Entering Jerusalem

  I rejoiced with those who said to me,    “Let us go to the house of the LORD.”  Our feet are standing    in your gates, O Jerusalem. Psalm 122:1-2 Today is Palm Sunday, remembering when Jesus entered Jerusalem. We entered a couple days ago by car, frenzied by the traffic and a malfunctioning GPS. Jesus entered much more gracefully and confidently on a colt. As I look around the city, I can point where the events of the week took place. This day kicks off 8 days of remembrance, similar to other 8 day festivals in the Biblical […]

House Hill

“But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! Yet give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy, O LORD my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, ‘My Name shall be there,’ so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. Hear the supplication of your servant and of your […]

City of the Great King

David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the supporting terraces inward. 2 Samuel 5:9 The City of David is located south of the modern walled city even though it was the original city core. This is the small town King David captured and made his capital. We visited the City of David National Park to see what has been found at this important Biblical site. Archaeological digs continue throughout the site. At the northern end of the park is a nice overlook. Doing a […]

Mount of Olives

To the east of the Old City of Jerusalem rises the Mount of Olives. When on top, you look down at the Old City, including the Temple Mount. The Temple was not built on the highest point in the area, interestingly enough. Separating Jerusalem from this hill is the Kidron Valley. Thousands of tombs are scattered around the hillside of the Mount of Olives. Tours often drop people off up top, but it isn’t too much of a walk up if you can handle the climb. Along the way, there’s some interesting places we stopped at. On the side of […]

Gated Community

Our feet are standing    in your gates, O Jerusalem. Psalm 122:2 Our trip began in Jerusalem. We exited our shared taxi and walked into the Old City. We were staying inside the city wall! Ancient cities were typically surrounded walls for defense. However, they still needed to allow everyday traffic to flow in and out of the city. Therefore they installed gates. Most cities or towns had a single gate. Larger cities had more. The Bible talks about the building of Jerusalem’s walls. The original city captured by David was tiny. Hezekiah did a substantial expansion, adding a wall to […]

A New Adventure

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:1-4 Today is Pentecost on the Christian calendar. (The Jewish calendar reckoned it on last Wednesday) Honestly, I don’t think the Church gives this […]

A Brief History of the University

It’s hard to believe, but it was one year ago today that I arrived in Jerusalem to study at Jerusalem University College for a semester. A new group is already there now, following in the same footsteps that I did a year ago. Amidst all my studies, I had the chance to learn a little of the history of the little plot that the school sits on, which makes for an interesting story in itself. I mentioned before that what is called the Old City is the section of Jerusalem that is walled. This is about 225 acres, of which […]

A Time to Mourn

On the tenth day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard, who served the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He set fire to the temple of the LORD, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down. The whole Babylonian army under the commander of the imperial guard broke down all the walls around Jerusalem. Jeremiah 52:12-14 Sunday, July 29 is Tisha B’Av, a day in the Jewish liturgical calendar that marks the destruction of both Temples in Jerusalem. They were […]

And that’s Final

“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me–the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” The Apostle Paul speaking in Acts 20:24 Finals week has come and gone. All my papers are turned in. All my exams are completed. Things are packed for Egypt. The first students have packed up and flown home. More will soon follow. That hasn’t kept me from enjoying some time around Jerusalem or kicking back and relaxing around JUC. For instance, last Saturday I hiked […]

Across the River

So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: “Go through the camp and tell the people, `Get your supplies ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the LORD your God is giving you for your own.’ “ Joshua 1:10-11 I had one more day with my mom and friends last week before they departed. We had a fun day seeing some sites around Jerusalem. But their time was soon up and they departed. I, on the other hand, had other travels to make. Our final field study […]