Above the Old City

One of the most fascinating places in the world is the souk or the market of the Old City of Jerusalem. I have strolled its narrow streets more times than I can count.

Today, I ascended to the rooftop that covers much of the market. For all the times that I explored the market, I remained unaware of the view from the rooftop.

Thanks to Jerome Murphy-O'Conner's An Archaeological Guide, I found the metal steps up to the rooftop. I joined other tourists enjoying the unique view.

The church steeples and domes that you see are those of Casa Nova, Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Other views that you do not see but are provided from this vantage point are of the Dome of the Rock and of David Street and its many shops.

So I managed another "first" in the land. The next time that you are in Jerusalem, go up on the roof for a delightful experience.

The Ramparts of Jerusalem

The Book - "Walk about Zion, go all around it, count its towers, consider well its ramparts; go through its citadels, that you may tell the next generation that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will be our guide forever" - Psalm 48:12-14.

The Land - The present rampart around the Old City is the work of Suliman the Magnificent, the Ottoman sultan. The ramparts of Psalm 48 is that of Kings Solomon and Hezekiah and perhaps Nehemiah.

Today's pilgrim or student can walk around most of the Old City atop the rampart. The rampart can be accessed at the Jaffa Gate or the Damascus Gate and exited at New Gate or Zion Gate, among others.

The words of Psalm 48 come alive as one "walks about Zion." Also, the visitor gets a splendid view of daily life in the Old City.

The Lesson - While the psalmist tells of the glory and strength of Zion, he extols God's praise.

Like the city of God and even more, God is a sure defense. God gives victory to the faithful and strikes the unbeliever's heart with fear. And God's steadfast love endures forever.

Therefore, let the people of God rejoice and praise God's name and tell the next generation of his judgments. "Walk about Zion...consider well its ramparts!"

Photo courtesy of bibleplaces.com

Retracing the Final Week II

Our group's final day was in the environs of the Old City. The focus of our field trips and our studies was the final days of Jesus' ministry.

The day began at the Lion's Gate or the St. Stephen's Gate. After a visit to St. Anne's Church, we followed the Way of the Cross through the Old City. Although the Via Dolorosa is a walk of faith and not history, the journey is nevertheless meaningful.

For us, the day did not end at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. After a long wait to enter the edicule, we continued on to the Western Wall. Since Thursdays are given to Bar Mitzvahs, the plaza was alive with singing and the dancing of school children.

The final stop on this twelve-day journey through the Bible was at the Temple Mount Excavations. There we stepped onto the first-century street along the western or retaining wall of the Second Temple. We examined the inscriptions from Isaiah and the "place of trumpeting
...."

Although hurried by a departing meal and flight, we spent as much time as possible on "the rabbis' teaching steps." These steps are considered original to the Second Temple. It was here that pilgrims ascended to the Temple from the south, and it was from these steps that Jesus unburdened his heart and rendered his final teaching. The teaching as recorded in Matthew
23 is a declaration of "woes" on the Pharisees.

As we concluded the reading of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus' cries for genuine discipleship accompanied us on our continuing journey of faith.