Day 4: New Testament Walk

Hi : )

So..this post will be a little different...not as detailed. But pictures will be included! This first picture is of me and Verity on the roof. This is the view we have every time we open our door in the morning!

Our main focus of the day was the New Testament. However, we began by looking at the Broad Wall, which is a remnant of a wall Hezekiah built.

Our next stop was the Jerusalem Archaeological Park...also known as the Temple Mount. This may or may not have been one of my favorite places yet. We learned a lot about the traditions that happened in the Temple, but the best part was going up towards the top and sitting on the steps where Jesus was speaking to the people. Historians are almost positive that it was at this exact location that Jesus preached Matthew 23. Check out the pictures above. This is the view we were looking at, and where Jesus taught the people. The pictures don't even do a justice!

Next, we walked around the north side of the city, looking at the Mt. of Olives. We also passed the Garden of Gethsemane.

Then we were headed towards the Pool of Bethesda where Jesus healed a crippled man (John 5:1-18). Near the pool was St. Anne's church. You are supposed to sing in the church. A few girls and I started singing Amazing Grace, and soon, our whole team was singing. It was very powerful! We also sang In Christ Alone.

On our way back, we walked back up the Via Delorosa, where Jesus supposedly carried the cross. We also walked through the Muslim Quarter, which was very interesting to say the least!

After four hours of class, a group of us headed into the Old City again. We were planning on going back to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, but it had already closed. Once again, we went and prayed at the Wailing Wall. Tonight was a lot different, however, because the locals were having a celebration for all their men who had just finished boot camp and were now official guards. There were lots of families taking pictures, lots of tears...and lots of machinery. The Wailing Wall was just as powerful as last night, if not more. It is truly a crazy experience to pray there.

I feel like I am definitely learning a lot about the Bible....too much to remember well! I really desire to read even more. I wish you could all be here to experience this. It is truly unbelievable.

This picture is of the Old City Wall. We walk past this many times a day! I love it!

Tomorrow, we will be focusing on the land of Benjamin. We will be out in the field all day...which means no class! This is how the majority of the next two and a half weeks will be. I'm not mad about that! Thanks for all your comments, I love hearing from you! Hope you enjoyed the pictures!