{"id":5483,"date":"2017-06-14T15:35:31","date_gmt":"2017-06-14T15:35:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kinshipradio.org\/home\/?p=5483"},"modified":"2021-03-16T14:17:52","modified_gmt":"2021-03-16T14:17:52","slug":"golgotha-the-garden-tomb-and-the-long-journey-home-by-beth-crosby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kinshipradio.org\/home\/golgotha-the-garden-tomb-and-the-long-journey-home-by-beth-crosby\/","title":{"rendered":"Golgotha, the Garden Tomb and the Long Journey Home\u00a0 by Beth Crosby"},"content":{"rendered":"

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It\u2019s been a few days since I\u2019ve posted here, but our last day in Israel went from one last Biblical site to the airport to a three day visit with my parents to recover from a serious case of jet lag.\u00a0 There is no way, though, that I would leave you out of our last adventure in Jerusalem.\u00a0 Thursday morning\u2019s trip was a visit to Golgotha and the Garden Tomb, the place where Jesus died, was buried, and rose again.<\/p>\n

You may be thinking, isn\u2019t the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem the place where all that happened?\u00a0 If you said that, you may be right.\u00a0 The site of the crucifixion and the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea are in dispute and have been for many, many years. One big doubt that has remained with the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is its proximity to Jerusalem\u2019s city walls. Scriptures clearly state that Jesus was crucified outside of the city – outside of Jerusalem\u2019s wall\u00a0– and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre may fail that test. A city wall was built near the church that would have placed it outside of the city, but the date of its construction cannot be accurately pinpointed to place its presence at the time of Christ\u2019s death.<\/p>\n

The Garden Tomb site, which began to gain prominence when archaeologists in the mid-1800s began to question the legitimacy of the site of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, fits most all of the parameters of the Biblical account.\u00a0 The Bible describes that Jesus was crucified outside the city of Jerusalem near a gate of the city along a major thoroughfare. The Garden Tomb site sits well outside Jerusalem\u2019s wall at the time of Christ\u2019s death and is very close to the Damascus Gate, which would have placed the site on or near the Biblical road to Damascus. Consider that the place was called Golgotha, or “place of the skull” in the scriptures, and the pictures certainly make the site all the more compelling.<\/p>\n

The face of a skull here is a little difficult to see as our guide told us the bridge of its nose was broken off in a snowstorm a few years back, and the mouth of the skull is also obscured.\u00a0 But a photo of the site in the late 1800s is even more compelling.<\/p>\n

As I listened to this evidence, I questioned the Lord about the legitimacy of the site.\u00a0 I can\u2019t be 100 percent sure but I can tell you I know this much. As I sought the Lord about it, a single white dove flew down from the top of the hill and perched right by our group as we continued our discussion at the site. Was it a sign from the Lord?\u00a0 In my heart, I had to say yes.<\/p>\n

Our guide also shared with us an interesting tidbit that I found quite interesting.\u00a0 We have all seen images \u2013 Hollywood inspired ones and others \u2013 that place the crosses of Jesus and the two criminals on the top of a hillside, framed by a gorgeous sunset.\u00a0 Our guide said that was not the practice of crucifixion during Jesus\u2019 day. Crucifixions would have taken place near people \u2013 beside a road or major thoroughfare \u2013 so that people could witness the suffering of those being crucified close up as a deterrent to commit crime.\u00a0 Jesus was likely crucified at the base of this skull-shaped cliff, with the image of the skull formation in his direct line of sight. (That location is an adjacent bus depot today.)<\/p>\n

The site of the tomb itself is also up for debate among archaeologists, but this site also offers compelling evidence that led to believe that this was the true site of Jesus\u2019 burial and resurrection. The tomb itself was discovered in 1867, and in light of the evidence surrounding the Golgotha discovery, things begin to add up even more. John chapter 19 says that at the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a tomb. \u00a0The discovery of a large water cistern and a winepress at the Garden Tomb site point to an active garden location in Jesus\u2019 day \u2013 a garden in which one would have produced crops such as grapes for wine. \u00a0In Matthew 27, the tomb is described as being a tomb cut out of rock, belonging to a wealthy man by the name of Joseph of Arimathea. \u00a0Tombs in this day were often constructed with bricks or made from makeshift caves, but not this one.\u00a0 This tomb is cleanly cut out of a single section of bedrock \u2013 hewn out of one stone. This tomb has a weeping chamber, as well as a burial chamber, and would have been sealed with a rolling stone.\u00a0 It also has a low doorway through which the disciples would have been forced to stoop in order to look into and enter the tomb that morning. Remember in Luke 24 how Peter had to \u201cbend over\u201d to see the strips of linen where Jesus laid? All of a sudden the scriptures were coming alive.<\/p>\n

We had the opportunity to enter the tomb, each one of us, to not only take pictures, but reflect on the wondrous event of Jesus\u2019 resurrection.\u00a0 It was quite a moment for me to be there with friends both old and new, and to consider the gift of salvation and eternal life He secured for us there.<\/p>\n

I was experiencing a mix of emotions during my whole time here \u2013 an overwhelming sense of awe and gratitude to God, but also a second set of emotions that was becoming more and more prevalent during my visit to the country. I have said before in this blog that political tensions between the Jewish and the Muslim populations were high, especially in Jerusalem, and encroachment into the Biblical sites by the Muslims was a common feature in this land.\u00a0 Nowhere was this more prevalent than Golgotha and the Garden Tomb site.<\/p>\n

I had visited several Biblical sites by this time, but was particularly taken aback to see the Garden Tomb surrounded by razor wire.<\/p>\n

Also, a wider view of the Golgotha cliff shows a mosque directly to the right of the outcropping, and behind a fence at the top of the cliff lies a Muslim cemetery. The sign on the fence, which is written in Arabic, sadly declares Allah to be the one true god.<\/p>\n

This disturbed me greatly, but Cesar, our guide, set me at ease so brilliantly by sharing the most eloquently delivered gospel message I have ever heard.\u00a0 Cesar is a Christian, originally from Paraguay, who\u00a0came to Israel on business \u2013 but upon coming to the country, Cesar felt a strong urging from the Lord to enter the ministry.\u00a0 He learned of the job opening as a guide at the Garden Tomb site and is now fortunate and blessed to share the gospel message in the very place where it happened.\u00a0 You could just feel the love he has for Jesus as he spoke, and his love for the people he gets to meet every day. I left the place encouraged by the fact that no matter what, the message of Jesus Christ is powerful and is delivering people out of darkness every day. The Lord is good!<\/p>\n

After our visit to the Garden Tomb, it was back to our hotel to pack, grab a quick meal and hop on the bus for the airport in Tel Aviv.\u00a0 Thanks for reading!<\/p>\n

– Beth<\/p>\n

P.S.\u00a0 I will be writing at least two more blog entries about my visit to Israel, and I am reserving one of those entries to answer your questions about my trip and what I saw there.\u00a0 If you have a question you would like me to answer, send me an email at bethc@newmail.kinshipradio.org and I will be happy to answer it as best I can.\u00a0 Shalom!<\/p>\n

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