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| Entrance to the Western Wall Tunnel - Photo courtesy of David Jackson |
As promised earlier, today I am sharing about the Western Wall Tunnel. I visited here on my first trip to Israel in 1996. The photos I'm sharing in this post were taken by David Jackson, a member of our synagogue on his trip in 2014.
In 1996, I stood on the steps pictured above and looked longingly at the Kotel Wailing Wall to my right. Praying at that wall was my main desire on that trip. It didn't happen on that day, but my loving Heavenly Father had something even more wonderful in mind.
A trip through the tunnel had not been planned in advance, as the tunnel was not officially open at that point due to Arab riots protesting the opening. Our tour guide informed us that the tunnel would be open for us to take a tour if we could go at that very moment. The group voted and agreed to skip going to the Wailing Wall and to tour the tunnel instead.
It is fascinating to realize that in this tunnel are the foundation stones of G-d's Holy Temple, and is as close as one can get to the Holy of Holies. This is a very special place. If you can't read the print on the plaque, I've typed it out below the photograph.
"You are standing at the point closest to the site of the
Holy of Holies on the Temple Mount.
According to tradition, this is the place from which the
world was created; the place where the binding of Isaac took place and where
Abraham was commanded, “Lay not thy hand upon the lad; the place where the
tablets of the Covenant written by G-d on Mount Sinai were kept; the place
where prayers are gathered and from where they rise to heaven.
The High Priests would enter the Holy of Holies only once a
year, on Yom Kippur, to plead for the entire Jewish nation.
Jews from all corners of the globe came to this place during
the long two thousand years of exile to share their sorrows with the Divine
Presence, to pray for its return to Zion, and for Jerusalem to renew its days
as of old."
Doesn't that just give you chills?
Doesn't that just give you chills?
These are photos inside the tunnel:
One of the stones (pictured below) is 44.6 feet long, 9.8 feet high and 10.8 feet wide, and weighs 517 tons. It is not on the bottom row either. The stones fit so precisely that a piece of paper cannot be slipped between them. Try to imagine how this could have been accomplished thousands of years ago. Also, marvel that these stones have remained intact over those same years.
I remember feeling great awe as I stood before this stone. I touched it and was so humbled to be in that place. Memories of reading about the building of the Temple flooded back. I thought about Yeshua going there. I trembled as I remembered the Scripture, "You are the Temple of the Holy Spirit." (I Corinthians 6:19-20) I felt humbled by the realization of a Mighty G-d who is fulfilling prophecy made thousands of years ago, and yet warmly comforted by the personal knowledge of His ever present love, compassion and guidance in my life.
Adonai is not finished with His Temple. The Scriptures say it will be rebuilt. Plans are being made to that end. I encourage you to visit the website Temple Mount Institute and read about the preparations that have already been made. So many prophecies have been fulfilled already that I believe it could very well happen in my lifetime. The rebuilding of the Temple also ties in to the return of our Messiah Yeshua. To that I say, "Come quick, L-rd!"
I also encourage you to see more photos and read about the history of the tunnel at the website Bible Walks
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