Today was our first full day field trip. We loaded the bus at 7 AM to visit the Mount of Olives sites including numerous churches that were built upon some of the traditional or sacred sites of the account of Jesus’ last days before His crucifixion. Our trip also would include our first view of the eastern slopes of the Mount of Olives into the Judean wilderness where Jesus had been lead for the 40 days and nights of His temptation. Next, our trip brought us to the ancient site of the Herodian, a fortress built by Herod the Great. At the end of the afternoon we reached Bethlehem, the little town (now a city) where Jesus was born.
The Mount of Olives in most of our thinking is a small hill on the western slope of the Kidron Valley when in actuality it is the entire western slope of the Kidron Valley that divides Jerusalem of today from the Judean wilderness. We stopped at an overlook that gave us an opportunity to see the full Kidron Valley as it flowed south of the Old City of Jerusalem. This provided another incredible view of the Temple Mount along with a view of the north and eastern walls of the city. The deep valleys that surrounded the western side of city (Hinnom Valley) and the eastern side of the city (Kidron Valley) are clearly deep and steep. This would have made it a much easier location to defend in an attack. David’s keen insight in choosing this old Jebusite city to become His capital was a wise choice. Of course there were many other reasons as well but just from a purely defensive perspective this showed great forethought.
As we walked down the slopes of the Mount of Olives we were reminded of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem just days before his crucifixion. He would have come from Bethany at the top of the Mount of Olives and made His way down the western slopes of the Mt. of Olives. He would have been walking down into the Kidron Valley moving west toward the city of Jerusalem. Somewhere along this route Jesus is overcome with brokenness for the people and the city. Luke records “41As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace-- but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you (19:41-44).” There is a church looked on the slope of the Mt. of Olives commemorating where Jesus might have wept over the city. Looking at the city from this vantage point really brings to light what Jesus saw and gave me greater insight into His brokenness for the people and city of Jerusalem. The event of the destruction of Jerusalem would have been the Roman destruction by Vespasian and Hardian in AD 70.
As we made our way down the western slopes of the Mt. of Olives we reached several other locations that have significance in the final days of Jesus. We took a close look at an olive grove which would have been similar to the grove that Jesus would have gone to pray in the evening of Judas’ betrayal and the night of Jesus’ arrest.
Our next stop of the day brought us out into the Judean wilderness to a place called the Herodian. This is a palace fortress built by Herod the Great as a royal palace and fortress. This was built upon a nature hill near the town of Bethlehem. It is quite a fortress as it rises out of the ground and can be seen from quite a distance. The thought that sticks me regarding our visit is that Herod builds this great fortress for defensive purposes for himself. Yet, millions come every year to the little city in the distance called Bethlehem. Herod was the king who had all the young baby males 2 years and under murdered out of fear that one would become the next King and take his throne. While millions visit Bethlehem very few ever see the Herodian, quite ironic.
Our last stop of the day was Bethlehem. My impression upon this visit Bethlehem is no longer the little town. It is a shame because the little village in Jesus’ day would have been a few building surrounded by the fields where the shepherds would watch the flocks. They would herd them back toward the village at night. It is easy to see why the shepherds were visited by the angel on that holy night. They would have been very near the actual birthplace. The second thing that struck me was the commercialization of the area. Many are coming to see the place where Jesus may have been born. There are several churches built on the spot where Jesus might have been born. The desire is to preserve the place so that we will never forget but it was also an experience that brought the feeling that the birth of Jesus itself was replaced by the worship of the place of his birth.
All in all, another life changing day that will require many days, weeks, moths and possibly years of processing through all the clarity and color that today has brought to the events of Scripture.
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