Today we started in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City at a place called the Broad Wall. We learned that in 1967 when the Jews began to rebuild the Jewish Quarter they decided to pull down most of the standing building and start new. The result was that there was a brief window of opportunity (about 10 years) when it was possible to excavate and so archaeological digs. In that time many things were uncovered that had long since been built over. One such Find was the Broad Wall, built in Old Testament times as a defense against an Assyrian attack. Isaiah refers to it in Isaiah 22:8-11. Look it up! In the section of the wall that has been left uncovered you can actually see where houses were torn down to accommodate the wall just like Isaiah said!
From there we moved on the the site of the original City of David (the city that stood on Davids time). We got to see a bit of what is believed by some to be the palace of David. It is still being uncovered. Can anyone guess what the picture of the white block of stone that had a hole in it is?... I'll tell you tomorrow!
Passing by that we actually trudged through Hezikiah's Tunnel! The tunnel that King Hezikiah had built to bring the waters of the Gihon Spring into the city. It is a narrow little passage underground, flowing with water. (The water came almost up to my hips at the beginning but most of the way it was just above my ankles.) It was wet and dark but it was a welcomed relief as the day was already getting hot. (It was only 9:30 am)
We also saw what is now believed to be the Pool of Siloam. (I think I spelled that right!) It is, among other things, the pool that Jesus told the blind man to go and wash in after he had rubbed mud on his eyes. It's in the book of John but I don't remember where now so you'll just have to go and look it up.
On another note, the jet lag is starting to catch up with me. I am exhausted. And even though I drank a ton of water today I am a bit dehydrated and I have a headache. But no worries! A goodnights sleep and some water with electrolytes and I'll be ready to climb the Mount of Olives!!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete