Day 5

This will be a short blog post. We had an extra session tonight about the geography of Benjamin (just north and east of Jerusalem). Today was amazing. We went to a 1st century Christian synagogue that quite possibly was the site of the "Upper Room". Among other things, we went to an archaeological excavation just outside of the temple mount, in the ruins of what is now called "Robinson Arch" an enormous staircase that was an entrance to the Courtyard of the Gentiles and read Matthew 23-24, Jesus' woes against the Pharisees and Jesus prophesying the destruction of the Temple. This passage took on a completely new meaning standing next to stones larger than 4 foot wide 3 foot high, that left massive impressions on the ground next to the temple mount.

This is what it used to look like, this stairway was an engineering marvel that led up to the court of the Gentiles and then in to the temple.

This is what it looks like now. You can see the smaller stones in the wall...these are added on after the temple was destroyed in around 70AD.

Something else that we saw were some Mikveh or ceremonial cleansing baths. In this picture, you can see a separation.

On one side, you would go in unclean because of sin or because you have been defiled through touching something unclean. Before you could be a part of the community or offer your sacrifice it was necessary to go through this ceremonial cleansing. This was particularly true for priests, although by the time of Jesus, the priests became so wealthy that they had their own personal Mikveh in their homes. Anytime that a Jewish person would sin or even accidentally come into contact with something that was unclean, they were required to go through this washing. How burdensome this must have been. When Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." His way was truly a way that was less burdensome. Jesus' cleansing was once for all. Are you ignoring the grace that Jesus has available for you? Are you placing more burdens on yourself than Jesus intended? Or, are you still separated from God and not cleansed by the blood of Christ and still trying to make yourself right with God? When you trust in Jesus as the Savior, who paid the penalty for your sins once and for all, then and only then will your life be filled with hope and joy. How gracious is our God.