Touching the Promised Land 13 | Day 6 – INTRO
- Apr 28
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 13
ACROSS THREE LANDS
Highlights
During four full days in Jordan, I journeyed through Umm Qais, Jerash, Amman, Madaba, and Mount Nebo, before venturing south to Petra, Wadi Rum, and Aqaba. After pausing at the Dead Sea and Bethany Beyond the Jordan, I finally turned back toward the Allenby Bridge crossing.
Day 6 begins with an early yet enjoyable breakfast on bird-guarded terrace in the Hashemite Kingdom, while by sunset, I was standing on the Mount of Olives, looking westward over the Temple Mount — once the site of Solomon’s Temple, now dominated by the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock.
Throughout the day, I crossed border lines that exist sharply on maps but blur upon the ground: territories governed and claimed, contested and revered. It is a journey through lands once absorbed by ancient empires, later carved into mandates, and now shaped by a century of conflict. Here, biblical roots run deep, yet the landscape bears the unmistakable scars of recent history. Moving through this region, it is not always clear whose soil lies beneath the wheels—only that this narrow strip of earth holds the weight of three faiths and the collective hopes of nations.
Sites Visited in Day 6
1. Bethany Beyond the Jordan
The day’s site visits began at Bethany Beyond the Jordan, where John the Baptist bore witness to the ONE who would come after him: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie” (Mark 1:7). The setting is modest — shaded pools, the remnants of ancient baptismal ponds, and the silent river itself.
Yet here, the heavens once opened and the Spirit descended (Mark 1:10). This UNESCO World Heritage site invites reflection on the moment Jesus, in an act of humble obedience, identified with humanity in the waters of baptism. Across the narrow river, barely a stone’s throw away, Qasr el-Yahud marks the same event from the western bank. Two nations, two baptism sites—yet one river, one testimony.
2. Allenby Bridge Crossing
The crossing at the Allenby Bridge (King Hussein Bridge) is a passage through more than just geography. The Jordanian side is administered by the Hashemite Kingdom, while the western side—though located within the West Bank—is operated under Israeli security control.
After clearing Jordanian exit formalities, a shuttle bus carries travellers across the narrow span of the Jordan River. My transition was completed within an hour, facilitated by guides on both sides who managed the paperwork. Thanks to this efficient passage, I was able to reach Jericho and even arrive at Qumran by lunchtime.
3. Jericho
Having crossed to the west of the Jordan, my first stop is Jericho, one of the world’s oldest cities, City of Palm Trees. The ancient layers of Tell es-Sultan stand as a silent witness to the rise and fall of tribes and kingdoms. From the Mount of Temptation across the valley to the sycamore tree of Zacchaeus and the still-flowing Spring of Elisha, Jericho is a place where archaeological discoveries often echo the biblical account.
4. Qasr el-Yahud
A short drive from Jericho brings us back to the Jordan River at Qasr el-Yahud. At this baptismal site on the western bank, I stood where Joshua crossed into the Promised Land and where John the Baptist pointed the way to Christ. Bethany Beyond the Jordan remains visible only metres away across the narrow body of water.
5. Qumran
After a stopover in Qasr el-Yahud and a twenty-minute drive southward, the cliffs of Qumran rise above the Dead Sea, where hidden caves once sheltered the earliest known biblical manuscripts. The miraculous discovery of the Great Isaiah Scroll and hundreds of other fragments came to light, not only offered a window into the lives of the Essenes, but also confirmed the remarkable authenticity of the prophecies regarding the Messiah.
6. The Mount of Olives
A brief hour’s drive westward brought us to the Rehavam Observation Point on the Mount of Olives, the starting point of our descent into the Kidron Valley. This observation point opens 24/7 overlooking the Old City of Jerusalem. The view is a striking panorama of domes, spires, walls, and vast, tiered cemeteries......
Descending the western slope on foot, we reached Dominus Flevit—"the Lord wept"—a poignant, tear-shaped chapel designed by Barluzzi. It marks the site where tradition holds that Jesus paused to weep over the impending destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple. Looking through the chapel’s famous arched window, the Dome of the Rock is perfectly framed behind a dark, wrought-iron cross, offering a space for deep contemplation.
And following the Palm Sunday Path downward, we then reached the Garden of Gethsemane. Beneath ancient olive trees, the soil remains a silent witness to the night the Son of Man prayed—His sweat falling like drops of blood while His disciples slept. Today, the adjacent Church of All Nations stands over the rock of His agony, inviting believers from every land to "watch and pray" in the solemn serenity of the grove.
A thousand year olive tree in The Garden of Gethsemane
Pacing further down into the depths of the Kidron Valley, I stood before the striking silhouette of the Tomb of Absalom, carved directly into the sheer rock face. The bitter rebellion of Absalom serves as a macabre climax to Nathan’s prophetic reckoning (2 Samuel 12:10-12) upon the House of David. Even today, the monument stands as a living lesson for both father and son; my guide noted that Israeli parents still bring their children here, using the site as a stark warning against the path of the rebellious son.
Touching the Promised Land 14 | Day 6 – JERICHO
WALLS BROUGHT DOWN BY FAITH
Jericho, a city of palm trees, where the layers of structures trace back 10,000 years of continuous human inhabitation at Tell es-Sultan, where the Spring of Elisha still flows, and where the sycamore tree links to the story of eager Zacchaeus stands…... And above all, where the city wall was brought down by faith in silence and in roar of the God’s people.