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Looking Out Over Qumran from the First Cave of the Dead Sea Scrolls
The majority of the Dead Sea Scrolls were written between the 2nd century B.C. and 2nd century C.E. During this time, different Judean groups struggled to obtain and maintain political and religious leadership. As primary sources, the Dead Sea Scrolls shed light on these historical events and explore the ways that various Jews of the Second Temple era related to the world around them.
These texts paint a picture of diversity and complexity within Jewish religious life and philosophy in the Second Temple era. They have revolutionized our understanding of the world from which rabbinic Judaism and early Christianity emerged. Josephus Flavius, 1st century CE Jewish historian, were discovered among the ancient manuscripts, many of the thoughts and practices discovered in the Scrolls resurface in later Jewish and Christian writings.
Before the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, Second Temple Judea was perceived as a monolithic society. Influenced by preconceived notions, scholars mistakenly thought this idea of uniformity was supported in relevant primary sources, such as Josephus Flavius and other Greek and Roman authors, the New Testament Gospels, and rabbinic texts. In actuality, these sources offer a picture of diversity which can now be identified and supported by the Dead Sea texts. Specifically, these works allude to a number of different Jewish sects, such as the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes.
Archaeology Professor Gabriel Barkay
Archaeologists in Jerusalem say they have uncovered evidence from the Temple Mount that appears to corroborate large sections of the Bible’s description of religious practice in the ancient city.
Speaking to reporters during an exhibition of artifacts removed from the Temple Mount by Islamic officials in 1999, Prof. Gabriel Barkay, an adjunct professor of archaeology at Tel Aviv University the co-founder of the Temple Mount Sifting Project, said that sifting through mounds of dirt removed from site has unearthed an historical treasure trove of findings from the past three millennia of human history.
“Some archaeologists have posited that King David and King Solomon were invented by the authors of the bible,” said Barkay, a Jerusalem Prize laureate. “Now, I can’t tell you that we’ve got a business card saying ‘King David.’ But the thousands of coins, stone weights, arrowheads, pottery, mosaic pieces and more show clearly that there was significant human activity at the right time and place to support the existence of David and Solomon’s kingdoms.”
Another example is the base of a pillar bearing the image of Astarte, an ancient goddess of fertility. “The way the pillar was broken shows that it was destroyed deliberately,” Barkay says, adding that ancient Jews would have viewed the carving of the goddess as idolatry and felt a religious duty to destroy it.
The Dan River Near the Garden of Eden
According to legend, the Dan gets its name from the Hebrew word for “judge” (dayan), from a time when each of the three rivers went its separate ways. The rivers bragged and boasted about which was the largest and most beautiful, finally asking God to come down from the heavens and decide which of the three was the most superior.
When the Lord couldn’t make up his mind, goes the story, He suggested all three rivers join together. The ancient wise men of Israel say that the Dan actually won, because the word Jordan means “came out of the Dan”.
Water Cisterns Under the City of David
The 3,000 years old city, established by King David, is located on a low ridge above the Gihon spring, southeast of the temple mount. The location of this ancient core of Jerusalem, and the earlier Canaanite city of the Jebusites, was forgotten after three millenniums of the successive construction and destruction.
Recent excavations have revealed sections of the palace, fortifications, water supply and other interesting remains from the Canaanite and Israelite cities. This archaeological park is one of Israel’s most important historical landmarks, a must-see site for all Bible-Walkers.
Caves of the Western Wall
The Western Wall Tunnel (Hebrew: מנהרת הכותל, translit.: Minheret Hakotel) is an underground tunnel exposing the full length of the Western Wall. The tunnel is adjacent to the Western Wall and is located under buildings of the Old City of Jerusalem. While the open-air portion of the Western Wall is approximately 60 metres (200 ft) long, the majority of its original length is hidden underground. The tunnel allows access to an additional 485 metres (1,591 ft) of the wall.
Worship Service at the Garden Tomb
While visiting the Garden Tomb in March of 2017 we found many groups ministering in different areas. Some were singing and others were sharing the Word. As I was walking out of the tomb I heard this singing coming from down the path to my left. It was not that is was unusual or unique which drew my attention; it was the Holy Spirit. I immediately gravitated toward the melody and as I entered into their private worship service I begin to weep and praise the Lord. I stepped into the back of their service and raised my hands and joined into the singing… “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone…” I was singing in English while these beautiful Chinese Bride’s of Christ were singing in Mandarin.
As they began to take communion, I prayed silently to myself that they would invite me to take it with them. However, I had already welcomed myself into their worship service and I was not so presumptuous as to invite myself to communion. Nonetheless, when I begin to leave, they approached me and offered my friend and I a communion cup and a piece of bread. With tears still in my eyes and the Holy Spirit resting upon me, I thanked them and was very grateful to have the opportunity to partake in the Lord’s communion with my Chinese brothers and sisters.
I began to leave once again when I was stopped by a wonderful woman of GOD who was leading the service. She shared with me a personal Word from the Lord which confirmed a Word the Lord had already given me. I cherish these moments in Israel and never take them for granite.
The Daniel Boat
Daniel is a Jewish Christian who was saved over 30 years ago while giving boat tours on the Sea of Galilee. Each boat trip he takes is a ministry service with praise and worship in both Hebrew and English.
The Herodian Street
Welcome to the Herodian Street! The route to the Western Wall is about 600 meters long and takes about 30 minutes. The route as far as the Givati excavations at the entrance to the City of David is about 450 meters and takes about 20 minutes. The walk is one-way, illuminated and requires some bending over.