Trip to the Holy Land - Israel 10/2/12 to 10/3/12

Jerusalem - 10/02/2012
Today was probably the peak of the trip as we spent the day following the last week of Christ's mortal ministry.  It cooled off nicely today so eventhough we walked as much as yesterday we ended the day with much more energy.  We have one day around Jerusalem and then we go to Amman
Jordan for our final two nights with the tour group.

We started out early this morning in order to visit the Temple Mount.  In the buses by 7:00 am and the city was already busy.  This week is the Feast of the Tabernacles so the expectation was that the Temple Mount would be very crowded with worshipping Jews.  The expectation was correct as we waited in line for about 1.5 hours to get through security for entry onto the Temple Mount.  Joseph warned us to stay close together, forget our courtesy and not let anyone cut in front of us.  Sure enough, soon a man and his two sons attempted to cut in front of Joseph at the front of our group.  He argued with him and finally security came over to quell the disturbance and ushered the man away.  Not too much later, a man with his family of five (including a strollered toddler) attempted to cut in a few people behind us.  Members of our group refused to let him in and he immediately became violent, shoving the stroller into the people in line and screaming that it was their fault that he had to wait.  Security eventually escorted him out.  A couple of stark examples (unfortunately out of many we have witnessed) of an unfavorable aspect of their culture.


On the Temple Mount with Dome of the Rock behind

Once through security we entered the Temple Mount which is controlled by the Muslims.  Probably because it was a Jewish high holiday and Jews were praying at the Western Wall in large numbers, there were large numbers of Muslims in prayer circles on the Temple Mount esplanade.  Heavily armed (semi-automatic weapons, bulletproof vests, tear gas canisters, etc.) security was present and on high alert.  Joseph was a little nervous about us gathering in a large group but Brother Madsen spoke to us about the source of the Jewish-Moslem conflict, the history of the Temple Mount, and Abraham's call to sacrifice Isaac (my favorite quote: "Abraham had to learn something about Abraham", Hugh B Brown) as we sat under the shade of the trees.  It is hard for me to imagine living so close to a group of people who are committed to your destruction.  The tension must be high all the time - a part of everyday life for Jews in Israel, but especially Jerusalem because the Temple Mount seems to be the focal point of the conflict.

Graves on the Mt of Olives - Prime spot for resurrection?

From the eastern side of the Temple Mount we were introduced to the surrounding area and its significance.  The Kidron Valley between Mount Moriah (the Temple Mount and where Abraham went to sacrifice Isaac) and the Mount of Olives.  There is a Catholic Church on the Mount of Olives which we will see tomorrow but interestingly, most of the hillside on the Mount of Olives is covered by the largest Jewish graveyard in the world because they believe that the resurrection will start there.  Reportedly, it costs $25,000 per gravesite for a front row seat for the resurrection.  However, the cheap seats (any place else in Israel) is free.
We walked/waded through Hezekiah's tunnel. The water from Gion Spring was not very deep as it filled the tunnel, 1,600 feet long, but it was quite cool which was a welcome respite from heat of the day.  Brother Madsen reminded us of the story of King Hezekiah who built the tunnel to protect the source of Jerusalem's water from any sieging enemies.  185,000 Assyrians were camped outside Jerusalem's walls and Hezekiah went to the Prophet Isaiah for counsel on what to do.  Isaiah told Hezekiah not to worry that the Assyrians would not attack the city because they had mocked God so He would take care of them.  That night the entire Assyrian army died.  The Lord fought His people's battles when they were righteous but when they were not, they had no protection from their enemies.

Prayers offered at the Western Wall of the Temple Mount

The Western Wall was crowded with Jews who came to pray in celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles.  There were many Orthodox and Hassidic Jews in the crowd. They brought their palm leaves and their fruit to the wall.  Their bodies rocked and their heads shook as they read or said their prayers at the wall which has become sacred to them as the place where they can get the closest to
the location of the ancient temple.  Many pressed pieces of paper containing prayers into the cracks of the wall.  Their devotion is impressive but it is sad to consider to what end their devotion leads - they are focused on a temple which offers no saving ordinances.  Joseph Smith emphasized the critical importance of the temple but it is about the saving ordinances that we can receive therein rather than the edifice itself.

Room on the site of Christ's Last Supper

We visited the location of Christ's Last Supper where He introduced the Sacrament and the ordinance of washing the feet.  Brother Madsen reported that biblical scholars and archaeologists, both LDS and non-LDS agree that the room, while not the same room where Christ and His apostles met is in the location where they met.  As Brother Madsen shared the story and the significance of what happened there the thought occurred to me, "why did Christ include Judas Iscariot in on the ordinances of the Sacrament and Washing of Feet when He knew what Judas was about to do?"  It highlights how complex the Judgment is/will be and how grateful we should be that an omniscient God who has experienced the challenges of mortality and the frailties of men.

Jerusalem - 10/03/2012

In the Garden of Gethsemane

Started off the day with a visit to the Garden of Gethsemane.  It was pleasantly cool (77 degrees I believe) and in the shade of a private portion of the Garden we heard from Brother Madsen.  He referred often to Elder Bruce R. McConkie's final conference address in 1985.  As he talked about Christ's suffering in the Garden he mentioned the modern revelation that Michael (aka Adam) was the angel who attended to Christ during his most intense suffering.  It impressed me that in the three events (the Creation, the Fall, and the Atonement) which make up the "pillars of eternity", Christ and Michael were the primary actors.  The garden is very nice with olive trees and bougainvillea.  There is a portion with limited access on the north side and it has newer trees.  The public access south garden has much older trees which invoke the image of the garden at the time of Christ.  In spite of car horns honking (which they do a lot in Jerusalem) all around, the garden had a peaceful spirit which enabled contemplation of the great sacrifice which Christ offered there.

View of Jerusalem from the Mt of Olives

From the Garden of Gethsemane we drove to the the top of the Mount of Olives where there is a spectacular view of Jerusalem, the Temple Mount and the old city.  This is certainly the view which Christ had of the city when he lamented the wickedness of the people in the city and prophesied of its destruction which occurred in 70 AD.  There was a small sitting area facing the city where the group sat while Brother Madsen talked about Christ's last ride from Bethany to Jerusalem over the Mount of Olives and the time that He will return in glory to the Mount of Olives.