The ancient comes alive

A slower morning today as our first stop wasn’t until 10am. The City of David is the name of the main archaeological site in Jerusalem. As our guide said, archaeological is a terribly boring job – digging and sorting all day through rubbish looking for the tiniest of fragments that might be significant. But the end result can be absolutely thrilling and exciting, especially when told as a story – which was our experience today.

Until the middle of the nineteenth century everyone thought that the Jerusalem of King David’s day (1000 BC) was simply under the current old city. But when the Ottomans refused to allow the British archaeologist Charles Warren to dig at the Temple Mount, he moved south of the city and started digging down. His plan was to dig down and then to dig across to get under the Temple Mount anyway, but on the way he found that David’s city had actually been right where he was digging. So he stayed right there exploring this slope of rubble that no one had paid any attention to for thousands of years. Later he found the Gihon spring at the bottom of the hill outside these old city walls. Wondering how they had got the water up into the city, he eventually found this vertical shaft

from the spring up towards the city. Clambering up, this shaft connected to a tunnel dug by the Jebusites who built the original city 800 years before David – that’s 3800 years ago! And our guide told us this story of discovery as we walked down this tunnel! 

Even more exciting, archaeologists knew from the bible that during the time of King Hezekiah when Jerusalem was facing the threat of siege and destruction by the Assyrians, someone had the bright idea of directing the water from the spring outside the city into a natural ‘tank’ inside the city so that they wouldn’t run out of water. What could be better than tank water? But how? By digging another underground tunnel 540m long. Given the urgency, the king ordered the workers to start from either end and somehow, without electrical lights, compasses or GPS navigation, they managed to join up! In fact they put an inscription in the wall to describe the event at the spot they joined and the water started to flow. Impressed? You should be, especially when I tell you that the height difference between the top of the tunnel and the bottom of the tunnel is only 30cm. That means they carved a tunnel out of rock in the dark that goes for 540m and goes down 0.3m - that's a .06% slope!

Isaac and I were blown away by all of this; and we didn’t get to just learn about it. Archeologists have found this tunnel, and we didn’t just see it, we walked it - water and all. You might think we’d be over tunnels on this trip by now, but this was something else again – water above our knees at one point, flowing smoothly, the walls tight together, pitch black without a torch, and all the time knowing that this was built over 2500 years ago!

Along the way our tour guide related numerous archaeological finds at this site which have confirmed the bible’s details:

·         The ancient existence of Jerusalem before David
·         A water channel for David’s army to enter the city and defeat it
·         Seals with the names of 2 government officers recorded by Jeremiah
·         A seal of King Hezekiah
·         The water tunnel built by Hezekiah
·         Ashen destruction of many houses – fitting the destruction of the city by the Babylonians
·         Large foundation stones fit for a palace which may have been David’s palace

So I asked him at the end of the tour whether they had found anything that contradicted or undermined the bible’s account of Jerusalem. His answer? Nothing. Except perhaps the sheer size of the buildings described in the Bible, and that they haven’t yet found direct references in the rubble there to David or Solomon – but he suggested some possible reasons for this, and mentioned that only ¼ of the site had been excavated so far.

Isaac and I simply loved the tour, and the good news is that this tour only covered the period 1800BC-500BC. So tomorrow we’re planning to go on the modern tour – 400BC – 70AD. That should fit well with our other tour tomorrow – under (another tunnel!) the Western wall built in that time by King Herod the Great. 

Positively jumping with excitement , walking up the Mt of Olives was no trouble at all (helped by some carbonated caffeine). The Mt of Olives is the hill across the Kidron Valley from Jerusalem. We explored the Jewish cemetery on this hill – the world’s oldest continuously operating cemetery. 

Over 150 000 Jews are buried here, since they believe that the resurrection will begin at this spot; and they are all buried with their feet towards the city, ready to stand up and face Jerusalem. Since I share their confidence in the resurrection, I can appreciate the sentiment, just not the need to be buried here or in that orientation. But possibly what I most appreciated about the design of this cemetery is the way they have completely removed the need for a mowing roster!

(Apparently placing rocks on top is a sign of respect for the dead person).

As today was a Muslim holy day, we had been surrounded by a passionate Arabic sermon from across the valley via loudspeaker, and now we were at the top we could see the throngs had emerged out of the mosque and were now enjoying the Temple Mount. Serene and empty on the day we visited, it was now filled with children playing soccer.

At the top of the mountain is a wonderful panoramic viewing platform with extraordinary views of the city. As I said to Isaac, I still can’t believe that we are here seeing all of this. I think he agrees, as he even let me take this photo of him in front of it all. 

Even more moving for me though further down the hill was the Garden of Gethsemane. Here Jesus went to pray with three of his disciples as he was about to be betrayed and arrested.

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane … he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 26:36-38

Even though I have read and spoken about this passage so many times I am still moved that the Father loves us so much to give his only Son. So it was extraordinary to be present in this place, especially knowing that some of these olive trees have been dated to be at least 2000 years old – they were present as Jesus prayed these words.

Built on the site is a beautiful new church (replacing 2 previous ones of course), and as we entered we realised that a service was being held for an English-speaking tour group, focusing upon this very passage. I sat and listened for a while. For me it was a profound moment. 

We emerged back into the reality of modern Jerusalem. The throngs were now leaving the Temple Mount in their cars – and Arabic driving is chaotic and loud – not from the engines but the horns.

Having been at the Garden of Gethsemane, we now followed Via Delarosa, the Jerusalem version of the stations of the cross. 

This follows the order of events of the Gospels from the sentencing by Pilate, through to the crucifixion and burial, with a few extra details thrown in. We certainly weren’t the only ones on the way, as there were many groups of pilgrims doing the same, mixed with the hundreds of Muslims buying sweets and enjoying the holiday. 

The last 5 stations are in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, but the first 10 seemed to us to bear little relationship to where Jesus might have walked, and each location was little more than a sign upon the wall. 

After a late lunch/early dinner we caught the new light rail (rolling past the traffic) to the Jewish markets at Mehane Yehuda. We still haven’t seen what we would call a Supermarket in Jordan or Israel – they just seem to have convenience stores, street stalls and markets. This market was full of interesting foods – all sorts of baklava, hava, olives, cheese, dried fruit, nuts, fish and meat; plus every sort of kipa (Jewish male head covering) you could ask for.

Danielle you would have loved to look and try all of it (except for the kipas) – wish you were to here to do that with you. 

How adventurous were Isaac and I? We bought some mixed dried fruit and nuts, found a café and enjoyed some fresh lemonade and watched and discussed Israeli culture. Do you know Israelis have the highest birth-rate in the developed world – 3.04 children per woman; and its twice that amongst the ultra-orthodox! And we’ve noticed that when the orthodox families are out and about together, it’s always the fathers who push the strollers.

It was nice to get back to our room before dark for the first time since we left home. Big day again tomorrow. So thankful for the opportunity to be here with Isaac.