Shabbot Shalom

Sabbath began Friday at sunset, which is known in Israel as Shabbot. Shabbot is considered a person, a she to be exact. As Christians view the Church as the Bride, so Jews view Shabbot as the queen. Shabbot comes and Shabbot leaves. She leaves at sunset today, when we will have a fresh dinner prepared for us. Until then we have downtime for the afternoon. This is to help us refresh from jet lag yet we have already had a very busy morning while all my friends in America were asleep.

First, we ascended the Mount of Olives and overviewed the other other side of Jerusalem and the City of David. We saw a Jewish cemetery, which is strategically place on the Mount as it is prophesied that the Messiah will return on Mount of Olives, thus they will be some of the first to be resurrected. Then as we walked down we stopped at the Church of the Teardrop, the site Jesus over looked Jerusalem and said:
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."
Then we went to the Garden of Gethsemane. The church there is beautiful, the mosaic on the front is great. We got to walk around a private section and spend some time reflecting. Next we walked the Via Dolorosa, which is lined with shops filled with religious paraphernalia. The church of the Holy Sepulcher was an interesting experience. Four different churches have rights to it but ironically the church is owned by a Muslim man.

Also! We went to the Eastern or Golden Gate, where the Messiah is believed to reenter the city of Jerusalem victoriously. When He does there will be a river flowing out of the gate into the Kidron Valley. It was an awesome experience to be standing there in that physical location.
Psalm 24:7
"Lift up your heads, O you gates;
be lifted up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in."
The gate has been filled in with cement a cemetery placed in front so as to make the return of the Messiah impossible according to Jewish tradition, as priests will become unclean if found in a cemetery.

Now I am chatting with my lovely roommates Sarah and Brooke. We are sharing the best stories. :)


Me with Jerusalem in the background




The Church of All Nations mural




The Eastern Gate




Me in the Garden of Gethsemane