Final Blog

Well, this is the last blog from Israel.

We started our day with a visit to an alternate site of the crucifixion and a garden tomb. Ever since we got here, our guide has always said, "There are no addresses in the bible, so we are not sure if this s the exact spot." So there were alternates in many places

In the early 1900's, someone was staying in Jerusalem and noticed a hill that appeared to have a face on it. It is hard to see in the picture but the eyes are the two voids in the rock below the corner of the building at the top center of the picture. The nose is there but it is eroded away since it was first spotted.

During archeological digs, they also found a garden and a tomb. The first one is the tomb door and the second is the track the stone would be rolled in. Incide3ntally, the stone was not necessarily round. The means it would take some muscle to move it. (our guide did tell us that the study of this area dates this tomb to about 100 ad and that the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is probably the proper site.

Next, we went to a site of a 1:50 scale model of Jerusalem in Jesus time. Every time they find archeological discovery, they fix the model to be accurate.another site

With the exception of the walkway, this is the view Jesus would have had on the Mount of Olives and Gethsemane.

Next, we went to the Shrine of the Book to see the history and pieces from the Dead Sea Scrolls. We could not take pictures inside so this is the only one I can give you. it is the outside of the museum and it is in the shape of the top of the jars found in the cave.

Incidentally, they just found more scrolls in the vicinity of the first cave a week ago.

Next we went to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust museum in Jerusalem. Again I have no pictures. It is hard to visit such a site and think of the cruelty of the human race. To think of what one person did to another simply because of their nationality or anything for that matter is heart breaking.

We ended our tour this afternoon in the same place we were a few days ago, overlooking Jerusalem.

This trip was eye opening for me and now I understand Ezra's statement that we are going to read a new bible. Knowing distances and where these places are and also physically walking the terrain gives a new meaning to what I have read in the bible. It brings a new perspective to what I only had in print..

What a great trip. Anyone want too go?