DAY 5 – FRIDAY, JANUARY 21: MASADA, EIN GEDI, JERICHO, DEAD SEA
We enjoyed a sunny day today as we travels took us up the coastline of the Dead Sea. The temperatures rebounded (as expected in this region of the Judean Desert) to the 60s, a welcome delight. We read from Psalm 18:1-2 (metzada) following a great breakfast at the Bedouin camp.
Masada
We drove east about 7 miles to get to the western side of Masada, a palace-fortress built by King Herod in the 30s BC. Most in the group hiked up the Roman ramp, and upon cresting the site saw the southern wall, a huge cistern, the western palace, and the casemate wall. The rest in the group bussed around to the east side and ascended to the top in the cable car. Both groups met in the 1st century synagogue. We then walked to the top of the northern palace and through the bathhouse and storerooms. Remarkably, no one was here besides us! We had the entire site to ourselves! We all took the cable car down to the bottom. The courageous story of Masada (with 967 using the site as a place of refuge) is incredible!
Ein Gedi
We drove about 15 minutes to a unique place here on the eastern edge of the Judean Desert. Ein Gedi is one of only a few natural springs. Together we walked into the canyon (Wadi David) where we stopped to read from Song of Songs 1 (mentioning the henna blossoms), 2 Chronicles 20 (mentioning the Ascent of Ziz), and 1 Samuel 24 (the David and Saul “cave encounter”). Most then walked back to the far water falls.
“We certainly enjoyed the bright blue and sunny skies today. Additionally, we had Masada, Jericho, and the Dead Sea all to ourselves. We were the only group at Ein Gedi, with only a handful of others there. It was a remarkable experience.”
Jericho
From here we drove to the northern end of the Dead Sea. As we drove we read from Ezekiel 47 and Zechariah 14 (about how one day the Dead Sea will become fresh). We arrived at Tel es-Sultan, or Old Testament Jericho. After a wonderful falafel sandwich here, we climbed the site. We looked east and could see the Jordan Valley the Mt. Nebo on the ridge on the horizon. Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River at “Bethany Beyond the Jordan” (John 1). The archaeology of this ancient site of Jericho supports and confirms the Bible’s historicity. Besides seeing the oldest structure (a round tower) in Israel, on the southern end we saw the double retaining walls of this Canaanite city taken my Joshua (Joshua 6). A mud brick wall once stood on top of these stone walls. They came tumblin down.
Dead Sea
Our last experience of the day was to float in the Dead Sea. Once again, no one was here besides us! We enjoy floating in this unique body of water (33% salt and minerals). We drove to our “kibbutz-hotel” (Al Mog) close by for dinner and overnight.
DAY 6 – SATURDAY, JANUARY 22: QUMRAN, BETH SHEAN, MT. GILBOA, MEGIDDO, PRECIPICE OF NAZARETH, SEA OF GALILEE
