Jerusalem
13 articles
Temple Steps: Approaching God with Reverence and Humility
By John W. Moore Few places in Jerusalem put your feet in the actual place where Jesus once stood, as the southern steps do. Nearly every time I visit, I see Christian groups doing the same thing. People slow down. They look at their feet. Someone opens a Bible to the Psalms of Ascent and reads aloud. For a few quiet minutes, a modern tour group reenacts what many believe happened some two thousand years ago, as Jewish worshippers ascended these steps on their way to the inner court and...
As the Mountains Surround Jerusalem, God Surrounds His People
By John W. Moore "For the Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling place." — Psalm 132:13 "As the mountains are around Jerusalem, so the Lord is around his people." — Psalm 125:2 It is early morning on the Sabbath during Ramadan, and a peaceful calm blankets the Old City of Jerusalem. Most of the Jewish and Muslim communities are locked away at home, and many shops lie closed inside their respective quarters. It's my favorite part of the day. At the Western Wall, you mostly...
Screeching Bats, A Fractured Skull, and The City of the Great King: Thank you, Mr. Barclay
James Barclay was a 19th-century American missionary and physician who discovered Barclay's Gate, one of the original monumental entrances to the Second Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. This discovery provides vital archaeological and historical proof of the physical Jerusalem during the life and times of Jesus.
HOW DID THEY DO IT? HOW WERE THREE THOUSAND BAPTIZED IN ANCIENT JERUSALEM?
Was it even possible? According to the book of Acts, three thousand were baptized in Jerusalem in just one day. And yet, baptisteries did not exist during the time of Jesus. Or…did they? Naturally, the New Testament does not require a specially constructed baptistery to fulfill the command to be baptized. But in Jerusalem, a place high in elevation and so far away from a river, how was it possible for so many to be immersed? The answer: in the many mikva’ot (Jewish ritual baths) located...
TALES FROM THE GRAVE: NUMBERS 6:24-26 AND THE KETEF HINNOM SCROLLS
Sitting at the opening of a 2,700 year-old tomb near Jerusalem, Dr. Gabriel Barkay reflected upon one of the world's most celebrated discoveries: “I couldn’t bear the sight of this boy anymore." He was remembering how Nathan had continuously tugged at the back of his shirttail as he directed a major archaeological dig southwest of Jerusalem. He was “always asking silly questions, but so it happens,” as Barkay continued, “he made one of the most important discoveries in my life"--a discovery...
WAS IT HARSH AND UNFAIR?
By John W. Moore Imagine the ridicule and the stares! The man from Nazareth, Jesus, the curious teacher from the temple, had just mixed his saliva with dirt from the ground and wiped it on a poor blind man’s eyes! Steps leading down to the Pool of Siloam located at the southern end of the eastern hill in Jerusalem Steps leading down to the Pool of Siloam located at the southern end of the eastern hill in JerusalemThen, on top of that, he told the blind man to walk from where they stood near...
Not One Stone Upon Another
Southwestern corner of the Haram Al-Sharif/Temple Mount Southwestern corner of the Haram Al-Sharif/Temple MountIn 1998 it was my first time to see it. A massive wall made of limestone towered above me with the remains of a wide ancient street at its base. I was standing at the southwestern corner of Jerusalem's famed Temple Mount not knowing then of its significance and place in Bible prophecy. Today, however, I am amazed and enthralled with not only the importance of this ancient wall and...
"The Lord Surrounds His People"
IMAGE INSIGHTS: The ancient city of David and Jerusalem’s temple mount (Mount Zion), where Islam’s Dome of the Rock rest today, is lower than the adjacent hills. Biblical Jerusalem is surrounded by three valleys and sits at an approximate elevation of 2,428 feet above sea level. This Bible Land Passages photo was taken from the slope of Mount Scopus which is nearly three hundred feet higher than where the Temple once stood. To the south lies an even higher hill, Eztel Hill (Hill of Evil...
The Scourging of Jesus at a Palace of Luxury
By John W. Moore When visitors arrive to the old city of Jerusalem, they are met by a cacophony of sounds and an array of odors and fragrances. They also encounter the hustle and bustle of residents moving through the crowded streets on their way to the market, or perhaps to their favorite restaurant or place of residence.In the northern section of the Muslim and Christian quarters, visitors and residents alike may also find themselves having to navigate a line of Christian pilgrims carrying...
Souls Longing to Connect with God: Seeing the Church of the Sepulchre in a Different Way
In the early morning hours of Shabbat, there is a calming stillness that lingers over the city of Jerusalem. You can hear the chorus of singing birds, the murmured intonations of worshippers at the Western Wall, and, if you use your imagination, you can hear the sound of human hearts yearning to connect with God in a city known for its religious ardor and aura. As you make your way to the traditional site of the crucifixion and burial of Jesus, you can hear the eager voices and hurried steps...
A MOUNTAIN OF TEARS
Head covered, barefoot and weeping, King David climbed the Mount of Olives in hurried flight. The Kingdom was in turmoil.
A WALL OF SEPARATION
Some barriers are meant for good, but others were destined to be destroyed.
LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL
The light of biblical truth supported by the discovery of Hezekiah’s tunnel has served to deepen my faith and resolve.