Middle East Tour Day 1

Our first full day in Israel is drawing to a close and it was a magnificent start to our journey through history and its implications on who we are, why we’re here, and where we are heading. We spent nearly 24 hours traveling yesterday, arriving in Tel Aviv around 3:30 p.m., taking a bus through Jerusalem, and walking into our hotel on the Dead Sea by 9:00 p.m. Many were travel weary, but all are exhilarated by just being here and bolstered even more by the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of Israel (May 8).

We received wakeup calls at 6:00 a.m., ate a wonderful Middle Eastern breakfast, then set out for our first site—Masada. Next to the Wailing Wall (the last Temple ruins in Old Jerusalem), Masada is the most visited site in all of Israel. Masada is a flat topped mountain that rises hundreds of feet above the Dead Sea and was developed by Herod the Great as a strategic lookout for the defense of Israel and also the site of his southern palace. Our group of sixty packed into a cable car and we were transported to the top of Masada where we began our investigation of this fascinating and moving discovery of Israel’s past.

During the Jewish revolt in 66 A.D., many Jews fled to Masada to escape the oppressive Roman Empire. Although the encamped Jews had an ample supply of food and water—thanks to Herod’s elaborate planning—and even though Masada was virtually impenetrable, after nearly three years, the Romans built an earthen ramp that gave them access to the fortress and the defenseless Jews. In the hours prior to the invasion by the Romans, the Jews on Masada chose to take their own lives, rather than allowing their wives to be ravaged and their children enslaved. When the Romans arrived at the summit of Masada, all they found were the bodies of all the Jews and a note, written by the Jews, declaring that they would rather die at their own hands than to live under the yoke of Roman oppression. To this day, recruits of the Israeli army are brought to Masada to pledge their loyalty to defend Israel and to never forget Masada.

We left Masada and after a quick pit stop for lunch (McDonald’s!), we drove to Tel Beersheba, the ancient home of biblical patriarchs, including Abraham. The excavations there are astounding and we were able to see the well (spoken of in Genesis 22), the town square (where city elders and other leaders met daily to pass judgments), and one of the most well preserved and elaborate cisterns in all of Israel. It went down hundreds of support columns in the cistern—all hand chiseled into the rock faces.

From Beersheba, we returned back to our hotel on the Dead Sea (The Golden Tulip) for a swim in the Dead Sea. Because of the high salt and mineral content in the water (33% salinity), it possesses some very unique qualities. There is no animal life in the sea (too salty) and you don’t really swim in the Dead Sea—you float! We had so much just floating around and enjoying the warm waters of this intriguing place. Of course you could feel the sting of every scrape, scratch, and closely shaved area of your body (because of the saltiness), but none of us would have missed the chance to be a part of this unforgettable experience.

Tomorrow, we leave the Dead Sea region and head for Qumran (the site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered) and Jordan.

Please continue to pray for our safety and energy. Also, pray for our interactions
with our bus drivers (Jiries & Siam) and our guides (Edna and Pilar). We certainly want to be salt and light to them as they share their country with us and as we share our hearts with them.

To our families in Christ, at home, and our friends, we remind you that we love and appreciate you all! Even though you’re not here with us to experience all this, we are excited to share what we are seeing and learning with you when we return home…