Faith and religion are often confused as the same thing. Faith, in terms of God, is a belief in something you can’t see but know exists. Religion, on the other hand, is gathering and worshiping a higher power in an organized fashion. Both are important if not the same, and both saw stunning news recently that should help reaffirm people’s belief in both.
Archeologists in Jerusalem claim to have unearthed the steps of the Pool of Siloam. According to the Bible, Jesus Christ healed a blind man in that very pool over 2,000 years ago. The veracity and historical authenticity of the Bible have been under heavy scrutiny in latter times, so a find of this magnitude is huge.
Ze’ev Orenstein, director of international affairs for the City of David Foundation, said: “It’s exciting to be a part of a story that’s bigger than ourselves — to be a part of bringing a story to life that has significance not for millions, but for billions.”
The excavations at the historic Biblical Jerusalem site began in 2004 at the ridge otherwise known as the City of David. It was just in recent weeks that the eight steps descending into what was twice an Olympic-sized pool were discovered.
The pool was used by Jesus and others as an ancient ritual bath. According to the Gospel of John, it was at that site that Jesus encountered the blind man and put clay mixed with his own saliva over the man’s eyes and instructed him to wash in the Pool of Siloam, thus restoring the man’s site.
The pool, which is estimated to be 2700 years old, was constructed by Judean King Hezekiah as a means of water if the city were ever attacked by the Assyrians. The discovery of the site helps to affirm the historical accuracy of the Bible. Orenstein went on to say: “It’s exciting to be a part of a story that’s bigger than ourselves — to be a part of bringing a story to life that has significance not for millions, but for billions.”
The entire site runs from the Pool of Siloam along the Pilgrimage Road and up to the Western Wall, Southern Steps, and Temple Mount and is considered the most significant half-mile on the Earth. Orenstein continued: “There is no half mile that means more to more people that affirms Jerusalem’s biblical heritage not simply as a matter of faith, but as a matter of fact. And obviously living in a time where so much of biblical heritage is being questioned — to be able to be unearthing all of this historical heritage and antiquity that shows that whether for Jews or Christians, that you could see it, you could touch it, you could walk on it, that really our heritage in Jerusalem going back thousands of years, not simply a matter of faith, but a matter of fact, being unearthed here in the city of David.”
Long term, the plan is to open the entire site to visitors once the project is complete. To be able to walk in Jesus’ footsteps and factually know he stood in the same place over 2,000 years ago and performed miracles could go a long way toward setting humanity back on a more holy path.
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