Israel Trip 2007 Page 4

ISRAEL TRIP - JOURNAL
November 24 - December 5, 2007
Page 4 of 5 - Days 8 and 9

Day 8 Saturday 12/1 Dead Sea, statue called Lot’s wife, Sodom and Gomorah, Tamar and 3rd century Roman bath, Ber Sheba (Abraham’s well, Well of Covenant), Gath (David & Goliath) and drive up to Jerusalem

Melanie fell getting on the bus and it was swollen so fast that they feared that it might be broke, but the nearest x-ray was where we were going in Ber Sheba, so rather than get an ambulance, she thought she’d be okay riding in the back with her ankle wrapped and with ice. We prayed healing for her!

We traveled south along the Dead Sea and the mountains beside the Dead Sea are just mountains of salt and there’s a huge processing plant there. At the end of the Dead Sea there’s a large pillar beside the mountain that is named Lot’s wife. At the end of the Dead Sea is were Sodom and Gomorrah are, but there is nothing there as far as archaelogy. It was totally decimated and nothing remains. Tom says that there is phosphorus in the region and if lit, it burns until it is totally gone.

We traveled down to Tamar which is a Christian archaelogical dig where Marlys, our tour organizer, has periodically worked for the last 12 years. It’s the location of Solomon’s most southern fortress as well as some of the best 3rd/4th century Roman Baths. It was on the edge of a trade spice route. They found the gate with the rooms in the side. Outside the gates are standing stones of cultic worship.

There’s also the edging of a Roman Road not far from the dig. One of the young guys working the site this winter is from Barre Vermont! The folks who are working this site were delightful hosts and served us tea in their dining hall.

Todd and Marllys went with Melanie to the hospital in Ber Sheba while the rest of us went to Tel Sheba, Abraham’s well of Covenant. Tom tossed a stone into the well and it was 6 to 7 seconds before we heard the stone hit the water. It’s a DEEP well. Abraham looked where there was a wadi, a valley with water running through it, and dug down to below that level. The 3 room houses at this time were on the inside wall of the city: one room was for storage, one room was for animals and the back room was for sleeping. There was just a tiny high window for smoke to escape, but not big enough for a thief to get through. The best room in the house was on the roof. There was a grouping of cisterns that was dug later was an incredible engineering feat. We had a time of devotion as Barbara shared about Abraham's willingness to dig wells and build walls and plant vineyards where ever they stayed along the journey. He was always thinking of leaving an inheritance on the land.

It turned out that Melanie's ankle was just a bad sprain and we picked the three of them up in Ber Sheba at the hospital before going to a late lunch.

We stopped at the valley where David fought with Goliath. There's no church or anything to mark it, but Tom pointed out where the digs have been to show where Saul's army was and where the Phillistines were. Then we got to pick up stones where David picked up his 5 smooth stones! Tom had insight into the reason that Saul wanted David to wear his armor. With the distances involved, he wanted people to think that he went out to slay Goliath.

Then we drove up to Jerusalem. Barbara had us read the Psalms of Ascent as we went up the hills into Jerusalem.

Day 9 Sunday 12/2 Jerusalem: Church of the Ascension, View of wall and Jerusalem, Mount of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, Zion Gate, location of Last Supper, Jewish Quarters, Visit with the Orthodox brothers, Western (Wailing) Wall, Tunnels under the mount, Lion Gate.

There are days that we don’t expect that another day can be more exhausting than the next, but this day was painful for us, so I don’t know how older or more frail folks are dealing with it. My notes got non-existant at this point as my fatigue, overload and a head cold got the better of me. I was especially glad that Todd had the i-pod recording at this point in the trip!

The Church of the Ascension has a place in the floor that is marked out as the last place that Jesus was standing before he ascended. We worshipped in this place and had to leave because another group was coming in.

To see the gate Beautiful, sealed up and to see the mosque so close to the Temple Mount, it is hard to comprehend how it can happen.

Tom slipped the gatekeeper at the Mt. of Olives a little extra cash so that we had some private time in the garden. Olive trees when cut down, simply grow back from the same root, so the Olive trees that are in the Mount of Olives are the same roots as when Jesus prayed and walked in the Mount of Olives. It was raining - the first rain that we had seen the whole trip. Tom was delighted for the rain.

We visited the Church of All Nations where the symbols of each country who helped to build the church are on the ceiling.

From there we went to eat at a restaurant and there was a beautiful rainbow that went across the city. Perry Stone came in while we were there and sat and talked with us.

We visited the location of the Upper Room, although it's not the same upper room, it is the same location. We prayed for each other there.

We visited a store owned by two Orthodox brothers who came from Canada. They have bus loads of people come in and talk with them because they explain the difference in language and communication between Christians and Orthodox Jews. It was a wonderful visit.

Walking through, we saw a huge candelabra that is going into the new 3rd temple to be built. It is worth millions of dollars and weighs four tons. It’s made with silver and then is covered with a sheet of gold – not gold leaf. It was out being cleaned when we went past. It was huge! They were going to put it out at the Western Wall for Hanukkah. Tom said that they have 18 more utensils to build for the new temple.

Continuing on there was a small section of the original wall exposed. It must have been at least 10 feet thick.

The wailing wall was such a small section of wall that it surprised me. I expected it to be this long section, and it’s just a small section that is closest to the temple mount and the only thing that is left of the temple. The Orthodox Jew can not go the Mount because the priests don’t know where it is, so until then, the closest that they can go is the western wailing wall. It felt like it had grief in it when I prayed at it. There were women crying to the left and the right of me, and little pieces of paper stuck into all the slots that were within reach. You have to back up at least half way, because the Jews think it’s like turning our face on God, so you always face it.

From there we went underneath the Temple Mount. I finally started to understand that they made a foundation on the top of the mountain so that they would have a flat space to build upon, and then Herod extended it. And we went underneath of it. At one place it simply ends, as if they stimply stopped work where they were when King Herod died.

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