expanded platform of the Temple (Herod actually doubled the size of the Temple). The Temple Mount today is large enough for about 12 football fields!
We walked back to the hotel for overnight.
Day 12 – Wednesday, January 21: Yad Vashem, City of David, Southern Excavations, Western Wall, Jewish Quarter, Holy Sepulcher Church
