Rising above Mount Zion with its great round church, conical roof, and tall bell tower, Dormition Abbey is one of Jerusalem’s most recognizable Christian landmarks. According to an ancient Christian tradition, this is where Mary, the mother of Jesus, completed her earthly life and “fell asleep” in death. The Dormition Abbey Photo Gallery Places of Interest The Dormition Abbey Introduction Welcome to the site of the Dormition Abbey. We are located just outside the Old City of Jerusalem, in what's today known as Mount Zion. 1. Rising above Mount Zion with its great round church, conical roof, and tall bell tower, Dormition Abbey is one of Jerusalem’s most recognizable Christian landmarks. 2. According to an ancient Christian tradition, this is where Mary, the mother of Jesus, completed her earthly life and “fell asleep” in death. 3. The church standing today is modern, but beneath it are the remains of Byzantine and Crusader churches that preserved Christian worship on this hill for centuries. 4. As we enter, we will see magnificent mosaics, biblical symbols, and a peaceful crypt that honors Mary—not as the source of salvation, but as the faithful servant who believed God’s Word, followed Christ through suffering, and remained with His disciples in prayer. 5. Adjacent to the Dormition Abbey is the Upper Room. 6. Let's explore this site and contemplate the events that many believe happened here. Location 1. Dormition Abbey stands on the hill now called Mount Zion, immediately south of Jerusalem’s Old City walls and only a short walk from Zion Gate. 2. It is beside the traditional complex containing the Upper Room, or Cenacle, and the traditional Tomb of David. The church’s approximate coordinates are 31.7722° N, 35.2290° E. 3. From the entrance to Zion Gate, walk south toward the prominent round church and detached bell tower. Because the abbey dominates the Mount Zion skyline, it is difficult to miss. 4. An important point about the name “Mount Zion.” In the Old Testament, Zion originally referred to the Jebusite fortress captured by David on Jerusalem’s southeastern hill—the area now called the City of David. Later, Zion could refer to the Temple Mount or Jerusalem as a whole. In the Byzantine period, Christians began applying the name to the southwestern hill of Jerusalem, where Dormition Abbey stands today. Therefore, the modern Mount Zion is not the original hill called Zion in 2 Samuel 5. What Does “Dormition” Mean? 1. The word dormition comes from the Latin dormitio, meaning “sleep” or “falling asleep.” Early Christians commonly used sleep as a respectful description of a believer’s death because they believed the body would one day be raised. 2. Dormition Abbey therefore commemorates the traditional place where Mary fell asleep in death. It is not presented as her tomb. 3. According to the Jerusalem tradition, Mary completed her earthly life on Mount Zion. The apostles carried her body from Zion across Jerusalem. She was buried in the Kidron Valley near Gethsemane. The Church of the Tomb of Mary, below the Mount of Olives, commemorates her burial. 4. The New Testament does not describe Mary’s death, funeral, burial, or assumption. Its final explicit reference to her places her in Jerusalem, praying with the apostles and other believers after the ascension of Jesus: “These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus” (Acts 1:14). 5. Dormition and Assumption The two terms are related but emphasize different aspects: Dormition emphasizes Mary’s peaceful death or “falling asleep.” Assumption refers to the Catholic belief that, at the completion of her earthly life, Mary was taken into heavenly glory, body and soul. 6. The Eastern Orthodox tradition teaches that Mary died before being glorified. 7. The Catholic definition issued by Pope Pius XII in 1950 says that Mary, “having completed the course of her earthly life,” was assumed body and soul into heaven. The wording does not formally settle the question of whether she died immediately beforehand. 8. The Bible does not tell us what happened at the end of Mary’s life, so we're not certain exactly what happened. However, this place does give us an opportunity to remember the biblical Mary—her faith, obedience, suffering, and devotion to Christ. Historical Background 1. The Apostolic Period Acts 1 places Mary with the apostles in Jerusalem following Christ’s ascension. The disciples were gathered in an upper room, praying as they waited for the Holy Spirit. Christian tradition eventually associated that upper room with this part of Mount Zion. The Bible does not explicitly say that Mary owned a house here, lived here permanently, or died here. The connection grew from the larger tradition identifying this district with the Upper Room and the early Jerusalem church. 2. The Byzantine Hagia Sion By the late fourth or early fifth century, a great Christian basilica known as Hagia Sion, meaning “Holy Zion,” stood in this area. It became one of Byzantine Jerusalem’s most important churches. Hagia Sion was associated with several biblical and traditional events, including: the Last Supper, the appearance of the risen Jesus to His disciples, Pentecost, the early Jerusalem church, and the death or Dormition of Mary. The church appears prominently on the sixth-century Madaba Map. Archaeological work indicates that an affluent Byzantine neighborhood, containing mosaic floors and even a bath complex, grew around the sanctuary. Hagia Sion was severely damaged during the Persian conquest of Jerusalem in AD 614. It was subsequently repaired or rebuilt in various forms. Excavations reported in 2024 uncovered another portion of the Byzantine complex, including part of the church’s narthex and a freshwater channel that may have supplied an atrium or courtyard. Archaeologists can reconstruct only part of the church because much of it lies beneath existing religious buildings and cemeteries. These discoveries confirm that the modern abbey occupies part of a significant Byzantine Christian complex. 3. The Crusader Church During the twelfth century, the Crusaders built a much larger church called Santa Maria in Monte Sion—Saint Mary on Mount Zion. It incorporated the traditions of the Upper Room, the early church, Pentecost, and Mary’s Dormition. The Crusader complex was damaged following Saladin’s conquest of Jerusalem in 1187 and gradually disappeared over the following century. Portions of the medieval structures survived in or beneath the present Upper Room and Dormition Abbey complexes. 4. Modern Dormition Abbey Era For centuries, the location remained largely a field of ruins beside the Muslim shrine known as Nabi Dawud, the traditional Tomb of David. Local Christians continued to venerate two stones as remains from Mary’s house. When the modern church was built, these stones were placed on the exterior of the bell tower at ground level. They remain devotional objects rather than scientifically identified first-century remains. In 1898, German Emperor Kaiser Wilhelm II visited Jerusalem. Through negotiations with Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II, he obtained the Mount Zion property and transferred its use to the German Association of the Holy Land. The cornerstone was laid on October 7, 1900. The crypt was completed and dedicated in 1904, the first German Benedictine monks arrived in 1906, and the complete church was consecrated on April 10, 1910. The Cologne architect Heinrich Renard designed the complex. Local workers from different religious, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds participated in its construction. During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Israeli forces controlled Mount Zion while Jordanian forces controlled the Old City immediately to the north. The abbey stood beside the front line and sustained serious damage. The sleeping figure of Mary in the crypt lost much of its original silver and gilded covering, and damage remains visible in parts of the church. From 1948 until 1967, the bell tower overlooked the divided city. Following the Six-Day War in 1967, Zion Gate reopened, and the monks could again walk directly into the Old City. Today, the abbey is an active Benedictine monastery and a center of prayer, theological education, ecumenical encounter, and dialogue with Judaism and Islam. Architecture of Dormition Abbey 1. The church is built in a Neo-Romanesque style, combined with Byzantine-inspired mosaics and Middle Eastern architectural elements. 2. Its massive circular form, small towers, thick stone walls, rounded arches, and conical roof give it the appearance of both a church and a fortress. The exterior was partly inspired by Worms Cathedral in Germany, while the interior arrangement was influenced by Charlemagne’s Palatine Chapel at Aachen. 3. The building has two principal levels: The bright upper basilica is used for worship. The lower circular crypt commemorates Mary’s Dormition. The detached bell tower gives the complex its distinctive skyline. The abbey’s original four bells were cast in 1909. Two smaller bells were added and consecrated in April 2025, bringing the total to six. One of the new bells was dedicated especially as a prayer for peace in the Holy Land. Places of Interest 1. The exterior view. The round central church The conical metal roof The four corner turrets The detached bell tower The contrast between the abbey and the nearby medieval Upper Room complex The building looks ancient, but it was completed in 1910. Its architects deliberately gave it a Romanesque, fortress-like appearance to connect modern pilgrims with Jerusalem’s Byzantine and Crusader Christian past. Damage to the surrounding walls and Zion Gate from the fighting of 1948. 2. The upper church and circular design. The upper church feels spacious because of its round central plan. Light enters through high windows, illuminating the limestone walls, floor mosaics, side chapels, and golden apse. The circular design draws the visitor toward the center. The church’s decoration combines themes of: Creation, the Trinity, Israel’s prophets, the apostles, Mary, and Christ as the center and light of the world. 3. The great floor mosaic. The elaborate floor mosaic was designed by the Benedictine monk Mauritius Gisler and completed in 1932. At its center are three intertwined rings, symbolizing the Trinity. Moving outward, the design includes prophets, apostles, evangelists, the months of the year, and signs of the zodiac. The zodiac is not being used for astrology. In this setting, it represents the created order, the movement of time, and the entire universe under God’s authority. The surrounding inscription draws from Proverbs 8:23–25, describing divine wisdom existing before the depths, springs, and mountains. The mosaic proclaims that God stands at the center of creation, history, revelation, and time. Everything begins in Him and is held together by Him. 4. The apse mosaic of Mary and Jesus. Above the principal altar is a large golden mosaic of Mary holding the child Jesus. Mary is not the ultimate center of the mosaic. She presents Christ, who holds an open book and identifies Himself as the light of the world. Old Testament prophets surrounding the scene point toward the promised Messiah, with special emphasis on Isaiah 7:14. The mosaic was created by Brother Radbod Commandeur shortly before the Second World War. The lower marble decoration was never completed because the intended materials were destroyed by wartime bombing in Germany. Notice that Mary’s purpose in the mosaic is to present Jesus. This reflects the clearest biblical role of Mary: she receives Christ by faith, brings Him into the world, and directs attention toward Him. 5. The side chapels. The circular church contains several decorated side chapels. Their mosaics reflect different biblical themes, saints, Christian nations, and Benedictine traditions. As you walk around, notice: Different artistic styles, Biblical figures, National symbols, Images of Mary from different cultures, and the way Christian communities from many countries contributed to one sanctuary. Some chapels and altars were supported by Christian communities in countries such as Hungary, Austria, Brazil, the United States, Ivory Coast, and others. The international artwork illustrates how Mary is honored across many cultures. 6. The stairs into the crypt. The atmosphere changes as visitors descend. The bright upper church gives way to a lower, more intimate chamber. The crypt is not a first-century room preserved intact. It is a modern sacred space constructed to commemorate the tradition of Mary’s final moments. Its round shape and surrounding columns create the impression of gathering around a deathbed. Ask your group to enter quietly because pilgrims frequently pray here. 7. The sleeping figure of Mary At the center of the crypt lies a life-sized wooden and ivory representation of Mary in repose. The figure was created by Brother Radbod Commandeur. Mary’s face is peaceful, presenting death not as terror but as rest in the presence of God. The original garment was decorated with silver and gold, but much of it disappeared during the fighting and occupation of the building in 1948. Damage to the face and hands also had to be repaired. The statue is not intended to be Mary’s physical tomb or actual body. It is a devotional representation of the Christian belief that she completed her earthly life in faith. 8. Christ and the six Old Testament women. Look directly above the sleeping figure. In the dome, Christ appears with open arms, welcoming His mother. He is surrounded by six women from the Old Testament: Eve: Mother of humanity; often contrasted with Mary in Christian theology. Miriam: Sister of Moses, who celebrated Israel’s deliverance. Ruth: Faithful foreign woman included in the ancestry of Jesus. Esther: Queen who risked her life to save her people. Jael: A woman involved in Israel’s deliverance from an enemy. Judith: Jewish heroine from the deuterocanonical book bearing her name. Together, they represent courageous women through whom God preserved, protected, or advanced His purposes. The mosaic places Mary within the larger story of God working through faithful women. 9. Byzantine and Crusader remains. Parts of the ancient churches lie beneath or near the modern abbey. Some archaeological remains and mosaic fragments have been displayed around the complex, though access and visibility can vary. These remains verify the antiquity of Christian worship here. They do not identify a first-century bedroom or prove that Mary died at the exact spot beneath the crypt. Mary in the Bible 1. Matthew 1:18–25: Mary conceives Jesus through the Holy Spirit; Joseph obediently receives her as his wife. 2. Luke 1:26–38: Gabriel announces that Mary will give birth to the Messiah. Mary submits herself to God’s will. 3. Luke 1:39–45: Mary visits Elizabeth, who blesses her for believing God’s promise. 4. Luke 1:46–55: Mary’s Magnificat praises God as Savior and celebrates His mercy and faithfulness. 5. Luke 2:1–20: Mary gives birth to Jesus in Bethlehem and reflects on the shepherds’ testimony. 6. Luke 2:19: Mary treasures and ponders the events surrounding Jesus’ birth. 7. Luke 2:22–35: Simeon announces that Jesus will bring salvation but warns Mary that a sword will pierce her soul. 8. Luke 2:41–52: Mary and Joseph find the twelve-year-old Jesus in the Temple. Mary continues pondering these events. 9. John 2:1–11: At Cana, Mary brings the need to Jesus and tells the servants to do whatever He says. 10. Matthew 12:46–50: Jesus teaches that a spiritual relationship with Him is based on doing the Father’s will. 11. Luke 11:27–28: Jesus emphasizes that true blessedness belongs to those who hear and obey God’s Word. 12. John 19:25–27: Mary remains near the cross while Jesus entrusts her care to the beloved disciple. 13. Acts 1:12–14: Mary joins the apostles and other believers in united prayer before Pentecost. 14. Galatians 4:4–5: God sent His Son, born of a woman, to redeem those under the Law. Faith Lesson from the Dormition Abbey 1. Dormition Abbey honors Mary’s final rest, but the greatest lesson from Mary’s biblical life is not how she died. It is how she lived. What about us? Are we living for Christ as Mary did? 2. Mary listened when God spoke: “May it be done to me according to your word” ( Luke 1:38). What about us? Are we at peace with the will of God in our lives, even if we don't fully understand or agree with it? 3. She praised God as her Savior: “My soul exalts the Lord , and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior ” (Luke 1:46–47). What about us? Do we exalt God and rejoice in Him as our Savior? 4. She pondered God’s work when she did not fully understand it: “Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart ” (Luke 2:19). What about us? Do we glorify God even though we don't understand all He is doing? 5. She remained faithful during suffering. Simeon had warned her that a sword would pierce her soul, and years later she stood near the cross as her Son was crucified. What about us? Are we faithful to God in the midst of our sufferings and trials? 6. She directed people toward Jesus: “Whatever He says to you, do it ” (John 2:5). What about us? Do we direct people to Jesus and encourage them to obey and love Him? 7. And after Christ’s resurrection and ascension, she joined the other believers in prayer: “These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer” (Acts 1:14). What about us? Have we joined a Bible-believing church that honors God in Scripture and prayer?

Videos About Mount Tabor In Israel and the Transfiguration of Christ. Mount Tabor is the best candidate for the transfiguration of Christ. It has a lot of evidence dating back to the Old Testament, along with believers after the time of Christ, who set this site aside as the true place of the transfiguration. Sites of interest include the Franciscan Basilica of the Transfiguration, St. Elias Greek Orthodox Church, Descentibus Chapel, Melchizedek Chapel. Mt. Tabor: Transfiguration of Christ Photo Gallery Places of Interest Mount Tabor Transfiguration of Christ Location 1. Mount Tabor, rising like a dome-like mountain from the Plain of Jezreel, is the place where Christian tradition places the transfiguration of Jesus. 2. It’s about 11 miles (15 km.) southwest of the Sea of Galilee and about 5 miles (8 km.) east of Nazareth. 3. Mount Tabor stands some 1,500 ft. (457 m.) above the Jezreel Valley plain in Lower Galilee. 4. It held a strategic position at the junction of several trade routes. For this reason, many battles have been fought around it. 5. It's mentioned as one of the key mountains in Scripture: The north and the south, you have created them; Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name (Psalm 89:12). 6. While some people believe that the transfiguration took place on another mountain, such as Mount Hermon in northern Israel, every historical document that we have tells us that this miracle took place on Mount Tabor in the Jezreel Valley. There have been multiple churches on this site that have confirmed this tradition. Historical Background 1. In the Old Testament, Mount Tabor is described as a sacred mountain and a place for worship. However, it's not mentioned by name in the New Testament. 2. Throughout its history, it has been a place where mankind has sought contact with the divine. 3. It also served as an important fortress during the Old Testament, Greek, Roman, and Crusader times. 4. It is best known as the believed place where the transfiguration of Christ took place, an event in the Gospels in which Jesus is transfigured upon an unnamed mountain and speaks with Moses and Elijah as described in Matthew 17:1–9; Mark 9:2–8; and Luke 9:28–36. 5. It would make sense that if the Apostles quickly revealed the miracle of the Transfiguration, they would also indicate where it happened. Not surprisingly, first-century Christians would be curious about the location as well. It is fairly obvious on which side of the location debate history is on. The earliest identification of the Mount of Transfiguration as Tabor is by Origen in the 3rd century, where he says, "Tabor is the mountain of Galilee on which Christ was transfigured." 6. Christian tradition in the early centuries named Mount Tabor as the place of the transfiguration of Christ. This location is cited in early apocryphal writings and was accepted by the Syriac and Byzantine churches. 7. Around 350 AD, both Saint Cyril of Jerusalem (Catechetical Lectures, 2, 16) and Saint Jerome (Ep. xlvi, ad Marcel.; Ep. viii, ad Paulin.; Ep. cviii, ad Eust.) declared, categorically, that the miracle happened on Mount Tabor. During this time Christians started making pilgrimages to this mountain. 8. Around 450 AD, Saint Proculus, Patriarch of Constantinople (447 AD; Oration 8, in Transfiguration), Agathangelus (History of the Armenians, 2, 17), and Arnobius the Younger (d. 460; Commentary in Psalms. 88, 13) all say that the miracle took place on Mount Tabor. 9. In 553 AD, the Fifth Council of Constantinople decided that Mount Tabor should have churches built there. And by 570 AD, a Byzantine church was standing on Mount Tabor, with chapels dedicated to Moses and Elijah (Pilgrim of Piacenza). During the 8th century there was at least one more church added, and a monastery. 10. During the Byzantine period, due to the importance of Mount Tabor in Christian tradition, it became a pilgrimage site from the 4th century and onward. According to descriptions of the pilgrims visiting this site during the 6th century, there were three churches that resided on the top of Mount Tabor. 11. Some biblical scholars today now question this tradition. These scholars see the much higher Mount Hermon as a more likely location as it was closer to Caesarea Philippi, where Peter’s confession of Christ took place. However, this is very unlikely for the following reason. After the transfiguration of Christ, He descended the mountain and was met by a crowd of people: Matthew 17:14: "And when they came to the crowd , a man came up to him and, kneeling before him." Mount Hermon was in a district that the Jews did not go to because it was filled with pagan worship and gentiles. Therefore, it would be extremely unlikely that a large crowd of Jews would be in this area. Also, according to Mark 9:30, right after this event, "They left that place and passed through Galilea." Mount Hermon and Caesarea Philippi were not in the Galilean region, so again, it's very unlikely Mount Hermon was the site where the Transfiguration of Christ took place. 12. Mount Tabor is a much better candidate, and there is great value in considering the 2,000-year-old tradition of history at this site. 13. Scripture says that the transfiguration of Christ took place 6 days after Peter’s confession of Christ in Caesarea Philippi. Mount Tabor is only about 40 miles (65 km.) south of Caesarea Philippi, which could easily have been reached in 6 days. 14. It’s really not important where this event happened but that it did happen. 15. Today, there are two main churches and monasteries on top of Mount Tabor, marking the event of the transfiguration of Christ. They include the Franciscan Basilica of the Transfiguration and St. Elias Greek Orthodox Church. Places of Interest 1. Franciscan Basilica of the Transfiguration – The main church that is visited and sits at the highest part of Mount Tabor. This church, which is part of a Franciscan monastery complex, was completed in 1924. It was built on the ruins of an ancient (4th–6th-century) Byzantine church and a 12th-century church of the Crusader Kingdom period. 2. St. Elias Greek Orthodox Church – Located on the northern side of Mount Tabor. It’s named after the Prophet Elijah. 3. Tower & Walls 4. Other ancient structures, chapels, cisterns, and quarries. 5. Descentibus Chapel: As you approach the church compound, on the right side of the road you will see the chapel. It marks the traditional spot where Jesus told his Apostles not to speak of the Transfiguration that they just witnessed until He rose from the dead. 6. Melchizedek Chapel 7. Jezreel Valley Mount Tabor in the Bible 1. Mount Tabor is mentioned 12 times in Scripture. 2. It's first mentioned in Joshua 19:22 as a border between the three tribes of Zebulun, Issachar, and Naphtali. The mountain's prominence is due to its strategic location at the junction of Galilee's north-south route, along with the east-west highway of the Jezreel Valley. 3. According to Judges chapter 4, Hazor was the seat of Jabin, the king of Canaan. His military commander, Sisera, led a Canaanite army against the Israelites. Deborah, the Jewish prophetess, summoned Barak of the tribe of Naphtali and gave him the following command from God. Judges 4:14–16: And Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day in which the Lord has given Sisera into your hand. Does not the Lord go out before you?” So, Barak went down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him. 15 And the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army before Barak by the edge of the sword. And Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot. 16 And Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left. 4. Transfiguration of Christ. Matthew 17:1–13: And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John, his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” 8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. 9 And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” 10 And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” 11 He answered, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things. 12 But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also, the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist. 5. After descending Mount Tabor, Christ healed a man and used Mount Tabor as an example of faith. Matthew 17:14–20: And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, 15 said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” 17 And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain , ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” Faith Lesson from Mount Tabor 1. The transfiguration of Christ is another proof that He was truly the Son of God and divine. 2. It cemented in the hearts of Peter, James, and John, who would become key leaders in the early church, that Christ was definitely the Messiah and God the Father in the flesh. 3. The Apostle Peter looked back to this landmark event of the transfiguration to speak about how sure and solid our faith in Christ and His Word is. 2 Peter 1:16–21: For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain [mount of transfiguration]. 19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation [source or wisdom]. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 4. Are we anchored in our faith and unmovable? 5. Do we believe Christ was God in the flesh, and are we willing to follow Him and be His disciples? 6. Do we have faith that we can move spiritual mountains if we have faith in Christ?

If you want an in-depth Bible-centered trip and see more holy sites in Israel than other tours, then this trip is designed for you. Holy Land Trips Final Payment Secure Payment Link Holy Land Trip Final Payment To complete your final deposit payment, please send $1,850 by credit card, PayPal, or check. Payment can be made for more than one person if needed. If paying by credit card or PayPal, a 4% fee is added to your total amount due to fees charged by the credit card and PayPal providers. If paying by credit card or PayPal, click the button below. PayPal does not require you to create a PayPal account to use your credit card. $1,850.00 Final Payment Payment can be made for more than one person if needed. If paying by check, please send your check to the following address: Holy Land Site (Make checks payable to: Holy Land Site) 6945 Burnett St., SE Salem, OR, 97317-5202 (Using regular mail is preferred as there's not always someone available to sign for certified mail).

Gilgal became a central meeting place throughout the rest of the Old Testament and appears to have been a small city or community. Camp Gilgal is the first place the Israelites camped after crossing the Jordan River and entering the Promised Land. At Camp Gilgal, Joshua erected 12 stones taken from the Jordan River as a monument of remembrance. Camp Gilgal was the first place the Israelites celebrated the Passover after entering the Promised Land. Gilgal Photo Gallery Places of Interest Gilgal Location There are two locations for Gilgal. 1. Tel Gilgal is situated in the Jordan Valley plain at the place of the modern city of Gilgal, which is located about 8 miles (12 km.) north of Jericho on Hwy. 90. 2. Camp Gilgal is located on the eastern edge of Jericho on Hwy. 90. Historical Background 1. The late Professor Adam Zertal (University of Haifa), did much research on the biblical location of Gilgal and discovered that it’s possible it wasn’t necessarily a specific location but a common name for a camp or religious site in its early period. 2. In Zertal’s research, he discovered 5 potential sites where the Israelites could have camped after crossing the Jordan into the Promised Land. Each place is uniquely shaped like a human right footprint. This is likely attributed to the promise given to them in Deuteronomy 11:24: Every place on which the sole of your foot treads shall be yours; your border will be from the wilderness to Lebanon, and from the river, the river Euphrates, as far as the western sea. 3. Joshua 4:19, places Gilgal on the eastern edge of Jericho: Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth of the first month and camped at Gilgal on the eastern edge of Jericho . The place of Tel Gilgal (modern-day Gilgal) doesn’t seem to fit the qualifications found in Joshua 4:19. 4. If Zertal’s claims are true, then it’s possible Tel Gilgal (located at modern Gilgal) was the more permanent Gilgal that is referred to 35 times in Scripture, and the place on the eastern edge of Jericho was a temporary place where the Israelites camped. This seems reasonable as there are no remains of a permanent city on the eastern edge of Jericho. 5. Tel Gilgal became a central meeting place throughout the rest of the Old Testament and appears to have been a small city. Places of Interest 1. Tel Gilgal 2. Tower 3. Heel part of the footprint shape of Tel Gilgal. 4. Center part of the footprint shape of Tel Gilgal. 5. Tabernacle 6. 12 Stone Monument (it appears it was moved from Camp Gilgal to Tel Gilgal as a permanent monument at a later date). 7. Altar 8. Toe part of the footprint shape of Tel Gilgal. 9. Modern Gilgal 10. Jericho 11. Jordan River 12. Camp Gilgal on the eastern edge of Jericho. Gilgal in the Bible 1. Camp Gilgal is the first place the Israelites camped after crossing the Jordan River and entering the Promised Land. Joshua 4:19: Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth of the first month and camped at Gilgal on the eastern edge of Jericho. 2. At Camp Gilgal, Joshua erected 12 stones taken from the Jordan River as a monument of remembrance. Joshua 4:18–20: It came about when the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord had come up from the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up to the dry ground, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks as before. 19 Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth of the first month and camped at Gilgal on the eastern edge of Jericho. 20 Those twelve stones which they had taken from the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal. 21 He said to the sons of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ 22 then you shall inform your children, saying, ‘Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the Lord your God had done to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed; 24 that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, so that you may fear the Lord your God forever.” 3. Camp Gilgal was the first place the Israelites celebrated the Passover after entering the Promised Land. Joshua 5:10: While the sons of Israel camped at Gilgal , they observed the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month on the desert plains of Jericho. 4. It was at Gilgal that the Gibeonites tricked the Israelites into making a covenant with them so they wouldn’t be destroyed. Joshua 9:3–6: When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, 4 they also acted craftily and set out as envoys, and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins worn-out and torn and mended, 5 and worn-out and patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and had become crumbled. 6 They went to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country; now, therefore, make a covenant with us.” 5. Gilgal was the place from which Caleb, one of the two faithful spies Moses sent to spy out the Promised Land, asked Joshua for his portion of the land. Joshua 14:6–9: Then the sons of Judah drew near to Joshua in Gilgal , and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know the word which the Lord spoke to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh-barnea. 7 I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought word back to him as it was in my heart. 8 Nevertheless, my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt with fear; but I followed the Lord my God fully.” 9 So Moses swore on that day, saying, “Surely the land on which your foot has trodden will be an inheritance to you and to your children forever, because you have followed the Lord my God fully.” Joshua 14:13: So Joshua blessed him and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance. 6. The Prophet Samuel visited and taught the Word of God regularly at Tel Gilgal. 1 Samuel 7:15–16: Now Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. 16 He used to go annually on circuit to Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all these places. 7. Saul, the first king of Israel, was made king at Tel Gilgal. 1 Samuel 11:14–15: Then Samuel said to the people, “Come and let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there.” 15 So all the people went to Gilgal , and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal . There they also offered sacrifices of peace offerings before the Lord; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly. 8. Tel Gilgal was a central gathering place for the Israelites. 1 Samuel 13:4: All Israel heard the news that Saul had smitten the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel had become odious to the Philistines. The people were then summoned to Saul at Gilgal . 9. King Saul’s reign over Israel came to an end at Tel Gilgal because of his disobedience. 1 Samuel 13:8–14: Now he waited seven days, according to the appointed time set by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal ; and the people were scattering from him. 9 So Saul said, “Bring to me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering. 10 As soon as he finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him and to greet him. 11 But Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “Because I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the appointed days, and that the Philistines were assembling at Michmash, 12 therefore I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not asked the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself and offered the burnt offering.” 13 Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, for now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom shall not endure. The Lord has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.” 10. God pronounced judgment upon Israel at Tel Gilgal because of their disobedience to Him. Hosea 9:15: All their evil is at Gilgal ; Indeed, I came to hate them there! Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will drive them out of My house! I will love them no more; all their princes are rebels. Amos 5:4–6: For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel, “Seek Me that you may live. 5 But do not resort to Bethel and do not come to Gilgal , nor cross over to Beersheba; for Gilgal will certainly go into captivity and Bethel will come to trouble.” Faith Lesson from Gilgal 1. Like the Israelites who took 12 stones out of the Jordan River to mark the fulfillment of God’s miracle in bringing them into the Promised Land, we too should set up remembrances to help us remember what God has done in our lives. 2. Like Caleb, who was faithful in trusting God, we should emulate his faith and strength. 3. Unlike Joshua, who failed to pray and seek the Lord regarding the trickery of the Gibeonites, we should bring our cares and decisions to the Lord. 4. We should heed the warnings from the life of King Saul, who presumed upon God’s grace and disobeyed the Lord regularly. 5. Lastly, we should not be like the Israelites, who slowly turned away from the Lord and were disciplined by God.

The story of Noah’s Ark is one of the most intriguing stories known to mankind. It can be found in around 200 different accounts around the world on almost every continent.Overwhelming evidence can be seen today for what is believed to be the site of Noah's Ark. Of all the stories in the Bible, Noah’s Ark and the flood are the most controversial. Is it all true and did it really happen? How did it happen? And if it is true, is there evidence for the existence of Noah’s Ark? Noah's Ark Location Noah's Ark This name means Noah's Ark Noah's Ark Scan 3 Noah's Ark 1/42 Noah's Ark & the Great Flood The story of Noah’s Ark is one of the most intriguing stories known to mankind. It can be found in around 200 different accounts around the world and on almost every continent. However, many people today believe Noah’s Ark and the Flood are just myths or some altered version of ancient beliefs. Of all the stories in the Bible, Noah’s Ark and the Great Flood is one of the most controversial. Is it all true? Did it really happen? How did it happen? And if it’s true, is there evidence of the Flood and the existence of Noah’s Ark today? I believe you will be fascinated and touched by the amount of evidence that exists for the truthfulness of Noah’s Ark and the Bible’s account of all that took place surrounding this catastrophic event. The Great Flood account is mentioned in writings or oral traditions found all around the world. The Great Flood Account is referred to in around 200 accounts. These flood legends are common across a wide range of cultures, extending back into Bronze Age and Neolithic prehistory. These accounts depict a flood, sometimes global in scale, usually sent by a deity or deities to destroy civilization as an act of divine retribution. They are found on virtually every continent and share very similar themes. This is so because Noah’s descendants stayed together until God confused their languages at Babel and they scattered as found in Genesis 11. As the various people groups spread around the globe, the story of the Flood was shared, until it became distorted and embedded in their respective histories. The oldest known recording of a global flood is the Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh from the eighteenth-century BC. The Biblical Account of Noah and the Great Flood is the Most Complete and Trustworthy Account The most significant, complete, and trustworthy account is found in the Bible in Genesis chapters 6–8. Noah and the Great Flood are mentioned 47 times in the Bible. With references in 9 different books of the Bible such as Genesis, 1 Chronicles, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Matthew, Luke, Hebrews, and 1 Peter & 2 Peter. This means Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jesus, the Apostle Peter, and other biblical writers all attest to the truthfulness of this catastrophic event as literal and real. What is very notable is the fact that Jesus referenced Noah and the Flood 5 times in the Gospel accounts. This is weighty evidence to the reality of Noah’s Ark and the Great Flood because Jesus referred to it as being a literal event, not some myth or fairy tale. Places of Interest 1. Noah’s Ark National Park 2. Noah’s Ark Location 3. Noah’s Ark Visitor Center 4. Drogue – Anchor Stones 5. Noah’s Home 6. Noah’s Altar & Corrals 7. Mountains of Ararat 8. Mount Ararat 9. Wall of Heaven Site 10. Crow Won’t Land Site 11. Village of the Eight History of the Durupinar Site of Noah’s Ark We’ll now look at a brief history of this site and then look at the overwhelming evidence supporting this place as the best candidate for the location of Noah’s Ark. 1. In recent years it has been named after Turkish Army Captain Ilhan Durupinar, who shot an aerial photo of the site while on a mapping mission for NATO in October 1959. Durupinar informed the Turkish government of his discovery, and a group from the Archeological Research Foundation, which included George Vandeman, Ilhan Durupinar, and Arthur Brandenberger, professor of photogrammetry, surveyed the site in September 1960. After two days of digging and dynamiting inside the “boat-shaped” formation, the expedition members found only soil and rocks. Their official news release concluded that “there were no visible archaeological remains” and that this formation “was a freak of nature and not man-made.” 2. However, long before Durupinar photographed this site, there is evidence going back thousands of years of people venerating this area. We see evidence of carvings, writings, relics, stele, ostraca, drogue stones, name locations, the size and shape of the Ark in the landscape, and so forth. This evidence begins with Noah and continues to the early Christians, the Crusaders, and later. It all attests that this site seems to be the genuine place of Noah’s Ark. 3. After Durupinar’s time, the site was then ignored until 1977, when interest in it was renewed again and promoted by biblical researcher and explorer Ron Wyatt. Throughout the 1980s, Wyatt repeatedly tried to interest other people in the site, including ark hunter and former astronaut James Irwin and creationist John D. Morris. 4. In 1985, Wyatt was joined by David Fasold, and geophysicist John Baumgardner. This expedition is recounted in Fasold’s book, “The Ark of Noah.” As soon as Fasold saw the site, he exclaimed that it was a shipwreck. Fasold brought along state-of-the-art ground-penetrating radar equipment and a “frequency generator.” He put it on the wavelength setting for iron at the site and searched the formation for internal iron. Fasold and the team state that the ground penetration radar revealed a regular internal structure beneath the surface. Fasold believed the team found the fossilized remains of the upper deck and that the original reed substructure had disappeared. In the nearby village of Kazan, formerly called Arzap, they examined so-called drogue and anchor stones that they believed were once attached to the ark. Fasold kept repeating that no matter what the experts said, there was too much evidence at the Durupinar site for it to be dismissed. He remained convinced it was the fossilized remains of Noah’s Ark. 5. Due to the amount of evidence, in 1987, the Turkish government declared the site to be Noah’s Ark, and a Visitor Center was constructed. It was preserved and called “Noah’s Ark National Park.” 6. From 1987 to 1997, Ron Wyatt and others like Allen Roberts, Andrew Snelling, and David Fasold continued to research the site. It should be noted that Ron Wyatt was the most influential person who worked the hardest and was the most involved in the research and promotion of this site. In 1998 Fasold died, and in 1999, Wyatt died as well. 7. In 1997, Andrew Jones visited this site and would later become the main researcher and promoter of this site. 8. In late 2014, the Turkish government granted permission to allow the site of the boat-shaped object to be scanned using the latest deep penetration resistivity ground imaging technique known as Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT). The scans were carried out by John Larson. This was the first time equipment able to reach 125 ft. or 38 m. deep with sufficient resolution was used on the site to acquire 3D images of the structure that remains beneath the ground. Resistivity imaging is a technique that was developed during the 1920s, for deep oil and mineral exploration. More recently, new equipment has become available with vastly improved resolution capabilities, to the extent where now it has become an effective tool in the field of archaeology. Using this technology, John Larson did major work on the site in 2014 to produce scans that appear to provide more evidence that this site is a man-made object that fits the biblical measurements and descriptions of Noah’s Ark. 9. In 2015, Andrew Armstrong became the key biblical researcher and liaison between the Turkish government and foreign interests. In fact, Andrew is the one who has generously provided us with much of the media of the site to produce this video. Andrew is an American but lives in Turkey and resides about 11 miles or 17 km. from the Durupinar Site. 10. In 2017, the Noah’s Ark Visitor Center was renovated to accommodate tourists better. Another renovation of the Visitor Center is planned for the coming years as well. 11. In 2019, the Science Channel did a documentary on the site called: “Forbidden History.” 12. In 2019, ground-penetrating radar (GPR) surveys were conducted at the site by an Oregon-based business called Topa 3D. Their surveys showed further evidence supporting this site as Noah’s Ark. 13. In 2021, Ryan Mauro, president of the Doubting Thomas Research Foundation, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to investigating the historicity of biblical accounts, became involved in the site as well. 14. Currently, the Turkish government is working on its own scans. They are working in conjunction with Andrew Armstrong. 15. Plans are underway to do excavations of the boat-shaped object in the coming years. Evidence Supporting this Site as Noah’s Ark Now let’s look at the evidence supporting the Durupinar Site as the best candidate for the location of Noah’s Ark. 1. It’s in the mountains of Ararat as the Bible states. Genesis 8:4 says: Then in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat. Notice that the Ark came to rest in the mountains of Ararat. It doesn’t say it came to rest on the Mountain of Ararat, as some claim. This means it came to rest in the region of Ararat. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica: The name Ararat, as it appears in the Bible, is the Hebrew equivalent of Urardhu, or Urartu, the Assyro-Babylonian name of a kingdom that flourished between the Aras and the Upper Tigris rivers from the 9th to the 7th century BC. The Bible also confirms that Ararat was a kingdom at one time: Jeremiah 51:27: “Set up a standard on the earth; blow the trumpet among the nations; prepare the nations for war against her; summon against her the kingdoms, Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz; appoint a marshal against her; bring up horses like bristling locusts. 2. Evidence from the boat-shaped object. It fits the general Ark dimensions of 300 cubits long by 50 cubits wide by 30 cubits high. Its length is exactly 300 royal cubits, which is 515 feet long or 157 m. Its width is larger than 50 royal cubits, which is 86 ft. or 26.21 m. The ruins today measure 138 ft. or 42 m. wide. This extra width has been explained by understanding that the sides of the Ark fell outward as it decayed or that the 50 cubits were an average width of the Ark, not its width at its widest point. Three distinct layers or decks have been discovered from different geophysical scans, ground penetrating radars, and electrical resistivity images taken over the years. These scans reveal these layers only within the ship-shaped object and not outside of it. An earthquake in 1978 lowered the sides outside of the Ark considerably. Images taken before and afterward clearly reveal a change to the sides of the proposed Ark shape. Many believe the sides now reveal several vertical rib-timbers used in the Ark’s construction. Ron Wyatt dug a 6-inch round shaft tunnel into the side of the Ark-shaped formation and claimed to have found petrified animal dung, deer antlers, cat hair, human hair, and other fibers. Metal detector tests taken numerous times over the years all reveal a very distinct organized pattern of metal beneath the surface, which is consistent with the shape of a large ship. Four intact metal rods have been discovered by the Turkish government, each measuring about 4 ft. or 1.2 m. in length. In June of 1991, an interesting object was discovered, which seems to be a large rivet with a washer around it. It was believed to fasten the large timbers of the Ark together. An analysis of the rivet object showed it was made of various metals such as titanium, aluminum, iron, and other metals. Interestingly, just centimeters away from the rivet object, there were no traces of iron in the soil. The Encyclopedia Britannica tells us that because of its chemical activity, aluminum never occurs in the metallic form in nature. It should be noted that the Bible affirms the knowledge and use of iron in Genesis 4:22. It says: As for Zillah, she also gave birth to Tubal-cain, the forger of all implements of bronze and iron. Therefore, Noah certainly had access to iron for building the Ark. During a radar scan done by Ron Wyatt in the presence of the local Turkish governor, something unique seemed to appear. The Turkish governor ordered a soldier to dig up the ground, and a petrified piece of wood was uncovered. It was later tested and revealed it was indeed organic in nature and appeared to be four layers of wood laminated together. This is believed by some to be part of a deck timber. Even more surprising were laboratory analyses which not only revealed that the petrified wood contained carbon proving it was once wood, but there were iron nails embedded in the wood! The Turkish government also claims they have found additional petrified wood at the site. As mentioned, John Larson carried out Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) in 2014, which provides 3D images that are quite convincing that under the surface of the boat-shaped object are what appear to be different decks and structures of a ship. Researcher Andrew Jones and lead scientist Dr. Fethi Ahmet Yüksel of the Department of Geophysical Engineering, along with Applied Geophysics Department of Istanbul University, believe that the results of the scans indicate a man-made artifact beneath the surface that could well be the Ark, and are eager to continue studying the location. The team believes that the new GPR data shows parallel lines and angular structures 8 to 20 feet down and that these parallel lines and right angles below the surface are something you would not expect to see in a natural, geologic formation. Using 3D scans of GPR and ERT technology, the researchers claim that they uncovered a man-made boat structure beneath the ground. The formation identified in the scans, according to the team, matches the dimensions of the Genesis description of Noah’s Ark. Plans are underway to carry out Orthophoto photography, LiDAR imaging, and related mapping studies using aerial drones (UAV) in the region designated as Noah’s Ark. Core drilling plans are also underway for the boat-shaped object as well. 3. Drogue and Anchor Stones These drogue and anchor stones were used as ship stabilizers to better withstand storms and cause drag, so ships weren’t driven and tossed on the oceans. Found in this area are around 30 of these drogue and anchor stones. They are found scattered along a path running west to east. It appears as the waters were receding, the drogue stones began hitting the land under the water, so they were cut loose. The remaining stones are generally in the area where the Ark eventually came to rest. Many of these stones have holes carved in them for connecting ropes from the Ark to the stones. Some of the holes have broken over the years in some of the stones. These drogue stones were continually used in ancient times after the Flood and can be found in places like Israel and the Nile River in Egypt. Many of these stones in the vicinity of the Durupinar site have holes in them that ropes were tied to in order to stabilize the Ark. These drogue stones are over 200 miles from the closest ocean and about 5,300 ft. or 1,615 m. above sea level. They have no business being here other than that a huge ship like the Ark dropped them here. The numerous stones discovered near the Durupinar Site are the largest ever discovered in the world. This would make sense as the Ark was massive in size and would need extra-large stones to stabilize it. Many of these stones have crosses carved on them from early Christians visiting this site, and others have crosses that are from the Crusader Period from around 1200 AD. Some of the stones have eight crosses on them, representing Noah and his family that were saved from the Flood. Several of the stones have been used as grave markers as well. One of these stones has an ancient carving that appears to be the Tower of Babel. Another stone has unknown ancient writings on it that have yet to be interpreted and translated. All these carvings reveal that this site was venerated long ago and visited by religious people for thousands of years. Another large stone is believed to have been used as a sounding stone for measuring the depth of the water under the Ark. 4. The names of the surrounding places affirm this site as Noah’s Ark location. Village of the Eight – This village was named after Noah and his family that God saved from the Flood. It used to be called Kazan and today is called Goller. Kargaconmaz – Means: The crow or bird won’t land. This refers to Noah letting birds out of the Ark to see if there was dry land. Ziyaret Dagi – Means: To make a voluntary pilgrimage. This likely refers to the pilgrimage of Noah and his family aboard the Ark. Uzengili Town – This was formerly called Mahser, which means: To be drawn out of the water or judgment day. The name Moses has the same root. In Genesis 10:30, it says regarding the descendants of Noah: Now their settlement extended from Mesha going toward Sephar, the hill country of the east. Mesha shares the same root word as Mahser. Mahser Location – This has the same meaning as the town of Uzengili but is the location of the area. Nasar – Means: To make a sacrifice. This likely refers to the sacrifices Noah made to God in worship after he and his family were saved from the Flood. Yigityatagi – Means: Hero’s anchorage. This refers to the place where the drogue and anchor stones came to rest in this area of the mountains of Ararat. Arz-zapt (Arzap) – Means: To capture the earth. In the Semitic version of Arz-zapt, which is Eretz-tsab, means: To cling to the earth. These names are linked to the place where the Ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. The name for this town today is Sagliksuyu and is where some drogue stones, the ruins of Noah’s house, and Noah’s altar are located. Nuhun Gemisi – This name means Noah’s Ark in Turkish. It is referred to as the location of Noah’s Ark today, and road signs placed by the government use it to mark the route to Noah’s Ark National Park. 5. Due to the history and evidence at the Durupinar Site, the Turkish government designated this place as Noah’s Ark National Park. This gives more weight to this site as the location of the Ark. 6. There are many road signs today and from the past that mark this site as genuine. 7. Interestingly, what is believed to be the remains of Noah’s home, the grave of Noah’s wife, gravestone markers, a stream by Noah’s home that would have provided water for planting crops, vineyards, and animal husbandry, and a large rock that many believe was the altar Noah used for sacrificing animals to God has been discovered in the town of Arzap. The remains of Noah’s home are believed to be located here in this area. It was once somewhat erected but has been torn down over the years by treasure hunters. A sarcophagus was discovered by Ron Wyatt, which is a stone coffin or a container to hold a coffin that had skeletal remains of a person who was about 15 ft. or 4.5 m. tall. It’s believed before the Flood that people and animals were much bigger as they lived longer. The remains are believed to be those of Noah’s wife. The sarcophagus has been hauled off by treasure hunters and sold on the black market. However, its depression in the ground is still visible today. It’s also believed the jewelry she was wearing was robbed and sold on the black market for millions of dollars. Some of the skeletal remains have survived and reveal the size of the person who was in the grave. Two tombstones were found in front of what’s believed to be Noah’s home. On one of the tombstones found by Ron Wyatt, it had carvings of 8 people, a rainbow, and a dove on it. This tombstone is believed to be that of Noah’s wife, as the second-largest person is looking downward with their eyes closed. Remains of ancient corrals have been discovered where it’s possible Noah kept his animals are nearby, along with a stream, pastures, and so forth that could have been used by Noah and his family. A large rock nearby is believed to be an altar Noah could have used for animal sacrifice after the Flood. 8. There have been found in the area around the site many sea life fossils and an abundance of sea coral that give evidence that this area was once underwater for a significant period of time. This would match the Genesis account of the Great Flood as found in the Bible. 9. Broken remains of an ancient stele, which is a stone or wooden slab erected in the ancient world as a monument, were claimed to have been found on top of a ridge near the Iranian border by Ron Wyatt. The broken pieces were quite large, and most were exposed, which allowed Ron to photograph them for later piecing together. This stele contained numerous inscriptions of what looked like 3 different forms of writing. One segment was particularly legible. This was a scene depicting the unique ridge just above the site, a mountain peak in the background, a ship with 8 faces in it, and 2 ravens (one flying above the ship and one above the mountain.) The rest of the inscription featured several animals. But the importance of the stele was that the shape of the boat was almost identical to the 1950s aerial photo of the boat-shaped object. The 8 faces within the boat needed little explanation according to Wyatt. But most importantly, this stele was just beyond the site where Ron had found the 120 x 40-foot section he believed to be a portion of the bottom of the ship. He would study the inscription more later, but at that time, it appeared to him that it was marking the location of the original landfall of the ark. 10. An ostracon was found by Dr. Bill Shea around 100 ft. or 30.48 m. from the boat formation. An ostracon is a teaching tool usually made up of a piece of broken pottery that has something written or sketched on it that passes along an important story. On one side of the ostracon, as interpreted by Bill Shea, it has an inked-on drawing of a man with two birds. One is on his arm, and the other is being released. Below it is a bird flying back that has a branch in its mouth. The other side shows a man with a mustache and a beard, and has a hammer and spike in his hands. Shea interprets this as Noah likely building the Ark. 11. Dr. Robert Michelson discovered an ossuary in 1998 above the Durupinar site that dates back to around 1600 BC, 900 years after the Great Flood. This would have been the time Noah’s descendants inhabited the area. An ossuary is an item the deceased person’s bones are put in and kept for long-term purposes. This was only done for very important people. 12. There are also other ancient relics one would expect to find at a site that has been venerated for thousands of years. Historical Accounts of the Location of Noah’s Ark The Gilgamesh Epic gives Mt. Nisir as the landing place of the Ark. The local name for the town where the Ark was found is Nasar. The town just above the boat-shaped object was formerly called Nasar. This is similar to Niser that the Babylonian writer Berossus described as being near the Ark site in the third century BC. Flavius Josephus, a Jewish historian living around the time of Christ, wrote: “Its remains are shown there by the inhabitants to this day.” This means the Ark was not on top of Mt. Ararat as it’s covered in ice virtually year-round. Theophilus of Antioch (115-185 AD) said the Ark could be seen in his day in the Arabian mountains. Later, Church Fathers also mention the Ark as late as the mid-7th century AD. Ptolemy’s Geographia (1548) mentions the mountains of Armenia as the place of landing. So does the traveler Nicolas de Nicolay (1558). It was reported that Pilgrims visiting the site would gather bits and pieces of the petrified wood which would be used as charms to ward off evil. When they encountered the drogue and anchor stones, they had no doubt as to their association with the Ark. All these accounts suggest that the location of Noah’s Ark was in an accessible place like the Durupinar Site and not on the inaccessible upper part of Mt. Ararat. Is There Evidence for Noah’s Ark on Mt. Ararat? Over the past several hundred years, some have claimed to have spotted the Ark on the upper part of Mt. Ararat, but no substantial evidence has been produced. For example, Fernand Navarra claimed to have touched the Ark and supposedly brought down from the mountain wood from the Ark. However, when the wood was tested, it was far too young to be that of Noah’s Ark, and those accompanying him later revealed that Navarra carried the wood up to the mountain earlier and then brought it down to promote his book called, “Noah’s Ark: I Touched It.” There have been others as well who have claimed to have found pieces of the Ark, but they have been discredited as hoaxes. Many claim the evidence points to Mt. Ararat as being a more recent volcano that happened after the Flood. This is evidenced by the type of rock formations, the lack of sea fossil records, and no sentiment deposits that would result from the mountain being underwater. If this is the case, then it would be impossible for Noah’s Ark to be on Mt. Ararat because it wouldn’t have even existed when the Flood occurred. Another major reason why Noah’s Ark is unlikely on top of Mt. Ararat is that the Bible and geology support that before the Flood, there was a water canopy above the earth that caused a greenhouse-like effect on the whole earth. This is why there has been found lush tropical vegetation evidence at the northern and southern poles. When the Flood occurred, the water canopy in the sky came down upon the earth, and the earth’s climate was permanently changed. The earth was exposed to the upper atmosphere without a water canopy, causing instant freezing toward the northern and southern poles and the higher elevation mountains. Mt. Ararat is the tallest mountain in Turkey and is about 17,000 ft. or 5,165 m. above sea level. The claims to the locations of Noah’s Ark on Mt. Ararat are at the upper elevations where the glaciers are found. Most of these proposed sightings are above what is called the “tree line.” This is the level where vegetation stops growing. With this being the case, it seems illogical and contrary to God’s supernatural protection of the Ark, and those in it, to allow the Ark to rest on the upper elevations of Mt. Ararat as it would have been in a place of severe freezing temperatures, a harsh environment, extremely rough terrain, and hard to descend from to lower elevations. In fact, of the deaths occurring to those who climb Mt. Ararat, most happen on the descent down the mountain. All this causes me to question the validity of Noah’s Ark being on the upper part of Mt. Ararat, as some claim. It just seems unlikely that God would cause the Ark to rest on the top of a massive mountain with such a harsh environment for Noah and the animals to have to confront. Also, there would have been no vegetation at such a high altitude for survival. They would have had to rapidly descend the mountain in order to survive. Again, it all seems contrary to God’s nature and His care for those inside the Ark. It seems much more logical to believe the Ark came to rest at the Durupinar site, which is much lower, flatter, and environmentally friendly for life after the Flood. The Durupinar Site Is the Best Candidate for the Location of Noah’s Ark In summary, taking into account all the evidence at the Durupinar Site, it is by far the best candidate for the location of Noah’s Ark. Now while the boat-shaped formation is intriguing, I believe all the other evidence is sufficient to believe this area is the site of Noah’s Ark even without taking into consideration the boat-shaped formation. The names of the places in the area, the drogue stones, the relics, carvings on the stones, and so forth provide weighty evidence that this is very likely the true site of Noah’s Ark. In archaeology, the history and length of time a site has been venerated is highly valued. It’s certain that this site has been venerated for thousands of years and wouldn’t have been so if it wasn’t highly valued. This Durupinar Site certainly meets all the criteria of archaeology to be considered the most likely place of Noah’s Ark. Faith Lesson from Noah’s Ark 1. Do we truly believe that the biblical account of Noah’s Ark and the Great Flood really happened? Today, there is a raging battle taking place between those who want to eliminate a literal account of the creation of the universe and the Great Flood account as found in Genesis 1–8. The battle is between those who attempt to explain every earthly event by using only the natural laws of nature. In other words, they eliminate the existence of God and the supernatural. Therefore, they are only left with natural explanations for everything that occurred in the past. God tells us that the answer to these apparent dilemmas is faith. Hebrews 11:3 tells us that: By faith we understand that the worlds were framed [created] by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. Creation was a supernatural event that we should believe by faith. Additionally, God says that without faith it is impossible to please God. Hebrews 11:6 says: But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Mankind’s problem is that they trust in their own intelligence and beliefs rather than trusting in God. Proverbs 3:5 clarifies this problem and the solution: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. God identifies unbelief as a sin in the Bible. Hebrews 3:12 says: Take care, brothers and sisters, that there will not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. What about us? Do we believe God created the universe and all that exists in six literal days, as the Bible says, or do we lean on the understanding of so-called scientists and others who say otherwise? Also, do we believe there was a literal flood like God says, or do we believe people instead? It’s really a matter of whom we choose to believe. Do we believe what God says in the Bible or people? It’s that simple. 2. Do we understand why God sent the Flood? The purpose of the Great Flood was to destroy all the wicked people on the earth. Now while this might sound cruel, it is actually an exercise of God’s mercy and justice. Sin causes heartache and suffering. When sin reaches such a severe state, then God will step in and eliminate it. This is what He did with the Flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, the Canaanites, and so forth. Also, we believe children go to heaven if they die before the age of accountability. So, instead of having to suffer at the hand of the wicked, they go to heaven. And lastly, everyone will die sooner or later, so in the grand scheme of time, it doesn’t matter a whole lot if a person dies young or old. What matters is that they are right with God and following Him. Also, God is just in punishing the wicked, whether it be during their time on earth or after they die. So what about us? Do we realize that we all will stand before God and give an account of our lives? If we are believers, we will be judged for how we used our gifts and abilities for God, not whether we will go to hell. Those who reject God and His offer of salvation through Jesus Christ will be judged and sent to hell. 3. Do we believe Noah and the Great Flood are examples of judgment to come? Before God destroyed all the wicked in the Flood, He gave them sufficient time to repent. However, they continued in their wickedness and rejected their Creator. It is the same today. Jesus said in Matthew 24:37–39: But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the Flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the Flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. And 1 Peter 3:20 speaks of how God patiently waited for the wicked to turn to Him before He sent the Great Flood: When once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. Moreover, 2 Peter 2:4 says: For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; 5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the Flood on the world of the ungodly. 4. Do we believe God is patiently waiting, like in the days of Noah, for people to turn from their sin and get right with their Creator? 2 Peter 3:3–14 says: Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue just as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, 6 through which the world at that time was destroyed by being flooded with water. 7 But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly people. 8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be discovered. 11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. 14 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found spotless and blameless by Him, at peace. 5. What about us? Have we received Christ as our Savior, and are we right with God?

See a video about the Kidron Valley (Valley of Jehoshaphat) that talks about the judgments and the Wine Press of God's wrath. Learn about the Great Tribulation, Christ's second coming, blood flowing up to the horses' bridle, the gathering of the nations, and more. Absalom’s Tomb, Zechariah’s Tomb, Mount of Olives, Temple Mount, City of David. Kidron Valley: Shadow of Death Photo Gallery Places of Interest Kidron Valley: Shadow of Death Introduction 1. The Kidron Valley, also known as the Valley of Jehoshaphat, or the Kings Valley, is also called by many "The Shadow of Death." 2. It's the deep valley, or wadi (drainage way) between the Mount of Olives and Old City Jerusalem. It was much deeper during the time of King David. It has been filled in somewhat over time. 3. The Hinnom and Tyropoeon Valleys drain into the Kidron Valley, which goes to the Dead Sea. 4. According to revelation 14:20, it is in this valley where God will judge the nations at the end of the Great Tribulation Period, and the blood will flow up to the horses' bridles. 5. The Triumphal Entry path crossed this valley. 6. Gethsemane is in this valley. 7. Jesus walked through this valley repeatedly, and on the last night of his life on earth, was arrested here in Gethsemane and crossed over it on his way to be condemned to crucifixion. 8. David crossed this valley as he fled Absalom’s rebellion. 9. Josiah, a godly king, had false god idols thrown into this valley and burned. 10. The lower part of the valley, where it meets the Hinnom Valley, is where the trash was burned and referred to as Gehenna, which was referred to as hell in the New Testament. 11. There are three incredible monuments and tombs in this valley called Absalom’s Tomb or Pillar, the Tomb of Benei Hezir, and the Tomb of Zechariah. We'll be exploring and learning all about them. 12. The valley is a sacred ravine of tears, judgment, and redemption. It's a must-see site in Jerusalem. Location 1. Just beyond the ancient eastern walls of Jerusalem lies a sweeping, rugged ravine that holds the memories of kings, the decrees of prophets, and the purposeful footsteps of the Savior. 2. The Kidron Valley—also known in Scripture and tradition as the Valley of Jehoshaphat—is far more than a mere geographical boundary. For millennia, it has served as a profound spiritual landscape, intertwining earthly topography with heavenly destiny. 3. Whether viewed through the lens of ancient geography, archaeological discovery, or biblical revelation, the Kidron Valley stands as one of the most historically and spiritually significant sites in the Holy Land. 4. The Kidron Valley, also called the Valley of Jehoshaphat, lies between the Old City of Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives. Historical Background 1. To understand the history of Jerusalem, one must first understand its geography. Built on a rugged limestone ridge in the Judean mountains, ancient Jerusalem relied heavily on its natural surroundings for survival. The Kidron Valley forms the city's definitive eastern boundary, physically separating the original City of David and the Temple Mount from the towering Mount of Olives to the east. 2. In antiquity, this deep ravine was much steeper and deeper than it is today, providing Jerusalem with a crucial natural defense. It served as a formidable moat, meaning an invading army could not easily mount a siege from the east. 3. Hidden at the base of the Kidron Valley lies the Gihon Spring. This spring was the singular lifeblood of ancient Jerusalem, providing the city with its only reliable, year-round freshwater source. Without the Gihon Spring bubbling up in the Kidron, Jerusalem could not have existed in such an arid landscape. The valley itself is a wadi (a dry riverbed) for most of the year, flowing with water only during the heavy winter rains before descending through the harsh Judean Desert toward the Dead Sea. 4. Because the Gihon Spring was originally located outside the city walls in the valley, it was highly vulnerable to enemy capture. To secure this life-giving water from an impending Assyrian siege, King Hezekiah commissioned a massive engineering project in the 8th century BC (2 Kings 20:20). Archaeologists have excavated and cleared Hezekiah’s Tunnel, a 1,750-foot channel carved entirely through solid bedrock to redirect the spring's water safely inside the city walls to the Pool of Siloam—a marvel of ancient engineering that still flows with water today. 5. It was much deeper in biblical times. 6. It is referred to repeatedly in Scripture as a place of judgment. 7. It is called the Winepress of God’s wrath. Places of Interest 1. Kidron Valley 2. Mount of Olives 3.Temple Mount 4. Eastern Gate 5. Garden of Gethsemane 6. Cave of Gethsemane 7. Tomb of Mary 8. Silwan Community 9. City of David 10. Absalom's Tomb (Pillar) The Biblical Tradition: The monument derives its name from 2 Samuel 18:18, which records that David’s rebellious son, Absalom, erected a pillar for himself in the King’s Valley to preserve his name, as he had no sons. For centuries, it was a local custom for passersby—and fathers of disobedient children—to throw stones at the monument to condemn Absalom’s rebellion. The Archaeological Reality: Despite the enduring tradition, archaeologists firmly date the structure to the 1st century AD, roughly 1,000 years after Absalom’s death. According to 2 Kings 18:17, the historical Absalom was denied a royal burial and was instead thrown into a pit in the forest of Ephraim and covered with a massive heap of stones. Architecture: Standing roughly 20 meters high, the structure is unique. The lower square section is hewn from a single solid block of bedrock, decorated with Greek Ionic columns and a Doric frieze. The upper section, capped with a distinctive masonry conical roof, contains a small burial chamber accessed via a short staircase. Shifting Identities: Most archaeologists and scholars attribute the tomb as belonging to Herod II or also known as Agrippa I. In the Byzantine era, Christian monks carved Greek inscriptions into the facade, attempting to attribute the tomb to figures like Zechariah (the father of John the Baptist) and Simeon (from Luke 2). 11. The Tomb of Benei Hezir The Archaeological Reality: This is the oldest of the Kidron Valley’s monumental tombs, dating to the 2nd century BC (the Hellenistic/Hasmonean period). Unlike Absalom’s Pillar and the Tomb of Zechariah, this is a genuine, sprawling burial cave complex dug deep into the cliffside. The Biblical Connection: An engraved Hebrew inscription on the architrave clearly identifies this as the resting place of multiple generations of the Benei Hezir family. The Hezirs were a wealthy and prominent family of Kohanim (priests). The name appears twice in scripture: as the founder of the 17th priestly division (1 Chronicles 24:15) and among the leaders who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah (Nehemiah 10:20). Architecture: The facade features a classical distyle in antis design, showcasing two pillars with Doric capitals. It demonstrates a blend of ancient Greek and Nabataean architectural influences, which was highly fashionable among Judean elites of the time. Christian Tradition: In the 19th century, Western explorers frequently misidentified this site as the "Tomb of St. James," based on a tradition that the Apostle James hid in these caves from the Romans and was later buried there in 62 AD. 12. The Tomb of Zechariah The Tomb of Zechariah is one of the most striking monuments in the valley. Carved directly from the bedrock, it rises like a solid stone memorial crowned by a pyramid-shaped top. At the bottom of the monument is an unfinished tomb carved into the bedrock. Its traditional name connects it with Zechariah, but archaeology tells a more careful story. This monument dates not to the days of the biblical prophet or priest traditionally associated with it, but to the late Second Temple period. And remarkably, it is not truly a tomb in the usual sense at all. It is solid rock—a monumental memorial, often described as a Nefesh, a funerary marker or memorial structure. Purpose: Because it lacks an interior chamber for burial, archaeologists classify it as a Nefesh (a memorial monument or cenotaph). It is widely believed that this structure served as the grand Nefesh for the adjacent Tomb of Benei Hezir, or perhaps for another nearby burial cave that was never completed. The Medieval Naming Trend: During the Middle Ages, Jewish, Christian, and Islamic pilgrims frequently traveled to Jerusalem seeking tangible connections to scriptural narratives. Because the true origins of many of the Kidron Valley's massive Second Temple period monuments had been forgotten over the centuries, locals and guides began assigning the names of famous First Temple biblical figures to these structures. The First Written Record: The specific association with Zechariah was firmly established in 1215 AD by a Jewish traveler named Menahem haHebroni. He is the earliest recorded source to explicitly identify this specific 1st-century AD monument as the resting place of the 9th-century BC priest. Once published in travel accounts, the name stuck and was adopted by subsequent generations of pilgrims. The Appeal of the Martyr: The biblical account of Zechariah ben Jehoiada is dramatic and memorable, making him a prime candidate for a grand memorial. According to 2 Chronicles 24:20-22, after the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah to deliver a harsh rebuke to the nation, King Joash ordered him to be stoned to death in the courtyard of the house of the Lord. The striking, monolithic nature of the monument made it a fitting canvas for later generations to project the memory of such a prominent martyr. It was built hundreds of years after Zechariah's death to serve as a Nefesh (a memorial marker) for the adjacent burial caves belonging to the Benei Hezir priestly family. 13. Other Burial Caves 14. Gihon Spring Kidron Valley in the Bible 1. For the Christian believer, the most poignant moment in the Kidron Valley’s history occurred on the night before the crucifixion of Jesus. After observing the Last Supper, Jesus and His disciples left the upper room to pray. John 18:1 records: "When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered." The historical and topographical context of this single verse is staggering. It was the night of Passover. According to the Jewish Mishnah, a channel ran from the base of the Temple Mount's altar down into the Kidron Valley. The excess blood from the thousands of Passover lambs sacrificed in the Temple drained through this conduit, spilling directly into the brook Kidron. When Jesus crossed the valley that night, the waters would have been visibly stained crimson. The true Lamb of God quite literally stepped over the blood of the earthly sacrificial lambs as He made His way up the Mount of Olives into the Garden of Gethsemane. A thousand years earlier, David crossed the Kidron fleeing for his life in defeat; Jesus, the Son of David, crossed the very same valley walking deliberately toward His death—and toward eternal victory. 2. God will gather the nations to the Kidron Valley at the end of the Tribulation and judge them. Joel 3:1–3: For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land, 3 and have cast lots for my people, and have traded a boy for a prostitute, and have sold a girl for wine and have drunk it. 3. It is the Winepress of God’s wrath. Revelation 14:14–20: Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” 16 So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped. 17 Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” 19 So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle [5 feet or 1.75 meters], for 1,600 stadia [200 miles, or 300 kilometers]. The flow of the river of blood from the Kidron Valley will run east toward the Dead Sea, then go south toward the Red Sea. 4. The judgments of God throughout history. God judged Satan and the angels who rebelled against Him. They are now called demons. God judged Adam and Eve for their disobedience. God judged the ancient world by sending a great flood upon the whole earth. God judged Sodom and Gomorrah. God judged the Canaanite nations and commanded Israel to destroy them because of their great wickedness. God gave clear warnings of blessings and curses to the Israelites in Deuteronomy chapters 27 and 28. The nation of Israel disobeyed God repeatedly and was eventually deported from their land. This was a fulfillment of Deuteronomy chapters 27 and 28. Contrary to what many people believe, Christ talked more about hell than heaven. Today there is very little mention of the judgments of God. 5. The ultimate judgment awaits those who reject Christ’s offer of salvation. Christ was the leading figure who talked about hell in the Bible. He described hell as: A fiery lake of burning sulfur that is unquenchable and never goes out (Matt. 25:46; Mark 9:43–44; Rev. 21:8). Everlasting destruction away from the presence of the Lord (2 Thess. 1:9). Where people gnash their teeth in pain (Matt. 13:50). Where the devil and the demons suffer (Matt. 25:41). A gloomy dungeon (2 Pet. 2:4). Where the worm never dies (Mark 9:48). A fiery furnace (Matt. 13:42). Where people will be salted with fire (Mark 9:49). A place of weeping (Matt. 13:50). A place of utter darkness (Jude 1:13). A place of fiery flames (Luke 16:24). A place of torment (Luke 16:28). According to Christ, hell is a real place, and many will choose to go there because of their rejection of Him. They choose materialism, pleasure, and the pride of life over the salvation of their souls and the eternal riches of Christ. 6. The final judgment of God at the Great White Throne. Revelation 20:11–15: Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence, earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. 7. Why does God give more time and attention to judgment than blessings? 1. In the two foundational passages given to the Israelites regarding blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience to God (Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 27 and 28), about 17% of the verses deal with blessings, and 83% deal with curses. 2. Additionally, Christ followed this same pattern and talked more about hell than heaven. 3. This pattern reveals that God has designed the human heart in such a way that it responds better to warnings than blessings. 4. This is so because blessings are optional, but judgment is not. I can choose the blessings if I want, but I can’t choose to escape judgment for disobedience. Faith Lesson from the Kidron Valley 1. It is a valley of profound grace. It stands as an eternal reminder that the same ravine the Savior crossed in the dark of night, bearing the weight of the world's sin, is prophesied to one day witness His glorious return. The valley of sorrow and judgment has, through Christ, ultimately become the valley of our redemption. 2. Do we realize God is a God of love, but He is also a God of justice? 3. Do we realize the reality of the judgments of God? 4. Do we believe in a literal hell, and do we talk about it like Christ did? 5. Do we understand that God has done everything possible to save us, but if we reject Him, then we are choosing separation from Him in hell instead? 6. Have I received Christ as my Savior and am I living for Him? 7. Am I telling others about Christ’s offer of eternal life?

The Church of Pater Noster is located on the top of the Mount of Olives, just below the Chapel of the Ascension. Pater Noster Church, originally called "Eleona," is where Jesus taught about the Lord's Prayer, end time events, and where it's believed He ascended back to heaven. Take a tour of this place and learn how to pray and walk with God in this video. Sites of interest include: Mount of Olives, Kidron Valley (Valley of Jehoshaphat), Garden of Gethsemane. Pater Noster (Eleona) Church Photo Gallery Places of Interest Pater Noster (Eleona) Church Introduction Welcome to Pater Noster Church. Pater Noster means "Our Father" in Latin. 1. This church was built over the cave where it's believed Jesus taught His disciples the Lord's Prayer, as found in Luke 11:1–4. The Crusaders discovered marble plaques on this site, on which the Lord’s Prayer was inscribed in both Greek and Hebrew. Modern archeologists have also uncovered a third plaque inscribed in Latin. 3. It's also the place where it's believed Jesus gave the famous Olivet Discourse about the end times, as found in Matthew 24. 4. We're going to enter the very cave where Jesus taught the Lord's Prayer, and even recite it there. 5. We're going to take a special walk to a place where few tour groups go, overlooking Old City Jerusalem, just like Jesus did with His disciples as He spoke the words of Matthew 24. 6. We'll be in the very footsteps of Jesus as we explore and experience this site. Location 1. The Church of Pater Noster is located on the top of the Mount of Olives, just below the Chapel of the Ascension. 2. It was first named the Church of Eleona, which means "olive grove." Then, later, in around 1100 AD, its name was changed by the Crusaders to Pater Noster Church, which means "Our Father" because it refers to the beginning of the Lord's Prayer. 3. It is part of a Carmelite Monastery, also known as the Sanctuary of the Eleona (Greek for olive grove). 4. It's believed to be the place where Christ taught about the Lord's Prayer, gave the Olivet Discourse as found in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21, and ascended back to heaven as found in Acts 1:9-11. 5. The location of the ascension of Christ to heaven was moved to the top of the Mount of Olives (where the Chapel of Ascension is located today) around 350 AD, as it was believed to be the actual site where it actually took place. Historical Background 1. Pater Noster means “Our Father” in Latin. 2. Soon after Christ ascended back to heaven, early Christians venerated this site because of its significance. 3. Writing around 318 AD, Eusebius, Bishop of Caesarea, who was an eyewitness to this site, writes: "According to the common and received account, the feet of our Lord and Savior, himself the Word of God, truly understood . . . upon the Mount of Olives at the cave that is shown there. On the ridge of the Mount of Olives, he prayed and handed on to his disciples the mysteries of the end, and after this, he made his ascension into heaven as Luke teaches in the Acts of the Apostles." 4. Around 330 AD, a church was commissioned and built by Constantine on this site, marked by Helena, the mother of Constantine. It was one of the numerous churches constructed by Constantine, the first Christian Roman emperor. Some of these churches include the Church of the Nativity, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Church of Pater Noster (formerly known as the Church of Eleona), a Church at Mamre in Hebron, a church at the Shepherds' Fields in Bethlehem, and others. The church was built in three levels on the slopes of the Mount of Olives, with stairs connecting each level. The church was built on the highest level and resembled a long, rectangular hall with two rows of columns. Its apse was on the east side, facing the rising sun. The remains of the apse can still be seen today by taking a set of stairs down into the grotto. The center level was an atrium, a colonnaded forecourt, and the lowest level was on the west side, consisting of a portico (porch) erected on six columns. Only its foundations were discovered during the excavations in the 19th century, including the crypt (cave), located under the eastern edge of the church. 5. The Byzantine church was built over a cave, which, according to tradition, was the place where Jesus taught his disciples how to pray. 6. The Persians destroyed the church in 614 AD, but the memory of Jesus’ teaching continued to be associated with it. Some of the Byzantine church remains can be seen in the backyard outside the present courtyard. 7. When the Crusaders arrived, the site was explicitly associated with the Lord's Prayer, so the Crusaders rebuilt part of the church in 1099. 8. In 1851, the remaining stones of the 4th-century church were sold for tombstones in the Valley of Jehoshaphat (Kidron Valley). 9. The site was acquired by Princess Aurelia Bossi de la Tour d'Auvergne (1809–1889) in the second half of the 19th century, and a search for the cave mentioned by early pilgrims began. In 1868, she built a cloister and founded a Carmelite convent in 1872. A convent church was erected in the 1870s. Aurélie, who had a special love for the Lord’s Prayer, decided to purchase all of these ruins, and it is here that she built a convent with a European-style cloister. Aurelie apparently heard about the plaques with the Lord’s Prayer inscribed in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, and it seems that this inspired her to continue the tradition by building 39 more plaques, all in different languages, to be displayed on the walls of the church. Today, there are almost four times as many plaques all over the walls of this church, each one reciting the Lord’s Prayer. 10. In 1910, the foundations of the ancient church that once stood over the venerated cave were finally found, partly stretching beneath the modern cloister. The convent was moved nearby, and reconstruction of the Byzantine church began in 1915. The half-restored church has the exact dimensions as the original, and the garden outside the three doors outlines the open-air area. 11. The reconstruction was stopped in 1927 when funds ran out, and the renewed Church of Eleona remains unfinished. The French architect Marcel Favier, who was appointed to oversee the reconstruction of the ancient church, arrived in Jerusalem in September 1926. 12. The tomb Princess Aurelia Bossi prepared for herself during her lifetime stands at the entrance of the modern church. She died in Florence, Italy, in 1889, and her remains were brought to the church in 1957, according to her last wish. 13. The Carmelite Cloistered Sisters oversee the current church. 14. It is very likely that Jesus prayed in this vicinity because He had just visited Mary, Martha, and Lazarus’ house in Bethany, a short distance away. 15. Jesus also regularly prayed on mountaintops, so the top of the Mount of Olives would be a natural fit. Places of Interest 1. Layout of the original Byzantine Church built in around 330 AD by Constantine and overseen by his mother, Helena. The apse of the Byzantine Church can be seen today. Under the apse is the cave where it is believed Jesus taught about prayer is in an enclosed courtyard in front of the church and down a few stairs. Ruins of pillars in the courtyard. Beyond the courtyard, to the outside, is where part of the Byzantine Church was located. 2. The church has 140 large ceramic plaques containing the Lord’s Prayer in many languages. 3. To the left of the church's south door is an area paved with mosaics and identified as a baptistery. 4. The sarcophagus of Princess Aurelie In the year 1856 AD, an aristocratic widow named Aurélie de la Tour d'Auvergne, who had a special affection for the Lord’s Prayer, decided to purchase all of these ruins. It is here that she built a convent with a European-style cloister. She also intended to rebuild the church that once stood here, but it was never completed. 5. The modern-day chapel was part of the Carmelite convent complex, which was founded in 1872. 6. Open garden area south of the church where it's believed Jesus gave the Olivet Discourse. 7. Temple Mount 8. Old City Jerusalem The Lord’s Prayer in the Bible In the New Testament, the Lord’s Prayer is mentioned two times. The first and longer form is found in Matthew 6 and is part of the Sermon on the Mount. The shorter form is found in Luke 11 and is a response given by Jesus to a request from one of his disciples to teach them to pray as John had taught his disciples. Apparently, according to Luke 10:38-42, Jesus came to this place to pray while staying at the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, who lived in Bethany, located nearby to the southeast. 1. Jesus was asked to teach His disciples how to pray. Luke 11:1–4: It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.” 2 And He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.” 2. Christ gave examples of how we should pray. Luke 11:5–13: Then He said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and from inside he answers and says, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs. 9 So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. 11 Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? 12 Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” 3. Jesus also taught about how to pray in the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 6:5–15: And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Olivet Discourse in the Bible The Olivet Discourse, as found in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21, is believed to have occurred here. In these passages, Jesus discusses the events leading up to His second coming and what we can expect. Matthew 24:1-31 Jesus left the temple area and was going on His way when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. 2 But He responded and said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.” 3 And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” 4 And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will mislead many people. 6 And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pains. 9 “Then they will hand you over to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10 And at that time many will fall away, and they will [g]betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will rise up and mislead many people. 12 And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will become cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved. 14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. Difficult Times Will Come 15 “Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place—let the reader understand— 16 then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. 17 Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get things out of his house. 18 And whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. 19 But woe to those women who are pregnant, and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 Moreover, pray that when you flee, it will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. 21 For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will again. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no [q]life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘He is over here,’ do not believe him. 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and will provide great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. 25 Behold, I have told you in advance. 26 So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them. 27 For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. Christ's Glorious Return 29 “But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. 31 And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet blast, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. Christ's Ascension to Heaven Acts 1:9-11 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were watching, and a cloud took Him up, out of their sight. 10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, then behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them, 11 and they said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.” Faith Lesson from the Lord’s Prayer 1. Jesus prayed regularly and was in constant communion with the Father. Do we do the same? 2. We should not pray repetitious phrases but should pray in a sincere and heartfelt manner. 3. The Lord’s Prayer is not an exact phrase we must pray, but it gives us principles of how to pray. 4. Jesus taught that we should be persistent in prayer. 5. Jesus taught that He is a good, loving Father who delights in answering prayer when it is best for us and His sovereign will. 6. Jesus taught that if we expect God to forgive us, we should forgive others as well. Do we have people in our lives we need to forgive? 7. Do we realize Christ's return will be a real event, and are we ready for His return?

The church of Dominus Flevit marks the place where Jesus wept over Jerusalem as He entered it on Palm Sunday at His famous, Triumphal Entry from the Mount of Olives. See everything you want to know about this historical event. Dominus Flevit Church Photo Gallery Places of Interest Dominus Flevit Church Introduction Dominus Flevit Church is located on the Triumphal Entry Path and is where Jesus stopped and wept over Jerusalem. 1. He wept over Jerusalem because they would reject Him, and as a result, destruction would come upon them. 2. The church is shaped like a large teardrop. This is so as it represents the tears Jesus wept over Jerusalem. 3. There are only two times in the Bible where Jesus wept. This is one of them. 4. Let's experience and explore this meaningful site. Location 1. Dominus Flevit (Latin for "the Lord wept") is a Roman Catholic church on the Mount of Olives, opposite the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem in Israel. 2. It's located halfway down the western slope of the Mount of Olives just across from the Temple Mount and Old City Jerusalem. It marks the place where Jesus wept over Jerusalem's future fate. 3. The Triumphal Entry begins at the upper part of the Mount of Olives and winds its way down to the bottom of the mountain to the Garden of Gethsemane. Historical Background 1. The present church (finished in 1955) was built upon the foundations of an earlier Byzantine church from the 5th century, which, like most churches, faced east. 2. During the Crusader era (1099-1291 AD), people began commemorating the location. 3. After the fall of Jerusalem in 1187, the church fell into ruin. 4. Around 1525 AD, the Turks claimed to have built a mosque or madrasah using the remains of the earlier church. 5. For quite some time, the Franciscans could not obtain the ruins of the original Dominus Flevit Church. In 1891, they solved this problem by purchasing a plot of land nearby and building a small chapel on it. 6. In 1913, a private home was built in front of the Franciscan chapel. The home was given to the Sisters of Saint Joseph, although they eventually sold it to a Portuguese woman. During the construction of the boundary wall of this private home, the workers found the remains of ancient tombs. The site was then thoroughly excavated from 1953 to 1955. 7. During the sanctuary's construction, archaeologists uncovered artifacts dating back to the Canaanite period, as well as tombs from the Second Temple and Byzantine eras. 8. Other artifacts found were a tomb from the bronze era and a necropolis (building used to encase tombs) dating back between 136 BC to 300 AD. This particular necropolis spanned two different periods, as suggested by the two very different tomb styles. The Second Temple era tombs are in the Koki style, and the Byzantine period tombs had an arcosolium from the 4th century. 9. In 1940, the Benedictine Sisters sold part of the property to the Franciscans. The old boundary wall was moved at this time to make the division. In 1953, the Franciscans began construction of another wall. While digging the foundations, workers unearthed ancient tombs. 10. The modern church, designed by the Italian architect Antonio Barluzzi and constructed between 1953 and 1955, is held in trust by the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land. Places of Interest 1. Triumphal Entry Path 2. Entrance to Dominus Flevit Church Property 3. Just after entering the church property, to the right are ancient burial caves with different kinds of tombs. This is also called a N ecropolis, which is a building used to encase tombs. The first type of tomb is a slab with an arch. This was a common tomb style during Christ's time. It was used for wealthier people. The second tomb style is an open shaft and was used for middle-class people. Lower-class people were just buried in the ground with little or no markers. During this time period, the bones would be gathered for a second burial after about a year (when the bodies had decomposed) and placed in boxes called "Ossuaries." 4. Outside the Modern Church It was designed by the Italian architect Antonio Barluzzi and constructed between 1953 and 1955. It is held in trust by the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land. It is shaped in the form of a tear. Signifying Christ weeping over Jerusalem because of the future destruction He knew would come because the city would reject Him as their Messiah. It has four jars on the upper corners for holding tears, which was common in Jesus's time. A tear bottle is a small glass bottle representing sorrow, described in the Bible. Tear bottles were used to capture an individual’s tears during moments of grief as a sign of mourning or repentance. The bottles on this church represent the tears Jesus shed over Jerusalem. The Bible says that one day, God will wipe away all our tears: "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Rev. 21:4). 5. Pillars from the Crusader Period It appears these pillars were part of a Crusader Church from around 1150 AD, built over the ruins of the original Byzantine Church. 6. Mosaic from the Byzantine Church Just to the left of the modern church is a Byzantine mosaic floor, dating back to the beginning of the 4th or 5th century AD. Ribbons and wave motifs surround the floor. The center of the carpet is divided by squares containing round frames. The circles contain fruit, vegetables, flowers, and fish. The motifs reflect the importance of agriculture in Jerusalem's Byzantine era. Parts of the mosaic can also be seen inside the modern church building, featuring a limestone slab with a large cross at its center. 7. Inside the Modern Church Apse of the Byzantine Church — After entering the modern church, the original apse (semi-round circle marking the front of a church) can be seen. The original Byzantine church faced east, as did all churches during this era. Some of the mosaic floors from this church have been preserved. A cross from this period can be seen at the center of the floor. Ceiling—The ceiling is covered with gold. This color represents heavenly tears, namely, those of Jesus as He wept for Jerusalem, knowing its coming destruction. Four carved reliefs on the sides of the ceiling show the (1) Triumphal Entry, (2) the destruction of Jerusalem, (3) Mary, the mother of Jesus, and other women, and (4) Peter, James, and John, disciples of Jesus. The western window of the Dominus Flevit Church provides a beautiful view of the Temple Mount. A mosaic on the altar of the Dominus Flevit Church illustrates a hen gathering her chickens, according to Luke 13:34: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings , and you would not have it! 8. Crown of Thorns Tree Right in front of the modern church is a tree with huge thorns. It was from a tree like this that the crown of thorns was most likely made and placed on Jesus' head. 9. Location Where the Ashes of the Red Heifer Were Offered Some believe the ashes of the Red Heifer would have been offered in this area. It was right across from the Temple and fits the biblical description. Numbers 19:1-3: Now the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2 “This is the statute of the law that the Lord has commanded: Tell the people of Israel to bring you a red heifer without defect, in which there is no blemish, and on which a yoke has never come. 3 And you shall give it to Eleazar the priest, and it shall be taken outside the camp and slaughtered before him. 10. Winepress While the Mount of Olives consisted mainly of olive trees, it also had vineyards on it. Just below the church to the north there is an ancient winepress that was used for processing grapes. People would crush the grapes in a large pit (barefoot so they wouldn't crush the seeds and make the wine bitter), and then the juice would flow by gravity down into wine barrels for making wine. 11. Bethphage (beginning point of the Triumphal Entry) 12. Mount of Olives 13. Garden of Gethsemane 14. Temple Mount 15. Kidron Valley Triumphal Entry Background 1. The Triumphal Entry was a major event in the life of Jesus wherein He entered Jerusalem on the Sunday before He would be crucified and rise from the dead the following Sunday. 2. Christ designed this event to broadcast to the Nation of Israel that He was their Passover Lamb. 3. It is also called Palm Sunday because palm branches were laid on the road as Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. 4. It would mark Christ’s last days of intensive teaching and condemnation of the Jews for rejecting Him and His message. 5. It would begin Christ’s last week on earth. Triumphal Entry in the Bible 1. The Triumphal Entry was prophesied in the Old Testament. Some 450–500 years earlier, the Prophet Zechariah prophesied: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey” ( Zech. 9:9). 2. The Triumphal Entry was fulfilled in the New Testament. Matthew 21:7–9: They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. 8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ Hosanna in the highest!” 3. Palm Sunday was also the fulfillment of the Prophet Daniel's "seventy-sevens" prophecy. Daniel 9:25: Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times. 4. The Triumphal Entry, which occurred on the Sunday before the Passover, was also the day of the lamb selection for the Passover. According to Exodus 12, this was the day set aside for each Israelite family to choose the lamb they would kill for their Passover meal. The blood from their lamb was to be put on the doorposts of their homes so the angel of death would not kill their firstborn children. The Passover was celebrated each year to commemorate their deliverance from Egypt and to acknowledge God's miraculous salvation. The fact that Christ entered Jerusalem on this very day was no accident. He was proclaiming Himself as the Passover Lamb, not only for the Israelites but for all humanity. 5. Christ entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey. Luke 19:28–35: And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, "Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' you shall say this: 'The Lord has need of it.'" 32 So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. 33 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, "Why are you untying the colt?" 34 And they said, "The Lord has need of it." 35 And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. The meaning of a donkey. A donkey was a symbol of peace; a horse was a symbol of war. Christ came to make peace with mankind at His first coming by dying for our sins. However, at His second coming, He will come riding a horse to wage war with mankind and judge them for their sinful rejection of Him. 6. The crowd took branches of palm trees and cried out, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” John 12:12–13: So, they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!" The meaning of the palm branches. It was a cry for deliverance from Roman occupation. The last time the Israelites had their freedom, during the Maccabean rule from 167–63 BC, their money had the symbol of a palm branch as a sign of freedom. It was like the national flag of a country. It was the Jew’s way of saying that they wanted Christ to be their King and deliver them from the Romans.The meaning of the palm branches. 7. At the place marked by the church, Dominus Flevit, Christ paused and wept over Jerusalem. Luke 19:41–44: And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, "Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side 44 and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation." There are only two times in the Bible where it is noted that Christ wept. The first time was at the death of Lazarus, and the second during His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Both places are located on the Mount of Olives. In this account of Christ weeping, He wept for those who aren’t saved and the judgment that awaits them. Within 40 years, in AD 70, Jesus’ prophecy was fulfilled. Roman legions besieged Jerusalem and, after six months of fighting, burnt the temple and leveled the city. 8. The first time Christ wept took place at the death of Lazarus, just a week or so earlier on the backside of the Mount of Olives. J ohn 11:33–36: When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see." 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" In this account, Christ weeps for those who suffer. Faith Lesson 1. The Triumphal Entry was a prophesied event from the Old Testament and reveals the validity of Scripture and God’s sovereignty. 2. Christ wept over Jerusalem because of their rejection of Him and the judgment that would await them as a result. Does Christ weep for you because you don’t know Him and will be separated from Him in hell for all eternity? 3. Christ wept with those at the death of Lazarus. Does Christ weep with you as He understands your pain and suffering?

The Mount of Beatitudes is where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount. Located north of the Sea of Galilee in Israel, it is a must-see site to visit on a Holy Land Tour to Israel. Learn about the heart of what Christ was telling us and how it applies to us today. This sermon is the most complete and famous teaching Christ preached. It’s 3 chapters long and is found in Matthew 5–7. Sites of interest include: Mount Arbel, Magdala, Gennesaret, Tabhga, Capernaum, Bethsaida, Kirsi, Feeding 5,000. Mt. of Beatitudes - Sermon on the Mount Photo Gallery Places of Interest Mt. of Beatitudes - Sermon on the Mount Introduction Welcome to the Mount of Beatitudes. One of the most significant events from the Bible took place here. Here are the highlights. 1. This is the location of the Sermon on the Mount. The longest sermon of Jesus recorded in Scripture. 2. Imagine multitudes of people gathered here to listen to Christ's powerful and impactful words. 3. Scripture says the people were astonished at Jesus' teachings, and He taught them like no one else. 4. It's no surprise that Jesus taught from here, as it has a breathtaking view of the Sea of Galilee. 5. We'll tour the church and the surrounding area, seeing all its highlights and points of interest. 6. We're going to highlight some of the parts of the Sermon on the Mount right here, embracing and just soaking it in, just like the people that Jesus taught. 7. We are going to be sitting in the very area where Jesus taught around 2000 years ago, listening to the exact words He spoke in the very same place He spoke them. 8. Below this site, and just above Tabgha, is a place called "Mount Eremos." It has ancient ruins from a Byzantine Church and monastery from around 350 AD, stone monuments with inscriptions, and a cave where it's believed Jesus prayed. Location 1. The Mount of Beatitudes is located on a hill overlooking the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. 2. This is the best candidate for the location of the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 5:1: Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain , and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. Luke 6:12-13: In these days he went out to the mountain to pray , and all night he continued in prayer to God. 13 And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles. Luke 6:17: And he came down with them and stood on a level place , with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people. 3. It has a spectacular view of the sea. 4. It has great acoustics. Historical Background 1. This sermon is the most complete and famous teaching Christ preached. 2. It’s three chapters long and is found in Matthew 5–7. 3. In the same way the Law was given on Mt. Sinai, many theologians see the Sermon on the Mount as the summary of the New Covenant. 4. In this sermon, Christ clarifies many Old Testament meanings and misinterpretations by constantly saying, “You have heard it said, but I say to you.” 5. The view from the Sermon on the Mount is spectacular and provides a perfect backdrop for Christ’s hearers to see as they contemplated His powerful message. 6. It was no accident that Christ chose this setting, as He used nature and creation to aid in much of His teachings. 7. Archaeological remains at the foot of the modern church include the foundations of a small Byzantine-era church dating to around 350 AD. Fragments of mosaic flooring and a rock-cut cistern were found in those excavations. This early church is evidence that Christians identified this slope as a holy place by 350 AD. Building churches was illegal in the Roman Empire until 313 AD. So, even before a church was built here, the early Christians marked out this spot and venerated it long before the first church was built here. 8. Today, the Church of the Beatitudes is an octagonal building located on this site. It was built in 1938 for a Franciscan order of nuns. The eight sides of the church represent the eight beatitudes, as shown in Latin, in the upper windows. Places of Interest 1. Entrance 2. Plaques with Bible verses of the Beatitudes. 3. Fountain 4. Guest House and Beatitude Monastery up the hill from the church. 5. Church of the Beatitudes It's shaped like an octagon (eight sides). Why is this church, and many others, in the shape of an octagon? Jesus rose on the eighth day. Sunday was called the eighth day. By the time Christianity was legalized by the Edict of Milan in 313 AD, a universal Church tradition known as the Octave had developed. Eight plaques on the walls with the eight beatitudes written on them in Latin. Altar in the center made of alabaster and onyx. On the floor around the altar are eight mosaic tiles written in Latin. The main one says Praise be to Christ. Each of the other seven tiles has a specific biblical virtue written on it. Fortitude Charity (love) Prudence Faith Justice Hope Temperance Other plaques, written in Latin, are located around the walls. The acoustics within the church are excellent. Many groups sing songs inside the church. 6. Sea of Galilee 7. Mount Eremos Ruins Down the hill from the Mount of Beatitudes, and just above Tabgha, lie ancient ruins and interesting stone monuments. The circle of black basalt stones around this tree are the ruins of a Byzantine church and monastery dating to around 350 AD. It venerates the message of the Sermon on the Mount, the Great Commission, and the appearance of Jesus to 500, as found in 1 Corinthians 15:6. There is a large stone monument commonly called the Great Commission Stone on Mount Eremos. On the top of it are carved into the stone the Latin words: “Euntes Docete Gentes.” This is Latin and means: “Go, teach all nations.” Just below the “Euntes Docete Gentes” carving, the Bible verse, Matthew 28:16–20, is carved into the stone and refers to the Great Commission. Some sources identify the stone as the possible location where Jesus met His disciples on a mountain and commissioned them to go and preach the gospel to all nations, as found in Matthew 28:16–20. In the center of the stone is a large cross, representing Jesus. At the top of the cross are 11 marks, representing the eleven apostles. Among these marks are a larger mark and face, which are interpreted as representing the Apostle Peter. Below the cross are five 5 letter “C” marks (Roman numeral 100s), interpreted by many as representing the 500 disciples mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:6. In this area is a second stone. At the top of the stone is a Hebrew inscription that reads, "Our Home and Resting Place in Heaven." Just below this is a carved image of the face of Jesus. Toward the bottom of the stone, carved in Latin, is "Jesus Christus Ad Montem Advertere Venit Ad Orationem," which means that Jesus came to the mountain to pray. A third, and newer, stone is also in this area. Carved in English are the Beatitudes Jesus described in the Sermon on the Mount. Eremos Cave Just down the hill and to the west of the Mount Eremos ruins is what some believe to be the cave where Jesus spent the night in prayer before selecting his 12 disciples and preaching the Sermon on the Mount. However, Scripture says Jesus went up on a mountain to pray and preach. This area is not up on a mountain. 8. Job's Spring on the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee. A large spring with a waterfall that empties into the sea. The Sermon on the Mount in the Bible 1. In the eight beatitudes, everything is flipped or reversed from what most of us would understand as blessings. Matt. 5:1–12: Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: 3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 2. Christ addressed the true essence of anger, adultery, divorce, keeping our word, how to treat our enemies, giving, prayer, and what genuine salvation looks like. 3. He taught about storing our riches in heaven and how to handle worry and stress. Matthew 6:19–20: Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:25–34: Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles [nonbelievers] seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. 4. Christ ended His message with a sober warning about the importance of obeying and living out His words, not just listening to them. Matthew 7:24–29: Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it." 28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes. Faith Lesson from the Sermon on the Mount 1. Christ began His sermon by clarifying the principles of true blessings in life. Do we understand each principle, and are we living them out? 2. Christ focused on the heart attitude behind His commands. Do we understand that Christ looks at our hearts and motives for why we obey or don’t obey His commands? 3. Christ stressed the importance of storing our riches in heaven and living for eternity. Do we truly value our treasures in heaven, or are we primarily focused on this life and the treasures it has to offer? 4. Christ defined a wise person as one who lived out what He taught. He defined a foolish person as one who heard but did not put into practice what He taught. Do we often know what to do but fail to actually do it? 5. Are we building our lives on the sand or on the rock?

New discoveries of the Eastern Wall and Eastern Gate reveal that the actual location of the original temple was on the present-day Temple Mount. The Eastern Gate is situated on the eastern side of the Temple Mount, facing the Mount of Olives. It is an important gate because it plays a central role in Scripture and prophecy. Eastern Wall of Temple Mount Photo Gallery Places of Interest Eastern Wall & Eastern Gate Introduction Welcome to the Eastern Wall of the Temple Mount. This wall reveals hidden secrets dating back to around 3,000 years. 1. Discoveries of the Eastern Wall and Eastern Gate reveal that the actual location of the original temple was on the present-day Temple Mount. 2. The Eastern Wall of the Temple Mount is 1536 feet (468 m) long. 3. It was never moved farther eastward due to the Kidron Valley's sharp fall downward. 4. Muslims also put a cemetery directly in front of the Eastern Wall and Eastern Gate as an extra layer of precaution, believing that the Messiah, being a good Jew, would not walk through it and become unclean. However, whatever Christ touches becomes clean, so that presents no problem. Places of Interest Here are the highlights of the places we will see along the Eastern Wall: 1. The expansion section added by Herod the Great to the Temple Mount Platform around 19 BC. This is marked by stones butted up to each other. 2. The expansion section that the Hasmoneans added onto Solomon's Temple Mount Platform around 140 BC. This is marked by a curious bend in the wall and the changes in the stone styles in the wall. 3. The original section of Solomon's Temple Mount Platform dates back to around 960 BC. 5. An offset in the wall just west of the Eastern Gate marks a tower that once stood here during the time of Solomon or Hezekiah. It marks the northeastern corner of the original Temple Mount Platform that Solomon built. 6. Mount of Olives Highlights: Top of Mount of Olives Lookout Point Triumphal Entry Path Dominus Flevit Church Church of Mary Magdalene Gethsemane Kidron Valley 7. Kidron Valley Highlights: The Kidron Valley is on the eastern side of the Old City of Jerusalem, separating the Temple Mount from the Mount of Olives. It extends along a 20-mile course to the Dead Sea. The Bible refers to this area as the “Valley of Jehoshaphat,” which boasts Jerusalem’s richest concentration of rock-hewn tombs. Jesus most assuredly walked this valley many times during His visits to Jerusalem, especially as He crossed over from Bethany to the Temple Mount on the Mount of Olives. This was also the valley where Jesus walked on the night He was arrested, traveling from south to north as He led His disciples from the Upper Room to the Gethsemane Grotto. It is the valley that He walked north to south as He was escorted on the same night from Gethsemane up the Maccabean stairs to the palace of Annas. This is why we refer to this latter journey of Christ as “The Final Path.” Tomb of Absalom Although it is traditionally ascribed to Absalom, the rebellious son of King David of Israel (around 1000 BC), this monument is dated to the first century AD. It is named following the Jewish tradition in 2 Samuel 18:18, which reads “Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself the pillar which is in the King’s Valley, for he said; I have no son to keep my name in remembrance, he called the pillar by his own name; and it is called Absalom’s monument to this day .” Obviously, the pillar referred to in this passage is not the same as the monument that bears his name today. For centuries, it was the custom among residents, Jews, Christians, and Muslims to throw stones at the monument. Residents of Jerusalem would bring their unruly children to the site to teach them what became of David’s rebellious son. Tomb of the Benei Hezir. It dates to around 150 BC, and is a complex of burial caves dug into the cliff, featuring a Hebrew inscription that indicates it was the burial site for several generations of a wealthy priestly family by the name of Benei Hezir during the Hasmonean period. Tomb of Zechariah It's a monument to the same prophet who wrote the Old Testament book that bears his name. There is no evidence as to where Zechariah was buried, and the tomb does not contain a body, as it is a solid object carved from the rock. Like the tomb of Absalom, archeologists date the construction of this tomb to around 50 AD, and it was the last of the three great tombs to be built. 8. Eastern Gate Highlights: The Eastern Gate gives the most direct access to the Temple Mount from the Mount of Olives. The Eastern Gate is unique in that it is completely sealed shut. Some commentators see the Eastern Gate’s obstruction as a fulfillment of biblical prophecy. The ancient stones by the Eastern Gate date back to the time of Solomon or Hezekiah. The current gate that is seen today was rebuilt by Suleiman around 1541 AD and was built on the foundations of the earlier gates. The Eastern Gate’s outer facade today consists of two blocked-up gateways decorated with detailed carved relief arches. The southern arched gate was called the Mercy Gate, and the northern one was called the Gate of Repentance. It was closed by the Muslims in 810 AD, reopened in 1102 AD by the Crusaders, and then walled up by Saladin after regaining Jerusalem in 1187 AD. Ottoman Sultan Suleiman rebuilt it, along with the city walls, and again walled it up in 1541 AD; it has remained that way to this day. Location 1. The Eastern Wall and Eastern Gate are located on the eastern side of the Temple Mount and face the Mount of Olives. 2. The Eastern Gate is an important gate because it plays a central role in Scripture and prophecy. 3. The current Old City of Jerusalem is surrounded by a wall containing eight major gates. Lions Gate (Stephen’s Gate) Eastern Gate (Golden Gate, Shushan Gate) Dung Gate Zion Gate Jaffa Gate New Gate Damascus Gate Herod’s Gate 4. The Eastern Gate is unique in that it is sealed shut. 5. It is the oldest gate in Old City Jerusalem. Historical Background 1. The original Eastern Gate was built by Solomon (960 BC), or at a later date, by Hezekiah (715 BC). The ancient posts located inside the gate today, along with the stones beside the gate of the Eastern Wall, date back to these time periods and would affirm its early existence and location at its present-day site. 2. It is very likely that Nehemiah rebuilt the Eastern Gate when he rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem around 444 BC. Some believe the original gate was then named the Eastern Gate by Nehemiah at this time. 3. Herod the Great then rebuilt the Eastern Gate around 19 BC and added a stairway, or rebuilt an existing one that led up to the gate. This stairway ran alongside the Eastern Wall. In the 1860s, Charles Warren discovered an outer wall that enclosed the stairway leading up to the Eastern Gate that Herod had built. 4. The best evidence suggests that the gate was then rebuilt during the Umayyad period (661–750 AD), on the foundations of the earlier gate dating to the time of Solomon or Hezekiah. Part of the gate from this time period has been preserved. As mentioned above, the remains of two massive ancient gateposts are preserved inside this gate. These gateposts are situated in the same line as the Eastern Wall of the Temple Mount. They also line up with the lower massive stone masonry on both sides of the Eastern Gate. The gateposts, along with the masonry sections of the Eastern Wall, suggest they are all part of the same construction. The upper part of the southern gatepost is level with the top of the ancient stone masonry visible to the south of the Golden Gate. The gatepost in the northern part of the gate is one stone course higher and is located just one stone course lower than the surface of the Temple Mount. These two ancient gateposts belong to the gate that dates back to the First Temple period, which is most likely the Shushan Gate mentioned in Mishnah Middot 1:3. At that time, this gate was the only gate in the Eastern Wall. 5. The current gate that is seen today was rebuilt by Suleiman around 1541 AD and was built on the foundations of the earlier gates. The Eastern Gate’s outer facade today consists of two blocked-up gateways decorated with detailed carved relief arches. 6. The original gate was thought to have been discovered in 1969 by Dr. James Fleming and was believed to be east of the current Eastern Gate a bit and about 8 feet (2.5 m) lower. However, after significant research and archaeological work were done and analyzed, it appears that what Dr. Fleming found were the arches of a stairway that led up to the Eastern Gate built by Herod the Great. Again, inside the gate are ancient posts that date back to the First Temple period. These reveal that the level of the current Eastern Gate is relatively the same as it has always been. The bedrock beneath the Eastern Gate rises sharply upward from the Kidron Valley to the Temple Mount, making it very unlikely that the original gate was located beneath the current one, as the bedrock would be in the way and prevent this. Moreover, the stones of the arch that Dr. Fleming discovered are Herodian, which are much later than the original Eastern Gate, making it unlikely that the arch that was discovered was part of the top of the Eastern Gate. Again, reputable archaeologists now believe that what Dr. Fleming discovered was one of the arches of the stairway leading up to the Eastern Gate. Herod built this stairway, so the stone type found would match the time era as well. However, it should be noted that what Dr. Fleming discovered does provide more evidence that the Eastern Gate’s current location is accurate. 7. The Eastern Gate gives the most direct access to the Temple Mount from the Mount of Olives. 8. The Eastern Gate is unique in that it is completely sealed shut. Some commentators see the Eastern Gate’s obstruction as a fulfillment of biblical prophecy. It was closed by the Muslims in 810 AD, reopened in 1102 AD by the Crusaders, and then walled up by Saladin after regaining Jerusalem in 1187 AD. Ottoman Sultan Suleiman rebuilt it, along with the city walls, and again walled it up in 1541 AD; it has remained that way to this day. It’s believed that the closing of the Eastern Gate was to prevent the Jewish Messiah from gaining entrance to the temple on the Temple Mount. Muslims also put a cemetery directly in front of the gate as an extra layer of precaution, believing that the Messiah, being a good Jew, would not walk through it and become unclean in doing so. However, whatever Christ touches becomes clean, so that presents no problem. 9. Jewish tradition states that the Messiah will pass through the Eastern Gate when He comes to rule. For Christians, Christ already did this at His first coming and will do it again at His second coming. Ezekiel 44:1–3: Then he brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, which faces east. And it was shut. 2 And the Lord said to me, “This gate shall remain shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it, for the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered by it. Therefore, it shall remain shut. 3 Only the prince may sit in it to eat bread before the Lord. He shall enter by way of the vestibule of the gate, and shall go out by the same way.” 10. Though it is formally called the Eastern Gate, it is also known as the Golden Gate, the Gate of Eternal Life, the Mercy Gate, the Shushan Gate, and sometimes as the Beautiful Gate. Scripture says in Acts 3:1–10 that the Beautiful Gate was one of the temple gates. This would make the Nicanor Gate the best candidate for being the Beautiful Gate. 11. Some believe the Eastern Gate was in direct alignment with the gate into the temple's outer court, inner court, and main entrance doors. This belief comes from a misunderstanding of a writing in Middot 2.4 (which is part of the Jewish Mishnah) that says: “All the walls there were high, save only the eastern wall because the [High] priest that burns the [Red] heifer and stands on top of the Mount of Olives should be able to look directly into the entrance of the sanctuary when the blood is sprinkled.” However, the view from the top of the Mount of Olives through the Eastern Gate would only allow one to see into the ground because the gate was lower than the temple. This presents an impossibility, as you cannot look from a higher elevation through a lower gate and then see something higher than that gate. Therefore, a line of vision from the top of the Mount of Olives through the Eastern Gate makes it impossible to see anything on the Temple Mount, let alone the temple. Therefore, it appears that what was meant in the writing of Middot 2.4 referred to the Nicanor Gate, or possibly the gate entering into the outer court, also known as the Court of the Women. This was an outer gate of the temple complex. From the top of the Mt. of Olives, one could easily look directly through the Nicanor Gate and see the sanctuary. Therefore, the Eastern Gate was not in alignment with the temple, as some suggest. The original temple has very strong evidence that it was in the exact location where the Dome of the Rock stands today. 12. Some also believe that during the time of Christ, according to the Mishnah (a collection of Jewish oral laws), a bridge (causeway) led out of the Temple Mount eastward over the Kidron Valley, extending as far as the Mount of Olives. The Hebrew word for causeway is Kevesh , usually translated as “ramp,” not as “bridge.” It is highly unlikely that a major causeway spanned the Kidron Valley, as it would have been massive in size, extremely difficult to construct, and expensive. This causeway, most likely, refers to the stairway leading up to the Eastern Gate that ran along the eastern wall. Moreover, it wouldn't have been far to walk up the Kidron Valley a bit and then back to the Eastern Gate. People in ancient times were accustomed to walking, so saving a few steps to walk over a large bridge spanning the Kidron Valley seems less likely than simply walking. However, if a causeway or bridge had existed, it would have been on a small scale. 13. It should also be mentioned that the archaeological evidence supporting the Eastern Gate as being authentic provides strong evidence that the original temple was located on the current Temple Mount. Additionally, the ancient stones of the Eastern Wall, dating back to the First Temple period, also validate the temple’s location. The Eastern Gate in the Bible 1. It is the likely gate through which the ashes of the Red Heifer sacrifice were carried and then deposited in a clean place outside the city (Num. 19:1–10). 2. The glory of the Lord left the temple because of Israel’s disobedience. Ezekiel 10:18–19: Then the glory of the Lord went out from the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim. 19 And the cherubim lifted up their wings and mounted up from the earth before my eyes as they went out, with the wheels beside them. And they stood at the entrance of the east gate of the house of the Lord, and the glory of the God of Israel was over them. Ezekiel 11:23: And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and stood on the mountain that is on the east side of the city [Mount of Olives]. 3. The glory of the Lord will return to the temple at Christ’s second coming. Ezekiel 43:1–5: Then he led me to the gate, the gate facing east. 2 And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. And the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory. 3 And the vision I saw was just like the vision that I had seen when he came to destroy the city, and just like the vision that I had seen by the Chebar canal. And I fell on my face. 4 As the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east , 5 the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple. Zechariah 14:4: On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east , and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward. 4. When Jesus entered Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives on Palm Sunday (Triumphal Entry), He most likely used the Eastern Gate. Luke 19:37–38: As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives —the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, 38 saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Luke 19:45–46: And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers.” 5. It is the gate that Jesus would have entered and exited through repeatedly as He taught in the temple and then retreated to the Mount of Olives to rest and sleep. Luke 21:37–38: And every day he was teaching in the temple, but at night he went out and lodged on the mount called Olivet . 38 And early in the morning all the people came to him in the temple to hear him. 6. The Beautiful Gate (most likely the Nicanor Gate) was where Peter and John healed a lame man. Acts 3:1–10: Now Peter and John went up together to the Temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour, and a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful to ask alms from those who entered the temple. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. 4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. Faith Lesson from the Eastern Gate 1. The Eastern Gate has seen many prophecies fulfilled. 2. There are still more prophecies it will witness. 3. Prophecy proves the Bible is accurate and that we can place our full confidence in it. 4. If all past prophecies have been fulfilled, we can rest assured that what is still prophesied will also come to pass. 5. Do we fully believe the prophecies in the Bible, and are we living in such a way that proves it?