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Israel Study Tour with North Pointe Christian School
June 6-17, 2016
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The living water of Jesus
Hello there! It's Angela and Wow! What a day! The day started with a delicious breakfast buffet and then we were off to En Gedi! And boy was it hot! We hiked up the steep hills and saw amazing sights! (The Dead Sea, Ibex, waterfalls, etc) We found several pools of water and were happily cooled off... At least for a few moments :) By the pools we heard teachings of the living water of Jesus. Through him we are able to survive and grow. He is calling out to us to come play in the water and dive into it. Aka he desires all of his children to know him and be with him.
Ein Gedi
En Gedi is the largest oasis along the western shore of the Dead Sea. The springs here have allowed nearly continuous inhabitation of the site since the Chalcolithic period. The area was allotted to the tribe of Judah, and was famous in the time of Solomon (Josh 15:62). Today the Israeli kibbutz of En Gedi sits along the southern bank of the Nahal Arugot.
Since being here, the Bible has come alive for all of us. No longer do we read about the desert and continue on. Instead, our eyes have been opened to the harsh conditions the Israelites suffered through. I now understand why the Israelites complained so much during the 40 years they wandered the desert.
Anyways, after En Gedi we ate amazing hummus and pita sandwiches. Once we were fueled up again more, we headed to Qumran. This is the place where the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered. The Essenes lived here in a small community for about 218 years. To truly learn the word, they copied it over and over and over. Interestingly, Isaiah is the most copied book found here. This is because it prophesies the future coming of the Messiah, Jesus. Deuteronomy was the second most copied because it is the book of the law that they were required to follow. The Dead Sea scrolls confirmed the truth of the Bible and that the text we have now is the same as the originals.
Qumran
10 miles south of Jericho, Qumran was on a “dead-end street” and provided a perfect location for the isolationist sect of the Essenes to live.
The site was excavated by Catholic priest Roland deVaux from 1953-56. More recent excavations of the site have taken place under the direction of Hanan Eshel.
After hiking for the day, we came to our second hotel, which is right on the Sea of Galilee. Israel is amazing and has been an incredible journey thus far. Thank you all for your prayers!
Sea of Galilee
The Sea of Galilee is fed by the Jordan River, rainfall and springs on the northern side. More properly designated a lake, the Kinneret (the OT and modern name) is 13 miles long and 7 miles wide. At its deepest point the lake is only 150 feet deep. The rabbis said of it, “Although God has created seven seas, yet He has chosen this one as His special delight.”
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