Masada, Arad, and the Dead Sea

After collapsing into bed last night, we woke up this morning feeling very refreshed with an extraordinary view of the Salt Sea (Dead Sea) from our hotel window. Melinda (my wife) and I thanked God over breakfast for getting to come to Israel because this is the fulfillment of a dream of experiencing the Holy Land together. Following our fantastic breakfast, we were on our way to Masada, the famed fortress and site of one of Israel’s best-known and most tragic moments of national identity and fidelity to God.

Melinda and I, along with almost 40 others, chose to hike up to the fortress at Masada. The hike begins at over 1000 feet below sea level, but by the time you reach the fortress, you are standing just over 100 feet above sea level. Between the top and bottom was the thigh-punishing “Snake Path” hike over rocky terrain and what felt like a million stone steps that never quite ended. My wife is in much better shape than I am, and after watching her get smaller and smaller in front of me, I finally caught up to her at the top where she was resting and already enjoying the incredible view and sips of cold water. The story of Masada was moving and our guide Ronan really opened our eyes to the heart and passion of the Jewish culture for taking hold of their covenant promise of the Promised Land.

Almost immediately we were back on the bus and swept into an amazing ride on the back of a camel in a recreated Bedouin camp out in the middle of the Israeli desert. From there we also visited the ancient ruins of Arad, and once again we were challenged with questions and engaging interaction together regarding the religious practices of God’s Chosen People in the ancient world. We ended the day floating together in the Dead Sea, seemingly weightless because of the high salt and chemical content of the water.

More than anything, I find myself thanking God for this opportunity because it is revealing a place which I have only been able to study in books, but is coming more to life as I experience a deeper understanding of the Bible’s “home context.” It feels like the difference between watching TV in black & white, and now seeing things on a full color HD flat screen. I have always seen this world on the pages of my Bible, through commentaries, and in pictures. But now, I am walking where Christ and His disciples walked, smelling and seeing and soaking in this amazing homeland of our faith. I love seeing all of this in color, and can hardly wait to collapse into bed tonight, and begin the next day of our adventure in the morning. Shalom.

Chris Lankford
Lead Pastor, Long Beach Alliance Church.

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DyiupUQSvSasFd5f_ret.jpg|The sun setting casts its light on the mountains of Moab east of the Dead Sea.

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DygAM7pDOaTEFeUy_ret.jpg

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DygAEyBTarEsUNKE_ret.jpg

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DygAsJEyhRiHI9ZR_ret.jpg|The ancient city of Arad. Interestingly, there is a "kosher Temple" that was destroyed 8th Century BC possibly by Josiah or Hezekiah?

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DyeU71teCFLIGdH8_ret.jpg|Post camel ride, after lunch nap Bedouin style

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DydThvkeJm14TEAO_ret.jpg

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DydTG9aPoP773YNW_ret.jpg

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DydT26LZ8TiEDl0M_ret.jpg|Enjoying a camel ride in the desert on our way to Jericho

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DydkvlcAy76uhk2u_ret.jpg

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/Dydkh23uudmgCwgE_ret.jpg|A view of the sea drip from where the Roman encampment would've been. The catapult is a prop from the movie made starring Peter O'Toole.

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/Dyd6qnmOD4vXTDnQ_ret.jpg|On our way down walking past the seige ramp. Notice how steep that ramp actually was!

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DycS2D48J0ozDjXU_ret.jpg|Catapulted stones from Romans used in the final breach attempt.

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DycHOWbqqS7LWyw4_ret.jpg

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DycHP7bctnJ8aRvX_ret.jpg

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DycHE0gdPrD4Py5M_ret.jpg|The persistent Romans built a seige ramp to breach the top of Masada.

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/Dycq6HRqx6cJ0siY_ret.jpg|Synagogue on Masada

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/Dych4MnoSCgSloyk_ret.jpg

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/Dychivyy2BBPvSHS_ret.jpg|View of North side of Masada

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DybSUGAyVmdHVDdx_ret.jpg

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/Dyb8IFZS1oLQ5u44_ret.jpg|No stronger symbol of Israeli liberty than Masada! A stronghold not only of the rebels from A.D. 70, but also the Maccabean resistance to the Greek attempt to subdue them under Antiochus Epiphanies in the period between the Testaments.

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DyaVt9Di9Nv0c7AU_ret.jpg

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DyaVJeft6xo8L2x6_ret.jpg

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DyaVIqEPY3V87ZVb_ret.jpg

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DyaVa57PpeZuS6XP_ret.jpg|Masada on top with the Dead Sea in the background.

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DyaOdyE3OGCHvtu8_ret.jpg

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DyaON65Xzp2aBWmJ_ret.jpg|At the top of Masada with our group still hiking.

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DyaE2SQHhhbRIVtV_ret.jpg|Part of our group climbing the "snake path" to the top - zoom in to see Brent huffing and puffing!! :-)

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DyaBrvQOtQb3OLVt_ret.jpg

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DyaByKxeOAyUoCpw_ret.jpg

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DyaBColuCons4AvG_ret.jpg

journi|Steve Williams|https://da8d58xb1ptvq.cloudfront.net/picture/DyaBKU0nWUZ7Dsgf_ret.jpg|Preparing to ride the gondola up Masada - see also these pictures of the Romans' walled protection against stones rolled from 1000 feet up!