Monday, June 27, 2011

Summer Hebrew 06 - A Day in the Old City

Har Zeytin is its Hebrew name, we know it as the Mount of Olives. I took the long walk up this hill yesterday for the first time. Across the valley from the temple mount was one of Jesus' favorite places to sit and teach. It's also the place where he made his famous prayer for us in John 17. And it was in a garden on this hillside where he was betrayed to his death, a death we have celebrated for millennia because of its eternal implications!

We have studies to fulfill on the weekends but much more time than is needed to complete them. Between rest, exercise, and soaking in the beautiful Judean countryside a few of us decided to travel to Jerusalem and see the Old City. After 8 hours of exploring just this small section of greater Jerusalem I can say that there is still so much more to see - perhaps another weekend.

One of the sights that struck me the most was seeing two groups of Christian pilgrims carrying crosses through the streets of Jerusalem, praying aloud, singing, and seeking to remember our Lord's great work of redemption. What struck me even more was that the first group I saw was clothed in all white and of obvious African descent. The second group, though not color coordinated, was all of Asian descent. How beautiful the body of Christ from every tongue and tribe and people and nation (Rev. 5:9).