Friday, Oct. 25, Revelation 15:3-4

As we come to Friday of the second week there are three things at work.  1) We are tired.  2) We haven’t had enough time to shop.  3) Shabbat starts in the evening so we have to reckon with no busses or trams to our hotel area and our dinner options will be limited.  So this is reflected in what we did today.  To be honest the itinerary simple lists places we could see or do things.  Here is how it actually panned out.

First, we caught Bus #1 which takes you not only to but into the Dung Gate which is near the Western Wall.  Once there we first walk through the museum and archaeological site of the Davidson Center.  This includes a very well done movie depicting a stereotypical man in the 2^nd Temple time going to Jerusalem to make a sacrifice.  There is also the pile of rocks from the 2^nd temple that confirm Jesus prophecy fulfillment, that not one stone would be left upon another.  And we are right under the “pinnacle of the temple” where Satan took Jesus in the temptation (Mt. 4).  There are also the steps that remain from that time where many believe Peter preached his sermon on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2.  Over an hour here and it was well spent.

Then we gave ourselves a few minutes to spend at the Wall itself.  One of our ladies caused a bit of a commotion by following her husband to the wall.  There is a men’s side and a ladies’ side.  When in Jerusalem do as the Jerusalemites do.

Then we ascended out of the Wall area up to the Hurva Synagogue plaza where we found a good lunch.  And views of the Hurva which in its last rebuild was made a little higher than the Dome of the Rock.  Just saying…  We also saw the golden menorah that has been built by the Temple Institute folks.  We did not do the tour of the TI but did talk about it.

Then we made out way out of the plaza area heading for Zion Gate.  Along the way was the “Defender’s Memorial” that commemorates the many who died in 1948 War of Independence trying to maintain a Jewish presence in the Old City Jewish Quarter.  They were eventually either killed, imprisoned or removed to other places until 1967 when, in the 6-Day War, the city was unified under Israeli authority.  It is today a very wonderful section of the city where many people live.  There are schools, parks/recreation areas, etc.  We spent a little time here talking about 1967 and the close-combat-fighting that took place around the old city, including in the area of the Garden Tomb.  We shared a few stories and then moved on.

Once we reached the Zion Gate we had entered the Armenian Quarter where we had promised a shopping experience.  I confess that even I joined in.  I replaced my Israel baseball hat that was left in an airplane over-head bin on the way over.  As for Zion Gate, what is interesting are all the pock-marks from the bullets in 1948 and 1967. 

We then continued on through the Armenian Quarter to the Jaffa Gate area where we grabbed drinks and then offered another shopping opportunity while the men sat at a table behind the Christ Church Coffee Shop.  To each his own!!!

From there (with no interest in going to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher) we worked our way over to Notre Dame (a Catholic hotel, the Pope’s place) where we enjoyed dinner at Allegro Bistro.  Always a favorite place.  We will probably return their tomorrow since, being at a Christian site, it is open on Shabbat.  After dinner we enjoyed a very refreshing walk back up to our hotels.  The temperature was in the 60’s.  Jaffa Street is totally for walking since the light rail is not running.  So nice!

·       Morning:

Rampart Walk (on the walls; 9-2 Fri)

Jewish Quarter

o   *Zion Gate, Nea Church (?)

o   Israelite Tower (?), *Hurva Synagogue

o   Herodian Quarter/Wohl Museum (9-1 Fri, $)

o   Archaeological Park/Davidson Center (9-1 Fri, $)

o   *Cardo, Burnt House (9-1 Fri, $)

o   *Broad Wall, *Batei Mahse (Shelter for the Needy)

o   *Defender’s Memorial

o   Temple Institute (9-12 Fri, $)

·       Afternoon: Muslim Quarter, East Jerusalem

o   Ammunition Hill (9-1 Fri)

(Shabbat begins at sundown.)

Revelation 15:3-4 tells us that the “Song of Moses” will be sung towards the end of the time of Jacob’s trouble.  We had a couple devotionals from that Song earlier in our time.  It anticipated God’s severe chastening of Israel.  But it also promised His eventual cleansing and faithfulness for Israel.  Amen!