September 8

Friends,Today was our last official day of touring - it included Masada, the Dead Sea and the caves of Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.We left Jerusalem and traveled about 75 minutes south--the temperature was about 100 - 105. In July and August it can easily climb to 115 or more. So it was extremely hot and we all consumed a great deal of water. We boarded cable cars for the 4 minute trip up but for the more adventurous there was a walking path which would take about 1 hour to climb. After 10:00 in the morning, no one is permitted to begin the climb because the heat is too intense. I continue to be amazed at the extravagant palaces that were hand made from stone--of course requiring the strength and hard work of hundreds of slaves.Masada is the location of the largest and most famous of Herod’s palaces built high upon a natural fortress. The mountain on which it sits is an isolated rock with steep sides. Herod had a three level palace at the northern end of the fortification. More than 50 years after Herod’s death, was the first Jewish revolt. Jewish zealots seized the fort at the beginning of the revolt in A.D. 66 and held it until the fall of Jerusalem in 70. In 72, the Roman military governor of Jerusalem, Flavius Silva, began a siege. Using Jewish prisoners captured during the revolt, he constructed a massive earth and stone ramp on the west side of the mountain which allowed the Romans access to a section of the wall. About a year later the Romans were able to breach the wall and destroy any hopes the zealots had of holding Masada longerEleazar made the appeal to his fellow zealots that if they remained and were captured they would become slaves to the Romans. Rather than succumb to years of hard labor, physical abuse and other atrocities, the zealots committed mass suicide which resulted in the deaths of approximately 960 people (two women and five children survived by hiding in an underground cavern.)With its impressive archaeological remains in the natural setting it is fascinating.The Judean Wilderness and the Dead Sea. Between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea is the Judean Wilderness--you might call it the “bad lands” of Palestine. It is a rugged dry thinly populated area which was the ideal sanctuary for outlaws and rebels. The road we drove on would have been a reasonable location for the story of the Good Samaritan--few travelers crossed through here and seldom did anyone travel alone. However, seeing the desolation helps to understand the story more.Near where the Jordan River enters the Dead Sea is a major spring and the famous oasis of Jericho. Excavations at Tell es-Sultan, the ruins of ancient Jericho revealed the settlement datable to approximately 7000 B.C. This makes Jericho one of the earliest known villages. We did not enter into Jericho but could easily see it from our bus.We went to the Dead Sea and most of us waded in it. Only one of our group floated in the Dead Sea. The concentration of salt (about 1/3 of the content) makes swimming impossible. Instead people flock to the sea for natural body treatments from the salt and other minerals in the water. Although the minerals and even the mud can be used for outward beauty, drinking one cup of water from the sea is enough to cause death. As with many bodies of water in Israel the Dead Sea is receding. Water drained from it has been used for irrigation for date farms, and other agricultural production such as cherry tomatoes.Qumran was the highlight of my day. In this rugged terrain is where the first of the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Although hotly debated, most scholars believe that the Qumran scrolls were left by a Jewish religious community, apparently Essenes, who occupied the site from sometime in the second century B.C. into the first century A.D. Presumably the Essenes hid their library in the caves shortly before their community was destroyed by the Romans in connection with the First Jewish Revolt. We were able to get a clear view of Cave 4 where the book of Isaiah was discovered. It is told that a shepherd boy who was tending his flock was chasing a young lamb that had strayed. It was customary to throw rocks into the area where the lambs strayed and the sound of rock hitting rock would chase the lamb back down the hillside. The young boy’s aim didn’t hit stone but rather went into the cave entrance and hit one of the jars hiding the scrolls. Thinking he had found treasure, he ran to the village and others came to his discovery. It clearly wasn’t hidden gold or silver. In 1948-49 archaeologists discover and clear Cave I. over the next several years ten more caves were discovered. Syrian Orthodox Patriarch, Mar Yeshue Samuel, bought the scrolls and later sold them to the Sate of Israel for $250,000. In the early 1960’s the Shrine of the Book was built to house and display the scrolls.Also in the area is En Gedi which means the spring of the kid. The actual spring is in the caves overlooking the Dead Sea. En Gedi is mentioned several times in scripture -- it is an oasis.Last night we toured an exhibit in our hotel telling the story of the Shroud of Turin. The actual shroud is located in Turin but the exhibit included a full size replica of the shroud. It was fascinating to learn the history of this article and trace it back in time. There is still controversy as to the authenticity but the evidence is strong in favor of it being the burial cloth of Christ.Another long day but what a blessing it has been. I pray all of you are well and look forward toseeing you and sharing more of my experience.BlessingsPastor Pam