Anyone interested in the history and antiquities, as well as a passion for spiritual quest, I invite you to communication: reading, leave comments, share your opinion, ask questions!
Ashdod is an ancient Philistine city, the pride of the civilization of Dagon's admirers and the last refuge of the non-afflicted Nephilim. Today, from those mysterious creatures, there was nothing left (fake and false photoshops of supposedly giant skeletons do not count). Picturesque ruins on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea are the remnants of a medieval citadel of Arab rule. But written sources shed light on the events that took place here thousands of years ago.
"as they hope for in getting us under their power, let us leave them an example which shall at once cause their astonishment at our death, and their admiration of our hardiness therein" ... Those others were nine hundred and sixty in number, the women and children being withal included in that computation. This calamitous slaughter was made on the fifteenth day of the month Xanthicus [Nisan]..
(Flavius Josephus "War of the Jews")
Now remember what Jesus warned 40 years before these events: And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains...
Gospel of Luke
Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
The Holy Land ... Still it's called "The Promised Land" - the land that God promised to Abraham and his descendants. It is also the birthplace of our Savior - Jesus Christ.
Zion. The coffin of King David. Zion Gate. Wailing Wall.
2000 years have passed since he came to earth the Son of God, Jesus Christ.
2000 years, there is His Church and the Gospel of Him preached to all nations.
But many of his own people did not accept their Messiah then. Soon, the Temple was destroyed, as well as the whole of Jerusalem, and several centuries in its place erected a Muslim mosque.
Leaving only a small section of the wall adjacent to the Temple. Today, it has become a place of weeping, a place of prayer of the Jews awaiting the coming of the Messiah and the rebuilding of the Temple.
On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen who never hold their peace day nor night. Oh, ye that make mention of the Lord! no rest, - give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. Isaiah 62
Passion of the Christ - this topic excited and forced to experience all generations of Christians. Great artists such as El Greco, Titian, Rubens and Rembrandt, tried to recreate the passionate event on his canvases. Famous works of the outstanding composer Johann Sebastian Bach - "St. Matthew Passion" and "St. John Passion". In 2004, Vishal film by American director and actor Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ", which deeply impressed millions of viewers around the world.
The first footage of this film takes us back to the Garden of Gethsemane:
...Jesus went with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into which he entered, and his disciples. Knew the place, and Judas, who betrayed him, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went out and said to them: Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said to them: I am stood with them, and Judas, who betrayed him. And when he said to them: I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. Again he asked them: Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I told you that I am he; Now therefore, if ye seek me, let these go, it might be fulfilled the word which was spoken unto them, Out of those whom thou hast given me, I have lost none. Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. But Jesus said to Peter: Put up thy sword into the sheath; shall I not drink the cup which the Father has given me? Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, and led him away ...
John, 18
And in the early 20th century, after the end of World War 12 states have donated money for the construction of the Church of All Nations. Construction finished in 1924.
Basilica of belonging to the Franciscan Order, is situated next to the Gethsemane garden. Before its altar is a stone on which, according to tradition, Jesus prayed on the night when Judas betrayed him. Because in this temple is always twilight, because those early events occurred at night. On the ceiling you can see the coats of arms of the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Belgium, USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Chile.
After the Holy Supper, when the traitor Judas had already left to give his Master to those who sought his death, Jesus and the other students went to the Mount of Olives to pray.
And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, saying, Father! oh, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground ..
Luke 22
It was here in the Garden of Gethsemane, among olive trees, some of which have survived to our time, Jesus seized the temple guards and taken to the high priest. Here he experienced betrayal and the last time before the crucifixion was with his disciples.
Jesus loved to pray. For prayer, he walked away from the crowd and routine and climbed into the mountains, where they could be alone and indulge in communion with God. The Gospel of Luke tells us that when the day Jesus taught in the Temple, the night he prayed. Once on the Mount of Olives, after another prayer, the disciples asked him to teach them to pray, just as John the Baptist taught his disciples. Jesus answered them:
When you pray, say: Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done and on earth as it is in heaven; our daily bread Give us each day; and forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone indebted to us; And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Luke 11
On the Mount of Olives is clearly seen ancient Jerusalem, and at the bottom, on its slopes, is the Garden of Gethsemane. And in the place where Jesus gave the disciples a model prayer, the church was built Pater Noster. The history of its origin is related to the Italian Aurelio De Bossi, who lived in the 19th century. She was a cousin of Napoleon III, Princess de la Tour de Auvergne. Aurelia lived a life of luxury ladies of light, was married three times, was fond of different kinds of art. But now Aurelia found solace in prayer "Our Father", which she considered the greatest revelation of Jesus to all people. That's why semnadtsat years of his life devoted princess search "the same place" on the Mount of Olives. As a result, she was lucky: excavations have revealed an ancient grotto that Aurelia declared place of the Lord's prayer. She also provided and the construction of the church, and then handed it to the ownership of the Catholic Order of Carmelites. Now, on the walls and in the galleries of the monastery Pater Noster posted the prayer "Our Father" in almost all the languages of the world. I found there, and Ukrainian, Russian, and even ... Old Church Slavonic.
The first time I came to Jerusalem in the evening. With Arab hotel on the Mount of Olives, we went to the modern part of the city. It was a Saturday, the sun was setting and the day of rest (Sabbath, which lasts from sunset to sunset) is about to have ended. Because there were not many people, and all the shops and cafes just ready to open.
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy; Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day - Saturday the Lord thy God: thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
Exodus 20
I was immediately surprised that the modern neighborhoods of Jerusalem, a little different from most of the big cities in the world. Cozy alleys, benches in the shade of small trees neat, welcoming coffee shops and restaurants, the bright windows of boutiques - all spacecraft and elsewhere in Europe, Asia or any other continent. But we went through the narrow streets close to the Temple of the Holy Sepulchre, as all around was to change rapidly, as if we were flying in antiquity to a time machine. Even the people around were different, because most of them were the same as we do - foreigners, tourists or pilgrims who came from afar to the Holy Land.
Jerusalem more than 3,500 years. In the Bible, it was first mentioned under the name Salem (Shalem)
And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued as far as Dan; And he divided himself against them by night, he and his servants, and smote them, and pursued them to Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus; and back all the goods and Lot, his kinsman, and his goods, and the women also, and the people. When he returned from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the valley of Chaves, now that the royal valley; And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine - and he was priest of God Most High ...
Genesis 14
For a thousand years BC King David captured this Canaanite city and made it the capital of Israel. His son Solomon built the first temple there. But in the 5th century BC it was destroyed by the Babylonians. After returning from the Babylonian captivity, the Jews rebuilt the Temple. He stood until 70 AD when the Romans destroyed the Temple, not only, but also the entire city.
Later built on the site of ancient Jerusalem is almost completely buried it beneath them. Modern excavations have shown that the remains of the ancient streets are at a depth of 10-15 meters.
Story that happened here two thousand years ago, was unique even for contemporaries of Jesus who has seen a lot of miracles of God through Him. After Jesus raised not just only that the deceased person, and Lazarus, whose body lay for four days already in the grave, because no one had any doubts in the death of the deceased. Remember how it was:
Certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, of the village where they lived Mary and her sister Martha. Mary, whose brother Lazarus was sick, was the one who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair. So the sisters sent to him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom you love is sick. When Jesus heard that, said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God may be glorified through it the Son of God. Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days in the place where he was. After that, said to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again. The disciples said to him, Rabbi, , the Jews sought to stone thee, and goest thou thither again? Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? who walks by day will not stumble, because he sees the light of this world; as he walks by night that he stumbles, because the light is not in him. Having said this, said to them, then: Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I'm going to wake him up. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Jesus spoke of his death: but they thought that he meant natural sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead; And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe; but let us go to him. Then Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his disciples, Let us go and we may die with him. Jesus came, he found that he had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him; But Mary sat at home. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord! if you had been here, would not have died my brother. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give you. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise. Martha saith unto him, I know he would rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Do you believe this? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord; I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. Having said this, she went and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Teacher is here and is calling for you. As soon as she heard that, she got up and went to him. Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha had met him. The Jews who were with her in the house, and comforted her, seeing that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb - to weep there. Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord! if you had been here, would not have died my brother. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled And said, Where have ye laid him? They say unto him, Lord! Come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him. And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying? Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Sister of the deceased, Martha saith unto him, Lord, already stinks; For four days in the grave. Jesus said to her, Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, Father! I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that you always hear me; but said this for the people standing here, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. Having said this, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus! come forth. And the dead man came out, bound hand and foot with strips of linen, and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. Then many of the Jews which came to Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. John, 11
According to the subsequent legends, after the resurrection of Lazarus lived another thirty years. He became a disciple of Christ and served as a bishop in Cyprus.
The oldest city in the world. mountain Temptations.
After the death of Moses the campaign of the Israeli people into the Promised Land, Joshua led. They crossed the Jordan and the first city, which was on the way to the goal, was an ancient Jericho. Its walls schitalis impregnable, but God commanded the Israelites to march around the walls around seven days. A seventh day - and even seven times. Then a miracle happened: The people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. As soon as people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a loud voice, and the city wall fell down flat, and the people went to the city, each with his hand, and took the city. The book of Joshua, chapter 6
This happened 3500 years ago. And in the early twentieth century, archaeologists have unearthed an ancient city, even found the remains of a ruined wall, and found that this city - the oldest of all known science. It existed as early as 3-4 millennia BC
Now fast forward to the Gospel times.
When Jesus was baptized in the Jordan, the Spirit led Him into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil: Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil, and when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry for last. And the tempter came to him and said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. And he answering said unto him, It is written: I do not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written: give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again: do not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered unto him. The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 4
According to legend, the mountain, which is mentioned in the Gospels - Mountain Temptations - a mountain Karantal near Jericho. On the mountain was built an Orthodox monastery. From it really offers a wonderful view.
Climbing this mountain under the scorching sun, I lost so much moisture, which then has not been able to quench their thirst. On the mountain, in aid of the pilgrims, the Greek monks prudently oholazhdayut water and give it to all thirsty. But how hard it was for Jesus, as he was walking in the desert and fasted for 40 days?
The Jordan River flows from north to the south of Israel, where it joins the Dead Sea. When the twelve tribes of Israel shared the Promised Land, the three of them have received their inheritance on the east bank of the Jordan.
Many biblical events associated with this river. Its waters parted before the ark of the covenant, when the Israelis after a 40-year journey through the desert were in a land flowing with milk and honey.
Here occurred the Gospel events: John the Baptist preaches repentance and baptizing in the Jordan River:
Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized by him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? But Jesus answered him, Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him. He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water - and, lo, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 3
So for the first time Jesus Christ was revealed to the people of Israel.
