Our tour of the holy city of Jerusalem began with the enormous 37 acre temple mount. This
huge foundation structure was built by King Herod during the life of Christ, with the
purpose of expanding the smaller temple platform so the structure could accommodate the huge
number of pilgrims that came here during the Jewish feasts. Most of the upper portions
of the structure were destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD, only leaving the foundation walls
to tell the story of this wonder of the world. As we climbed up to the sacred mount and passed
through security, we felt a keen awareness of the sacredness of this site. Here once
stood Solomon's and Herod's temple, and here the Savior gave many discourses, and cleansed
the temple, His Father's house.
We started the tour by first learning of the washing rituals of the Muslims, who prior
to each daily prayer, wash various parts of their body in preparation to commune with
God. We then came to the east stairs of the Dome of the Rock, where we looked over the
Kidron Valley to the Garden of Gethsemane and to the thousands of Jewish and Islamic
tombs. As we climbed the eastern steps, we came into view of the breathtaking Dome of
the Rock, completed in 691 AD. The building covers the rock, where according to Jewish
tradition, is where Abraham was to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. The mosque is built of thousands
of colorful mosaic tiles, grand arches, beautiful stone work, and a gilded golden dome. As there
have never been formal excavations on the temple mount, there are many opinions as to
where the ancient Jewish temple actually stood. Several scholars, including our tour guide,
Brother Don Parry, believe that the temple stood to the north of the Dome, at the location
of the smaller Dome of the Spirits. This opinion, in part, comes from the fact that this area
is directly in line with the Golden Gate.
We concluded our tour of the temple mount, leaving from the northern gate, near the Lion
Gate of the old city. As we left the precincts of the temple structure, we came to the gardens,
church and archaeological remains of the pool of Bethesda. This pool is where Jesus healed
a lame man, commanding him to take up his bed and walk. Most of the remains are actually
of later Byzantine and Crusader churches built over the pool. The only visible remains of
the Herodian pool are the steps located deep beneath the later churches. While in the beautiful
St. Anne's Church we also took advantage of the incredible acoustics, singing a favorite
hymn as a group.
We next walked the Via Dolorosa, or way of the cross, visiting several churches that
mark the traditional path that Jesus took while carrying the cross to Golgotha. After
walking through part of the old city, with its many steps, ramps, arched ways and narrow
streets, we finally came to the Western Wall, the most sacred site for Jews today. While
here, we witnessed several Bar Mitzvahs of young Jewish boys, explored beneath Wilson's
arch, watched as Jews ritually washed before prayer, and reverently observed as Jews from
around the world left prayers within the cracks of the stones.
We then traveled down the Kotel tunnel, an excavated tunnel that transverses the western
wall below the modern city of Jerusalem. The tunnel gives a unique look at the ancient
wall of the Temple Mount, including one of the largest building blocks in the world,
being 40 feet long and 10 feet tall, and estimated to weigh 570 tons. We then walked through
the long tunnel that runs the length of the western wall, eventually arriving at the Strouthion
Pool, likewise built by King Herod.
Our last stop was to visit the ancient remains of the city of David. Here we saw the likely
site of David's palace, the huge stone stepped structure which held up the palace, and the
later remains of several homes dating to the time of Christ built on these same ancient
stepped stones. We then walked through the secret tunnel, which led to the Gihon spring.
Because the spring was located outside the city wall and low in the Kidron Valley, the
ancient Cannanites and early Israelites used this passageway to access the waters without
actually having to leave the fortified city walls. Later King Hezekiah decided to cut
a new tunnel through the entire city of David, to bring the waters of the Gihon spring inside
the city walls. The tunnel workers started from opposite sides and somehow met in the
center. The tunnel is an ancient marvel of human engineering. As you exit from Hezekiah's
tunnel, you come to the first century Pool of Siloam, which is the location where Jesus
healed a blind man, commanding him to wash in the waters of this pool. We then climbed
up part of the ancient steps, and through the Herodian drainage tunnel leading up to
the Temple Mount.
On Tuesday, our sixth day of the tour, we left Jerusalem to go into the southern desert
to visit Masada, Qumran, and the Dead Sea. Masada is a fortified palace built by Herod
on a huge mountain overlooking the Dead Sea. Though the entire region is barren and dry,
Herod built this palace as a safe place in time of war, with Roman styled buildings,
waterfalls, fountains and luscious gardens. The fortified mountain later became the last
stand for the Jewish rebels, who unsuccessfully from 66-70 AD sought their independence from
the grip of Rome.
We next came to Qumran, the ancient home to a Jewish sect who were know for their daily
washings in the numerous ritual baths, or mikvahs, and who wrote and hid away what is
now known as the Dead Sea Scrolls. To finish our day, we swam, or better stated, floated
in the Dead Sea. Because the Dead Sea contains one third salt, you can actually hold up your
hands and feet above the surface of the water, and still not sink. A few of us decided to
add a little extra weight to see if that would do the trick.
On Wednesday, we once again left Jerusalem to travel to Bethlehem, the birth place of
the Savior. We first visited the Shepherd's field church, which marks the traditional
site of where the angels appeared to the shepherds to bring them glad tidings of great joy. We
then came to the traditional site of the birth of Christ at the Church of the Nativity. The
church was originally built under the direction of Constantine in 327 AD over a cave, which
had been revered by earlier Christians as the grotto or cave where Jesus was born.
We then returned to Jerusalem and toured the Israeli museum, admiring the enormous and
incredible model of Jerusalem and Herod's temple in the first century. The model is
one of the best representations of the city, and is an amazing tool to visualize the Jerusalem
Jesus would have known. We then went through the Shrine of the Book, where Brother Don
Parry taught us from his vast knowledge and understanding of the Dead Sea Scrolls. What
an experience, to listen to one of the leading scholars of the Dead Sea scrolls, while standing
in the Shrine of the Book! We then visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, which stands
as a somber witness of the atrocities that were committed against the Jews during World
War II.
The last day of our official tour began on the hillside of the Mt. of Olives in the Garden
of Gethsemane. While sitting within the beautifully landscaped garden, we pondered and learned
of the atonement of the Savior. We learned of how the word Gethsemane means olive press,
and of how the Savior was pressed down, bearing our sins and sorrows. We discussed the importance
of the Tabernacle, the Day of Atonement, and the high priest, and how each of these pointed
to the atoning sacrifice of the Savior. We then toured the Church of All Nations, built
over the rock, where tradition says that Jesus prayed while in Gethsemane. The church is
designed to create the atmosphere of night, with stars on the ceiling, blue light coming
in through the stained glass windows, and angels holding up their hands in prayer, to
symbolize that night of nights. One of the murals, depicting when the soldiers fell back
at the words of Christ when he spake "I AM", shows that even the trees and flames of the
torches fell back at the power of the Savior's words.
We next came to an overlook of the city of Jerusalem from the Mt. of Olives. The view
gives you a full perspective for the size of the Temple Mount, and for the grandeur
and beauty of Jerusalem. We then drove to the BYU Jerusalem Center where we walked the
halls of this sacred school of the Lord. In the chapel, we heard a gorgeous organ recital
as we overlooked the breathtaking view of the old city of Jerusalem. Several of us also
tried our hand at an ancient olive crusher located at the center. Some were more successful
than others…
Our next stop was the traditional tomb of King David, which interestingly enough is
located directly below the traditional site of the Last Supper. How poignant, that King
David be memorialized by the Jews under the commemorative room where Jesus Christ, the
descendant of David and heir to his kingdom, would hold his last Passover meal, and institute
the sacrament. We next came to the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu which is built
over the possible site of the imprisonment of Jesus and of the home of Caiaphas the high
priest. This is also the traditional site where it is said that Peter denied the Savior
three times before the cock crowed.
To finish our Holy Land tour, we visited the Garden Tomb and the hill of Golgotha. Here
we learned of the crucifixion and burial of the Savior in the borrowed tomb of Joseph
of Arimathea. Each of us had the chance to enter the tomb, and to feel of the spirit
and power of this sacred site. It is difficult to describe the feelings that we each had
as we thought of the Savior of the world, and of this culminating act of the resurrection
which took place at this tomb, or at a similar tomb nearby. To conclude the day, within the
confines of the garden, we gathered and bore testimony of Jesus Christ, of His life, His
mission, and of His atonement. Though the trip had now concluded for most of us, we
felt gratitude in our hearts for what we had learned, seen and felt. We all had come away
with a stronger desire to be better followers of the man, who 2000 years ago, walked these
very streets where we had walked.