Israel - The Crossroads of Many Religions

There is arguably nowhere in the world that has more sites of religious significance to so many world religions as Israel.

For Jews, the most important site is the Western Wall.  This was part of the retaining wall that held up the Second Temple, which existed 2000 years ago.  This site is where Abraham bound and almost sacrificed Isaac.  The presence of God is said to rest on the Temple Mount, where the Second Temple used to be.  Because of this, Jews no longer go on top of the Temple Mount - the Western Wall is the closest they get.
  

Many Jews come to pray here, shoving small pieces of paper with prayers written on them into the stone.

Women and men pray on separate portions of the wall.   People are not supposed to turn their backs to the wall, so you see many people backing up on their way out, always facing the wall.

 

Backing up from the Western Wall, you can see what now sits on top of the Temple Mount - the Dome of the Rock - the site where Muhammad ascended into heaven. 

Next to the Dome of the Rock is the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is the third most important site for Muslims.  A point if you can name the first two.

On top of the Temple Mount is a huge place, peaceful in the midst of the hustle of Old Jerusalem.  Many Muslim families come to picnic and to spend time in the shadow of the mosque and the Dome of the Rock. 

The Dome of the Rock is covered with beautiful tile work.

Bram and I in front of the Dome of the Rock.

An ablution fountain on the Temple Mount.

Of course, I've covered a lot of the major sites in Christianity already, but here are two more:  This is the Church of Mary Magdalene. 

And the Church of Notre Dame, Jerusalem.

During our road trip, we also went to Haifa, location of the impressive Baha'i gardens. On our way there, we encounter signs like this:
 

Not understanding Hebrew, Rodolfo drove down a one way bus lane.  Bram, who was directing, said, "no entry.  No Entry!  NO ENTRY!"  But we survived driving down the maze of roads labeled in words we could not understand to tell the tale.  Finally, we found the multi-terraced Baha'i gardens.

At the top of the hill is the Shrine of the Báb.

In the city of Jerusalem, there are so many people of various religions.  Unfortunately, tensions run high.  I'm probably the most open person when it comes to talking to people of different religions, so for me, I find it neat to interact with so many people of different backgrounds.  However, I made the mistake of sitting next to a Hasidic Jew on the tram.  He got up and moved away from me.  Jessa told me she forgot to warn me - there is a strict "sitting order" on the tram.  I should sit next to a secular female Jew, then an Arabic woman, then a religious Jewish woman, then a secular man, then an Arabic man, and only if no other options are available, a Hasidic Jewish man.

Being in Jerusalem, seeing people of all religious backgrounds, makes me think - perhaps instead of being a land where there are so many clashes over religious differences, wouldn't it be great that Israel is the place where religious peace could start?  Now that would be amazing.

The Last Days of Jesus - And the Beginning of an Era

On Palm Sunday, Jesus approached Jerusalem.  He looked down over the city in a view that is similar to what we see today. He stood on the Mount of Olives, where this picture was taken, and looked upon the Second Temple.  Only the retaining wall still stands now (the other side is the Western Wall).   The Dome of the Rock stands where the Second Temple used to be.  I can imagine that 2000 years ago, the Mount of Olives was covered with, well, olive trees.  Now it is covered in graves.  The gravestones are all stone, and face the remains of the Second Temple.  Jews want to be buried here, because, according to Jewish belief, the people buried on the Mount of Olives will be the first to be raised from the dead. 

Jesus stood in this spot and cried over Jerusalem, for he knew what would befall it which even persists to this day.  This chapel is shaped like a teardrop to commemorate this.

Jesus says:  

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!" - Matthew 23:37

Inside the chapel is a mosaic of this imagery.

 

On the Thursday before Jesus given up to death,

And He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters. ¹¹ Then you shall say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ ¹² Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready.” - Luke 22:10-12

This unassuming room is found in a rarely visited corner of the Old City.  In fact, if I had not been told that this was the room that the Last Supper took place, it would be impossible to tell.  Now, the room is a mosque.

Later, we visited the Garden of Gethsemane.  On the evening after the Last Supper,

He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” - Matthew 26:39

Some of the olive trees date back hundreds, if not thousands of years.  While the trunks may have died, the roots live on.  

On the grounds of the garden lies the Church of All Nations.

 

It has several domes symbolizing many different countries.

The inside is kept perpetually dark, symbolizing the agony in the garden.  Over the rock that it is thought that Jesus sat on is a mosaic, quietly depicting the agony.

 

On the door is an olive tree.

 

We then walked the Via Dolorosa, the road that Jesus walked to Calvary.  It winds through the streets of Old Jerusalem.  At the station where Jesus is helped by Simon, a group gathers to pray.

 

Jesus meets His mother.

Veronica wipes the face of Jesus.

 

Perhaps the most holy site in all of Christendom is located here, in Jerusalem.  The Church of the Holy Sepulchre - the site where Jesus spent the last day of his life.
  

The one building is actually many churches from many different denominations "glued" together, modified over the years,  damaged in wars and built up again.  The key to the main door is actually given to a Muslim family so no Christian denomination is favored over another. 

 

Looking through the many different layers of church.

   

Within these churches lies the site of Golgotha, the hill on which Jesus was crucified

They had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull - Matthew 27:33.

The site of Jesus' crucifixion. 

And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. - Matthew 27:50.

As Jesus died, the earth itself quaked. 

Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split... - Matthew 27:51.

Under the site of Golgotha, a fault still remains in the rock.

After Jesus died, it is said that His body was prepared on this stone.  So many people come here to pray, and the surface is scented with rose oil.

A mural on the wall depicting Jesus taken down from the cross, being prepared for burial, and laid in the tomb.

The tomb of Jesus is nearby.  It was hewn out of the rock, but now it is surrounded by a small chapel, where only about 5 people can enter at a time.

When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, ⁶⁰ and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.  - Matthew 27:59-60

But of course, we know the story does not end there. 

Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, ⁷ and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. ⁸ Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.  - John 20:6-8

Inside the empty tomb.

Back in northern Israel, we visit another site on the Sea of Galilee - the place where Jesus appeared to His disciples after having risen.

Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”  They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. ⁴ But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. ⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?”  They answered Him, “No.”  ⁶ And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.  ⁷ Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea. ⁸ But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fish. ⁹ Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. ¹⁰ Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.”  ¹¹ Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken.  ¹² Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.” Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?”—knowing that it was the Lord. ¹³ Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish. - John 21:3-13

 Where Jesus sat as he cooked breakfast that morning.

 

Even the rocks are shaped like hearts.

We also visited the place where Jesus ascended into heaven.  There is a *very* unassuming chapel there, that used to have no roof.  Christians worshiped in secret there for hundreds of years, until finally a church was built there in the 300s. 

Inside is the last "footprint" that Jesus left before He ascended.

Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. ⁵² And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, ⁵³ and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen. - Luke 24:51-53

 

The Church of the Dormition, where Mary fell asleep.

  

Nearby is Mary's tomb, which is now empty after she was assumed to heaven.

 

Climbing out of the empty tomb.

Evidence of the early church.  Places of great importance were often marked with lots of crosses.  This particular place, within the Holy Sepulchre, marked the location of the discovery of the cross.

Climbing down within the Holy Sepulchre.

 

Mosaics, this one depicting Noah's Ark.

Jessa, Bram and I, with all of Jerusalem spread behind us.