Damascus

Acts Part 1 

Chapter 9

In our lesson today about Acts Chapter 9, the main event was Saul (later Paul)  meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus.  Once Saul believes, is baptized and the Holy Spirit indwells in him, then he starts preaching Jesus and proving that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah).

Later in Chapter 9, Saul, who once went to Damascus to get a list of Christ followers to persecute them, became the one who is persecuted.  (quite a contrast!) And he is lowered through a hole in the wall of Damascus to escape.

I was thinking about the structure of the ancient city.  What did it look like?  Was there a true wall around the city?  What hole was there?  Why did everyone have to go through a gate - wasn't there any other way out? 

Some interesting facts about Damascus:

* Now it is the largest city and capital of Syria;

* Damascus is located in a desert oasis;

* The City is 50 miles from the Mediterranean Sea;

* The City is on a plateau 2200 feet above sea level;

* The Old Damascus is surrounded by walls and it had at least 7 gates.  Here's a diagram showing the city with its gates.

 * It may be the world's oldest continually inhabited city.  Excavations around the outside of the city have been dated to between 10000 to 8000 bc.

This image is of the Kisan Gate located on the wall of Old Damascus.  

 The final picture is, I believe, is part of the Old City of Damascus' wall.  There's a hole in this wall, due to the current war.  So when Paul was lowered through a "hole", it was probably a window opening.