Visit Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), birthplace of Jesus, David. City is commercial and modern and under Palestinian control. We must pass through a checkpoint and cross through a wall to enter. Visit the Church of the Nativity, built on the site believed to be the location of Jesus’ birth. Church is similar to the Holy Sepulcher, heavily decorated with religious symbolism. 70% of city is Moslem, 30% Christian. Visit sheppard’s field where sheppards left to see “The Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Lk 2). Had Bible study there. Left, had lunch then headed to House of Caiaphas - the Church of the Rooster (Gallicantu) where Peter’s denial of Christ occurred. Caiaphas’ house, the Jewish high priest, was just outside the city. Here Jesus was arrested , accused of blasphemy (Jn 18) and lowered into a dungeon here. We gathered in the dungeon, read a Psalm and sang. A hole in the ceiling above us was how prisoners were lowered down here. Outside this church is the original sidewalk that lead down to the Kidron Valley. From here we head to the garden tomb and Golgotha, the place of the skull. It’s not certain where the crucifiction and burial took place, but this site fits the Biblical description. Visit the empty tomb and have communion there. A few people from another group sit with us, some women from Germany. Turns out they recognized Bob from the radio. A beautiful place to end our tour of Jerusalem. Head back to hotel for dinner, then I end the evening at the Tower of David Museum and watch a movie of the history of Jerusalem over the past 4000 yrs. We sit outside and the walls of the citadel become the screen. This ancient fortress with it’s arches are lit up brilliantly in the night.
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