It's hard to believe that this is the final day of our tour! With much to see, we left the hotel at 7:15 in order to avoid long line-ups to the Temple Mount. According to Jewish tradition, this summit serves as the center of the world, the foundation of the entire universe. Today, the Temple Mount houses the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque, and this area is currently controlled by the Arabs.
Our tour continued on into the City of David where we were able to walk through Hezekiah's tunnel, resurfacing at the pool of Siloam, where Jesus healed the blind man. It really is remarkable to see the extent of tunnels chiseled by hand through several meters of rock. The Davidson Center helped give us a better understanding of the magnitude of Herod's construction versus what we are able to see today.
After lunch, we visited to house of Caiaphas; the traditional site where Jesus was imprisoned the night before His crucifixion. Archaeological evidence shows steps down to the Temple, further supporting the authenticity of this site.
Our final destination was the Garden Tomb, one of the sites believed to be where Jesus was crucified and buried. As we looked into a typical first century tomb, we were reminded that while Jesus died for our sins, He has indeed risen again!! Our time at the Garden Tomb concluded with Pastor Harvey leading us in a communion service as we remembered our Saviour's sacrifice and provision for our salvation.
Our dinner this evening gave us the opportunity to thank our guides and drivers, as well as bid farewell to those in the group who would be taking different routes home. Shalom!
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