Masada, En Gedi, Qumran, Dead Sea

Masada

Masada started with a beautiful ride up in a sky bucket. It was hard to envision how this fortress was made in the middle of the desert at the top of a mountain, but once again Herod was an ingenious builder (while also a paranoid jerk). You could see the bathhouses again, even decorated with fresco, which means he would have brought in talented artisans from all over to finish his buildings. The aqueducts and water cisterns allowed for rainwater to be collected and stored. The natural terrain gave protection since the steep climb made it impossible to storm in any numbers.

Not being one to know military history, this was the first time I had heard the story of Masada. After the second temple was destroyed, many Jews fled to Masada. These were mostly zealots whose primary allegiance was to Israel. They did not want to be under Roman rule and considered death better than slavery. Rome was determined to squash the resistance completely and surrounded the mountain with eight camps. Ironically the symbol of this roman legion was the pig. It took four years for the Romans to build a ramp, which allowed them to bring up a battering ram and start breaking through the gate. During this time the Romans would have had to walk approximately 20 miles to get to fresh water. They were unable to figure out the water source for those within the fortress walls. On the last night of the standoff, when the zealots knew they could no longer hold off the invasion, they cast lots. They agreed to kill everyone inside the walls and the last remaining would commit suicide. When the Romans entered the next day, everyone inside was dead (only a woman and child survived by possibly hiding in the water cisterns).

Two things struck me at this site. One- these Jews would have been familiar with many of the stories of God working on Israel’s behalf. Over and over in the Old Testament when the leaders prayed to God, God delivered them. Yet, these men were more aligned with country than God. They relied on their own power, their own reasoning, instead of praying for God’s power. I wonder if anyone did pray? It is not mentioned as the story is retold. I wonder if it would have made a difference. Would God have shown mercy to the people at Masada if they had turned to him? Secondly- I wondered at first why the Romans did not attempt to disrupt the water flow. I wondered why they did not commandeer the cisterns for their own use and thereby force the inhabitants out. I did not realize that the only reason I could see the water storage and channels was because I was on the top of the mountain looking down. From the bottom of the mountain there was no evidence of the amazing grooves cut that allowed water to be collected and stored. Once again reminding me how limited we are in our perceptions looking up from our short existence. But there is One who is able to look down and see all.

En Gedi

I love the story of David, so I really enjoyed visiting En Gedi. Again in what feels like the midst of a desert, here are these 3 flowing waterfalls. On this particular day, they were having a heat wave in Israel. Temperatures were close to 100 degrees, which is unseasonably warm for springtime. On the rocks you could feel the heat, yet under the shade of trees or by the pools you would feel the cool mist. In the shade we spoke of David’s time here. He hid here while on the run from Saul. You could see caves dotting the landscape. One of those could have been the one where he cut off the corner of Saul’s tunic. You could understand how after hiding in these desert conditions; you would have so much appreciation for the water. I picture David in his solitude, wondering how long he would have to hide, pouring out his anguish to God in what we now read as the Psalms. Yet enjoying the shade, the sounds of running water, you could also see how he would have praised God for leading him beside still waters. How much did this time of ‘wandering’ or solitude prepare him for being King? As everything was stripped away, he had to come down to the basic fact that it was only God that mattered, only God that he could depend on, only God that was God.

From several places walking by the waterfalls, you could look and see the Dead Sea. It looked like any sea, a beautiful blue, meeting the sky on the horizon. It would have been a reasonable walk in those days to get to the water. Yet, it was a ‘mirage’ in the since that it could not be used. It looks so beautiful and appears refreshing yet the salt content is too high to quench thirst or sustain life. As I though of God describing himself as ‘living water’, it made me wonder how many people are trying to live off an inadequate source. Perhaps it looks good, but it doesn’t really satisfy.

Qumran

In 1947 copies of the scroll of Isaiah were found. These scrolls date back to 100BC. The Essenes were a strict religious sect that had moved out of Jerusalem in order to live a purer life. The significance of this find was a confirmation of the accuracy of scripture and the evidence that the prophecies made concerning Christ in Isaiah (especially chapters 52 and 53) occurred before Christ came. Archaeology confirms that there was not a ‘revisionist’ history happening here. When you read Isaiah 53 about his suffering, about Christ being pierced for our transgressions, you see the description of what will happen to Christ and it was written hundreds of years before his birth.

I am so thankful that our faith, which is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see, is also given these encouragements. We are to love God with our mind, body and soul. We can investigate and think through what it is we believe because God is truth. Thinking and being a Christian are not juxtaposed; in fact we are to study to show ourselves approved (2 Timothy). We should have a grasp of what we believe and why- not that we will ever have all the answers, but because God does. My faith does not depend on scrolls found in 1947 but it is further supported by them, (and by other archeological finds) and for that I am glad.

Dead Sea

After a hot, busy day we were transported via bus to the Dead Sea. Running short on time, the ladies decided to kick the men off the bus, close the curtains and use the bus as our changing room. You can imagine our surprise when in the middle of changing, our bus started moving. Those of us in the back did not hear the announcement, but apparently our bus was in the way, so our guide had opened the front door enough to announce- “Josi (short for Joseph) has to move the bus, he won’t look.” As the bus started rolling it was too late to do anything but finish the process that had already started. There was much giggling and comments about joining Josi’s harem, as we ducked behind bus seats and finished changing.

The Dead Sea was unlike any other water I had ever been in. As I went out deeper into the water, I felt like a bobber. I could literally stand straight up without my feet touching the bottom. You could float and spiral with no effort. Many cosmetic companies sell the minerals found in the Dead Sea as beauty treatments. So we wiped the mud on our arms, chest, back and face to enjoy the mineral benefits. I found my face burning in a short amount of time so I had to rinse fairly quickly, but the skin on my arms did feel smooth after. So although not good for drinking or washing, the Dead Sea is great for floating.