Israel Highlights - Jerusalem

It is not too late to be entered for the drawing that I will do on Thanksgiving Day. I will be giving away 2 copies of my new Bible study, From the Trash Pile to the Treasure Chest. Go here to find out how to register. Even if you have already registered once, please feel free to help me get the word out again and I’ll register you once for every time you shout out about the study.

More pictures from my Israel trip…..

This picture is of Cave #4 at Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. We also went to the Shrine of the Book at the Israel Museum and saw replicas of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Cave 4 at Qumran

We stopped at Jericho very briefly but I had a chance to get a picture of the sign.

Jericho

Remains of a watchtower in Jericho

Here are a few of the folks on the tour eating lunch at one of our stops. These are all Blairsville folks in the foreground. Those in the background were not with our group.

Sandi, Beverly, Bobby and June

As we walked through the city of Jerusalem, we stopped to listen to our tour guide explain about the venue we would be entering. I was distracted by a kitty that was several feet away. I looked down from where I stood and on top of the roof of the house below, I saw these two napping felines. They were surrounded by garbage galore, but they seemed to be snoozing peacefully. Amazing how we can peacefully snooze in the middle of the garbage dump!! I think there is a post in there somewhere.

Napping on the roof

The two pictures below can not even begin to show you what really happened when we visited the Upper Room where Jesus and the disciples partook of the last supper. For about 5-10 minutes our group was alone in the room. After Wisam spoke about the room, Kristin led us in two songs. The first was almost finished when the group in the 2nd picture began filing into the room. Kristin began singing “How Great Thou Art” and everyone from both groups joined in. It was one of the most holy moments as we all worshipped the Lord with our voices raised in praise. I’m not sure you can see it in the 2nd picture but our precious brothers and sisters are praising the Lord with raised hands.

Upper Room

Fellow Worshippers in the Upper Room

Patsy and Kristin sitting at the feet of King David

Some of our PRECIOUS fellow travellers

Peter denying Christ

When I was in Israel in 2006, we were able to walk up the steps you see on the left side of this picture. These are, undoubtedly, the steps that Jesus would have been led up on His way to His first trial. The steps are now off limits to traffic and I was sooooo disappointed. I wanted to walk those steps one more time, just as I did in 2006. It is a sobering reality to take the same walk that Jesus took on His way to His death….a death that He experienced because of MY SIN.

Steps leading to Caiaphas’ house

We were all eager to get to St. Anne’s church. This church has some incredible acoustics and we were eager to hear Kristin sing. She sang “O Holy Night” a capella and it absolutely took your breath away. I asked her later to tell me where was the coolest place that she had ever sung because she has sung some very cool places and for very famous people. Without hesitation, she said, “St. Anne’s. It was one of those ‘standing-beside-yourself’ moments.” I feel incredibly privileged to have witnessed her song in St. Anne’s.