Israel with Beth Moore and Living Proof Ministries - Day 5

**WARNING**  Very long blog post of a very long day in Israel!!!!!


Well, I decided I better hurry up and get these Israel blogs finished before I forget EVERYTHING!!  That's what old age will give you!  And this blog will serve as a reminder in the days/years to come of most of what was so meaningful to me on this trip!!!


Our first full day in Jerusalem was packed with activity!!  After another yummy breakfast we loaded the buses and headed to the Garden of Gethsemane.  We all knew in our hearts that this would be a special place and a special moment.  When we first entered - Beth started sharing her heart with us!  As always it was so appropriate and heartfelt!  As she spoke - it was really early and the city of Jerusalem was just waking up with lots of traffic noise.  She reminded us that this is where Jesus came to pray when He wanted to "get away"!!  She said He too would have also been surrounded with people herding their sheep, pulling their carts to market, and all the busy city life of their time just like we were!!!  After Beth spoke we broke apart and went to have our personal prayer time with our Lord in the exact place where He has prayed.  These types of moments were surreal and were becoming very familiar!  As we prayed right next to old old old olive trees I wondered.....was this same tree perhaps one that our Saviour leaned against as he prayed “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” ??  Were these the old limbs that Peter, James and John fell asleep on while Jesus was praying!!!????  Probably not...but they are definitely the great great grandsons and granddaughters of those same trees!!  


GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE

Beth preparing to speak to us in The Garden of Gethsemane.  See the old Wall of Jerusalem in the background??

Beth praying on her knees as she ALWAYs does before she speaks!  Notice Michelle (Hawk), Beth's able assistant in the background???  Bet you could never guess she was an assistant to First Lady Laura Bush before she came to work at Living Proof Ministries!!! She's got what it takes and is always on her game!!!

Praying in The Garden next to an ancient Olive tree!

Reading scripture and praying! 

 If old trees could talk - I bet they would teach us so much!!!!

You know - God is listening to us.....

No matter where we are....

or what pose we take!!!  

GOLGOTHA

We then begin to move towards Skull Hill - Golgotha!! (aka - Calvary!!)

Did you know that Golgotha means Skull in Hebrew???

Do you see why it is called Skull Hill???  Can you find the two eyes, nose and mouth??

Here is another one.  Can you see it now?

This was our very cute, sweet, and young tour guide at Skull Hill and the Garden Tomb.  His name was Phillip.  Loved him!!  

Even though Phillip said he was born and raised in Israel he sounded VERY American.  So I asked him why he didn't sound very Israeli.  He said his mom AND his wife were both Americans!! He said he was surrounded by Americans!!   And he was a Christian!

He paid for my sins on that hill.

GARDEN TOMB

"At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there." 

John 19:41-42

Just a short distance from Golgotha there is a beautiful garden.  Jesus' tomb was a small cave carved out of the side of a mountain.  This was where Jesus' body was laid.

The line of people waiting to get a glimpse insideof the tomb.

The inside of the tomb

Our Praise and Worship team leading us next to the Tomb!

Beth was always ready to share with us at each place we went.

We left the tomb and walked across the Kidron Valley to the Old City.  This view is actually taken from the Jerusalem wall looking towards the Mount of Olives!!  The empty part (towards the bottom of the pic) is the Kidron Valley.

Just when you think that Beth could not speak anymore...she brings another powerful Word outside the House of Caiaphas.  Caiaphas was the high priest at the time of Jesus' arrest and crucifixion.  This is where Jesus was taken after he was arrested.  

Of course, we couldn't leave this location without hearing from Arie too!

The House of Caiaphas is also called "St Peter in Gallicantu Church".  Gallicantu means "cockcrow" and it commemorates Peter's denial of Jesus three times and is supposed to be the location where Peter wept over his unfaithfulness.  This statue shows Peter denying Christ to the 3 different people.  Notice the rooster (cock) on top of the statue.

I really took this picture for Robin because he's always wanted to play the violin. He actually has one that I bought him for a wedding anniversary years ago but doesn't play it :(  This lady was playing outside of The House of Caiaphas.

BETHLEHEM

We then loaded the bus - again!  And we headed out to Bethlehem to view the place of Jesus' birth and to do what women love to do best....SHOP!  I have to admit - the place where Jesus was supposed to have been born was a little disappointing in the way they have it portrayed.  Like many Holy Places in Israel - a church has been built over the cave where Mary and Joseph stayed when there was no room in the Inn.

This little dark location is supposed to be the birthplace of our Savior!  Doesn't look much like a manger does it!!!  I was sort of sad over this.  Lily (my granddaughter) wanted so bad for me to take a picture of where Jesus was born.  I haven't had the heart to show this picture to her.  She would get very confused!

This is the church that is built over the "manger" area.

While we waited for everyone to finish the tour - we sat in a beautiful garden where I saw these roses!  Jesus is the Rose of Sharon - how appropriate!

And as we waited and visited with each other in the Rose Garden - I snapped this beautiful pic of Beth and her daughter Melissa!

On our way to our shopping destination - we passed this hill.  Arie told us that this was known as Shepherd's Hill because this is thought to be the location where the Angel appeared to the shepherds on the night Jesus was born!

And then we went shopping in Bethlehem!!  This store was only open to our two buses.  And it was full of anything you may want carved out of olive wood, local jewelry and other Israeli goodies!

My only big purchase of this amazing trip was a Nativity Scene or Manger Scene as my grandchildren call it.  I told Robin before I ever left for the trip that all I really wanted was a Nativity set carved out of olive wood - from Bethlehem!!!  It is beautiful but I have to admit sweet baby Jesus is a little spooky looking.  He sort of has long hair and a beard!!!  I'm looking forward to the different comments this Christmas that my grandchildren will be making!!  I just hope my cherished (and pricey) Manger scene doesn't warp their little images of what sweet Baby Jesus is supposed to look like!!  If you look very closely - right between the two people is my actual manger scene!  Yep, the salesman just picked it up and wrapped each piece and put it in a box for me to carry home on the plane.  I was too cheap to have it shipped for $35!!!  And it made it home just fine!!

And it was a VERY LONG day.  We were ALL ready to get back to the hotel and eat dinner!  We also had some amazing stores in our hotel lobby so the shopping didn't always end when we got back to the hotel. This was an art piece that was showcased at an art store in the lobby.  I was mesmerized by it.  Of course my picture does not do this beautiful artwork justice!  It was HUGE  and so beautiful.  It is the picture of Jerusalem with the Temple right in the middle.  You can see the Gate surrounding the Old City.  The empty grassy area right in the middle is the Kidron Valley.  Then the buildings on the bottom of the picture is where the Garden of Gethsemane, the Mount of Olives, Golgotha, and the Tomb are located. 

Well, I tried to warn you that this would be a LONG one!  We only have one more day left in the Holy City.  And it will be a day filled with the Temple Mound, The Steps of the Ascent, and the Western (Wailing) Wall.  You DON'T want to miss it!