Lion's Gate / Pool of Bethesda Ruins
Lion's Gate
(also known as the Sheep Gate and Stephen's Gate).
From Wikipedia: "Located in the east wall, the entrance marks the beginning of the traditional Christian observance of the last walk of Jesus from prison to execution, the Via Dolorosa."
This gate is the entrance that was used to bring in the sacrificial sheep. The sheep raised for the purpose of sacrifice all came from Bethlehem and were brought to the Temple through this gate. I didn't know that before this trip (or if I had heard it, it didn't lodge like it did while I was in the actual location). How interesting that the sheep were born in Bethlehem and entered the Temple through the same gate that Jesus was brought through on His way to execution; to be our sacrificial Lamb. Even typing those words moves me to tears. I have such a deep appreciation for what He did for me. I finally have such a realization of what was accomplished for me on the cross. If you've read my testimony, you understand what I'm saying. I grew up in a church that told me I had to be perfect myself and that Jesus died to give me a chance to be like Him. He lived a perfect life in order to show us that it could be done. That is such a different message from the true message of the cross and the gospel. I'm so thankful I can see that now. I never intend to belabor this when I refer to it in a blog post, but you can't appreciate how huge this is to me if you have always known you were going to heaven to see Jesus because of what HE did and not based on your own perfect life. I never believed I could go to heaven or see Him. And now I do. Sorry to get caught up in the emotion, but looking at these pictures and telling the story of this gate brought it all to the surface again. I am so thankful for the Lamb of God. MY sin nailed Him to that cross. But He loved me so much, He went willingly for the joy that was set before Him; our redemption.
The reason this gate is also referred to as Stephen's Gate is because tradition says that it was through this gate that they took Stephen to stone him after he was convicted of blasphemy by the Sanhedrin.
Pool of Bethesda Ruins - Link to interesting details about this area.
Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. (John 5:2)
(also known as the Sheep Gate and Stephen's Gate).
From Wikipedia: "Located in the east wall, the entrance marks the beginning of the traditional Christian observance of the last walk of Jesus from prison to execution, the Via Dolorosa."
This gate is the entrance that was used to bring in the sacrificial sheep. The sheep raised for the purpose of sacrifice all came from Bethlehem and were brought to the Temple through this gate. I didn't know that before this trip (or if I had heard it, it didn't lodge like it did while I was in the actual location). How interesting that the sheep were born in Bethlehem and entered the Temple through the same gate that Jesus was brought through on His way to execution; to be our sacrificial Lamb. Even typing those words moves me to tears. I have such a deep appreciation for what He did for me. I finally have such a realization of what was accomplished for me on the cross. If you've read my testimony, you understand what I'm saying. I grew up in a church that told me I had to be perfect myself and that Jesus died to give me a chance to be like Him. He lived a perfect life in order to show us that it could be done. That is such a different message from the true message of the cross and the gospel. I'm so thankful I can see that now. I never intend to belabor this when I refer to it in a blog post, but you can't appreciate how huge this is to me if you have always known you were going to heaven to see Jesus because of what HE did and not based on your own perfect life. I never believed I could go to heaven or see Him. And now I do. Sorry to get caught up in the emotion, but looking at these pictures and telling the story of this gate brought it all to the surface again. I am so thankful for the Lamb of God. MY sin nailed Him to that cross. But He loved me so much, He went willingly for the joy that was set before Him; our redemption.
The reason this gate is also referred to as Stephen's Gate is because tradition says that it was through this gate that they took Stephen to stone him after he was convicted of blasphemy by the Sanhedrin.
Pool of Bethesda Ruins - Link to interesting details about this area.Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. (John 5:2)
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