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?

Pilate's Palace, also known as Pilate's Praetorium, or the Governor's Headquarters, is the place where Jesus was tried by Pilate and condemned to crucifixion on a cross. Trial of Jesus: Herod/Pilate's Palace Photo Gallery Places of Interest Trial of Jesus: Herod/Pilate's Palace Introduction Welcome to this site of Herod's Palace. This is an incredible place to experience and explore. 1. It was used by all succeeding governors and leaders when they resided in Jerusalem. It was a massive fortified complex and likely had a cohort of 500 soldiers. 2. It is the best candidate for where the trial of Jesus took place. 3. In the 1970s, all along the western wall of Jerusalem was buried. 4. Notice the change in color of the wall. Partway up, it turns darker. This is the dirt line where it was covered. 5. When this was all excavated, they absolutely uncovered a gold mine, archaeologically speaking. Why? Because we have everything biblically and everything archaeologically that perfectly matches where the trial of Jesus took place. 6. We're going to explore and show you all about this right here. 7. Here are the highlights of what we'll see. Gate Entrance to Pilate’s Palace Steps Leading Up to the Gate Entrance to Pilate's Palace Preserved Stone Pavement Preserved Wall of Herod the Great Bema Seat – Judgment Seat Bema Seat Stone Additional Level with Stone Pavement 8. Afterward, we'll relive and experience from the Bible what happened here. 9. Let's explore and experience this site. Location 1. John 18:28–29: “Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium [governor's headquarters, ESV; palace of the Roman governor, NIV], and it was early; and they themselves did not enter the Praetorium so that they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover. 29 Therefore Pilate came out to them and said, “What accusation are you bringing against this Man?” 2. The words praetorium, governor's headquarters, and palace all refer to the same location. These same words describe where the Apostle Paul was kept in custody at Herod's Palace or Praetorium (Acts 23:35). The best translation seems to be "palace." 3. Where was Pilate's Palace, also known as Pilate’s Praetorium or headquarters, located? Some believe it was located at the Antonia Fortress. I once thought this as well. However, after conducting extensive research and considering the archaeological evidence, I now believe the best option is Pilate’s Palace, situated just south of the Jaffa Gate. Pilate’s Palace was first built and used by King Herod, and later, it was used by Pilate and other Roman governors. 4. Herod's Palace Fortress in Jerusalem is located adjacent to the western city wall of Old Jerusalem, which now encompasses the Armenian Quarter. It begins at the Kishle building and ends at the present line of the modern (Ottoman period) wall west of Zion Gate. It consisted mainly of two north and south palace wings and had a large garden in the middle of the two ends. In the area of the Citadel of David and Jaffa Gate, just north of Pilate’s Palace, Herod erected three massive towers for additional protection in case of impending danger. It should be mentioned that Pilate’s Palace was, at first, Herod’s Palace. 5. In the 1970s, the western wall of the city was excavated from the Jaffa Gate to the northwest corner. This particular area was overseen by Magen Broshi and Shimon Gibson. The excavation line can be seen in the wall today by noting where it turns darker. This darker part was covered by dirt until it was unearthed. 6. If the location of the trial of Jesus took place at Pilate's Palace, then the location of the Via Dolorosa would be different from what it is today. You can see in the Google map above where the likely route could have been. This route would have led Jesus inside the city walls at the Jaffa Gate and outside the city walls to Calvary (modern-day Church of the Holy Sepulchre) through the Gennath Gate. This is the most likely route as the Romans subjected their criminals to the utmost humiliation to deter others from committing the same offenses. Of course, in the case of Christ, He was entirely innocent, and the Jews and the Romans were the actual criminals. Historical Background 1. Herod's Palace at Jerusalem was built in the last quarter of the 1st century BC by Herod the Great, King of Judea from 37 to 4 BC. It was Jerusalem's second most important building after the Temple itself. 2. Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea, appointed by the emperor of Rome. He lived in Caesarea Maritima, the capital of the Roman province of Judea, but when he was in Jerusalem, he resided at Herod’s Palace, which served as the praetorium, or governor’s palace. 3. As mentioned, some believe Pilate’s Palace was at the Antonia Fortress. This belief appears to be based on the notion that the Roman governor would have resided within the barracks of the Antonia Fortress. However, ancient sources and accounts, such as Josephus and Philo, relate that the Praetorium of Jerusalem was the former palace of Herod the Great, just south of the Jaffa Gate. At the Praetorium, Jesus was standing on the “Stone Pavement,” or Gabbatha, while Pilate took his place at the bema or “judgment seat” (John 19:8-13). There is no record of any judgment seat at the Antonia Fortress. Also, Jesus repeatedly went inside the Praetorium and outside. There is no record of a gate next to a judgment seat at the Antonia Fortress. 4. According to reliable sources, the governor’s residence in Jerusalem was the complex of the former palace of Herod the Great, which was located on the western side of the current Old City of Jerusalem. Josephus related that the Roman governor, Florus, took up residence in Jerusalem at the former palace of Herod the Great, where the bema was located. Philo also indicated that the Praetorium was located in Herod's palace, as Pilate had initially installed the golden shields for Tiberius. The Gospel of Mark records that at the trial of Jesus, the Roman soldiers took Jesus into the palace, which is the Praetorium (Mark 15:16). 5. Because of archaeological excavations, the Praetorium, its pavement, the bema, or judgment seat, and one of the gates can be seen today. These provide a historical context to the trial of Jesus and demonstrate the accuracy of the Gospel stories of this event. 6. Excavations dating from 1999–2000 underneath an abandoned Ottoman-period prison known as the Kishle, which is part of the Tower of David complex, Israel Antiquities Authority archaeologist Amit Re’em uncovered the foundation walls and sewage system of Herod’s Palace in Jerusalem. Tours can be taken via the Tower of David Museum, which will showcase these findings. 7. Jewish historian Josephus tells us that Herod’s Palace Complex in Jerusalem was built in the last quarter of the first century BC and comprised a palace with two wings divided by pools and gardens. It was protected by three large towers on the northwestern corner of the complex. Excavations conducted by various archaeological teams since the 1960s have uncovered remains of the palace foundations. However, very little of the actual walls and buildings has been found. This presents no problem and can easily be accounted for due to the many destructions of Jerusalem over the centuries. 8. Using a similar construction style as Herod’s Temple Mount, Herod's Palace was constructed on an elevated platform of retaining walls rising 13 to 16 feet (4.5 m) above ground level. Its measurements consisted of about 1,000 feet long (304 m) running north and south by 180 feet wide (56 m) running east to west. As mentioned, it consisted of two main buildings, each with its own banquet halls, baths, and accommodations for hundreds of guests. The two wings were named after Agrippa and Caesar. In the center of the palace were gardens with porticoes, statues, idols, and so forth. The grounds included groves, canals, and ponds fitted with bronze fountains. After Herod's death, the praetorium at the palace became the official residence of the Roman governors when they visited Jerusalem during major Jewish festivals. For this reason, this site was most likely where Pontius Pilate resided and where the trial of Jesus took place. 9. Besides a Roman cohort (about 400–500) of soldiers stationed at the Antonia Fortress, many Roman soldiers were stationed at Pilate’s Palace Complex. There were also Roman soldier encampments around the city when needed. 10. There was a gate leading out of the Palace Complex on the western side for security purposes. This gate also served as an escape route that Herod and others would have used if the palace were attacked from within. In this area, Simon of Cyrene, arriving from the open country, was obligated to carry the cross of Christ. There was no open country access around the Antonia Fortress, so this is another big piece of evidence that Pilate’s Palace is the actual site of Jesus' trial. Eyewitness Accounts Stating This Was Herod's Palace, Later Used by Pontius Pilate 1. Josephus wrote, "Adjoining and on the inner side of these towers, which lay to the north of it, was the king's (Herod's) Palace ." The towers refer to those on the northern side of the palace built by Herod the Great for protection purposes. 2. Philo, a Jewish philosopher born in 25 BC, says, "Pilate was appointed governor of Judea. He dedicated some guilt shields in the Palace of Herod , in the holy city." This statement connects Pilate to Herod's Palace. This means that the succeeding governors would also use Herod's Palace as their headquarters. This would make sense as it was a fortress surrounded by walls, housing many soldiers. 3. Additionally, during the Byzantine Period (314 - 638 AD), this place was commemorated as the site where Jesus stood trial before Pilate. This tradition was likely built upon the belief of earlier Christians who knew the location of the trial of Jesus. This is strong evidence indicating this is the authentic site. Places of Interest 1. Herod-Pilate's Palace Complex Palace Fortress Towers Courtyard Soldier Barracks Stone Walls from the Time of Jesus 2. Dirt Level Before Excavation of This Site In the 1970s, the city's western wall was excavated from the Jaffa Gate to the southwest corner. 3. Open Country Simon of Cyrene is obligated to carry Christ's cross. He is coming from outside the city when this takes place. Luke 23:26: And when they led Him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, as he was coming in from the country , and placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus. 4. Entrance Walls and Steps Leading Up to Pilate's Palace and the Judgment Sea Area 5. Preserved Stone Pavement (Gabbatha) John 19:13: Therefore, when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out , and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement —but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. 6. Gate Entrance to Pilate’s Palace 7. Steps Leading Up to the Gate Entrance to Pilate's Palace 8. Preserved Wall of Herod the Great 9. Bema Seat – Judgment Seat John 19:13: Therefore, when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out , and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement—but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. 10. Bema Seat Stone 11. Additional Level with Stone Pavement 12. Jaffa Gate 13. Citadel of David 14. Three Towers Herod Erected 15. House of Caiaphas 16. Likely Route of the True Via Dolorosa 17. Golgotha ~ Church of the Holy Sepulchre Herod~Pilate's Palace in the Bible 1. The Wise Men from the east most likely came here before King Herod to inquire where the Messiah was to be born. Matthew 2:1-4: Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 2. Jesus was brought before Pilate outside Pilate's Palace by the Jewish leaders. John 18:28–29: Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium [governor's headquarters, ESV; the palace of the Roman governor, NIV], and it was early; and they themselves did not enter the Praetorium , so that they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover. 29 Therefore Pilate came out to them and said, "What accusation are you bringing against this Man?" 3. The Jewish leaders seek the death penalty for Jesus by crucifixion. John 18:30-31: They answered and said to him, “If this Man were not a criminal, we would not have handed Him over to you." 31 So Pilate said to them, "Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law." The Jews said to him, "We are not permitted to put anyone to death." 32 This happened so that the word of Jesus which He said, indicating what kind of death He was going to die, would be fulfilled." 4. Pilate talks with Jesus inside his palace. John 18:33: Therefore Pilate entered the Praetorium again, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, "You are the King of the Jews?" 34 Jesus answered, "Are you saying this on your own, or did others tell you about Me?" 5. Pilate comes outside his palace and speaks again with the Jewish leaders. John 18:38: And after saying this, he came out again to the Jews and said to them, “I find no grounds at all for charges in His case. 6. Pilate has Jesus flogged inside his palace. John 19:1–3: So Pilate then took Jesus and had Him flogged. 2 And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and placed it on His head, and put a purple cloak on Him; 3 and they repeatedly came up to Him and said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and slapped Him in the face again and again. 7. Pilate comes out again with Jesus to the Jewish leaders after flogging Jesus. John 19:4–7: And then Pilate came out again and said to them, "See, I am bringing Him out to you so that you will know that I find no grounds at all for charges in His case." 5 Jesus then came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, "Behold, the Man!" 6 So when the chief priests and the officers saw Him, they shouted, saying, "Crucify, crucify!" Pilate said to them, "Take Him yourselves and crucify Him; for I find no grounds for charges in His case!" 7 The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and by that law He ought to die, because He made Himself out to be the Son of God!" 8. Pilate goes back inside his palace and speaks with Jesus again. John 19:8–12: Therefore, when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid; 9 and he entered the Praetorium again and said to Jesus, "Where are You from?" But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 So Pilate said to Him, "Are you not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?" 11 Jesus answered him, "You would have no authority over Me at all, if it had not been given to you from above; for this reason, the one who handed Me over to you has the greater sin." 12 As a result of this, Pilate made efforts to release Him; but the Jews shouted, saying, "If you release this Man, you are not a friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself out to be a king opposes Caesar!" 9. Pilate comes out again with Jesus and speaks to the Jewish Leaders. John 19:13: Therefore, when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out , and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement—but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. 10. Simon of Cyrene is obligated to carry Christ's cross. He is coming from outside the city when this takes place. Luke 23:26: And when they led Him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, as he was coming in from the country , and placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus. Faith Lesson from Herod-Pilate's Palace 1. The Jewish leaders were responsible for crucifying Christ because they were jealous of him. They were filled with selfish ambition and cared more about their power and kingdom than about God. Are we guided and motivated by jealousy and envy? Are we more concerned about our own power and kingdom than the Kingdom of God? 2. Pilate had supernatural warnings from God and knew that what he was doing was wrong. However, he chose to obey the pressure of people rather than choosing the fear of the Lord. What about us? Do we often do the same and yield to the pressure of others rather than do what is right? 3. Christ willingly went to the Cross, knowing that He had come into the world for this purpose. Have we received His gift of salvation by grace through faith?

The Tower of David, also known as the Jerusalem Citadel, is a historic and iconic landmark located near the Jaffa Gate entrance to the Old City of Jerusalem. Its history spans several millennia and reflects the city's rich and diverse cultural heritage. King Herod’s Palace, located near the Tower of David, was one of the most magnificent structures in ancient Jerusalem. Tower of David & King Herod's Palace Photo Gallery Places of Interest Tower of David & King Herod's Palace Complex Introduction 1. Welcome to the Tower of David Museum, located at one of the most important entrances to the Old City of Jerusalem. This place is not only a museum. It is a fortress, an archaeological site, a lookout point, and a summary of Jerusalem’s history in one location. 2. Jerusalem is a city of layers. Here, we will see those layers very clearly: First Temple remains, Hasmonean fortifications, Herod’s towers and palace area, Roman traces, Byzantine memories, Early Muslim fortifications, Crusader halls, Mamluk rebuilding, Ottoman gates and minaret, British Mandate history, and the modern State of Israel. 3. The renewed museum reopened in June 2023 after a major renovation costing 50 million US dollars that included preservation of the citadel, restoration of the minaret, renewal of the archaeological garden, a new entrance pavilion, improved accessibility, and a new permanent exhibition in 10 galleries. 4. This site is a perfect place to begin a Jerusalem tour because it stands between old and new Jerusalem. The museum itself describes the citadel as a gateway to exploring Jerusalem, with a visitor route from the entrance pavilion through the galleries, up to the Phasael Tower lookout, and then out toward the Old City. 5. Its history spans over 2,700 years, dating to the time of King Hezekiah and the First Temple Period. 6 . It's part of Herod's Palace, which later was used by Pilate, where Jesus was most likely tried and condemned to crucifixion. Location 1. The Tower of David Museum, also known as the Jerusalem Citadel, is a historic and iconic landmark near the Jaffa Gate entrance to the Old City of Jerusalem. Its history spans several millennia and reflects the city's rich and diverse cultural heritage. 2. King Herod’s Palace, located near the Tower of David, was one of the most magnificent structures in ancient Jerusalem. The Name “Tower of David” 1. Many visitors think King David built this tower, but he did not. The name "Tower of David" is a later traditional name. The name "Tower of David" was first used for the Herodian tower in the 5th century AD by the Byzantine Christians, who believed the site to be the palace of King David. They borrowed the name "Tower of David" from the Song of Songs, attributed to Solomon, King David's son, who wrote: "Thy neck is like the Tower of David built with turrets, whereon there hang a thousand shields, all the armor of the mighty men" Song of Solomon 4:4. 2. Later, Muslim tradition also connected the area with David, and Western visitors eventually applied the name especially to the Ottoman minaret. Today, the name refers to the whole citadel. 3. In Jerusalem, names are often ancient, traditional, and layered. A name may preserve memory, but it does not always identify the exact builder. Tower of David Historical Background The citadel guarded the western side of Jerusalem. But why here in this area? Because this was one of the most vulnerable and important approaches to the city. Anyone coming from the west, from the coastal plain, would approach Jerusalem near this area. That is why rulers kept fortifying this spot again and again. Therefore, the citadel is not one building from one period. It is a fortress made of many periods. 1. First Temple Period - 970 ~ 586 BC The earliest major remains in the citadel area go back to the First Temple Period. The museum identifies remains of a wall from the end of that period, apparently part of Jerusalem’s defenses in the days of King Hezekiah, around 2,700 years ago. Hezekiah ruled Judah when the Assyrian Empire threatened Jerusalem. The Bible describes the Assyrian crisis in 2 Kings 18–19, 2 Chronicles 32, and Isaiah 36–37. Jerusalem expanded westward during the First Temple Period, and defensive walls became very important. When we talk about ancient Jerusalem, we usually think first of the City of David, south of the Temple Mount. But by Hezekiah’s day, Jerusalem had expanded. This western hill became part of the defended city. That is why First Temple-period fortifications matter here. 2. Hasmonean Period - 165 ~ 63 BC After the Maccabean revolt, the Hasmonean rulers expanded and fortified Jerusalem. Here in the citadel area, they built massive walls and towers. The museum notes that dozens of ballista stones were found near the places where they landed, giving us a vivid picture of warfare around Jerusalem. The Hasmoneans were the Jewish ruling family that came out of the Maccabean revolt. Their story is connected with Hanukkah and the rededication of the Temple in the second century BC. Recent excavations (2025–2026) in the Kishle area under the Tower of David complex uncovered a major Hasmonean wall foundation, about 50 meters long and about 5 meters wide. AP reported that this is one of the longest intact sections of the Hasmonean wall foundation found in Jerusalem, likely built after the Hanukkah-era events. This is one of the exciting things about Jerusalem: archaeology is not finished. Even today, new discoveries are helping us understand the city’s story. 3. Herodian Period - 37 ~ 4 BC Herod the Great made this area one of the strongest and most impressive parts of Jerusalem. Herod, who took power over the Hasmonean dynasty, added three massive towers to the fortifications in 37–34 BC. He built these at the vulnerable northwest corner of the Western Hill, where the Citadel is now located. His purpose was not only to defend the city but also to safeguard his own royal palace located nearby on Mount Zion. Herod named the tallest of the towers in memory of his brother, who had committed suicide while in captivity. Another tower was called Mariamne, named for his second wife, whom he had executed and buried in a cave to the west of the tower. He named the third tower Hippicus after one of his friends. Of the three towers, only the base of one of them survives today. Of the original tower itself (now called the Tower of David), some sixteen courses of the Herodian stone ashlars still rise from ground level, upon which were added smaller stones in a later period that added back significantly to the height of the remaining stump of the Herodian tower. The museum identifies the surviving tower as the Phasael Tower, though scholars have debated whether the surviving tower should be identified as Phasael or Hippicus. The museum identifies this as Phasael Tower, one of Herod’s great towers, and is where today the observation point is located. Herod was Rome’s client king over Judea. He rebuilt the Temple Mount on a massive scale and also built palace-fortresses such as Masada, Herodium, and Caesarea Maritima. In Jerusalem, his western palace stood near this area. Herod the Great is the king in Matthew 2, during the birth of Jesus. Later, Herod’s palace area may also be relevant to the trial of Jesus before Pontius Pilate, though this is debated. Some scholars and Christian guides argue that Jesus may have been tried by Pilate near Herod’s former palace in the western part of Jerusalem, rather than at the Antonia Fortress. The Kishle excavations have renewed discussion of this possibility. The Jerusalem Post notes that many Christian leaders, historians, and archaeologists increasingly connect the trial setting with the area near the Tower of David/Kishle, while also acknowledging the long history of other traditional locations. HolyLandSite.com's position strongly leans to the area by Herod's Palace as the best candidate for the trial of Jesus. We have done several videos about it. Here is a link to see more: Pilate's Palace: Judgment & Condemnation of Jesus | HolyLandSite.com 4. Roman Period in Israel - 63 BC ~ 324 AD In 70 AD, the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the Second Temple. Simon Bar Kokhba, the leader of the Jewish uprising, made the tower his residence. Josephus says the Romans left some of the great towers standing to show how strong the city had been and how great the Roman victory was. The museum notes that Josephus recorded the survival of Phasael Tower after the Roman destruction. After the revolt, the Tenth Roman Legion was stationed in Jerusalem. The museum notes that Roman legionaries camped in the ruins of the fortress and left clay pipes stamped with the seal of the Tenth Legion. This means that after Jerusalem’s destruction, this area did not become empty. It became part of the Roman military presence in the ruined city. 5. Byzantine Period in Israel - 324 ~ 638 AD In the Byzantine period, Jerusalem became a major Christian pilgrimage city. This is the period of Constantine, Helena, and the development of Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. Churches were built, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Byzantine monks lived near the fortress and mistakenly believed it was connected to King David. This is when the name "Tower of David" became attached to the site. This was so because the Byzantines mistakenly identified the hill as Mount Zion and presumed it to be David's palace, as mentioned in 2 Samuel 5:11, 11:1-27, and 16:22. The Byzantine period did not only build churches. It also reshaped the memory of Jerusalem. Places were identified, named, and connected to biblical stories. Some identifications were accurate, and some were traditional or mistaken. 6. Islamic Period - 638 to 1099 AD After the Arab conquest of Jerusalem in 638, the new Muslim rulers refurbished the Tower of David and then referred to it also as the Citadel of Davd, or citadel. This mighty structure withstood the Crusaders' assault in 1099 and surrendered only when its defenders were guaranteed safe passage out of the city. T his area continued to serve as a fortified point. The museum explains that an enclosed citadel was built here in the Early Muslim period. It was smaller than the present citadel and was attached to the Phasael Tower. In the courtyard, the base of a round tower about 10 meters, or 30 feet, in diameter can still be seen. This is the period of the Umayyads, Abbasids, Fatimids, and other Muslim rulers. The Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque belong to the broader early Islamic transformation of Jerusalem. Notice how every ruler reused what came before. Instead of clearing the whole area and starting over, new rulers built onto earlier fortifications. 7. Crusader Period - 1099 to 1260 AD When the Crusaders captured Jerusalem in 1099, they turned this area into a major castle. The museum says the Crusader castle was built in a French feudal style, with knights’ halls, arches, defensive walls, and a moat. The Crusaders gave the fortress much of its present size and dimensions. During this period, thousands of pilgrims undertook the pilgrimage to Jerusalem through the port at Jaffa. To protect pilgrims from the menace of highway robbers, the Crusaders built a tower surrounded by a moat atop the citadel and posted lookouts to guard the road to Jaffa. The citadel also protected the newly erected palace of the Crusader kings of Jerusalem, located immediately south of the fortress. The Crusaders controlled Jerusalem from 1099 until Saladin’s conquest in 1187, with later periods of partial Crusader return and conflict. The citadel guarded the western entrance to the city and the road system leading into Jerusalem. The Crusader period is easy to feel here because of the heavy stone halls, arches, and defensive character of the site. This was not just a symbolic building. It was a working military fortress. 8. Mamluk Period - 1260 to 1517 AD After the Crusaders, the Mamluks ruled Jerusalem. Most of the rooms now used as museum exhibition spaces were built by the Mamluks on the structural base of the Crusader fortress. They enlarged and strengthened the fortress and added more advanced defensive features. The Mamluks ruled from Egypt and controlled Jerusalem as part of their wider empire. Jerusalem was not usually a political capital under them, but it remained a holy city and a place of pilgrimage, learning, and religious endowment. In 1310, the citadel was rebuilt by Mamluk sultan Al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun, who gave it much of its present shape. 9. Ottoman Period - 1517 ~ 1917 The Ottomans ruled Jerusalem for 400 years. They rebuilt the Old City walls under Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent from 1537 - 1541. Here at the fortress, they renovated the fortress, built the monumental entrance gate, the stone bridge, the cannon plaza, and the minaret. The minaret became the famous symbol most people now call the Tower of David. For 400 years, the citadel served as a garrison for Turkish troops. The Ottomans also installed a mosque near the southwest corner of the citadel, erecting a minaret between 1635 and 1655. In the 19th century, the conspicuous minaret still stands today and became commonly called the "Tower of David." During World War I, British forces under General Edmund Allenby captured Jerusalem. General Allenby formally proclaimed the event, standing on a platform at the outer eastern gate of the fortress. When tourists take a picture of the Tower of David, they often photograph the Ottoman minaret. So, the most famous symbol of the "Tower of David" is not from David, not from Herod, and not from the Crusaders. It is Ottoman. 10. British Mandate Period - 1917 to 1948 In 1917, British forces entered Jerusalem. The museum notes that the British declared the conquest of the city on the eastern side steps to the fortress. During the Mandate period, the first archaeological excavations in the complex were carried out, and the fortress was used as an art gallery, museum, and cultural center. General Allenby famously dismounted his horse, as a symbol of humility and respect for the holiness of Jerusalem, and entered it on foot through Jaffa Gate in December 1917. The British wanted to show respect for the holy city by not entering as conquerors on horseback. During this period, the Tower of David served as a military headquarters. Additionally, th e High Commissioner established the Pro-Jerusalem Society to protect the city's cultural heritage. This organization cleaned and renovated the citadel and reopened it to the public as a venue for concerts, benefit events, and exhibitions by local artists. In the 1930s, a museum of Palestinian folklore was opened in the citadel, displaying traditional crafts and clothing. Following the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, the Arab Legion captured Jerusalem and converted the citadel back to its historical role as a military position, as it commanded a dominant view across the armistice line into Jewish Jerusalem. It would keep this role until 1967. This fortress, once built for war, became a cultural site. That is one of the beautiful changes in the story of the Tower of David. 11. State of Israel Today 1948 ~ Present After the 1948 War, the fortress was used by the Jordanians as a fortress. In 1967, during the Six-Day War, Israel took control of the Old City, and the citadel came under Israeli sovereignty. After extensive excavations, it opened in 1989 as the Tower of David Museum. Since the Six-Day War in 1967, the citadel's cultural role has been revived. The Jerusalem Foundation opened the Tower of David Museum of the History of Jerusalem in 1989. Located in a series of chambers in the original citadel, the museum includes a courtyard with archeological remains dating back 2,700 years. The exhibits depict 4,000 years of Jerusalem's history, from its beginnings as a Canaanite city to modern times. Using maps, videotapes, holograms, drawings, and models, the exhibit rooms each depict Jerusalem under its various rulers. Visitors may also ascend to the ramparts, which command a 360-degree view of Jerusalem's Old and New City. The Tower of David stands as a testament to Jerusalem’s complex and layered history, reflecting the many civilizations that have left their mark on the city. Today, the museum tells the whole story of Jerusalem: ancient, biblical, classical, Islamic, Crusader, Ottoman, modern, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim. That is what makes this site so powerful. If you ever visit, you’ll find it offers a fascinating glimpse into the past! Places of Interest Tour 1. Entrance The entrance has changed since 2023. It's now located on the west side of the Tower of David Museum just south of Jaffa Gate. 2. Gallery 1: “On the Edge of Eternity” — Introduction to Jerusalem This is the introductory gallery. It welcomes visitors to Jerusalem and presents the city’s 4,000-year history through projections, artifacts, a topographical map, an illuminated globe, and a 12-meter interactive timeline. This first gallery gives us the big picture. Jerusalem is not just a city of stones. It is a city of memory, faith, conflict, hope, and longing. The timeline helps visitors see the full sweep of history before we enter the details. This gallery shows the following history of Jerusalem: Canaanite/Jebusite city → Israelite/Judahite Jerusalem → Babylonian destruction → Persian return → Hasmonean kingdom → Herodian Jerusalem → Roman destruction → Byzantine Christian city → Islamic city → Crusader city → Mamluk and Ottoman city → British Mandate → modern Jerusalem. 3. Courtyard Archaeology Overview The courtyard is one of the best places to show that Jerusalem’s history is layered. The museum states that Jerusalem’s ancient fortifications are displayed in the courtyard and archaeological gardens under careful conservation practices. This courtyard is like an open-air history book. Some remains are walls. Some are towers. Some are water systems. Some are foundations. The important thing is not just one object; it is the sequence. Jerusalem was destroyed, rebuilt, conquered, restored, renamed, and reimagined many times. Main periods that can be seen in the courtyard: First Temple wall remains, Hasmonean fortifications, Herodian tower remains, Roman military traces, Byzantine cisterns, Early Muslim round tower, Crusader moat and halls, Mamluk rooms, Ottoman gate and minaret. 4. Gallery 2: Judaism — “The Holy City: Tracing Sanctity” This gallery explores the more than 3,000-year connection between Jerusalem and the Jewish people. It includes animations, videos, installations, archaeological artifacts, and a detailed model of the Second Temple and Temple Mount made with modern 3D printing. For Judaism, Jerusalem is the city of the Temple, the city of David, the place of sacrifice, prayer, kingship, exile, return, and hope. Even after the destruction of the Temple, Jerusalem remained central in Jewish prayer and identity. Bible connections: 2 Samuel 5 — David captures Jerusalem. 1 Kings 8 — Solomon dedicates the Temple. Psalm 122 — “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” Isaiah 2 — “The law will go out from Zion.” The model of the Second Temple helps visitors visualize Jerusalem in the time of Jesus, Herod, and the early church. This was the spiritual heart of Jewish life in the Second Temple period. 5. Gallery 3: Christianity — “Sacred Geography: Tracing Sanctity” This gallery focuses on Jesus’ final week in Jerusalem and on the Byzantine and Crusader periods, when Christian rule shaped the city. At the center is a model of the original Byzantine Church of the Holy Sepulchre. For Christianity, Jerusalem is holy above all because of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. The final week of Jesus’ life took place in Jerusalem: the triumphal entry, Last Supper, Gethsemane, trial, crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. Jerusalem’s Christian geography developed over time. Some sites are strongly supported by history and archaeology; others are based more on later tradition. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is the most important Christian site in the city because it preserves the traditional location of Jesus’ crucifixion and tomb. 6. Gallery 4: Islam — “Praises of Jerusalem: Tracing Sanctity” This gallery presents the Muslim connection to Jerusalem beginning with the 638 AD conquest. It includes a model of the Dome of the Rock as built in 691 AD, and an animated installation about Muhammad’s Night Journey and ascent, which gives Jerusalem its status as the third holiest city in Islam. The Dome of the Rock, built in 691 AD, is one of the oldest and most beautiful Islamic monuments in the world. It was built on the Temple Mount, right over where the original temple King Solomon built, Zerubbabel rebuilt, and Herod the Great rebuilt again to its most glorious state ever. Jerusalem is one city, but it is sacred in different ways to different faiths. This museum helps visitors see those different layers side by side. 7. Gallery 5: “Jerusalem: The Circle of the Year” This gallery uses video art on the vaulted ceiling, music, chants, prayers, and touchscreens to present the yearly cycle of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim holy days in Jerusalem. This room is not only about dates on a calendar. It is about the living rhythm of Jerusalem. In this city, the year is shaped by Passover, Easter, Ramadan, Sukkot, Christmas, Hanukkah, and many other holy days. In Jerusalem, history is not only in the past. It is lived every year. 8. Gallery 6: The Tower of David This gallery tells the story of the citadel itself, using projection mapping, video archives, artifacts, and digital games. It presents the Tower of David as a symbol of Jerusalem and shows archaeological evidence from the First Temple Period to modern times. Now we focus on the building we are standing in. The citadel is a small version of Jerusalem’s whole history. Every empire that came to Jerusalem left something here. The Tower of David is not the story of one king. It is the story of many rulers, many faiths, many destructions, and many reconstructions. 9. Gallery 7: Temporary Exhibition Gallery It's called the "Temporary Exhibition Gallery" because the museum changes its exhibitions regularly. Because this gallery changes, it reminds us that Jerusalem is not only ancient, but also modern, artistic, musical, and personal. Every generation tells the city’s story in a new way. 10. Gallery 8: “From a Bird’s Eye View” — The 1873 Illés Model This gallery displays the large Stephan Illés model of Jerusalem as it appeared in 1873. It measures about 4 by 4.5 meters and shows streets, alleys, buildings, mountains, and valleys. The model was made by Stephan Illés, a Hungarian pilgrim who arrived in Jerusalem in 1864; it was first shown in Vienna in 1873 and later rediscovered in Geneva before being returned to Jerusalem on permanent loan. This is one of the best tools for understanding 19th-century Jerusalem. The city was still mostly inside the Ottoman walls. Soon after this, Jerusalem began expanding outside the Old City in a major way. In the model we can see the Jaffa Gate, the citadel, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Temple Mount, Mount of Olives, valleys, roads, and the first neighborhoods outside the walls. This model captures Jerusalem at a turning point: still ancient in appearance, but about to become a modern city. 11. Gallery 9: Modern Times — Jerusalem as Center of the World This gallery tells the story of the last 200 years through photographs, films, archival material, and documents, showing Jerusalem’s modernization in the 19th and 20th centuries and its role as the capital of the State of Israel. In the modern period, Jerusalem changed rapidly. New neighborhoods were built outside the walls. Foreign powers opened consulates. Pilgrims, archaeologists, photographers, scholars, and political movements all came here. Jerusalem became not only a holy city, but also a modern political and international city. 12. Gallery 10: “Eye Towards Zion” — Photography and Modern Jerusalem This gallery is dedicated to early photography and photographers of modern Jerusalem. It shows how Jerusalem became an important subject soon after the invention of photography in the mid-19th century. It also includes a reading library and views from the windows. Photography changed the way the world saw Jerusalem. Before photography, many people imagined Jerusalem through Scripture, maps, paintings, and pilgrims’ stories. With photography, people could see the real streets, gates, walls, people, and holy sites. Jerusalem has always been both real and symbolic. Photography brought those two together. 13. Phasael Tower Observation Point This is one of the best views in Jerusalem and offers a 360-degree view. From here, we see east and west, old and new, sacred and modern. This view helps us understand why Jerusalem matters geographically. From here we can see: To the east: Old City, Temple Mount, Dome of the Rock, Mount of Olives. To the north: Christian Quarter, Church of the Holy Sepulchre area, Muslim Quarter, Damascus Gate direction. To the south: Armenian Quarter, Jewish Quarter, Mount Zion, Dormition Abbey, Upper Room. To the west: New Jerusalem, Mamilla, modern city expansion outside the walls. Jerusalem is not large, but its meaning is enormous. From this tower, we see why this city was desired by kings, empires, pilgrims, armies, and worshipers. 14. The Moat The moat reminds us that this was a fortress. A moat made it harder for attackers to reach the walls. In the Crusader and later periods, defensive planning shaped this site. The museum notes that the Crusader citadel was surrounded by a moat and included halls, arches, and defensive walls. The Tower of David today is peaceful, but its architecture was born from centuries of conflict. 15. The Kishle The Kishle is an archaeological part of the Tower of David. It was originally the northern part of King Herod's Palace complex. Over the years it has been converted into a prison during the Ottoman and British Mandate periods. Under its floors, excavations have revealed layers from many periods of Jerusalem’s history: First Temple, Hasmonean, Herodian, Roman, Crusader, Ottoman, British, and modern. It is one of the clearest examples of Jerusalem’s layers in one building. Recent excavations reached bedrock and revealed a major Hasmonean-era wall, one of the most complete and longest sections of Jerusalem’s First Wall found so far. Archaeologists also found evidence such as medieval dyeing basins and prison graffiti from the Ottoman and British periods. Some believe Herod’s palace area near the Tower of David may be the better location for the praetorium where Jesus was tried before Pilate. The Kishle is powerful because it brings together archaeology and human stories: kings, soldiers, prisoners, pilgrims, rebels, and worshipers. 16. Exit The exit is near the inner passage by the Gift Shop, close to the route toward the Moat and Kishle area. As we leave the Tower of David, remember this: the citadel is not really about David alone. It is about Jerusalem. It shows us a city, built layer upon layer, period upon period, empire upon empire. Here we see walls from the days of Judah, fortifications from the Hasmoneans, towers of Herod, traces of Rome, memories of Byzantine Christians, Muslim fortifications, Crusader halls, Mamluk rebuilding, Ottoman symbols, British history, and modern Israel. Jerusalem is a city where history is not hidden far away. It is under your feet, in the stones, in the walls, and in the names. The Tower of David is one of the best places to understand that story. 17. Optional Evening Add-On: Night Spectacular or King David Show The museum also offers night experiences projected on the walls of the citadel. These are not part of the regular museum ticket, but they can be a strong evening add-on for groups. The museum describes the Night Experiences as open-air sound-and-light shows projected on the citadel walls, about 40 minutes long, designed for speakers of all languages. King Herod's Palace Historical Background 1. King Herod’s Palace, located near the Tower of David, was one of the most magnificent structures in ancient Jerusalem. 2. Herod the Great built it from 25-10 BC. The palace was renowned for its grandeur and luxury. 3. The palace complex included two main buildings with banquet halls, baths, and gardens, all surrounded by impressive fortifications. 4. It served as the administrative center of Herod’s rule and later as the residence of Roman governors, including Pontius Pilate. 5. The Tower of David and Herod’s Palace were part of the same fortified area, with the palace located just to the west of the citadel. 6. Excavations have uncovered parts of Herod’s Palace near the Tower of David, providing valuable insights into the period's architectural and historical context. 7. The Kishle and King Herod’s Palace offer fascinating glimpses into Jerusalem’s layered history, from ancient times through various periods of conquest and rule. If you visit the Tower of David Museum, you can explore these areas and learn more about their historical significance. Faith Lesson from the Tower of David and Herod's Palace 1. The stones here cry out that God’s Word is true and is verifiable through the fulfillment of many prophecies. What about us? Do we see that written all over the history of Jerusalem and Israel are fulfilled prophecies from the Bible? Does this increase our faith and confidence in the Bible? 2. A famous statement about Jerusalem, which is a sad but very true, says, “The Jerusalem Stone, so resilient and supple, bows to the transient follies of humankind, bearing a testimony like a hundred witnesses, and yet, remains silent.” What about us? Do we understand that disobedience to God only results in folly and destruction? 3. We find in all that has happened to the Jews a powerful and sobering message for us today. Obedience brings God’s blessings, but disobedience brings His discipline. 1 Corinthians 10:11–12: Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. What about us? are we enjoying God's blessings or His discipline? Do we realize His discipline is for our own God to draw us out of destruction and into His blessings and life?

See Tel Beth Shemesh and the place where the Philistines returned the Ark of the Covenant back to Israel during the days of Samuel. It was a border city between Judah and Dan that was given to the Levites. Just across the valley is the town of Zorah, where Samson lived. Some ruins and his tomb can be seen today. Down the valley was the town of Timnah, the hometown of Samson’s first wife, and the area where his girlfriend Delilah lived. Beth-Shemesh Photo Gallery Places of Interest Beth-Shemesh Introduction Welcome to Beth Shemesh. Many significant events from the Bible took place here. These are the highlights. 1. This area was the stomping grounds of Samson. Across the valley to the north, in what was the town of Zorah, is his tomb. Just a bit down the valley to the west is Tel Timnah, the hometown of Delilah, Samson's first wife. 2. Below is the Sorek Valley, one of the most important travel routes running east and west. It was in this valley that the Ark of the Covenant was miraculously returned to the Israelites by the Philistines. The rock area below is likely where the Israelites received the Ark and where they sacrificed the oxen and cart to the Lord. 3. Beth Shemesh was a town situated directly on the border between the Israelites and the Philistines, making its role crucial for the Israelites. Location 1. Beth-Shemesh lies 13 miles (21 km) west of Jerusalem and 20 miles (32 km) east of the Mediterranean Sea. It’s on Hwy. 38, about 5.5 miles (8 km) south of Hwy. 1. 2. Beth-Shemesh was the most important city in the Sorek Valley as it was a guard-city to both east-west and north-south traffic through the region. 3. It was a border city between Judah and Dan that was given to the Levites. 4. Just across the valley (north) is the town of Zorah, where Samson lived. Some ruins and his tomb can be seen today. 5. Down the valley (west) a short distance was the town of Timnah, the hometown of Samson’s first wife, and the area where his girlfriend Delilah lived. 6. Beth-Shemesh means “House of the Sun” and probably got its name from sun worship by the Canaanites. 7. Beth-Shemesh is most known as the place where the Ark of the Covenant arrived when the Philistines returned it in 1 Samuel 6. Historical Background 1. Beth Shemesh was a large, thriving city belonging to the Canaanites when the Israelites arrived in about 1406 BC. 2. The Philistines were part of the Canaanite people group who lived in the land (Gen. 21:34). They possessed iron and were the high-tech people of the day. 3. At the time of the Judges and 1 Samuel (1400-1010 AD), the Philistines had a stronghold in the coastal plain area. 4. As the Philistines gained territory, they moved inland. Beth Shemesh and the cities in the Sorek Valley were affected and became border towns between the Philistines and the Israelites. 5. Samson, who lived across from Beth Shemesh in Zorah, engaged in battle with the Philistines to liberate the area from their grasp and return it to the Israelites. 6. The Philistines worshipped the false god, Dagon, who was supposedly the father of Baalsabul, or Baal. He was a fish god of fertility, represented as a half-man, half-fish creature. 7. Samson was one of the last judges who ruled over Israel for twenty years, primarily acting as a military deliverer against the Philistines from around 1118 to 1078 BC. Places of Interest 1. Tel Beth-Shemesh Ancient Stone and Room (Likely place the Ark of the Covenant was placed while in Beth Shemesh) 5th-century AD Byzantine Monastery Underground Water Reservoir Northern Double-Chambered Gate Southern Gate Mosque Ruins Tombs Large rock where the Israelites likely sacrificed the oxen that pulled the cart after receiving the Ark of the Covenant from the Philistines. 2. Sorek Valley 3. Nahal Sorek Stream 4. Zorah Samson's Tomb 5. Tel Timnah 6. Modern Beth-Shemesh Beth-Shemesh in the Bible 1. In around 1075 BC, God gave the Israelites over to the Philistines because they had done evil in His sight. Judges 13:1: And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, so the LORD gave them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years. 2. God raised up Samson to begin the deliverance of the area from the hand of the Philistines (Judges 13–16). 3. The Ark of the Covenant was captured in a battle against the Philistines. This was due to judgment against the priest Eli and his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who all died in battle because of their wickedness (1 Sam. 4). 4. The Philistines believed they were victorious in battle because their god, Dagon, was stronger than the true God of the Israelites. As a result, the Philistines took the Ark to the temple of their god, Dagon, to honor him for the victory. 5. However, God made the false god, Dagon, fall down in worship before the Ark. 1 Samuel 5:1–4: When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it up beside Dagon. 3 And when the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and put him back in his place. 4 But when they rose early on the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the LORD, and the head of Dagon and both his hands were lying cut off on the threshold. Only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. 6. God sent the Philistines many sicknesses as a result of possessing the Ark. So they moved it from town to town, thinking their diseases were just coincidental. 7. Finally, they realized that it was God who was behind their diseases and decided to send the Ark of the Covenant back to the Israelites. 8. The Philistines prepare to return the Ark to the Israelites in Beth-Shemesh. 1 Samuel 6:1–9: The ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months . 2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us with what we shall send it to its place.” 3 They said, “If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty, but by all means return him a guilt offering. Then you will be healed, and it will be known to you why his hand does not turn away from you.” 4 And they said, “What is the guilt offering that we shall return to him?” They answered, “Five golden tumors and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines, for the same plague was on all of you and on your lords. 5 So you must make images of your tumors and images of your mice that ravage the land, and give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps he will lighten his hand from off you and your gods and your land. 6 Why should you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? After he had dealt severely with them, did they not send the people away, and they departed? 7 Now then, take and prepare a new cart and two milk cows on which there has never come a yoke, and yoke the cows to the cart, but take their calves home, away from them. 8 And take the ark of the LORD and place it on the cart and put in a box at its side the figures of gold, which you are returning to him as a guilt offering. Then send it off and let it go its way 9 and watch. If it goes up on the way to its own land, to Beth-Shemesh , then it is he who has done us this great harm, but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that struck us; it happened to us by coincidence.” 9. The Ark miraculously arrives at Beth-Shemesh. 1 Samuel 6:10–13: The men did so and took two milk cows and yoked them to the cart and shut up their calves at home. 11 And they put the ark of the LORD on the cart and the box with the golden mice and the images of their tumors. 12 And the cows went straight in the direction of Beth-Shemesh along one highway, lowing as they went. They turned neither to the right nor to the left, and the lords of the Philistines went after them as far as the border of Beth-Shemesh . 13 Now the people of Beth-Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley. And when they lifted up their eyes and saw the ark, they rejoiced to see it. 10. The Israelites offer a burnt offering to the Lord in gratitude for receiving the Ark. 1 Samuel 6:14–16: The cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth-Shemesh and stopped there. A great stone was there. And they split up the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD. 15 And the Levites took down the ark of the LORD and the box that was beside it, in which were the golden figures, and set them upon the great stone. And the men of Beth-Shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices on that day to the LORD. 16 And when the five lords of the Philistines saw it, they returned that day to Ekron. 11. During the brief time the Ark was in Beth Shemesh, it was looked upon by some of the Israelites, and they were killed by God for doing so. This place can still be seen today. 1 Samuel 6:19: And he struck some of the men of Beth-shemesh because they looked upon the ark of the Lord. He struck seventy men of them, and the people mourned because the Lord had struck the people with a great blow. 12. The Beth-Shemesh area is where Philip the Evangelist witnessed to the Ethiopian Eunuch. Acts 8:26–31: Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza .” This is a desert place. 27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet, Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Faith Lesson from Beth-Shemesh 1. The Israelites adopted the sinful culture of those around them and did evil in the sight of the Lord. Am I careful not to adopt the sinful lifestyles and beliefs of the culture in which I live? 2. Even though the Israelites sinned and failed to be a faithful witness to the surrounding nations, God protected His glory and showed Himself to them as the true and living God. Am I a faithful witness to my culture in living out God’s truth and reflecting His glory? 3. Do I use the miracles God has done in my life as a tool to witness and teach others who God is? 4. Like Philip, am I obedient in listening to God’s voice and sharing the gospel when He prompts me?

Right beside the Garden of Gethsemane and the Tomb of Mary is an amazing cave where Jesus stayed while in Jerusalem. It was also where Jesus was arrested and taken to be condemned to crucifixion. Gethsemane Cave Grotto Photo Gallery Places of Interest Gethsemane Cave Grotto Introduction 1. This is the most likely place Jesus and His disciples stayed while ministering in Jerusalem. Therefore, you are in the footsteps of Jesus and His disciples right here. 2. The meaning of Gethsemane comes from the Hebrew words "gat," which means press, and "shemanim," which means oil. So, it was an oil press. However, in this case, it was an oil press for pressing olives into olive oil. 3. This is the most likely place Jesus spent His last moments with the disciples before being arrested and crucified. 4. It was likely from here that Jesus went to pray. 5. In this area, Christ’s sweat became like great drops of blood. 6. In this vicinity, Christ was arrested and taken captive by the Jews. 7. It was a large cave complex used as an olive press. 8. When it wasn't olive season, it was used for lodging. 9. Many believe it was in this cave that Nicodemas came to Jesus at night, as found in John chapter 3. 10. In this place, you are literally in the same place Jesus was. Location 1. Gethsemane Cave is just north of the Garden of Gethsemane and beside the Tomb of Mary. Both are in the Kidron Valley, just east of the Temple Mount platform. 2. Access to the cave is along a narrow-walled passageway leading to the right from the open courtyard in front of the Tomb of Mary. 3. When people hear the word Gethsemane, they usually think of a garden. But Gethsemane wasn’t a garden. The word actually means olive press, not olive grove. It seems that everyone in Jesus’ time understood that Gethsemane was a cave—a location where olive oil was produced. In fact, the first time that we are aware of anyone using the term “Garden of Gethsemane” was around 1100 AD. Historical Background 1. Early Christians set this site apart and venerated it shortly after Jesus ascended back to heaven. 2. Since around 350 AD, this cave has been sanctified by the Christian faith as the place where the disciples waited for Jesus and later witnessed his arrest. A cistern, a fragment of a Greek inscription, and ceiling decorations attest to the site's use in both Byzantine and Crusader times. 3. In the Byzantine period, Christians recorded seeing some of the “Round Stone Beds” on which the disciples fell asleep while waiting for Jesus. 4. Parts of an ancient olive press prove the site is indeed Gethsemane. 5. The natural grotto, which is about 200 sq. yards (190 sq. meters) in area, has essentially been unchanged since Jesus' time. 6. It is believed to be where the disciples slept while Jesus prayed, and where Jesus was betrayed by Judas and arrested. 7. It may also be the location of Jesus’ nighttime meeting with Nicodemus (John 3:1-21). The Catholic Church is the custodian of this cave, and it teaches that Jesus met the Jewish ruler Nicodemus in this cave. In the third chapter of the Gospel of John, it says that in this room there was a conversation between Jesus and one of the leaders of the Jews – a man named Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a secret follower of Jesus. And because this cave was outside the city limits, it would have been very easy for him to meet Jesus in secret at night. 8. The grotto is also known as the Cave of the Olive Press. 9. Around 350 AD, the grotto became a chapel. The floor was paved with white mosaic, through which graves were dug. More than 40 graves have been discovered, mainly from the 5th to 8th centuries. 10. The inscriptions on the wall have been interpreted in various ways. The line around the sanctuary seems to mean: “Here [in these representations]: The King sweated blood. Christ the Savior frequented [this place with his apostles]. My Father, if it is your wish, let this cup pass from me.” Places of Interest 1. Eyewitnesses from the fourth and sixth centuries attest to the remains of original artifacts, revealing this was the authentic place where the Gethsemane press was and where Jesus was arrested the night before being crucified. 2. Evidence of an olive press was found where the altar is now located. There was a hole in the wall that supported the arm used to hold the lever that pressed the olives. 3. Over the main altar is a representation of Jesus praying among the Apostles. 4. Paintings over the side altars depict the Assumption of the Virgin and the Kiss of Judas. 5. Bronze figures beneath the main altar depict two sleeping disciples. 6. To the right of the right-hand altar is a hole in the wall. It is just at the right height to hold one end of a wooden beam, which, when weighted at the other end, pressed crushed olives piled in loosely woven baskets. 7. Carved cross to the left of the altar. 8. Seven layers of writings on the ceiling toward the back of the cave, dating to shortly after the time of Christ. 9. Cistern toward the back of the cave. 10. Around 80 tombs, some dating to as early as 325 AD. 11. The stars on the ceiling were painted here during the Crusader era, about 900 years ago. These stars are reminiscent of the night when Jesus was arrested. 12. Garden of Gethsemane 13. Kidron Valley (Valley of Jehoshaphat) 14. Temple Mount Gethsemane Cave in the Bible 1. This is the most likely place Jesus and His disciples stayed while ministering in Jerusalem. Luke 21:37-38: Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives , 38 and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple. 2. Many believe it was in this cave that Nicodemas came to Jesus at night, as found in John chapter 3. John 3:1-3: Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus , a ruler of the Jews; 2 this man came to Jesus at night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus responded and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:16: For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him. 3. This is the most likely place Jesus spent His last moments with the disciples before being arrested and crucified. Matthew 26:30-31: And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives . 31 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 4. It was likely from here that Jesus went to pray. Matthew 26:36: Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane , and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 5. Christ’s sweat became like great drops of blood nearby. Luke 22:43-44: And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” 6. Christ was arrested and taken captive by the Jews nearby. Matthew 26:45-50: Then he came to the disciples and said to them, "Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand." 47 While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I will kiss is the man; seize him." 49 And he came up to Jesus at once and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" And he kissed him. 50 Jesus said to him, "Friend, do what you came to do." Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. Faith Lesson from Gethsemane Cave 1. Jesus willingly went to the cross to pay for our sins and show His great love for us. What about us? Do we truly appreciate what Christ did for us? 2. Jesus was the perfect example of willingly submitting to God and resisting sin and temptation, even sweating drops of blood. What about us? Do we submit to God regardless of the cost? 3. It was here that the disciples fled and abandoned Jesus. What about us? Do we stand firm during trials and persecution?

The biblical account of the calling of at least 6 of the 12 disciples occurred on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee because it was the area where most of the fishing was done, and the fishing towns were located. See the places and hear the story where Christ called some of the 12 disciples. Sites of interest include: Northern Shore of the Sea of Galilee, Gennesaret, Magdala, Tabgha, Capernaum, Bethsaida, Sea of Galilee, Filmed in Israel along the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Calling of the Disciples Photo Gallery Places of Interest Calling of the Disciples Introduction Welcome to the approximate location where Jesus called several of the disciples. This is a significant event from the Bible. These are the highlights. 1. Scripture says that Jesus called Peter, James, and John while they were washing their fishing nets. This would be done in a flat, gradual area. This location is one of the few on the Sea of Galilee where this could have been done. 2. This area is also where much of the fishing was done as it had springs of water flowing into the sea. 3. We also know that all of the disciples were from the Galilee area (Acts 1:11). 4. The area of Tabgha is also the traditional place where Jesus restored Peter after he had denied Jesus three times in Jerusalem, just before His crucifixion. Location The biblical account of the calling of at least 6 of the 12 disciples likely occurred on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee because it was the area where most of the fishing was done, and the fishing towns were located. Historical Background 1. While the Bible clearly mentions that 6 of the 12 disciples were from the Sea of Galilee, it is possible more were from this area as well. 2. Acts 1:11: At Christ's ascension into heaven, the angels said to the disciples standing there, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven?" While the text doesn’t specify the exact location, it does tell us that all the disciples were from the Galilee area. Places of Interest 1. Northern Shore of the Sea of Galilee 2. Most likely place several of the disciples were called 3. Gennesaret 4. Magdala 5. Tabgha 6. Capernaum 7. Bethsaida 8. Sea of Galilee Calling of the Disciples in the Bible 1. The biblical narrative suggests that Jesus had several contacts with some of the disciples before His final call on them to leave everything and follow Him. John 1:35–44: The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, "What are you seeking?" And they said to him, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?" 39 He said to them, "Come and you will see." So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas" (which means Peter). 43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 2. In the following passage, we see what appears to be a final contact with some of the disciples before Jesus’ last call on them to follow Him in full-time ministry. Luke 5:1–11: On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, 2 and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." 5 And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets." 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish , and their nets were breaking. 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him. 3. The calling of Matthew, the tax collector. Matthew 9:9: As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him.” From Matthew 9:1 we see that the calling of Matthew was close to Capernaum which is on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Faith Lesson from the Calling of the Disciples 1. When God calls us to salvation, or a certain calling or task, sometimes this might involve a process and have several confirmations. Is there some special calling you have felt for some time from the Lord? 2. God wants our full devotion and obedience. He doesn’t want us to add Him to our lives and make Him an accessory we only turn to when we need help. God refuses to be an ATM. Do I follow Jesus for His blessings only, or am I willing to deny myself and suffer for Him as well? 3. God calls us to be His disciples and devote our entire life to Him. Luke 14:25–33: Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 33 So, therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. 4. Am I willing to love Christ and follow Him regardless of the cost? 5. Compared to my love for Christ, all other relationships should fade. The contrast here is that compared to my love for Christ, all other relationships would be like hate. Do all my relationships appear as hate in comparison to my love for Christ? 6. Christ said that there would be a great falling away from the faith in the last days, and there would be many false teachers. Unfortunately, in many churches today, a soft version of the gospel is proclaimed. They neglect to emphasize repentance, God's judgments, the true cost of discipleship, service, and sacrifice. Instead, there is an overemphasis on the blessings of God and on how He exists to serve our needs and make us happy, rather than on our serving Him and finding true joy in our devotion to Him. This soft gospel will likely lead to the great apostasy mentioned in Scripture. 7. Am I growing deeper in my knowledge of God’s Word so I don’t fall into the many traps that will lead to the great apostasy of the last days?

Other than the main sites we have on our website, this page lists many other sites of interest around the Sea of Galilee: Berko Archaeological Park, Gamla Nature Reserve, Hamat Tverya National Park, Hippos (Horvat Susita), Mitzpe Ofir Observation Point, Tiberias Promenade, Tiberium Light Show Other Sites Around the Sea of Galilee Photo Gallery Places of Interest Other Sites of Interest Around the Sea of Galilee Berko Archaeological Park The Berko Archaeological Museum provides a unique glimpse into Tiberias of the first century. Tiberias was founded in 18 AD by Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great and Jewish ruler of the Galilee (4 BC-39 AD). Herod Antipas made the new city his capital and named the city after the Roman emperor Tiberius Caesar. The park includes an ancient Roman gate, a theater, a bathhouse, and a thousand-year-old drainage system. It also features gardens with paths throughout and balconies offering panoramic views of the ancient city. The Theater of Roman Tiberias was constructed in the 1st century AD, then enlarged in the 2nd or 3rd centuries AD, and had a seating capacity of 7,000 people. It continued to be used for gatherings until the end of the Byzantine period, when it was destroyed by an earthquake that struck the city in 749 AD. The site is located near the southern entrance of Tiberias, between the ancient cemetery and the hotels of Hammat Tiberias. A parking lot is located near the south gate, north of the Holiday Inn hotel. Gamla Nature Reserve High in the Golan Heights of northern Israel lies the Gamla Nature Reserve, home to the ancient city of Gamla and the Gamla Stream Waterfall (the tallest flowing waterfall in Israel). The park is full of wildlife and breathtaking views. Gamla (camel in Hebrew) was an ancient fortified city on the Golan Heights, located on a high ridge above a crossing of two gorges. During the Great Revolt against the Romans in 66 AD, it became an important stronghold where Jewish rebels fought bravely to the death. The observation terrace offers a view over the ancient city from its ridge and of the remains of the early synagogue. To explore the ruins of Gamla up close, you need to take the hiking trail, aptly named “Ancient Trail,” which is about .62 miles (1 km) each way. However, because it involves some climbing and descending over stones, it can take about 2 hours. There is a viewing place by the park headquarters that grants a beautiful view of the ruins for those who don’t care to hike down to them. Gamla Stream Waterfall lookout point offers views of the cliffs of the Gamla Stream canyon and a colony of nesting birds of prey. There is an easy 90-minute trail (45 minutes each way) leading to the lookout terrace from which the highest waterfall in Israel, 170 ft (51 m), flows year-round. Along the way, you will pass ancient dolmens and a collection of Bronze Age burial mounds made of huge boulders. Hamat Tverya National Park This park is in the ancient village of Hamat and is much older than Tiberias. “Hama” means hot spring. It was one of the fortified cities mentioned in the Bible within the Tribe of Naftali: “And the fortified cities were Tziddim, Tzer, and Hamat , and Rakkat, and Chinneret ” (Josh. 19:35). After the founding of Tiberias, Hamat became Hamat Tverya. The distance between the two cities was one mile (1.6 km). In the park, the remains of mosaics from 3 synagogues, built one on top of the other, can be found. The first synagogue was built about 230 AD, the second existed in the 4th century AD, and the third was rebuilt after being destroyed in an earthquake in the 5th century. The synagogue underwent preservation, restoration, and reconstruction, and is now surrounded by glass walls. Tiberias Hot Springs – Hamat Tverya National Park – At the Tiberias Hot Springs site, seventeen thermo-mineral springs flow at a temperature of about 140 F (60 C). The water flows in a system of underground channels to the Turkish Hamam, a beautifully preserved 18th-century structure. Surplus water that does not flow into the Tiberias hot baths is collected in an on-site pool. Because of the waters' reputed curative properties, the Romans built luxurious baths that attracted people from all over the empire. The remains of the ancient Roman baths are located at the southern end of the site. Hippos (Horvat Susita) The ruins of the ancient city of Hippos (Greek for "horse"), known today as Horvat Susita, are located 1.2 miles (2 km) east of the Sea of Galilee on the plateau of a diamond-shaped mountain, 1,148 ft (350 m) above sea level. The city was almost entirely isolated from its surroundings, with just a narrow saddle-bridge leading towards the western slopes of the Golan Heights. The entire city was surrounded by an imposing fortification wall. The ruins of Hippos span the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, and Umayyad periods, dating from the 3rd century BC to the 7th century AD. During the Roman period, Hippos belonged to the Decapolis, a group of ten cities regarded as centers of Greek culture in an area that was predominantly Jewish. Archaeologists have uncovered a main colonnaded street, Roman fortifications, public baths, and temples from both the Hellenistic and Roman periods. More recently, a Roman basilica and the remains of at least seven different churches built during the Byzantine period have been uncovered. This confirms that by the 4th century AD, the majority of the city's residents were likely Christian. Hippos continued to exist until the mid-8th century, when the city was destroyed by the catastrophic earthquake of 749 AD and was never again resettled. Mitzpe Ofir Observation Point This is a beautiful lookout and rest area in the southern Golan Heights that offers a view of the entire Sea of Galilee. From this viewpoint, not only can you see the whole lake, but you can also see the Lower Galilee mountains, the Upper Galilee, and the Golan Heights. The lookout is also part of a long hiking trail down to old Derech Bnei Yehuda (village settlement). This is a great place to spend a late afternoon and witness spectacular sunsets. Mitzpe Ofir was established and is maintained by Mr. Shaal of Givat Yoav, who chose this beautiful spot to memorialize his son Ofir, who died of a long illness when he was only 16 years old. A grove of 16 olive trees has been planted there, one for each year of Ofir’s life. Tiberias Promenade The Yigal Allon Promenade in Tiberias is more commonly known as the Tiberias Promenade. It’s located along the Sea of Galilee near the Old City of Tiberias and the small Marina. The Promenade offers a pleasant stroll by the water, allowing visitors to enjoy the beautiful view of the water, boats, and the marina. You can take a ride on a boat on the Sea of Galilee from here as well. Sunset and the evening are exceptional times to visit the Promenade, with its many restaurants and souvenir shops open and busy. Tiberium Light Show Israel’s world-renowned multimedia design company created a breathtaking water, music, and light show in Tiberias. This spectacular show features dancing fountains with artistic laser lights, music, and pyrotechnics screened onto jets of water, reaching over ten meters high to create a dazzling display of water and light. The show takes place at the south end of the Yigal Alon Promenade and is free to the public three times each evening from 7-9 pm, except in rainy weather. (Note: Tiberium depends on the water level of the Sea of Galilee. If the level is too high, the light show will not take place.)

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?

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. Many today believe Noah’s Ark and the flood are just a myth or some altered version of ancient beliefs. 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 & the Great Flood 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. Is There Worldwide Historical Evidence for the Great Flood? The Great Flood account is mentioned in writings, or oral traditions found all around the world. In fact, as mentioned, it’s referred to in around 200 accounts. These flood legends are common across a wide range of cultures, extending back to shortly after the flood account. These accounts depict a flood, sometimes global in scale, usually sent by a deity or deities to destroy civilization as an act of divine judgment. 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 the Tower of Babel, and they scattered as found in Genesis 11. As the various people groups spread around the globe, the story of the Flood was so important and monumental that it was taken with them and shared. Over time the Great Flood account became embedded in their respective histories and cultures. The oldest known written account of a global flood is the Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh from the eighteenth-century BC. The most significant account of Noah and the Great Flood is found in the Bible in Genesis chapters 6–8. It’s also mentioned 47 times throughout the Bible with references in 9 different books such as Genesis, Chronicles, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Matthew, Luke, Hebrews, and 1 & 2 Peter. This means Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jesus, the Apostle Peter, and the author of Hebrews all attest to the truthfulness of this catastrophic event as being 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 of the reality and truthfulness of Noah’s Ark and the Great Flood because Jesus referred to it as being a literal event, not some myth or fairy tale. Why Do Many People Dismiss the Great Flood and Believe It’s a Myth? The creation of the universe, along with Noah and the Great Flood, are some of the most attacked writings by critics. Why is this so? I believe it’s because creation deals with the fact that we have a divine Creator to whom we must give an account. Sinful humanity desires to be the lord of their lives and refuses to submit to their Creator. In order to justify their sinful lifestyles, they attempt to eradicate their Creator so they can do as they please. This is the root source of evolution. It denies the existence of God and tries to explain the existence of the universe by time and random chance. However, everywhere we look we see intelligent design, which attests to the existence of God. According to God, every person knows in the depths of their hearts that God exists. Therefore, there is really no such thing as an atheist. Romans 1:18–21 addresses why no one is truly an atheist. It says: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasonings, and their senseless hearts were darkened. This same attitude of rejecting our Creator was prevalent in the days of Noah. This is the main reason God sent the Great Flood. Today, many choose not to believe the Creation and Great Flood accounts because they try to understand them using the natural laws of science. However, these events were supernatural and superseded natural laws. In fact, the whole Bible is full of supernatural events we call miracles because God is supernatural and is involved in His creation. Whenever God moves, it is supernatural. God also has created all the laws of nature as well. So, whether something is supernatural, or natural, everything that happens is due to God making it happen. In fact, nothing that happens does so without God working. When we understand and believe these truths, then the events of Creation and the Great Flood are very believable. Those who claim there is no evidence for the Great Flood do so by using their preconceived belief that there was no flood to begin with and then attempt to explain away the evidence using eons of time and random chance. Moreover, the creation of the universe was one of God’s greatest miracles. It was completely supernatural, and when He was done, it was a mature, fully functioning system that had apparent age to it. Adam and Eve were created mature, along with the animals and some plants for food for them. This was also the case with the stars. They had apparent age, and as mentioned, God’s creation was mature and fully functional. It did not evolve over time. Other than the creation of the universe by God almighty and the works of Christ, there is no greater miracle recorded in the Bible than the Great Flood. It was a catastrophic event that altered the terrain, climate, and makeup of the earth. It lasted for around a year and wiped out everything that had the breath of life in its nostrils except Noah, his family, and the animals on the Ark. Why Did God Send Such a Catastrophic Flood Upon the Earth? Genesis 6:5–8 tells us why: Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of mankind was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. 6 So the Lord was sorry that He had made mankind on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 Then the Lord said, “I will wipe out mankind whom I have created from the face of the land; mankind, and animals as well, and crawling things, and the birds of the sky. For I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Did God Give the Wicked the Opportunity to Repent before the Flood? In 2 Peter 2:5, Noah is referred to as a “preacher of righteousness.” This means Noah was a preacher who preached to the people of his day to repent and turn from their wickedness to God. However, like most people today, the people of Noah’s day were too busy enjoying the pleasures of life and did not believe Noah or care that judgment was coming upon them. We don’t know how long Noah preached to the people of his day, but it could easily have been around 50–100 years. And for those who didn’t directly hear Noah’s preaching, they had a conscience given to them by God, God’s laws written in their hearts, and God’s Spirit convicting them of their wickedness, as it says in Romans 2. How Big was the Ark, and How was It Built? In Genesis 6:13–16, it says: Then God said to Noah, “The end of humanity has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of people; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth. 14 Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with compartments, and cover it inside and out with pitch. 15 This is how you shall make it: the length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits [515 ft. or 157 m.], its width fifty cubits [86 ft. or 26 m.], and its height thirty cubits [62 ft. or 19 m.]. 16 You shall make a window for the ark, and finish it to a cubit [20.61 inches or 52.35 cm.] from the top; and put the door of the ark on the side; you shall make it with lower, second, and third decks. The royal cubit was around 20.61inches, or 52.35 cm. long. This was the standard measurement used around the known world at that time. It’s like the metric system today. We see the royal cubit measurement used in the great pyramids of Egypt, gates at Tel Megiddo, Temple Mount Platform in Jerusalem, and other places. Moses wrote Genesis, so it stands to reason he would use this royal measurement as he was raised in Egypt, and it was universally used by all. This old cubit measurement seems to be referred to as well in Scripture: 2 Chronicles 3:3 says: Now these are the foundations which Solomon laid for building the house of God. The length in cubits, according to the old standard, was sixty cubits, and the width, twenty cubits. The reference to the “old cubit” seems to be speaking of the “royal cubit” used before the Israelites established a newer cubit that was a little shorter in length. Using the royal cubit, the Ark would measure 515 ft. or 157 m. long, 86 ft. or 26.21 m. wide, and 52 ft. or 15.70 m. high. Scripture also indicates the Ark had three levels and many compartments for the animals. What Did God Destroy by the Flood? Genesis 6:17–22 says: Now behold, I Myself am bringing the Flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which there is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish. This would eliminate all humans and animals as they lived by breathing oxygen. The sea and water creatures were not destroyed. What Kinds of Animals Did God Save from the Flood? There were two kinds, or animal families God saved from the Flood. The first type was: Regular Animals Genesis 6:18–22 states: But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. 19 And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds according to their kind, and of the animals according to their kind, of every crawling thing of the ground according to its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. 21 As for you, take for yourself some of every food that is edible, and gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and them.” 22 So Noah did these things; according to everything that God had commanded him, so he did. Of the regular animals, two of every kind went aboard the Ark. A “Kind” of animal is similar in meaning to a “family” of animals. A kind of animal, or family of animals, is very different from a species of animals. A species deals with all the varieties within a kind or family of animals. So this doesn’t mean God brought every species or variety of every animal, but two of every family of animals. This would reduce the number of animals that would have been on the Ark considerably. For example, today, there are around 300–400 different species of dogs. However, they all come from one kind of dog. From one pair of dogs, all the different varieties are derived. Clean Animals The second type of animals were called clean. Genesis 7:1–5 says: Then the Lord said to Noah, “Enter the ark, you and all your household, for you alone I have seen to be righteous before Me in this generation. 2 You shall take with you seven pairs of every clean animal, a male and his female; and two of the animals that are not clean, a male and his female; 3 also of the birds of the sky, seven pairs, male and female, to keep their offspring alive on the face of all the earth. 4 For after seven more days, I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights; and I will wipe out from the face of the land every living thing that I have made.” 5 So Noah acted in accordance with everything that the Lord had commanded him. Of the clean animals, there were seven pairs brought aboard the Ark. This would allow for Noah and his sons to be able to offer some of them as sacrifices after the Flood and not jeopardize their extinction. Both the regular and clean animals were most likely young and small so that they wouldn’t take up a lot of space, would not eat as much, and would have many years of reproductive life ahead of them after the Flood to repopulate the earth again. This means that the dinosaurs brought aboard the Ark were most likely young and small as well. How Did the Animals Come to the Ark? It was God who supernaturally gathered the animals and brought them to Noah, and the Ark. Genesis 6:20 says, Of the birds according to their kind, and of the animals according to their kind, of every crawling thing of the ground according to its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. Who Closed the Door of the Ark? Genesis 7:15 tells us: So they went into the ark to Noah, by twos of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. 16 Those that entered, male and female of all flesh, entered as God had commanded him; and the Lord closed the door behind him. When Did the Great Flood Begin? By the best records found in the Bible, the Great Flood took place around 2500 BC. Also, according to a literal interpretation of the Bible, God created the universe in about 4000 BC. This means the Flood happened 1,500 years after creation. Where Did the Water Come from to Flood the Whole Earth? Genesis 7:11–12 says: In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst open, and the floodgates of the sky were opened. 12 The rain fell upon the earth for forty days and forty nights. This means that water came from two sources: (1) from the fountains of the deep and (2) from the floodgates of the sky. It appears the continental plates were shifted, and the continents formed when the fountains of the deep opened and water gushed out. It’s also believed that the water canopy God created at creation came down upon the earth. Before the Flood, the earth was like a huge greenhouse that was tropical in nature worldwide. Therefore, we find tropical fossils in places like the north and south poles. When this canopy came down, the earth’s atmosphere changed drastically. Because there was no longer a water canopy to protect the earth and keep the heat in, rapid cooling took place at the northern and southern poles and the higher mountains. This is evidenced by animals found frozen instantaneously in ice at both the southern and northern poles. Did the Great Flood Cover the Whole Earth? Genesis 7:17–23: Then the Flood came upon the earth for forty days, and the water increased and lifted up the ark, so that it rose above the earth. 18 The water prevailed and increased greatly upon the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. 19 And the water prevailed more and more upon the earth, so that all the high mountains everywhere under the heavens were covered. 20 The water prevailed fifteen cubits higher [26 ft., 8 m.], and the mountains were covered. 21 And all flesh died that moved on the earth: birds and cattle and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every man. 22 All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, all that was on the dry land, died. 23 So He wiped out every living thing that was upon the face of the land, from mankind to animals, to crawling things, and the birds of the sky, and they were wiped out from the earth; and only Noah was left, together with those that were with him in the ark. Scripture is clear that the Flood covered all the mountains everywhere under the heavens and that all flesh died that breathed air. It’s also clear from the Bible and archaeological evidence that the Great Flood covered all the earth under the heavens. Those who say the flood account was just a local event and not worldwide overlook the fact that all people and animals not in the Ark could have easily left the area of a local flood and migrated to higher ground. In doing so, they wouldn’t have been destroyed, as Scripture indicates. Also, much more than just a local area of the earth was populated, so the Flood had to be global to destroy all the other animals and humans. How Long Was There Water on the Whole Earth? 1. Day 1: The Flood begins in the 600th year of Noah’s life, in the 2nd month, on the 17th day of the month, the fountains of the great deep broke apart, and the windows of heaven were opened, and it began to rain as found in Genesis 7:11. It should be noted that Noah entered the Ark seven days before the flood began, as found in Genesis 7:1–5. 2. Day 40: The massive deluge of water ends after forty days and nights in the 3rd month, on the 27th day of the month, as found in Genesis 7:11–12 and Genesis 7:17–20. 3. Day 150: The waters continue to prevail on the whole earth 110 days after the deluge stops in the 7th month, on the 17th day of the month, as found in Genesis 7:24 and Genesis 8:4. 4. Day 150: The waters begin to recede, and the Ark rests on the mountains of Ararat in the 7th month, on the 17th day of the month, as found in Genesis 7:24 and Genesis 8:4. Scripture says that the Ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat. Ararat was a territory originally called Urartu. Notice that the Ark didn’t rest upon Mt. Ararat but upon the mountains of Ararat. Now when we look carefully at verses four and five, they seem hard to understand. Genesis 8:4 says: Then in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat. Genesis 8:5 says: And the water decreased steadily until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains became visible. It seems confusing as the Ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat 74 days before the mountains were visible. How could this be? This becomes very clear and understandable when we realize that the Ark had drogue stones that were used to stabilize the Ark. These were massive stones that hung down under the ship and were used to stabilize it. They were used in ancient times and acted like sailboat ballasts today. They created a drag in turbulent waters to prevent a ship from slipping sideways against the waves. In calmer waters, they hung deep sounding for the bottom underwater. Therefore, the drogue stones of the Ark caused it to stop and rest on the mountains. Afterward, when the water level dropped, the Ark touched down and sat on the land. Interestingly, these stones have been found in the area where it’s believed Noah’s Ark came to rest. We will be looking at these drogue and anchor stones in more detail in a moment when we look at all the evidence for the location of Noah’s Ark in Eastern Turkey in the mountains of Ararat. 5. Day 224: The tops of the mountains become visible in the 10th month, on the 1st day of the month, as found in Genesis 8:5. Between days 150 and 224, the Ark touched down upon dry land. 6. Day 264: Noah sent out a raven in the 11th month, on the 11th day of the month, as found in Genesis 8:6. 7. Day 271: A dove is sent out and returns to Noah in the 11th month, on the 18th day of the month, as found in Genesis 8:6–12. 8. Day 278: The dove is sent out again and returns with an olive leaf in the 11th month, on the 25th day of the month, as found in Genesis 8:10–11. 9. Day 285: The dove is sent out again and does not return in the 12th month, on the 2nd day of the month, as found in Genesis 8:12. 10. Day 314: The earth’s surface is dried up in the 601st year of Noah’s life, in the 1st month, on the 1st day of the month, as found in Genesis 8:13. 11. Day 370: Noah, his family, and the animals leave the Ark in the 2nd month, on the 27th day of the month, as found in Genesis 8:14–17. Taking all this time into account, the earth wasn’t dry until 314 days after the Flood began. This is the equivalent of over 10 months. Altogether, Noah and the animals were in the Ark for 370 days total. This is equivalent to over a year. We often overlook how much time the event of the Great Flood actually took place. What Did Noah Do Shortly After the Great Flood? Genesis 8:20–21 says: Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took some of every kind of clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 The Lord smelled the soothing aroma, and the Lord said to Himself, “I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done. So, Noah worshiped the Lord after the Flood, and God instituted the rainbow as a promise He would never again destroy those upon the earth with another Great Flood. So again, if the Flood would have been just local as some claim, then every time there is a local flood, God would be breaking His promise He established regarding the rainbow. Is There Evidence Today for the Location of Noah’s Ark? Yes, there is a ton of evidence for the location of Noah’s Ark, and I am really excited to share it with you. The site we’ll be looking at has far more evidence than any other proposed place. It’s known today as the Durupinar Site but is not new as it has been venerated for thousands of years. We have another website page dedicated to the overwhelming evidence that can be seen today for the location of Noah's Ark. Here's the link: Noah's Ark Location 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 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?

It’s the place where it’s believed Jesus was baptized, and where John the Baptist and the disciples of Jesus baptized many people as well. Thousands of pilgrims are baptized here each year because of its spiritual significance. It’s also the location where the Israelites crossed the Jordan. Qasr al-Yahud Baptismal Site, Jew’s Palace (Castle of the Jews), Jordanian Baptismal Site of Jesus, St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church, Original Church of John the Baptist, Cave of John the Baptist Qasr al Yahud Baptismal Site of Jesus Photo Gallery Places of Interest Jordan River Baptismal Site of Jesus Qasr al-Yehud Introduction Welcome to the Baptismal site of Jesus here at the Jordan River. Many significant events from the Bible took place here. Here are the highlights. 1. It was here that John the Baptist baptized many people. 2. It was here that John the Baptist baptized Jesus. 3. It is also here that the Israelites crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land. 4. There are many churches, on the other side of the river in the country of Jordan, marking these events. 5. Just imagine all these events happening right here. We are on holy ground. Location There are two main baptismal sites on the Jordan River. Qasr al-Yahud Baptismal Site 1. It’s located about 2 miles (3.2 km.) east of Hwy. 90, across from Jericho. 2. It’s also known as Qaser al-Yahud, Kasser al-Yahud, and the Baptismal Site of Jesus. 3. It’s the place where it’s believed Jesus was baptized, and where John the Baptist and the disciples of Jesus baptized many people as well. 4. The water is not quite as clean as Yardenit, but thousands of pilgrims are baptized there each year because of its spiritual significance. 5. It’s also the believed location where the Israelites crossed the Jordan River to enter the Promised Land. 6. For those desiring to get baptized here in the Jordan River, the Qsar al-Yahud gift shop provides white robes and towels for a small fee. 7. Qsar al-Yahud also has a gift shop for the purchase of souvenirs and other miscellaneous items. Yardenit Baptismal Site 1. Yardenit is just a couple hundred yards (meters) west of Hwy. 90, at the southern tip of the Sea of Galilee. 2. It’s a popular spot, and the water is clean and abundant. 3. For those desiring to get baptized here in the Jordan River, the Yardenit gift shop provides white robes and towels for a small fee. 4. Yardenit has a large gift shop for the purchase of souvenirs and other miscellaneous items as well. 5. For more, please see the Yardenit Baptismal Site. Historical Background 1. The concept of baptism is rooted in the Old Testament. As far back as Genesis, eight people were saved from the great flood of God’s judgment. The Apostle Peter indicated that the water of the flood “symbolizes baptism that now saves you” (1 Pet. 3:21). 2. Old Testament prophets such as Isaiah, Ezekiel, and King David likewise used water as an external symbol for internal cleansing (Isa. 1:16: Ezek. 36:25; Ps. 51:2). Isaiah 1:16: Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil. 3. The word baptize, baptized, baptizing, or baptismal is mentioned around 72 times in the New Testament and, therefore, shows the value God places upon it. Places of Interest 1. Qasr al-Yahud Baptismal Site 2. Hwy. 90 3. Jew’s Palace (Castle of the Jews) 4. Jordanian Baptismal Site of Jesus 5. St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church: On the Jordanian Site of the river. 6. Original Church of John the Baptist. There have been at least 5 churches built at this location dating back to the first and second centuries AD. 7. Cave of John the Baptist 8. Greek Orthodox Church of St John the Baptist 9. The believed location where the Israelites crossed the Jordan River to enter the Promised Land. 10. This area is also associated with the ascension of the Prophet Elijah into heaven, which is commemorated at a hill called Tell Mar Elias or Jabal Mar-Elias (Elijah’s Hill). Baptism in the Bible 1. Baptism in the Old Testament. Baptism in the Old Testament had a different name and purpose than believers' baptism in the New Testament. It served as a purification ritual that happened regularly. Before entering the temple, synagogue, or entering any religious building, the Jews would purify themselves (ritual cleansing) in Mikvahs (purification pools). They also purified themselves before the Sabbath, feast days, and so forth. Purification for a Jew was a regular part of life. Purification involved confession of sin, entering a pool of water, immersing oneself completely, and putting on a new change of clothes. Mikvahs were found everywhere and some of the wealthier population had their own private mikvahs. 2. The Baptism of John the Baptist. John’s baptism picked up on this Jewish concept and took it a step further. His baptism was primarily a baptism of repentance in preparation for the coming Messiah. Matthew 3:1–6: In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’” 4 Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 3. Jesus was baptized by John. Matthew 3:13–17: Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized , immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” 4. Why did Jesus get baptized if He was God in the flesh and perfect? After all, the purpose for Baptism in Jesus’ day was a baptism of repentance. Jesus permitted John the Baptist to baptize Him in order to fulfill all righteousness. He was setting an example for all to follow. Jesus didn’t repent of anything because He was perfect. It also gave God an opportunity to speak audibly and show His pleasure and affirmation of Christ as the Son of God. 5. The Baptism of Jesus. The message and baptism of Jesus dealt with repentance from sin and acceptance of Himself as the Messiah. Matthew 4:17: From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” John 4:1–3: Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2 (although Jesus himself did not baptize , but only his disciples), 3 he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. 6. Baptism in the rest of the New Testament. Baptism always followed salvation and was an outward proclamation of an inner conversion. On the day of Pentecost 3,000, people were saved and were baptized. They would have used the existing Jewish mikvahs as baptismal pools. Acts 2:41: So those who received his word were baptized , and there were added that day about three thousand souls. Baptism was an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior. Romans 6:1–3: What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. In the same way Jesus died, was buried, and rose again to new life, baptism follows this same pattern. The believer’s placement under the water symbolizes burial and death to sin, and rising up out of the water symbolizes new life in Christ. Baptism does not save us in and of itself; it follows salvation and expresses what has already taken place in the heart of a believer. Baptism is a declaration to others that we are identifying ourselves with Christ and are now one of His disciples. Baptism is commanded in many passages of the Bible and unless we are unable to do so for some unique reason, we should get baptized. Matthew 28:18–20: And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Acts 2:37–38: Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Faith Lesson from Baptism 1. Jesus didn’t need to be baptized but did so in order to be an example for us. 2. If we are genuine believers in Christ and have not been baptized, we should do so in order to obey Christ. 3. Baptism does not save us in and of itself, but when connected with our faith in Christ, it cleanses us of sin, identifies us with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and declares to others that we are followers of Christ. 4. Baptism symbolizes our newness of life in Christ and that we are now dead to being controlled and defeated by sin. Romans 6:4: We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.