Day 03 - Ein Gedi | Qumran | Jordan River

Shalom! Shalom! 

The number three has always been special to me; maybe because I’m the third child, maybe because of the Trinity… I would say the number of perfection, but my sister is also on this trip with me, so I won’t!! 

As such, it was an absolute joy to find out that DAY 3’s blog was assigned to me. 

Today we had the pleasure of visiting three places in Israel (see? that number three again..); and while by name they may not have made much sense to us, the beautiful story woven together at the end of the day was worth the journey. 

Our first stop began at Ein Gedi, in edge of the Judean desert, and while we read aloud from the Book of 1 Samuel 24, which details the story of David hiding from Saul in the Crags of the Wild Goats, the story became alive before our very eyes. Ultimately, it reveals God’s unconditional and provisional love towards us that if we only obey and pursue His heart, He will make springs in the wilderness. 

In Psalm 1, David declares that the person who delights in the Lord is like a tree planted by streams of water, for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous. And in Psalms 42, he paints a picture of a deer panting for water as our souls should for the Lord. Standing in a stream of fresh cool water from 800 years ago in the wilderness today further solidified the promises that God will do what He said He would do. 

And another word picture? Ein in Hebrew means eye or fountain and Gedi translates to ibex (Israel’s national animal) deer, or wild goat. 

Our second stop was Qumran, also in the Judean desert, and the site where 900 Old Testament scrolls (also referred to as the Dead Sea Scrolls) were unearthed by Muslim Bedouins. We learned that the Essenes, a group of people who preferred isolation in the desert and who believed they had been chosen to prepare for the imminent arrival of the Kingdom of God inhabited here.  

Their number one job? They worked at copying and studying the Word of God. And what has been discovered since 1947? All of the OT books (except for Esther) dating back to 200 BC! Earlier this week we learned about tel, which is essentially the old being built upon itself, layer by layer, generation by generation. 

So as the Israelites set a stone as a reminder, we, too, should do the same, so that when He provides streams in the desert, we never forget His faithfulness. 

Fun fact? The Essenes performed Mikvehs (the ritual baths) twice a day to ensure cleanliness in the expectant wait for the Messiah, which leads us to …

Our third stop: the mighty Jordan River - and though not necessarily mighty in looks, this river’s significance is Mightier still. We began in Deuteronomy 34, where God showed Moses the Promised Land, and then told him he would not cross into it. It was Joshua instead, whom Moses had laid hands on, who lead the people into the land by crossing the Jordan River.  

We then jumped to 2 Kings 2 when the Lord was about to take Elijah into heaven and Elisha would not leave him. It was when they stopped at the Jordan that Elijah took his cloak and struck the water and they crossed over the river on dry ground. And when Elisha was given the double portion of Elijah’s spirit? He did the same. 

And finally we landed in Mark 1, where we are introduced to John the Baptist who prepared the way for and baptized Jesus in this same river. Again we see the significance of being washed clean, in preparation for the coming Messiah. 

Want to get your mind blown with this Hebrew translation?
Joshua: Salvation comes from Yahweh
Elisha: Salvation comes from God
Jesus: The Savior 

(And as an extra nugget of surprise (or shall I say, halva?), we had the opportunity to drive in Jericho and enjoy delicious dates and see the Mountain of Temptation!)

So what’s the narrative? Why these three places and how can we weave their stories together? It always ends (and always begins) with Jesus. Oh, that He would give us eyes to see that He’s the Living Water from whom we drink and never thirst again. His Word stands true from generation to generation. All He asks is that we walk in obedience. His Promises are fulfilled when we repent and turn back to Him, He makes us complete and whole and cleanses us from all iniquity. Because that’s who He is. The Living Water. The Word who became flesh. The Savior.  

And all we need is just enough. 

-Rebeca Rodrigues