Commentary on "Let there be light"

Thomas and Christ

A gorgeous (though damaged) 12th century mural from the Orthodox Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem shows Doubting Thomas meeting Christ.

St George Anglican Cathedral, Jerusalem

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hamblinofjerusalem/sets/72157623512260678/

New Photos

Russian Church of John the Baptist

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hamblinofjerusalem/sets/72157623383763167/

Russian Church of the Ascension

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hamblinofjerusalem/sets/72157623383743937/

Genesis 1:2c Ru'ach/Spirit

Tehom as Abyss

Trying to embed a YouTube video

New photos of the Kotel Tunnel in Jerusalem

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hamblinofjerusalem/sets/72157623363726557/

The tunnel running from the Western Wall along the wall of the Temple Mount, exposing a number of gates and foundation stones of Herod's Temple.

Also, some new videos on Genesis 1:2

http://www.youtube.com/user/HamblinOfJerusalem

New Photos

I'm trying out the Flickr site for web presentation of my Israel photos.  It can be found at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hamblinofjerusalem/

It can be accessed in a more organized way here.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hamblinofjerusalem/sets/

Gen 1:2a

New "Biblical Explorations" video on Gen 1:2a

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v85N1jJzl8U

Church of Viri Galilaei (Men of Galilee)

Slides of the Church of Viri Galilaei (Men of Galilee) on the top of the Mount of Olives, dedicated to the Ascension of Christ

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hamblinofjerusalem/sets/72157623466035862/

There are a number of icons with mystical symbols of Christology.

Very nice 360 pans of Jerusalem

Alas, I didn't take these, but they are well done 360 pans of the Haram and the Holy Sepulcher:

http://www.360tr.com/kudus/

The ones of the Haram al-Sharif include several interior shots of the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa mosque which are generally not open to tourists.

Especially interesting is the one showing the tunnels under the Aqsa Mosque.

http://www.360tr.com/kudus/mescidiaksa_eng/index.html

Gigapan of the Temple Mount

High resolution panorama at:

http://gigapan.org/gigapans/43086/

Videos of Hezekiah's Tunnel

Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/user/HamblinOfJerusalem#p/a/u/1/T3A2BKUm8_Q

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/user/HamblinOfJerusalem#p/a/u/0/yKFTn94WJZk

360 pan of St George Monastery near Jericho

http://www.360cities.net/image/monasterygeorgekoziba

Rebuilding the temple?

The Temple Institute and other Third Temple movements have started to construct an "exact replica" of the Temple in Mizpe Yericho (a Jewish settlement near Jericho) to be used to train priests to perform the Temple sacrifices.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPrvJTGePYs&feature=related

They've also laid a foundation stone for the altar there.

http://www.templeinstitute.org/archive/30-07-09a.htm

I'll try to visit it in the next little while and report.

PS  Some people are a bit overenthusiastic about this:

http://thelastcrusade.org/2009/10/14/jews-begin-construction-of-third-temple-in-jerusalem/

Aish Torah Center

On the eastern edge of the Jewish quarter of Jerusalem, overlooking the Western Wall plaza from the southwest, the Aish Torah center has recently opened.

http://international.aish.com/aishint/

On the roof of the Center they have a belvedere which gives a great view of the Western Wall and the Temple Mount, where they have a model of Herod's Temple.  Here's a couple of photos:


View of the Temple model and the Dome of the Rock

The "Fire of the Torah" inside the Center

Dome and Center

Here's the Dome of the Rock with the BYU Center in the distance

And here's where I live.

Karnak temple photos

Photos of Karnak on Picasa

http://picasaweb.google.com/HamblinWJ/KarnakTemple#

Tomb as Holy of Holies

This is an interesting sculpture form the Catholic Church of St. Lazarus at Bethany.  It is the altar in the apse of the Church, and represents an empty sarcophagus.  I assume it is meant to represent the empty tomb of Christ which the resuscitation of Lazarus prefigures.  At any rate, the scene shows the empty sarcophagus of Christ, with the burial shroud resting on the edge.  On both sides angels open a veil to reveal the tomb.  The symbolic context seems to be an equation of the Holy of Holies with the Tomb (as in the Holy Sepulcher), the empty sarcophagus with the Ark, the shroud with the veil of the temple, and the two angels at the empty tomb with the temple Cherubim.

Interpreting the Mosaic Tabernacle

Here is an interesting site about about the Tabernacle.

http://thedeserttabernacle.blogspot.com/

Samaritan High Priest has passed away

http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=167868


The Samaritan High Priest office stretches back unbroken to biblical times; the High Priest oversees the annual Samaritan pascal sacrifice at the ruins of the Samaritan temple, the last surviving vestige of biblical sacrifice.  I meet Elazar ben Tsedaka once; he was a charming man.  

Biblical Explorations

I've decided to read the Bible in Hebrew and Greek, and I'm experimenting with recording my study with ScreenFlow and Accordance.  Here's the first brief introduction.  In theory more will follow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbeyzP7tvlQ

http://www.youtube.com/user/HamblinOfJerusalem