Day 12 – Wednesday, January 21: Yad Vashem, City of David, Southern Excavations, Western Wall, Holy Sepulcher Church
Today was another full day here in Jerusalem. The weather was overcast most of the day, with a very cold start (40 degrees). In the afternoon it warmed to around 50, with partly sunny skies. This morning we started with a solemn visit to Israel’s Holocaust Museum. We read Psalm 48 and 137 as we left the hotel at 7:35.
Yad Vashem
We departed the hotel and drove to West Jerusalem, specifically to Israel’s Holocaust Museum & Memorial. It is called Yad Vashem, named after a verse in Isaiah 56 that mentions the “memorial and a name.” Before the museum opened, we stood in the corner of the entrance building (instead of outside in the cold) as Shlomo introduced to us some of the history of the Holocaust. We also heard from Shlomo his personal story about his family during this tragic event. He lost 12 family members in Vilna, Poland.
We then walked through a part of the Avenue of the Righteous, lined with trees dedicated to righteous gentiles who saved Jews during WW II. This incudes trees dedicated to people like Oscar Schindler and Corrie ten Boom). It was also a somber experience walking through the Children’s Memorial before walking through the main museum on our own, We were reminded of the horrors and atrocities of the Holocaust and the loss of six million Jews. We left the museum around 11 a.m.
City of David
From Yad Vashem we drove back to the Old City and specifically to the City of David (located outside the walls of the Old City today). After gathering on the observation tower, we walked down through the excavations (“Area G”). We saw David’s palace, city walls, and 7th-6th BC house structures. One of them was excavated/uncovered by Dr. John in June-July, 1982, exposing the steps and the fallen stones. We all continued through Warren’s Shaft (2 Samuel 5). The upper part of this discovery was probably used by David but not the vertical 52 foot shaft. Finally, we descended down to the Canaanite/Jebusite pool to the Gihon Spring. Unfortunately the 1,700 foot-long Hezekiah’s Tunnel (2 Kings 20, 2 Chronicles 32) was closed (a rare thing). So we all took the “dry” Jebusite tunnel built 100s of years earlier. This led us to a large pool (perhaps the Pool of Siloam where we recalled the story of John 9. However, the smaller pool (discovered 100 years ago actually and originally thought to be the pool of John 9) where the water flows into through Hezekiah’s Tunnel may have served as the Pool of Siloam (i.e. the “ritual pool”).
Pilgrims Road
From this southern end of the City of David, we then walked up the newly-opened Pilgrims Road. This pavement dates to the 1st century AD (in fact, completed in 30 AD and probably financed by Pontius Pilate actually). It was a fascinating experience. We walked about 250 yards of this pavement. Jesus would have walked on this pavement! This pavement road openly officially opened to the public yesterday!
Southern Wall Excavations
From here we left the Pilgrim Road, exiting at the Givati Excavation (this used to be a parking about lot 15 years ago). We walked further up to the Davidson Center and to the SW corner of the Temple. The SW corner of the Temple may have been the pinnacle of the Temple where Jesus was tempted (Mt. 4). We then walked over to the southern steps. This southern entrance into the Temple was used by commoners in Jesus’ day. Jesus Himself and His disciples would have used these steps to enter the Temple. We recalled the many mentioned in the NT who used these steps (Luke 2, 18; John 2; Mark 13; and Acts 2, etc…). Before leaving the steps, we considered how God wants us to be His spiritual temple (2 Corinthians 3).
“Today was the coldest day of our trip. However, we endured with a full day of seeing here in Jerusalem. We began with a solemn visit to Yad Vashem. It ended with an interesting visit to the Holy Sepulcher Church.”
Western Wall
Next, we walked a short distance where we entered into the Kotel area. Our visit of the Western/Wailing Wall was fascinating. The Western Wall served as one of four retaining walls to support the expanded Temple Mount platform. Herod’s Temple project (beginning in 20 BC) was expansive! We enjoyed going down to Wall.
Holy Sepulcher Church
Once both groups converged, we ended the day by visiting the Holy Sepulcher Church. Built in 325 AD, this is the traditional location for the death and burial place of Jesus. It very well could be that Hadrian, the 2nd century AD Roman emperor “tipped us off” where he thought the tomb of Jesus was! The archaeological and historical records strongly favors this site over the Garden Tomb. Because of the lack of people here, there was hardly any line to get into the Edicule (enclosing the suggested tomb of Jesus).
We walked out of the Jaffa Gate where David picked us up to take us back to the hotel. We enjoyed dinner together, with an optional walk after dinner with Graydon to Jaffa Road and Ben Yehuda to get a little taste of modern Israeli life. Our last full day here in Jerusalem is tomorrow!
Day 13 – Thursday, January 22: Garden Tomb, St. Anne’s Church & Pools of Bethesda, Israel Museum, Sifting Project, Farewell Dinner
