Southern Gates in Jerusalem

I loved this part of Jerusalem so very much because when I was there it felt like I was walking back in time. I felt like I was standing below the Temple Mount 2000 years ago when it was in it’s prime, when the streets were filled with people from all over the nation who traveled from a far to visit the Temple. They walked for months and months to get to this place, to be in the presence of God Almighty. I felt like one of those people. I was walking on the same streets that they walked on. I was standing on the same steps that they stood on when they were about to enter this holy site. I felt like I could feel their excitement and anticipation as I was standing there. In my mind as I stood on those steps I saw Jesus and his disciples walk right pass me and enter the temple gates. I felt overwhelming joy and gladness. Even looking at these pictures now I still get the sense of being there in Jesus’ day.

Let me walk you through this amazing city image by image and I pray that perhaps you too could feel what I felt!

 

 First off, let me teach you about the Temple Mount. The 2nd Temple was built by king Herod on Mt. Mariah. The Romans tore the temple down in 70 A.D and all that remains of this area from that time is the Western Wall and the ruins from the South Gate, which you will see in this post. 

In this picture you can see our tour guide Mickey showing us what Mt. Mariah used to look like before the Temple Mount was built. 

Then kind Herod had a huge platform built on this mountain, which you can see in the picture below.  The old city is to the right of the platform and the current Dome of the Rock is on top of the platform. This is the way the city near the Temple mouth looks currently. 

 

This area that we were in is considered a holy site, so the dress code was pretty strict. They gave all the guys in our group paper hats to wear on their heads. I thought it was funny.

Below is a model of what the Temple Mount looked like in the days of Jesus. 

In the top picture do you see the bridge that goes into the Temple area? This bridge was destroyed and when it fell it left huge holes in the ground that you can still see today. Later in this post you will see pictures of that area. This gives you an idea of the location of that image. 

The image below is the Southern Gate area that is currently being excavated. 

The arrow shows you where the bridge we saw before used to be. 

This is the street below the bridge that was damaged when it fell. 

This area is where most everyone who traveled to the Temple Mount would have come to exchange money and buy their sacrifices for the Temple. It is just to the left of where the bridge fell. This was a hopping place back in the day! Can you picture these streets crowed with people?

We were so in awe of this location that we had to record the fact that we walked on these streets too!

The words in this rock are from the days of Jesus. This fell from the Temple Mount when it was destroyed. I believe it says something about the trumpeter who would have stood at the outer parts of the Mount to sound his horn when danger approached. This was his station.

 

Below is one of the many mikvahs(ritual bath of purification) where all Temple visitors would have to use before entering the gates. Once they exchanged their money, bought their sacrafice, and purified themselves in one of these mikvahs they would head to the Southern Gates to enter the Temple Mount. 

Let’s head there now! 

These are the steps that people use to walk up to get in to the Temple Mount. Behind me you can actually see the gates that have been filled in. Isn’t this place just amazing! 

Here is our team on the original steps. 

 We were pretty excited to be there. 

This place just gave me an amazing feeling that I really can’t explain. I wish I was better with words, but that is not my gift. So I am hoping that this next picture can express some of the emotion we all felt being at the Southern Gates of the Temple Mount.

“I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart.”

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