Day of Rest

Today was a much needed day of rest. We have many stories to tell when we get home!
Gary and I will b leaving the group tomorrow. We will b driven back to Tel Aviv and then on to NY while the rest of our group goes on to Jordan and the Petra Rocks.
Everyone is well but tired so it was good to have a 'free' day today.
This was the trip of a lifetime!! I praise God that we were able to see the land that The Lord lived, preached and died. It was amazing!!

Mount of Olives

This morning we went to the Mount of Olives. It is as it has been for hundreds of years. Some of these olive trees r more than 2,000 years old. This is where Jesus went to get away from the crowds. He walked thru this area teaching His disciples. He told them about the end times (Matthew 24) but before that Zachariah predicts that the on the day that the Messiah comes He will "stand on the Mount of Olives east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will b split in to from east to west, forming a great valley w half the mountain moving north and the other half moving south" The ascension of The Lord occurred btw Jerusalem and Bethany.

The garden tomb

This is not the " traditional" site of Jesus' death and burial but historically it's quit obvious that this place seems much more logical. (The entire group agreed) It is on a rock that looks like a skull called Golgotha (as described n John 17:19) The tomb is located n a family-owned cemetery (19:38) near a wealthy man's home. (There is a wine press there)

The birth of Jesus

This is where Constantine proclaimed that Christ was born. We waited over an hr to get in.

The last few stations of the cross

Dan stands beside a bomb defuser as we wait to go into the church to see the last few stations of the cross

Jerusalem and the stations of the cross

We walked the streets of the old city and followed the path that Jesus may have taken to Calvary. Many different races and cultures own different stations of the cross. It was really quite sad to see that even the different factions of Christians STILL fighting.
Look Jessy- I found a manhole cover for you!

The Pool of Bethesda

John 5:1-15 tells the story of Jesus healing the invalid who had been unsuccessful in dragging himself into the miraculous waters. Jesus tells him to pick up his mat- that he is healed! But because this miracle occurred on the Sabbath the Jews were angry and condemned the man for picking up his mat and walking. The Jews asked the healed man who had made him well and the man did not know but later found Jesus. Jesus told the man that he should sin no longer and the man went bk to the Jews and reported this. This is why the Jews wanted Jesus killed!