Day 04 - Masada, En Gedi, Qumran

After a beautiful time of worship and a devotion on the beach this morning we headed straight to Masada.

MASADA

Masada is an incredibly large fortress at the top of a mountain built for Herod the Great. Herod was a brilliant, evil man with major paranoia. Under Roman authority, he ruled as king over the Jewish people. His industrious nature and ability to tax everything helped him amass great wealth in a relatively short amount of time. What Herod demanded, such as pools and saunas in the middle of his desert fortress, he received. Witnessing this site first-hand, one can only image the time and effort put into constructing this fortress and the numerous lives that must have been lost in the process. It also struck me how innovative those working for him must have been to bring Herod’s extreme visions to life.

The lessons today gave great insight into Herod’s character, and shed some more light on why he would think it so imperative to kill Christ when He was born. 

EN GEDI

Upon leaving Masada, we traveled a short distance En Gedi. En Gedi is an oasis and nature reserve located near Masada and a welcome relief to those who have been in the desert. Natural springs run throughout this area allowing for more vegetation and decreased temperatures. Acacia trees and animals thrive in the cooler environment full of fresh water.

In the middle of this oasis, Terry pointed out the visible caves on a nearby mountain and spoke of David in 1 Samuel 24. At that time, David was running from Saul who was determined to kill God’s chosen one and prevent him from coming to rule. It was also during this time running from Saul and hiding in caves that David wrote Psalm 63:

“O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; 

my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”

Saul unknowingly entered the very cave in which David was hiding. David knew that he would one day be king and could have killed Saul in that instance, knowing it would bring God’s future plans to fruition faster.

He could have killed him. However, David was wise enough to know that the ends don’t justify the means. For all of his mistakes and sins, David did things God’s way. Choosing our way is essentially us telling God that we know better than He does, that our way is better than His way. David kept his trust in God. This is such a great reminder that if we are going to be men and women after God’s heart, then we must always do things God’s way.

Visiting this oasis just after leaving the desert was a great visual of living water versus cisterns, as we discussed earlier in the trip.

"If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, "Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." - John 7:37-38

QUMRAN

Our last stop before leaving the desert was Qumran. It was here that we learned about the Dead Sea scrolls that were found in 1947. Our guide Yehuda told the story of a young shepherd looking for a lost sheep among the caves. Thinking a sheep might have wandered inside, he threw stone into the cave. He expected a sheep to run out, but instead heard the sound of pottery breaking. When he entered the cave he found large jars, and within the jars he found pieces of the first sea scrolls.

These scrolls are the oldest Hebrew scriptures to have ever been discovered. Pieces of each book of the bible have been found, the latest of which was from the book of Esther. The entire book of Isaiah was found, which seems fitting given that is prophesies the coming of Christ. And what’s more, there are minimal inconsistencies with those translations passed down for centuries. The scrolls were written 1,000 years before the oldest Bible of record. This is wonderful news for us Christians, as it means that we can be confident and trust in the word of God. Thousands of years have been faithful to the word of God.

As we leave the desert let us always remember: 1)  that even in our desert times God is still at work in us and is building our faith; 2) God provides the only living water that will quench our thirst; 3) If we are to be men and women of faith, then we have to do things God’s way.

That ends our chapter in the desert. Tomorrow we will explore Galilee!