Bethlehem field trip

We took a field trip to Bethlehem!! So exciting! We visited the Herodian, a couple of churches centered around the event of Christ's birth, and then the traditional shepherd's fields. I'll tell you more about it! :)

Herodian

Me, Michelle, and Emily atop the Herodian. What's that, you ask? It is like a palace-fortress thing that Herod built, and it's just a few miles outside of Jerusalem. It acted like a refuge/summer home when Herod wanted to get away from the city. Creepy enough, it also served as his tomb. Herod was an interesting man--he was a master builder, a great politician, but a terrible family man. He pretty much killed everyone who he thought posed a threat to him. Like, EVERYONE. His sons, his wives, etc. There was a saying at the time that it was safer to be Herod's pig than his son, because he observed the Law of Moses to the extent that he wouldn't have anything to do with swine, but he extinguished human threats to his rule.

These are catapult stones! So after Herod's death and a couple of decades, the Herodian was still standing. Jewish rebels used it as a stronghold against the Roman army in their rebellion. These are the stones that were used trying to destroy the Herodian, but the Jews just picked them up and threw them right back. They are so big! That would be scary to see flying through the air...

Herod had a lake for boat sailing, and this is what's left. There's a little island in the middle where you can have picnics :) Don't be deceived by what you think is its tiny size. It was big enough to guide a boat around!

This is what the inside of the fortress looks like now. All ruins and excavated stuff.

The Herodian is built on a mountain that was then built up some more so it was a bigger mountain. You can still see it, even today, looming off in the distance behind Jerusalem. Because it was on a mountain, it has a great view of everything! That shiny spot off in the distance is the Dead Sea :)

This is the remains of the dining hall. Yummy in my tummy! I hope to get invited to a kingly feast someday! Best day ever :)

This is where the armory was for the rebels. Hence Michelle and me fighting each other.

Who doesn't love a cute column pose :) Emily, Lizzy, Alyssa, Sara, Erica, Michelle, Sara, and Tawny!

The beautiful land of Jerusalem :)

You can see everything from up here! Now I have a picture in front of like, ten surrounding settlements of Jeru :)

Hehe, look at the name of this place :) Sounds authentic to me!

Bethlehem

Ah, how I love this place. I had one of my first spiritual experiences overlooking this town, and so many of my favorite scripture stories are associated with this place! Bethlehem is where Rachel, the wife of Jacob, was buried, and it is the birthplace of David and Christ. Naomi and Ruth came to Bethlehem to escape famine, and this is where Ruth gleaned  the fields of Boaz. The etymology of the word Bethlehem is thus: Beth means house, and lehem means bread. So Bethlehem means "house of bread." Jesus is the bread of life, and He came from Bethlehem...coincidence? I think not. :) By the way, something that I didn't know--Micah was the prophet who prophesied that Christ would come out of Bethlehem! Micah 5:2. Now we know where that prophecy came from!

Lindee and Lizzy in front of the Church of the Nativity! Nookmates forever :)

Kirstin and Lizzy! She loves LOTR just as much as I do, and I'm thoroughly convinced that she is a real live elf. Probably a descendant of Galadriel herself!

Look at how long my hair is getting!! It's long enough to put into a little tiny ponytail! SO EXCITING! 

We went to the Church of the Nativity, which hosts the supposed site of the birth of Jesus Christ. Helena identified the spot, and her son the Roman Emperor Constantine, butil the church over it. It has since been rebuilt by Justinian. The church is shared by the Greek Orthodox, the Armenian Apostolic, and the Roman Catholic denominations. The church of the Nativity is the oldest operating church in the WORLD! :)

Some of the mosiacs on the walls! Angels making obesience to the Christ child.

Greek Orthodox really like the hanging lamps in churches, so you can always tell of which denomination a church is.

More beautiful mosaics! These are such incredible works of art!

Hehe :) I saw these two gentlemen in what looked like pajama pants and was jealous that they got to travel so comfortably!

Just a look at the altar of the church in all its glory!

There were paintings on the top portion of each of the columns. They were beautiful!

A picture in front of a painting of the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child. So many of these religious artworks are done in this way--the faces are painted, and then a lot of the details are made of metalwork. It's really interesting.

We got to go down into the basement and see the stone where they believed Mary birthed Jesus, and then the little cave where they put Him in the manger. I didn't get to take pictures of it, but it was a cool experience. There is a "star of Bethlehem" that was on the ground that is symbolic of Matthew's given genealogy of the Savior. If you read the first part of Matthew's account of the birth of Jesus, he names off the generations and then mentions that there are fourteen generations between each event or famous person. The star of Bethlehem has fourteen points to represent this! Really neat symbolism :)

We went into the Armenian portion of the church, which was a lot clearer and quieter. We sang a couple of hymns here, and it was a beautiful experience.

Beautiful stained glass!

This was a sign outside of the commercial part of Bethehem. I thought it was really interested and presented an interesting statement. More on free Palestine in a later post.

We saw a GIANT nativity set for sale, and the figures were absolutely beautiful!

Greek Orthodox

This was a cute little way to line the driveway! Like garden gnomes, but cooler :)

This church was commemorating the shepherds who received the holy visitations of angels on the night of the Savior's birth. 

They had the most bbeeeyooouutiful paintings inside the chapel! They were all bright and colorful and happy! I was so excited to see a church that was so bright and happy!! SO. This painting is of Christ going through his temptations! Can you see the little devil in all of them? Yep. He's LAME.

I had to think for a minute to figure out what this painting was, but it's totally Christ casting out the evil spirits into the swine who then run into the river! They even were coming out of the tombs! Dang these people knew their scripture stories!

The Samaritan woman at the well! And Christ telling her that He is the living water!

In front of the altar...or rather, I think the Greek Orthodox do a little separation wall thing between the congregation and the clergy? Anyhow. Beautiful icons of all the saints! And I get to wear a headscarf.

Stained glass windows!! Ah, so beautiful! I love love love stained glass windows :)

Christ healing the ten lepers, and only one comes back to thank him for the miracle.

Christ healing the man at the Pools of Bethesda. Can you see the angel troubling the water?

My rainbow scarf matches the bright colors and stained glass!

This is the inside of the dome! It was all painted and lovely and decorated! 

Painting number one: it looks like the shepherds are just taking care of their sheep and going about their daily business...

Catholic Orthodox...?

And then the birth of the Redeemer of the World occurred!! I am so grateful for the birth of Jesus Christ, and I am also grateful for the faithfulness of Joseph and Mary in fulfilling their roles upon the earth!

Then the beautiful tidings of great joy to the shepherds! What an incredible experience that must have been! 

Shepherd's Fields

We had our own little Christmas here! These are the fields that David kept his flocks on, that Ruth gleaned

This is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. I really love this landscape. I feel the Spirit most strongly when I'm in nature.

Hehe, I found a giant centipede, Dan...maybe I ate it... :)

Sitting in an olive tree! I kinda started to sing "Dan and Lizzy sittin in a tree, K-I-S...." and then I got depressed, so I stopped. It's okay. I'll come home soon enough :)

We had a devotional here about the birth of the Savior, and then we got some ponder time. I read Psalm 23:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. 

I really love this psalm, and I've grown in appreciation and understanding of it as I've been here.  I wrote in my journal about this place and the thoughts I had while pondering: "Why shepherds? Why was David a shepherd, why is Christ a shepherd? Shepherds give all for their flock. The Lord is MY shepherd, I'm not going to want. He is going to lead me to green pastures, which I am seeing with my own eyes. He maketh me to lie by still waters, as I can feel Him calm the turmoil in my soul. He guides my path, and I can see now how deceptive and rocky the way is. The Lord truly seeks for the welfare of the one, and knows each of His sheep by name. I'm so grateful that He has walked the treacherous and stony path that I must walk, for He knows each bump and pitfall and will protect me from it. "

I love Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for His mercy and His love. I cannot comprehend it, but I am ever so grateful for it. I love to think that I was one of the angels singing about the miracle and gift of His birth, proclaiming with my weak voice "Glory to God in the Highest! on earth peace! good will toward men!" I rejoice in the birth and life of our Savior, and I'm eternally grateful for His gift to us. I will let Him lead me, for there is no one who better knows the way.

Our Savior, Jesus Christ, was born! He died, and He lives again! :)