Israel: Museum

The museum was unbelievable, overwhelming, and hard to take in during just one day. I just tried to take a few photographic highlights. The girls enjoyed the Middle Eastern dress display, finding costumes from Turkey and from many different centuries.

 This was an altar from the 8th century BC.

 I found these ivory buttons, from the 14th century BC, to be charming.

There was plenty to keep the little warrior interested!

So many idols, so many false gods, found in this land. We've only to read our Old Testament to find the many times God's chosen race turned from Him.

This stone says, "And there they annointed David king."

 This was impressive to me. A small sanctuary was uncovered in Judah's southern border. Deep inside was the Holy of Holies, with a smooth standing stone, perhaps signifying God's presence, as well as two altars still bearing the remains of the last incense offered there. The sanctuary had intentionally been destroyed by King Hezekiah, who only wanted worship to be within the Temple of Jerusalem. Here is what was uncovered from the 8th century BC, made of limestone.

Earrings from the 8th-6th centuries BC.

Ancient writings, the oldest in the museum. Below is what they say.

This stone block fell from the Temple Mount during the destruction of the Temple. It says, "to the place of trumpeting..."which indicates it would have marked the place the priest would have stood to signal the beginning and end of the Sabbath.

And then we moved from ancient history to AD history. This ossuary (tomb) is for Joseph, son of Caiaphas.

And this is the original stone found in Ceasarea, with the inscription Pontius Pilate. (We had earlier seen the replica.)

I lingered here. In a burial cave in north Jerusalem, was an ossuary with the name "Yehohanan son of Hagkol," dating from the 1st century BC. The remains contained a right heel bone with an iron nail embedded in it, suggestion death by crucifixion. To date, though thousands of people were executed in this way, this is the only archaeological evidence found. They have reconstructed what was done. The legs were nailed to the sides of the post, and the hands were either tied or nailed to the crossbar. Of course, we know our dear Savior was nailed, as he invites Thomas to touch his hands. And his advice to Thomas is still for us today, "Stop doubting and believe."

So much to see, we couldn't do it all. As I was only a couple of days in my cast, I sat to rest, while the others went to see the art exhibit. To their joy, the museum contained some works of Monet! They couldn't wait to tell our art teacher.

On our way out, we stopped to see the replica of Jerusalem, including the Temple. It was about waist high. What a great museum, certainly more pieces than I've ever seen in one place!