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Israel Journal Day 6

March 12, 2010

Day 6: QUMRAN/ MASADA/ DEAD SEA
Today started as we boarded our bus in preparation to drive south of Jerusalem into the barren and long descent toward the desert wilderness. The wilderness by some is considered a place of solitude, a place to meet God and hear his voice, and driving by this area it is not hard to imagine.

Qumran
We were headed to the Qumran caves located at the northwest corner of the Dead Sea, where the Essenes painstakingly put the Scriptures on to scrolls and eventually placed them in clay jars and in these caves.

The Essenes were a group of people that because of the corruption of temple worship decided to begin a new community 200 BC. They desired a simple life founded on scripture which the Essenes made scrolls of. In 1947 a Bedouin shepherd boy found these scrolls which are known as the Dead Sea Scrolls in caves where the monks would spend time with God. The scrolls included a variety of writings, including some copies of almost every Old Testament Books (except Esther and Nehemiah). The scrolls do not include any Christian or New Testament texts. When Titus and his Roman legions arrived at Jericho, the Essenes hid the scrolls in nearby caves and fled. The dry desert air kept their secret for almost 2000 years.

This is cave #4 which housed scrolls that when the Romans came through probably toward Masada 66 AD they went on a slashing rampage which resulted in 15,000 fragments of leftover scroll. Hard to believe, what was their problem?

Upon the discovery of these scrolls there is an interesting story of how they were first sold to a shoemaker and then to a set of random individuals. The scrolls eventually are now housed in the Shrine of the Book at the Israel museum in Jerusalem.

This is Teresa in front of this museum which you can see is to be in the shape of a scroll end. If she looks cold it’s because she is!

Masada
The next stop is one that I have been waiting to see for over 20 years when I first learned of the story that took place in Masada in 66AD. “Masada” is a Romanized word for the Hebrew Mitzada, which means fortress. The site is an isolated plateau that overlooks the Dead Sea. It is on the eastern edge of the Judean Desert, in the southern part of the land of Israel, just a few hours drive from Jerusalem. King Herod, according to the first-century Jewish historian named Josephus, built a fortress on Masada to protect himself in case there was a revolt. Herod was appointed “king” by the Romans to govern over the Jewish people. He was extremely unpopular with the people. Decades after Herod died, there was a massive revolt among the Jewish people to free themselves from the oppressive rule of the Roman Empire. A group of Jewish fighters defeated a Roman garrison and captured Masada, which then was used for about two years as a base for some of the Jewish fighters.

These were the boulders that the Jews would have thrown down on the Romans as they made their way up to capture them. Unfortunately the Romans used Jewish slaves as the front men which then became the targets of these heavy, lethal boulders.

The revolt, sometimes called the First Jewish-Roman War, ended in 70 AD when the Romans completely destroyed the city of Jerusalem and the Temple.
We took the cable car to this fortress where this revolt took place resulting in 1000 Jews committing suicide to avoid capture from the Romans.

After all of these years of not knowing where Masada was it was discovered in 1898 by the PEF (Palestinian Exploration Federation). In Israel Masada is one of the 2 locations that every person that serves in the army visits (the other is Yad Vashem) where they tell all 18 year olds the story of Masada. Finally they have each person take the Bible in one hand and a rifle in the other and they then swear to protect their country and to provide continuity no matter what! It was a very powerful place to experience.

En-Gedi
From Masada we drove to En-Gedi, an oasis on the western shore of the Dead Sea, about 20 miles south of Qumran and 10 miles north of Masada. We had a blast at the Dead Sea which is the lowest spot on the planet at over 1200 feet below sea level. A group of us ventured into the water and before you knew it we were literally lifted to the top of the water. I never had so much buoyancy. It was a lot of fun. Some took the rich mud from this sea and caked it on their bodies for skin defoliation. One looked like a warrior!

It is also here that David hid in En-Gedi on his flight from King Saul, and it was here that David cut off a corner of Saul’s cloak.
1Sa 24:1 When Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, they told him, “Look, David is in the desert of En Gedi.”
1Sa 24:2 So Saul took three thousand select men from all Israel and went to find David and his men in the region of the rocks of the mountain goats.
1Sa 24:3 He came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a cave. Saul went into it to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the recesses of the cave.
1Sa 24:4 David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the LORD said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hand, and you can do to him whatever seems appropriate to you.’ ” So David got up and quietly cut off an edge of Saul’s robe.

The battle between King Jehoshaphat and others began at Hazazon-Tamar (which is En-Gedi).
2Ch 20:1 Later the Moabites and Ammonites, along with some of the Meunites, attacked Jehoshaphat.
2Ch 20:2 Messengers arrived and reported to Jehoshaphat, “A huge army is attacking you from the other side of the Dead Sea, from the direction of Edom. Look, they are in Hazezon Tamar (that is, En Gedi).”

En-Gedi is known for its aromatic plants as mentioned in the Song of Solomon.
Songs 1:14 My beloved is like a cluster of henna blossoms in the vineyards of En-Gedi.
Josephus wrote that the finest palm trees and balsam grew there. Excavations during the 1960s and 1970s uncovered several layers of settlement going back to King Josiah. It was destroyed in 582 BC, again in 40 BC, and again in 68 AD.

Driving through the wilderness and seeing the shepherd protecting his sheep made imagery become more real to me after seeing the caves where shepherds led their sheep. At the entry of the cave the shepherd would guard his sheep. Also, interesting is how our guide mentioned how Westerners tend to herd their animals, in the Middle East they “lead” their sheep. There is a leadership lesson in there somewhere!

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Israel Journal Day 5

March 1, 2010

Day 5: Jerusalem
This morning I wake up in Jerusalem and I begin my day doing my devotions in #612 King Solomon Hotel. Pretty amazing as I look out of my window at the view I have of the old city of Jerusalem.

I spent time reading from Mark 11 where Jesus comes into Jerusalem just as Teresa and I are preparing to as well. Jesus enters and leaves Jerusalem 3 separate times, the 1st time Jesus just looks around and then leaves. It’s like Jesus is scouting out the place – quite possibility seeing things that are a big problem to him. Not sure but could it be that Jesus is so worked up inside with what he sees that is wrong in the temple that he cursed the fig tree as he left the temple? 2nd time Jesus heads straight for the temple and turns it upside-down – staying around all day and into the evening and then leaving for the night just outside of Jerusalem.

This is a model of the temple as it would have appeared during the time of Jesus.

3rd time the authorities are ready for Jesus and they confront him directly in several different ways. Jesus’ responses to these interactions leave me with a big grin on my face as Jesus handles these authorities with such cheeky confidence. It almost seems that Jesus was picking a fight – so clear on his mission and so clear in his tactics. My prayer today is that Teresa and I will be able to experience the power of Jesus as we walk through this city!

A little about Jerusalem.. it is the most famous city in the world. It’s located in the Judean Hills of Israel, with the Hinnom and Kidron valleys as part of its borders. Its elevation is 2600 feet above sea level. Earliest mention of Jerusalem can apparently be found in Egyptian texts dating back to the 19th century BC. Jerusalem is first mentioned in the Bible as Salem, or Shalem..
Gen 14:18 Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine.
This verse describes a meeting between Abraham and Melchizedek.

Jerusalem became the center of power for the land of Israel during the time of King David. David drove the Jebusites out of Jerusalem and named it the City of David.
2Sa 5:6 Then the king and his men advanced to Jerusalem against the Jebusites who lived in the land. The Jebusites said to David, “You cannot invade this place! Even the blind and the lame will turn you back, saying, ‘David cannot invade this place!’ ”
2Sa 5:7 But David captured the fortress of Zion (that is, the city of David).
2Sa 5:9 So David lived in the fortress and called it the City of David.

He reigned there as King of Israel for 33 years, after reigning his first 7 years in Hebron. After David, all of the kings of Judah reigned in Jerusalem. David’s son, Solomon, built the Temple in Jerusalem, which was later destroyed, rebuilt, and destroyed again.
This photo marks what they believe is the tomb of David.

The original site of Jerusalem, as it was during the days of David about 3000 years ago, is still sometimes called the City of David. It is south of the Temple Mount and is surrounded by hills.
Psa 125:2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people, now and forevermore.

Constantine the Great sent his mother Helena to Israel in AD 326, and she became associated with Constantine’s building of the first great Christian churches. Today with 3 major religions centered in Jerusalem, Judaism, Islam, Christianity, it is the focal point of the world.

Jerusalem has been a city of war and take-over’s from way back 3300 B.C. Here is a timeline of occupants for the city of Jerusalem since then.
3300 BC – Canaanites
1006 BC – Israelites
586 BC – Babylonian
538 BC – Persian
332 BC – Hellenistic
63 BC – Roman
324 AD – Byzantine
638 AD – Muslim
1099 AD – Crusaders
1260 AD – Mamluk
1517 AD – Ottoman
1917 AD – British
1948 AD – State of Israel
I remember looking at this list and imagining all of this history and behind it all is destruction, brokenness, and death. This is a something that is becoming more apart of the story of this pilgrimage that I am on. It’s really very sad and I can understand with new understanding why it is that Jesus wept over the city and being at the place where he wept had quite an impact on me.
Luke 19:41 Now when Jesus approached and saw the city, he wept over it..

Mount of Olives
The Mount of Olives being just to the east of Jerusalem is one of the most revered places for Christians. On its slopes are the Garden of Gethsemane, Bethany and Bethpage. It is here that Jesus would have wept over the city that he would be looking out over, it is here that Jesus sometimes taught his disciples, it is here where he began his Palm Sunday entrance into Jerusalem, where he prayed and sweated drops of blood, where he was arrested, and where he rose up to Heaven.

Today the Mount of Olives is dotted with many churches, including the Church of Dominus Flevit which is where Jesus wept. This church is shaped like a teardrop.

As well, the Church of All Nations marks the place where Jesus would pray and be arrested before his crucifixion.
Mark 14:32–35 Then they went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James, and John with him, and became very troubled and distressed. He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay alert.” Going a little farther, he threw himself to the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour would pass from him.

The Church of Mary Magdalene a Russian Orthodox church remembers the 1st person to see the resurrected Jesus. As well, the Chapel of the Ascension marks the rock from where Jesus left the earth and ascended to Heaven.

There is also the largest Jewish cemetery in the world located here.

Garden of Gethsemane
Gethsemane was the place where Jesus prayed shortly before being betrayed by Judas and arrested by the Romans. (Matthew 26). This olive tree dates back 2000 years and is believed was here at the time of Jesus.

From here we spent the rest of our day exploring the Old City of Jerusalem. One place I was really looking forward to seeing was the Upper Room where Jesus had the last supper with his disciples as well as where the Holy Spirit came powerfully onto the disciples at the birth of the church.
Acts 1:13 When they had entered Jerusalem, they went to the upstairs room where they were staying.

St. Peter’s in Gallicantu is built on top of the High Priest Caiphas’ House and is where Jesus was brought after he was betrayed by Judas. It is here we remember the 3 denials of Peter.

How painful that must have been for Jesus to have been not only betrayed by Judas but also by Peter. Relational betrayal is very painful especially for what it results in. the stairs that Jesus would have been led away on are still there today.

Via Dolorosa
The Via Dolorosa, also known as the Way of the Cross, is the path which Jesus walked while bearing the cross, from the place of judgment to Calvary.
It starts at the Church of Flagellation, (below) winds through the streets of Jerusalem into the Christian Quarter, and ends in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. There are 14 stations along the route, and each one marks an event that took place during Christ’s last walk before his crucifixion. Nine of these stations are actually along the Via Dolorosa and five are inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Here is the list of the 14 stations: with many of them marked in some way as shown in this 3rd station location.
1. Jesus is condemned to death.
2. Jesus receives the cross.
3. Jesus falls the first time.
4. Jesus meets his mother.
5. Simon is made to bear the cross.
6. Veronica wipes the face of Jesus.
7. Jesus falls the second time.
8. Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem.
9. Jesus falls the third time.
10. Jesus is stripped of his garments.
11. Jesus is nailed to the cross.
12. Jesus dies on the cross.
13. Jesus is taken down from the cross.
14. Jesus is taken to the Sepulchre.

The church of the Holy Sepulchre marks the death and some believe the burial of Jesus. The tension between the Christians in large part comes down to which denomination is entitled to the ownership of these holy places? There is so much division in this country and the one group you would expect unity is with Christians but that is not the case at all. The ladder in the picture on the 2nd story was used to clean that window by one Christian denomination while another group thought it was theirs to clean.

The infighting became so bad that the Israeli government needed to intervene and took the keys away from the Christians and gave them to 2 Muslim families to control the opening and closing of this Christian church. The ladder is a reminder of this feuding. I just shake my head!

Garden tomb
The Garden Tomb is located just north of the Damascus Gate, outside the walls of Jerusalem. This site was discovered by a group of British Christians during the late 1800s. The Tomb looks like what people might typically envision as Christ’s tomb.

Also, there is a skull-shaped hill nearby, as indicated in the New Testament as Golgotha. This site is believed by some Christians to be the site of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Others believe that the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is the site of the tomb.

I think I am a bit overwhelmed by all of what I am reminded of what Jesus went through. The garden that Jesus came to before he died, and then having to make this big decision really hit me. It’s the place of rest but also of solitude. Everyone of us needs a place like this before we make big decisions. And the truth is Jesus offers that to each of us.
Our guide said to us today that we are not “tourists, we are pilgrims and everyone must come to Jerusalem because it’s our home.” He said, “Come back. We need you.”

Here was a prayer I came across that says it better than I..
God, help me to see beauty where there is brokenness.
to awaken to light where there is darkness.
to grasp hope where there is none.
to release love when I feel betrayed.
to transform pain rather than run from it.
to know my own sin rather than condescendingly judge others.
to be willing to die to give life.
to elegantly and release joy and hope in the midst of sorrow.
in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

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