Sunday in Amman, Jordan

Sunday morning started with an early morning climb up to the citadel hill in Amman. It is probably an 5oo foot climb I'm guessing but for an old man like myself it was a good workout. The reason for climbing the hill was four-fold. 

One, it provides a great view of downtown Amman, especially the Roman theater and odeum. 

The view of the Roman theater (and odeum to the left) from the top of the Amman citadel (hilltop fortress)

Two, there are some ruins on top including the temple of Hercules, an ancient Islamic palace, and a Byzantine church.

The temple of Hercules

One of three dozen plaster human figures thousands of years old

 

discovered at Ain Ghazai

Third, there is a small but great archaeological museum located up here. The contents of this museum are to be moved to the new Jordanian Archaeological Museum which has been under construction since 2005 I believe. As I mentioned previously it is now build but unopened. The only items I could see that have already been moved are the Dead Sea scrolls and related materials. It is a disappointment not to be able to see these right now but the museum was still worthwhile. The earliest paster-clay

Balaam Inscription

human figures ever discovered (they were found in AinGhazai in Jordan) anywhere are housed here, as well as the extra-biblical Balaam prophecy on plaster from Deir Alla in the Jordan River

valley, Nabataean pottery and items from Petra, and pottery and coins etc. etc. We were alone in the museum for much of the time and so it was wonderful and unhurried.

Four, we had the chance to read and talk about the story of Uriah and the events of his death while looking down from the city that Uriah was trying to conquer when Joab allowed him to be killed (2 Samuel 11). As we also talked about the events of David and

Although there are no walls left from the time of David, these later walls allowed the students to visualize how hard it would be to attach a walled city at the top of this hill.

Bathsheba the students found it easy to imagine how David could have looked down on her rooftop as they observed the way even today the houses are build down the sides of the hills in Amman.

Sunday evening was spent at the Nazarene Church where three

Jebel Amman Nazarene Church

students sang and I preached through translation. It seemed to go well and we spent an hour or two after church on the church roof terrace eating falafel and drinking 7-up!
Wish you could experience all that we are experiencing.