Jerusalem of Gold

On Monday, February 23rd, we had a quick trip up to the Syrian border to bless the soldiers there at one of the outposts. Those pictures will be posted next week. We returned to Jerusalem by mid-afternoon. I had a call from a friend to meet for dinner in The Old City which is just a short walk from Christian Friends of Israel main office. The timing of my walk was very good for photos. The sun was just setting on the walls of The Old City displaying this beautiful golden color. Hence, one of the nicknames for Jerusalem is "Jerusalem of Gold".

Here is a photo of The Old City walls where the sunset was missing.

At the beginning of my walk down Jaffa Street towards The Old City, this old statue sits atop one of the buildings. If my Roman Numerals are correct, that says 1831. Whoever made the statue knew the Book of Daniel where Daniel has a dream and visions of four world empires. The "lion with eagle's wings" represented Babylon. Daniel spoke, saying, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other. The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings... Daniel 7:2-4.

This tiled map is on a wall at Safra Square where the Jerusalem City offices are located. It is a replica of an ancient map showing that Jerusalem is the link between three continents; Europe, Asia, and Africa. God Almighty Himself chose Jerusalem to be the "center of the earth" and the place for His Holy Name to dwell. Yet I have chosen Jerusalem, that My name may be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel. II Chronicles 6:6.

The steeple of the Lutheran Church appearing over the outside walls.

The direction that I am headed toward the Jaffa Gate.

Palm trees that line the sidewalk outside the walls.





Jaffa Gate in the distance.

In the late 19th Century, Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany and Princess Augusta Victoria entered Jerusalem thru the Jaffa Gate. Today the German Hospital and guest house on the Mount of Olives is still known as Augusta Victoria.

During World War I, it was British forces that conqueored the Ottoman Turks who controlled the land in this area. Rather than fight within the walls of old Jerusalem, the Ottoman Turks withdrew to the north to fight there. British General Sir Edmund Allenby dismounted his horse and walked into Jerusalem thru the Jaffa Gate.

This is named David's Tower but I believe it was actually one of Herod's palaces.

In the center of this wall you can see strategic openings for defense of the city. The openings were probably created for bows and arrows but would also work for guns. The Old City walls contain a significant number of such port holes.

Trying to show the size of the walls.

A former entrance at the Jaffa Gate which has been closed somewhere in history.

Sunset from the Jaffa Gate Plaza area.

Looking inside Jaffa Gate with a "defensive position" for battle.

This old sign has seen a lot of changes.

King David Hotel from the Jaffa Gate.

Sunset with the King David Hotel on the left and construction cranes.

Ditto.

Jerusalem is a city of 700,000 and does have traffic jams like any other city.

Inside The Old City.

The Imperial Hotel is one of the older hotels in The Old City.

The mounted police entering The Old City. Always a busy atmosphere.

Earlier in the afternoon as we returned from the Golan Heights and the Syrian border, we made a pit stop by Jericho. This camel obviously had a hard day of giving tourists a ride.