Day Ten In the Promise Land
Today was our last full day in Israel. Tomorrow we again cross the Jordanian border and head for home. Our day began with a walk on the Temple Mount. Then we went to the Burnt House Museum which documents the Second Temples destruction in 70 A.D. We then took a drive to a lookout from which we could view the city of Bethlehem. There we read the Christmas Story from Luke 2:1 – 20 and sang Hark the Herald Angels Sing. There were rolling hills between Bethlehem and our vantage point called the Shepherds Field. So this song seemed most appropriate. Here is a picture of our location. Take a look at the prominent hill in the background. That is a natural hill in the Bethlehem country side, right?
Wrong! That is actually a man made Tel constructed by King Herod called the Herodium. It was constructed as one of Herod’s fortresses, and we were told today that it is the sight where they buried Herod. Another song we sang contained the line, “kings and kingdoms will all pass away, but there is something about the name Jesus.” Indeed there is! His is an eternal kingdom that can never pass away.