Jeruslam: The City of God

Hereafter, this shall be my blog/journal of my travels in Israel! Follow if you want to. I'll be blogging about everywhere I go!

              Jerusalem: The City of God. Walking where Jesus walked, wept and died is an opportunity unlike any other. We first entered Jerusalem through the Jaffa Gate (West Gate) into The Old City.

(The Old City wall was built by the Turks from 1836-1815 BC when they controlled Jerusalem for 400 years. The British defeated Turks in WWI and captured Jerusalem.) We then went through the Christian Quarter, and visited the Tower of David and David’s citadel, which were actually built in the time of King Herod. (below)

We then visited Shabban and exchanged our money in the Christian Quarter. We walked through the Damascus gate and ate Falafel! I learned that the Jews have revolted three times in history: in 66-70 A.D. with the destruction of Jerusalem, in 132-135 A.D. with the Bar Kokva Revolt, and 1099-1299 with the Crusades. 
(Technically in the Arminian Quarter) I also learned that the City of David is actually the earliest period of Jerusalem and not equivalent to the modern city of Jerusalem. It is located south of the old city below the Mount of Olives.

Visiting Christianity’s holiest site was amazing. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre sits just above where Jesus excruciatingly took on the sins of the world, enduring the full wrath of God, and died on the cross and was buried and rose again—forever making us pure before God. The very essence of the roots of Christianity took place in Jerusalem. Nevertheless, seeing so many Orthodox people worshipping icons and old rocks is heartbreaking. Their devotion is admirable and humbling, yet their focus is misguided.

Seeing Jerusalem in real life was incredible. Yet the location of the city is pretty bland. Its location is nothing special and the city is hot and dry.  Yet, for thousands of years, the three largest religions on earth have fought for control of Jerusalem for one reason alone: God attached Himself to the city. (And to the Jews) Zechariah 8:7-8 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country, and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.” I have to admit, after hearing so much about Jerusalem being the “Holy City,” parts of the city are anything but. Littered trash, crazy drivers, and rude Arabs put me back in reality. Nevertheless, the city is exceptionally rich in historical beauty. Seeing places that I’ve read about in the Bible for years but never seen was awesome. (In the true sense of the word)

Somewhat surprisingly, the moment that hit me the hardest in our tour of Jerusalem was the moment when I realized that I was looking at what Jesus was seeing and talking about: the whitewashed tombs. Thousands of pure white tombs cover half the mountain. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” Realizing exactly what Jesus was referring about in that passage was incredible to see.

I also think Jerusalem is confusing, as many different kings and people groups have ruled and destroyed parts of the city time and time again. Remembering who did what and which part of the city belongs to which period of time becomes hard to remember. But overall, my first taste of Jerusalem was a grand experience.