Fortresses and Hiding Places

Morning devotional by the Dead/Salt Sea and the message was that at a distance, the Sea was desirable and refreshing, but when you actually get there, it was not quite what you expected. The beautiful looking sea is a metaphor for the world today: it is enticing, but can never satisfy us.

First stop was Masada; one of King Herod‘s palaces. Eleven of us climbed to the top of Masada via the “Snake Trail” while the others took the gondola up to the top. Masada has a rich history and was in a very strategic location – primarily along trade routes. A lot of thought and planning went into its construction and ability to endure. Things such as defense, water supply, storage of bitumen, perfume, all came into play. Masada was initially built by Herod was later occupied by Zealots. Masada was the Zealot Alamo.

Next stop was En Gedi (or Goat Spring); 35 miles east of Jerusalem. Settled 5,000 years ago and continuously inhabited since then. Lecture of David’s fleeing from King Saul. 1 Samuel 24. David wrote Psalm 54. Message that David praises God in his distress. David has his opportunity to eliminate Saul but did not do it. David gave Saul some dignity while Saul was remorseful but he did not repent. David decides he will wait on the Lord. He shows integrity and character by waiting on the Lord and bowing to who God put in power. Psalm 142:5 Do not forge your own path, yet show kindness and wait on God. Trust God’s faithfulness. Eric demonstrated being refreshed in the living water by standing under a waterfall! Jesus is all we need. Ezekiel 47.

Next stop was Qumran. Civilization here dates back to the first century. A great lunch and then afterwards a lecture of Greek history and the 4 classes of people that emerged after the reign of Alexander the Great. and the Hellenistic period. The Sadducees (high society/politicians) , Pharisees (pious living), Zealots (radicals/terrorists) & Essenes (monks, who withdrew from the world). Qumran was not necessarily a biblical site but still a very significant site. Qumran was where the Essenes duplicated the scripture. They wrote the dead sea scrolls which were discovered there in the area caves back in 1947 by a Bedouin boy. Discovery of the scrolls was most significant as it validated God’s word by giving proof dating back to 200 BC. Heretofore, the most current Hebrew bible dated back to 900 A.D. when they were translated, they proved to be 99.9% the same text 1,100 years later! The Essenes had a strict set of rules they lived by and a high level of quality control as they duplicated God’s word via scrolls. Psalm 119:72

Dan & Susan George – Tyler, TX