Holy Land Tour - Israel, Jordan, Egypt

Michael Schroeder Photo Journal April 09

 

       Macintosh HD:Users:michaelschroeder:Downloads:jerusalem blog pic.jpg

 

April 09 had me traveling throught the Holy Land doing concerts and worship where I kept an online photo
blog/journal along the way for people to take the trip with me visiting Holy land sites throughout Jordan, Israel
and Egypt with stops in Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Nazareth, Galilee, the Dead Sea and Cairo to name a few.
 MS

 

 

April 16th

A 12 hour flight on Royal Jordanian Air takes me from Chicago in the U.S. to Amman Jordan whose time zone is 8 hours ahead.
Adding in the 12 hour flight, turned my 9:30pm April15th departure into arriving about 5:30pm on April 16th the next day.
The Kingdom of Jordan is bordered on the north by Syria, on the east by Iraq, on the south by Saudi Arabia and
on the west by Israel and the Dead Sea. Amman is the largest city and capital of Jordan, home to more than 2 million people.
More than 92% of the population are Sunni Muslims. Like in Syria, Arabic is the official language for a population that is

more than 98% Arab. I was awaken by the Muslim call to prayer from the loudspeakers of the Mosque pictured below outside

my hotel room at 4 & 5 am.

 

 

 

 

 

Macintosh HD:Users:michaelschroeder:Downloads:clip_image004.jpg   Macintosh HD:Users:michaelschroeder:Downloads:clip_image008.jpg    11174911_1060037684025744_8434182689376677023_n

 

 

Amman, Jordan

 

 

11140338_1060037634025749_2188836162035570857_n

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 17th

Mt. Nebo  - With a time clock still off getting 4 hours sleep, IÕm running on adrenaline one more day before crashing tonight. Leaving Amman early traveling west across the desert west takes me to Mount Nebo, Jordan. The view from the top of Mount Nebo overlooks the Dead Sea to the south, and the Jordan River Valley, Jericho and the distant hills of Jerusalem to the west. From here, Moses viewed the promised Holy Land he would never enter. He died and was buried in this area though his tomb remains unknown. Mount Nebo became a place of pilgrimage for early Christians from Jerusalem and a small church was built there in the 4th century to commemorate the end of Moses' life. Some stones from that church remain in their original place. The church was expanded in the 5th and 6th centuries with a stunning collection of Byzantine mosaics. The serpentine Cross, which stands just outside, is symbolic of the bronze serpent taken by Moses into the desert and the cross.

Mount-Nebo

 

http://www.newsongministries.info/clip_image012.jpg ount Nebo

 

180680240_6074423076_bc9b0bd725_b

 

mike april 08-09 222

 

 

 

 

 

Bethany Beyond The Jordan
Leaving Mt. Nebo behind and traveling further west, we make our way past nomads, camels and desert to a place called "Bethany Beyond the Jordan". This area along the eastern Shoreline of the Jordan river is referred to in the old testament as the plains of Moab. It is just a few miles north of the Dead Sea and within sight of the ancient city of Jericho. This area is identified as the setting where John the Baptist ministered and baptized in the early days of his ministry. (John 1:28;10:40) . It is therefore likely that Jesus was baptized here, when God audibly affirmed His Son. The foundation of many churches built on top of each other over time at this site date back within the first few centuries here.

 

 

  mike april 08-09 272

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 "Beth-Shean" (Scythopolis)
The Jordan River at this point is the boundary between Israel and Jordan. Crossing over into Israel and going through customs takes longer than I had hoped, but IÕm finally through and moving north along the Jordan river valley as I pass mount Gilboa and grab a schnitzel before a stop nearby at Beth-shean, tracing the history of Saul and his sons who were killed in battle with the Philistines at Mount Gilboa. The Israelites finally conquered the city during the reign of King Solomon. Later in history during the Roman and Byzantine periods this city was called Scythopolis, and had grown boasting a 10,000 seat amphitheater, a colonnaded through fare, large public baths and extensive buildings. The grand city estimated to once have 80,000 people was destroyed by an earthquake in 749AD with dozens of massive columns toppled in the same direction. Archeologists have identified at least 18 levels of occupation over time here.

 

11169180_1060066634022849_1546616223996213235_n



11073055_1060066540689525_8673021385053560122_n

 

mike april 08-09 306

 

 

11174924_1060066504022862_7430089206715592143_n

 

 

11209446_1060106984018814_2600109544973779560_n

 

Leaving Beth-shean behind and driving a little further north gets me to my destination and room for the night the next few days. A room with a view of the south end of the Sea of Galilee.  Dinner and a Maccabee beer hit the spot after my walk along the shore of this tremendously beautiful place with sleep and another day of adventure not far behind. MS

 

 

 

 

 

April 18th


Morning comes quickly and keeps me moving to catch breakfast as I gather my things in time to catch the bus to the North side of the Sea of Galilee.  My limited camera and ability as a photographer donÕt do justice to what the view is like here, and my words cannot express what it is like to be in this place, the meaning, the evidence, the reality of the life of Jesus is everywhere. My heart is tender and I am already moved beyond what words can express of what I have always known in my heart.

 

11182253_1060067277356118_6012080158608436581_n


33447_163819836980871_4769156_n-2

Traveling north along the west bank of the Sea of Galilee I stop in the city of Tiberius to hop a boat taking me to the north shore of the Sea of Galilee. The Sea Jesus calmed the winds, storm and walked on water.  See Matthew 14:22-36


33570_163821923647329_6306219_n

The boat ride ends docking on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee, an area rich in so much history. It was these shores where Jesus called some of his disciples, where you find the Mount of Beatitudes, and the city of Capernaum where Jesus stayed after leaving Nazareth and performed miracles in. The place of the feeding of the 5000 is nearby, with Chorazin and more. All of it here on the north shores of Galilee.

 

 

Caperneaum


11209506_1060067460689433_168303784137853326_n

 

mike april 08-09 391

 

Jesus made Capernaum his home during the years of his ministry: "Leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum" (Matt 4:13). Peter, Andrew, James and John were fishermen living in the village.  Matthew the tax collector also lived here. Capernaum is one of the three cities later cursed by Jesus for its lack of faith.  

 

 

The Synagogue
Jesus was confronted by a demoniac while teaching here
 (Mark 1:21-27).
In Capernaum, Jesus healed the servant of the centurion.  This Roman official was credited with building the synagogue (Luke 7:3). In this synagogue, Jesus gave his sermon on the bread of life
(John 6:35-59).

The Synagogue pictured below is of a later date with the one of Jesus time discovered beneath it. Jewish Law carries that the only thing that could be built on the land of a synagogue when it has run itÕs course is another Synagogue, often placing the layers of time and history on top of each other. 


rgsrecords_clip_image007 mike april 08-09 397

 

 

 

 

The House of Peter


The Picture below shows part of the house of Peter in Capernaum. It is roped off of course to protect the site, but I accidentally dropped my camera over the walls edge and had to enter the area of Peters house to retrieve my camera. The joke now is how many other Holy sites do I have to throw my camera into just to get inside the site itself!

 


apernaum House of Peter

 

 

mike april 08-09 394

 

 

 

 

etjjjj

 

1st Century Galilee Fishing Boat found on the north end of Galilee near the town of Capernaum.


               sdfv

dvvdssxv



 

 

The Ruins of Chorazin / Korazin
horazin synagogue interior

 

 

 

 

Chorazin / Korazin Synagogue


rgsrecords_clip_image010


This ÒSeat of MosesÓ as they were called had a purpose in synagogues as the seat for the most distinguished teacher in the temple for example. Jesus references this position of authority in Matthew. Because the town of Korazin was of close walking distance to Capernaum, and Jesus authority was recognized as he taught in a number of synagogues ( remember this was a man who drew 5000 people not counting women and children, at the feeding of the 5000,) it is a good possibility He was at this Synagogue and used this seat of Moses pictured here. 

Korazin (Chorazin), along with Bethsadia and Capernaum, were named in the New Testament Gospels of Matthew and Luke as "cities" in which Jesus performed "mighty works". However, because these towns rejected his work ("they had not changed their ways" -Matt11:20), they were subsequently cursed ( Luke 10:13-15).  Archaeologists have said all three cities were destroyed at the same exact moment from their findings. And though many other destroyed cities in history have been rebuilt again at a later time, none of these three cities cursed by Jesus have ever been rebuilt as all three lie in ruins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mount of Beatitudes
The traditional site of the Sermon On The Mount given by Jesus is on the hill side below this church. 
To be able to sing here was special.


hurch of the Beatitudes

 

 

Jesus Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5

The Beatitudes

 

1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them saying: 
 3"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, 
for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 
 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 
Continued > Matt 5:13 - 7:28

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

69325_163822506980604_1668138_n

 

After performing an outdoor concert overlooking all of these places in the distance from the Cliffs of Arbel overlooking the Sea of Galilee, I return to my beach house for two more nights on the south end of the Sea of Galile

 

mike april 08-09 435

 

See you tomorrow!

 

 

 

April 19th

Today started early with a sunrise service on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.
5:30am came early but what a great way to start the day.

 

g

 


h

 

Breakfast and a longer ride to the far north of Israel takes me to a place called Tel Dan which is literally a stones throw from Lebanon.

 

 

 

Tel Dan: Following the division of the kingdom of Solomon in 930BC, Jeroboam, Son of Nebat established a cult at Dan as an alternative to the Temple in Jerusalem and placed a Golden Calf in the city. Dan, was the northernmost city in the kingdom of Israel, which the book of Judges states was known as the city of Laish prior to its conquest by the Tribe of Dan. Due to its location close to the border with Lebanon Tel Dan has had a long and often bitterly contested modern history, most recently during the 1967 Six day war.
(See Ruth 4:1-2, 2nd Samuel 19:8 for Biblical references to Dan)

 

v

Headwaters of the Jordan river

in northern Israel at Tel Dan

 

 

11200821_1060067234022789_6528200469578514542_n

 

 

 

 

 

The picture below is a small city inside Lebanon. I took this picture from the top of Tel Dan, Israel which is a few hundred yards from the Israel/Lebanon Border,...we later drove along the border for a bit on our way to Har Bental taking the road to Damascus (that Paul traveled) to get there.

 

vx

 

ABRAHAMS GATE

The excavators of Tel Dan uncovered a city gate further below made of mud bricks estimated to have been built around 1750 B.C. Because this is the period of the Biblical patriarchs, because this is the style of gate that Abraham would have sat in, and because of the Bible account in which the people of Dan take Lot prisoner, and Abraham travels to Dan to rescue him, the gate is called Abraham's Gate.
st

 

 

 

 

 

Har Bental is a vantage Point that allows a person to better understand history and the proximity of the Golan Heights to Syria, a short distance a way. I took this picture below of Damascus Syria about 33 miles a way to the north from this location in Israel, and the picture (further below) shows the Golan Heights, Israel to the south facing the other direction from the same location.

Damascus Syria
kf

 

Golan Heights

.s


The Golan Heights are of strategic importance in the region. Israel captured the region in June 1967 during the Six day war. Since then, the area has remained under Israeli control.

 

 

 

The picture below is of Mount Hermon facing west from the same location (Psalm 133:3, )

 

;a

 

 

 

 

69820_163819926980862_7999658_n-2

 

 

 

 

 

Caesarea Philippi


paq

 

Traveling south from Tel Dan to about 25 miles north of the Sea of Galilee brings me to Caesarea Philippi which is located near the base of Mount Hermon and is mentioned in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and also a number of times in Acts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fig Tree at Caesarea Philippi


ylyrds
11204874_1060087757354070_8925006185710252416_n

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

Bethsaida of Galilee

 

Peter, Philip and Andrew lived here, (John 1:44; John 12:21), and possibly James and John as well. Though slightly west of the traditional site it is believed by most experts to have been the site of the feeding of the 5000 found in Gospels.

 

lw

 

 

 

Heading back to the room after Bethsaida, I grab supper and put together a set list of songs for a concert I'm doing on my last night here in Galilee. Tomorrow I head to Nazareth and other places further South before arriving in Jerusalem.While I'm excited for what is ahead, I will be sad to leave this area as there is a profound peace here in Galilee unlike any other place I have experienced. MS



______________________________________________
 

 

 

April 20th

The plan for the day starts with leaving the Galilee area heading south and west at times with stops in Nazareth, Caesarea, and Jerusalem by nightfall.

 

 

Nazareth
Passing through the markets up the street in Nazareth take me to the church of the Annunciation

 

xzzz



 
Nearby a morning highlight (not pictured) was going to the site of the 1st century Synagogue in Nazareth that Jesus would have attended as a boy and returned to during his public ministry to deliver a sermon reading from the Prophet Isaiah fulfilling the prophecy. See Luke 4:18-21.
To be able to sing in this place was a very moving experience. The floor and foundation in this 1st century church including the original wall half way up were from the time of Jesus with the top parts of the wall and ceiling restored during later centuries. The acoustics and reverberation was uniquely beautiful letting each note sung continue ringing on warmly at what seemed like forever in a very beautiful way.

 

________________________________ 

 

Cana
A little further down the road is the city of Kafr Kana that sites on the ancient city of Cana the city where Jesus performed the miracle of turning the water into wine. See John 2:1-11 Both the Greek Orthodox and Franciscans have churches marking the miracle.

 

 

 

 ________________________

 

 

 

Passing near Mount Tabor the traditional site for Jesus Transfiguration, I stop at Megiddo which overlooks the valley of Jezreel . Throughout history many armies did battle here, and was in different periods controlled by the Egyptians, Ahab and later Solomon to name a few. According to the book of Revelation the kings of the earth will gather here in this valley for the final battle between good and evil at Armageddon. Rev16:12-16.


kl
lsll

 

Mount Carmel

É nearby I visited the site of Mount Carmel also on the Jezreel Valley and the site of Elijahs contest. See 1 Kings 18:16-40 

 

________________________________________

 

 

 

--  Leaving this area behind and heading due west to the sea, offers my ride a view along the Mediterranean Sea traveling south on my way to Caesarea, not to be confused with the ancient city of a similar name Caesarea Philippi. Beautiful is all I can say.

 

lenek

 

 


l e

 

 

 

 

 

Caesarea
Not to be confused with the lesser known Caesarea Philipi I visited in the north of Israel, this city, the more well known Caesarea was built by Herod in the first century at this beautiful location on the Mediterranean Sea. He named it in honor of the Roman emperor Augustus. The city included a Amphitheater, that is used today for theatre
and concerts.  I had the chance to sing here and the acoustics were amazing.


elwnl,

 

 

11174796_1060107014018811_767678248607336797_n-2

 

 

 

 

11150609_1060066950689484_1029976469519809599_n-2

 

 

 

Caesarea Hippodrome, (Chariot racing oval)


ofn.;q

 

And also temple, market areas, homes and public buildings. A couple of special findings among the ruins are a inscription referring to Pontius Pilate as governor of Judea, and also the Cistern used as a jail to hold Paul for about 2 years before he was sent to Rome to stand trial.

The city is mentioned often in Acts. Here are a couple 
(See Acts 8:40Acts 23:23-33.) 

11050246_1060067494022763_8964785911202236784_n-2

 

I had a chance to sing in the Theatre pictured above here at Caesarea, and the interesting thing about the way these theatres were built acoustically was that whether on stage or in the seats, people talking soft or normal can be heard clearly on the other side of the Theatre because of the way it was engineered to reflect sound acoustically.

 

 

A short distance a way are the Roman aqueducts built to bring water to the city along the sea, next to the Caesarea beaches.

ladl

 

 

 

kww n

 

 

Jerusalem
I arrive in Jerusalem around supper time for a view of the City before checking into my room for the night. Tomorrow IÕll spend part of the day in Jerusalem and part of the day in Bethlehem.

 

dww

 

 

 

 

April 21st

Today started with a walk down from the Mount of Olives mentioned numerous times in both old and new testament as I walked part of the same road Jesus and the crowds traveled on for Palm Sunday when he entered the city of Jerusalem, (see Matthew 21:1-11) My walk this morning took me from higher up on the Mount of Olives to the base of it entering the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed.

Mount of Olives

k

 

g

 

 

 

Photo of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives

e

 


68889_163822763647245_1375780_n-2

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gethsemane ( See Matthew 26:30-46)
l

 

 

The traditional site of the Upper Room 
l

 

 

 

 

 

David's Tomb
lr

 

 

 

Bethlehem
For the Birth in Bethlehem of Jesus Christ see Matthew 1:18-24 Luke 2:1-20

 

The city of Bethlehem is controlled by the Palestinian authority within the country of Israel. So one must go through Palestinian check points and be ready with your passport. The city reflects its more decidedly Palestinian feel in places and within the last decade the amount of Christians within the city has fallen to just 2%. The pictures below, depict a flavor of the streets and people and also the birthplace of Jesus which took place in a cave. The church of the Nativity built above the site has a Greek Orthodox, Armenian and Roman Catholic sections within the church built over the location of the birth of Jesus.

od akscdvwr

 

 

 

 

Check Point at Palestinian controlled Bethlehem, Israel

 

21995_1060067767356069_1223956917768214427_n-2

 

 

11209609_1060066514022861_8240130415364402161_n-2

 

 

11215077_1060066600689519_1862278838963393527_n-2

 

 

10394604_1060066900689489_7230190003253153596_n

 

 

 

 

 

The Church of the Nativity

rer

 

 

Jesus Birthplace location in the cave beneath the church of the Nativity, Bethlehem
rdvsd
 

 

After viewing the birthplace of Jesus in Bethlehem, I traveled back to Jerusalem for a stop at the Western Wall and toured the tunnels below.

lfkc


ksl    svsd

 

Tomorrow I head for the Dead Sea, Massada, Qumran (Dead Sea Scrolls) and more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 22nd

IÕm heading out of Jerusalem this morning on my way to the Dead Sea traveling past Bethany where Lazarus was raised from the dead by Jesus after 4 days. (see John 11:1-48 )
Leaving the outskirts of the city for the country side past the goats and sheep herders, Bedouin (nomad) camps, past Jericho and eventually through the check point leaving the west bank into the area of the Dead Sea . with the first stop at;

 

En Gedi

En Gedi is a Lush Oasis in the Judean desert close to the western shore of the Dead Seas. It is here where David likely wrote some of the Psalms and where he hid from Saul and also spared Saul's life.
( see
 1 Samuel 24.)

slvm

 

 

 

 

dkfsdk

 

 

cwdcw

 

 

sd

 

 

 

wdqwd

 

 

 

 

 

 

Masada - Moving along the coast of the Dead Sea, rising more than 1400 feet above the western shore is the fortress of Masada. Originally built by Herod in the first century B.C.

The dramatic story of Masada can be found here.

efv dvsd

wdqd

 

 


sdcsa

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

 

 

Qumran

A little way up the coast brings me to Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 1947 by a young Bedouin shepherd boy. They include copies of all the old testament books except Esther. The previous oldest copy of the old testament Bible dated back around 800 years. The Dead Sea Scrolls date back about 2000 years and the interesting thing is that not only did they match the later copies of the Bible, they were exact copies of the Old Testament Bible, even though they were from 2000 years ago. Pictured below is Cave number 4 where Scrolls were found.

sssd

 


Copy of one of the Dead Seas Scrolls in Jerusalem Museum  

huddd


 

The Dead Sea

After exploring Masada and En Gedi and a stop for lunch, I am down at the Dead Sea shoreline itself. A normal ocean is made up of about 2.9% salt. The Dead Sea, the lowest spot on earth, is 36% salt! It is renowned for the mineral contents found in it for many skin care and beauty products. The Dead Sea Mud is also sought out for skin care. Not only will you see many people covered in mud at the sea getting their mud treatment for free before washing off, you will see that no one is swimming but really just floating. The high salt content makes everyone float. I could simply lay back in the water stick both my hands and feet into the air completely out of the water and still float easily without sinking. You could not sink if you wanted to.
dsv jj

 

 

sdasasa

 

 

 

 

 

The currency in Israel by the way is Shekels,....and the exchange at this time is about 4 Shekels to 1 U.S. Dollar. Below in order is 20 Shekels, 10 and 1/2 Shekel 
     rbbr

 

 

I experienced technical difficulties for awhile yesterday trying to update the blog before getting it fixed hours later,....and I will also be leaving Israel on Saturday morning very early for Egypt.....so if for any reason you don't see a update one day, it just means it will take me a bit before I find internet on the road to upload the next update. MS

 

 

 

April 23rd
Pools of Bethesda
Another early morning start after breakfast finds me at the pools of Bethesda where Jesus healed the invalid. (see John 5:1-15)

azqazqaz

 

 

 

 

The Dome of the Rock

 

The Dome of the Rock is located at the visual center of the Temple Mount or Mount Moriah.  This rock, this place of Abraham & Isaac; David creating his city and later Solomon's temple. The area, greatly enlarged under the rule of Herod, is also the site of the second Jewish Temple which was destroyed during the Roman siege of Jerusalem in 70 CE. Israel controls all the entrance to the site, but the compound itself is administered by the Waqf. The Temple Mount, also known by Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary, is the site of the Al-Aqsa mosque, and the Dome of the Rock. The Temple Mount is on a hill located in the Old City of Jerusalem that for thousands of years has been venerated as a holy site, by Jews, Christians, and Mulsims alike.


sdvsdcc

sdgh4rv

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The picture below is from a level about 12 feet down from the current street level near and under the Via Dolorosa. As time periods come and go, cities often build on top of the past leaving the evidence of previous periods of time below. This street is from the time of Jesus in the first century and you can see that the sidewalk portion is the flat section in the foreground, while the waves cut into the background part of this 1st century pavement is for the horses, to give them good footing.

 

 

fwvweghhg

 

 

 

 

 

Via Doloroso


A couple of pictures below are from the Via Doloroso which is the traditional path Jesus carried his cross to Golgotha on to pay for the sins of us all, so that by grace through faith all who would believe in Him would be saved ( See John 3:16-18 )

 

dddqq

 

 

 

10646960_1060090107353835_5932017431118872041_n

 

 

eflcod

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Holy Sepulcher


Below are pictures for the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Church was built over the traditional site of Golgatha where Jesus was crucified for our sins. The Church is Greek Orthodox.

 

jdg

 

 

 

 

 

xvbnrt

 

 

we2d

 

 

 

wd44

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Garden Tomb Area

The Crucifixion - So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. (17) Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha) John 19:17

 

Skull cave

dvq

 

The Garden Tomb 
scaaaa

 

 

 

A Typical Rolling Stone from the period, though the rolling stone that would have fit the channel at the base to the above tomb would have been larger.
czc

 

 

scczz

 

 

 

 

The Empty Tomb

ect5t

 

 


sxxxxxxx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 24th

Today is my last day in Jerusalem before leaving for Egypt very early tomorrow morning. I am sad to leave Jerusalem and Israel for reasons I fail to be able to put into words. 


My next update tomorrow will be dependant on internet access in Egypt so keep checking back and I'll do the best I can. I leave by bus tomorrow morning about 4:30 am from Jerusalem with a 4 hour drive to the border of Israel and Egypt before crossing over.

I've been writing a completely new worship song here in Jerusalem the past few days that IÕll record when I arrive back home. I'm happy with the song's progress and am feeling Joy from working on the Worship project in this deeply spiritual place. I started today in the City of David with a visit to Hezekiah's tunnels and the pool of Siloam.

 

 


Hezekiah's Tunnel
From Warren's Shaft, and down to the Gihon Spring at the bottom of the Kidron Valley leads to a walk through Hezekiah's Tunnel.

The account of the construction of Hezekiah's water tunnel under Jerusalem by King Hezekiah shortly before the city was besieged by Sennacherib in about 701 BC is described in 2 Kings 20:20 and 2 Chronicles 32:2-4, 30.

Archaeologists discovered the tunnel in the 19th century. It is a third of a mile long, mostly less than three feet wide, and, in a few places, less than five feet in height. It winds under the "City of David" from the Gihon Spring, an important site in Old Testament Jerusalem, to the Pool of Siloam, an important New Testament period site. There are two tunnels, one with water and one dry. They feed into the Pool of Siloam, a place were Jesus healed a blind man. See below.

 

lslv

 

 

 

The Pool of Siloam


Also referred to in Nehemiah 3:15 The water from Hezekiah Tunnel fed into the 
Pool of Siloam where Jesus walked and healed a man who was blind from birth (see John 9:1-12)


dgbv

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Southern Temple Steps
This was a very moving place for me,.....there are sites where tradition holds and often for very good reason for it's Biblical probability due to the available evidence, site history and tradition,...and then there are sites where there is no doubt that Jesus was at a location. This is one of those locations where we know for sure that Jesus walked according to historical and Biblical accounts. These steps below are the southern steps leading up to the Temple. They are on the southeastern end of the wall leading up to the Temple. Going UP to the temple was a requirement and so each temple built has a entrance designed regardless of location so that you would walk steps Up to the Temple. This is that location for the Temple here in Jerusalem. There are two steps one for entering, another for returning. There are a number of accounts of Jesus at the Temple in Jerusalem. Matthew 21:11-13 & Matthew 24:1-2 are just a couple, and so He would have had to walk these very steps to go into the temple each time. Some of the steps are restored, some are not and are from the first century time of Jesus. To be in the footsteps of Jesus is something moving beyond what words can express for me. I could have stayed here all day, and I look forward to my return.

hmdbb 




 

 

 

 

Southern End of the Western Wall


uymmmm



 

 

 

Western end of Southern Wall 
hjjjjj

 

 

 

As I was working on songs tonight from my balcony overlooking Jerusalem, I was treated to a spectacular Sunset over the city from the greatest Creator of all. So I grabbed my camera briefly to take the shot below. IÕm sad to leave this city and country and wish I could stay longer, but the schedule calls and on to Egypt I go. God willing someday, IÕll return. 
dgvr


Safe Travels. I'll see you in Egypt.  MS

 

 

 

 

April 25th

I left about 4:30am this morning for Egypt from Jerusalem making the border about 4 hours later crossing over at Taba, Egypt. The idea was to make it to St. Catherine's a Monastery further south in Egypt at Mt. Sinai, also called Mount Horeb the traditional site of Moses burning bush  (Exodus 3:1-10). But found we could not make it in time before it closed that day and so we altered our course west towards Cairo across the Sinai desert after crossing the border at Taba Egypt.

 

Taba, Egypt
After crossing the border in Egypt we were greeted by several camels who joined our traffic.

 

fnq 71754_163821420314046_6883521_n

 

 

uyfdwo



The Red Sea 
Crossing the border here in Egypt with the Red Sea to our east meant viewing Jordan directly across the water (Aqaba, Jordan is nearby) and Saudi Arabia can be seen a little further south down the opposite shoreline. One can see several different countries all at once from this location as Israel, Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia all come in close proximity to each other. 
You may remember the Red Sea as the one Moses by the power of God parted during the Exodus from Egypt.  See Exodus 14:5-31

dhkjfds

 

 

The Red Sea

 

 

ehnhte

 

 

 

The Sinai Desert
The Sinai Desert offers several different desert landscapes but all desert none the less.  Exodus is the second book of the Old Testament. It tells how Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt and through the wilderness to the Mountain of Sinai. There God, through Moses, gives the people the Ten Commandments. Exodus 34:27-28  The picture below is from the Sinai desert at what would be the Mountains of Edom from the time of Moses. 
rhqrgr

 

As we travel across the Sinai Desert towards Egypt our bus breaks down for a time and so while the driver and mechanic do their best to get it going again, we read a devotion in the desert. Police protection arrives while the bus is under repair as the Sinai desert depending on the year and time can be susceptible to extremist activity. An hour later we are back up and running and heading towards the Suez Canal and Cairo.

 

11128646_1060047050691474_3846576785449825305_n  10995578_1060046880691491_966097777777820040_n

Suez Canal
Reaching the other side of the Sinai desert and Peninsula brings us to the Suez Canal, which is a waterway in Egypt that joins the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. I could see the tops of ships going through the canal as the bus entered the tunnel that goes under the Suez Canal, leaving the Continent of Asia for the Continent of Africa on the other side.

 

fhffd

 

 

11150946_1060046047358241_8207606587871855746_n

 

 

 

Finally making Cairo after a long ride and crossing the Nile River pictured below, as IÕm on my way to the other side of the city for supper and a good nights rest. MS

 

ehii

 

 

 

The Currency in Egypt is the Egyptian Pound. Pictured left are a 20pound, 1pound and 1/2 pound note. the rate of exchange to U.S. Dollar is about 5 to 1 meaning $4 U.S Dollars is worth about a 20 Pound Egyptian Note.   Off to bed for some rest before the Pyramids Tomorrow, MS


wofdfs 



 

 

 

 

April 26th

 

Traffic in Cairo is thick often since it is a city of 18 million people. No one follows the street lanes commonly crossing to any part of the pavement to get where they want to go. This every man for himself driving reminds me of the view of the roundabout in Paris from the top of the Arc de Triumph except more congested. The streets on certain sections of town often have water buffalos, donkeys and carts etc sharing or crossing the streets with their imported foreign cars. The Nile is the life blood here in this part of the Sahara desert. The Christian population is about 10% here in Cairo. 

Our day starts with a drive to the city of Memphis in Egypt which was the capital of the county in the time of Moses. See Exodus.

 


wehjjjh

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Museum in Memphis with Stonework depicting Ramses II.
eghhhre

11174784_1060045680691611_4747094638618589536_n eii4ee

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leaving Memphis for the Saqqara Pyramids (known as the Step Pyramids)
I get the chance later on in the day to go into a different pyramid through a narrow shaft bending over crawling through for 50 feet or so before the pyramid tunnel opens up into a room filled with hieroglyphics with another room for the Sarcophagus. We were not allowed to take photos inside the Pyramids.


skfddd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next stop is back to Cairo and the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx.
dgjtt

 

 

 

 

egge

w

 


ehr5tr

 

 

wjysafr


 

eggee


April 27th

A morning drive in past Egyptian fields.....
dghjjh

 

 


Today was spent for the most part in the old inner city of Cairo, checking out historical and traditional sites I'm still looking into...

sfjrteds

 

 

 

The Egyptian Museum – Home to King Tut exhibit and more

 

syfjyy 02_tutmaskrestoration_GettyImages-143819381

 

 

 

 

a walk through the Cairo bazaar - an open street market
efoymh

 

 

 

and capping the day off with a evening cruise on the Nile. 
fehyjii

I leave Egypt for Jordan tomorrow before heading home to the States as the trip nears its end. 
More photos from Egypt below.
MS

 

 

 

72568_163870980309090_8312424_n

The Nile River, Egypt

 

11173397_1060045574024955_1242796269840541157_n

 

11006452_1060105304018982_7995303764228005420_n

 

 

1932332_1060104574019055_2962959376490942750_n

 

 

 

 

 

 

11196355_1060045904024922_6354956317278197874_n-2

 

11182031_1060046060691573_7000824995629680129_n

 

 

11188286_1060045784024934_1483214298895831037_n

 

66343_163819143647607_5074228_n-2

 

69059_163819033647618_5243047_n-2

 

66313_163819180314270_3528815_n

 

11210513_1060104430685736_9209982839255924243_n

 

 

10632844_1060104230685756_4785905556455866916_n

 

10983245_1060104847352361_4641543468064132494_n

 

April 29th

I flew from Cairo, Egypt to Amman, Jordan yesterday and crashed for a long deep sleep before today's 13 hour flight brought me safely home.

 

Though I can't find the words to tell you what it's like to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, you already know that you don't have to travel to Galilee or Jerusalem to find God. David says it well in Psalm 139 that God is everywhere. There is nowhere we can hide from him and that He knows us better than we do ourselves. Jesus tells us at the end of Matthew that He is with us always even to the very end of the world.


While the Bible clearly says that faith is a gift and not something we can earn ourselves, to seek God and know Him better is as easy as the people we spend time with on earth today. We have a relationship with our friends and loved ones because we talk, listen and spend time together. To have a real relationship with God is the same way, by taking the time to talk to God through prayer, and listen to Him through His living Word in the Bible.

God gives us a free will to spend the time He gave us any way we choose, whether it's apart from Him or not. But to be without Him is to be lost,... while to know Him,.. is to find out who you are. 

Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV)
Ask, Seek, Knock

7"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened


Peace in Jesus
MS

 

 

Michael Schroeder Holy Land Trip Photo Blog April 09

Thanks for joining me on the trip! More info about my music is available at www.michaelschroeder,com
God bless !
Michael

 

Michael's_Worship_1536x2048