Temple Mount—It is located on Mt. Moriah. Abraham went here to offer Isaac. Temples were built here by Solomon, Saul, and Herod the Great. Herod’s stood in the days of Jesus. It was destroyed in AD 70 . The Jews tried to rebuild it in AD 135, and the Romans viewed it as an act of rebellion and destroyed it, putting up a pagan temple. Byzantines conquered in AD 330 and knocked down the pagan temple, leaving nothing on the site for three centuries. The Muslim Arabs conquered in AD 640, and built the prominent structure which stands there now: The Dome Of The Rock.
Tony talked a bit about the politics of the area at this sight. The three statements he made in conclusion really resonated with me, based on what I've read in the past and what I've seen and heard this week:
"The Muslims fear that the Jews will blow up the Dome and rebuild the Temple. The Jews envy the Muslims for having a building at this sacred sight. Fear and envy create hatred."
"...perfect love drives out fear..."--I John 4:18
John spoke here about the Jewish sacrificial system at the temple, from Leviticus 1:1-5, how the people would bring a lamb, place their hands on it, and as it was slain, their sins would be transferred to the animal. And John The Baptizer said "Behold, the Lamb Of God who takes away the sins of the world!" He also referred to the Book Of Hebrews where it shows how Jesus fulfills the Old Testament prophecies and sacrificial system.
Pool Of Bethesda--Jesus healed a paralyzed man here in John 5:1-15. The remains of this pool have been found.
Via Doloroso--There are 14 Stations Of The Cross that were created by tradition--some not mentioned in the Bible. I won't go into all of the details of them here. Just check the Wikipedia Page if you want to know more. We walked the Via Doloroso, which goes through the streets of Jerusalem. It was, uh, kind of crowded.
Israel Museum--The two major things we looked at here were a Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit, and a very large (1:50) model of Jerusalem in the ancient times. Here's a shot of the model.
Caiaphas's House--The location where the High Priest questioned Jesus during that fateful last night before the crucifixion. The actual home is not there, but excavations have revealed the exact location.
Upper Room--The sight of the Last Supper. Also no remains, but the exact place.
Probably the biggest thing that stuck out today was a part of John's message at the Temple Mount. After teaching regarding the sacrificial system, he spoke powerfully about how when the Temple veil was split at the moment of Jesus's death, it was symbolic of the fact that now there is no barrier between man and God. Through Christ, we have direct access to God. Good stuff!
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