Help support our friends in Israel in their time of need.
Israel In-Depth Study Tour - North Coast
January 13-22, 2017
Subscription options are no longer available for this tour.
From Masada to the Dead Sea
We woke to an incredible display of pink and blue over the Dead Sea as the sun rose on our second day here. Enjoy some highlights of what we did today!
Masada- High up in the Judah Mountains, overlooking the Dead Sea, is the strong hold Masada. Built by Herod the Great as essentially an oversized storage unit for his kingdoms goods, this sight holds a large significance to the Jewish people. Like I said, it lies on top of the mountain, so we had quite a hike ahead of us (though there was a cable car to the top, but where's the fun in that?). After 45 minutes of climbing, we reached the stronghold! We wandered the ruins of this once great place, and discussed Herod and the significance of the places he built. We took the cable car down.
Masada
The summit of Masada sits 190 feet (59 m) above sea level and about 1,500 feet (470 m) above the level of the Dead Sea. The mountain itself is 1950 feet (610 m) long, 650 feet (200 m) wide, 4,250 feet (1330 m) in circumference, and encompasses 23 acres. The “Snake Path” climbs 900 feet (280 m) in elevation. From the west, the difference in height is 225 feet (70 m).
Ein Gedi- A national park with great biblical history! A beautiful oasis in the Negev Desert, Ein Gedi has a natural spring running through it, and mountains surrounding it. Those mountains house hundreds of caves, including one where David hid from Saul, and is where David later cut Saul's robe. Truly stunning to see.
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.
Qumran- Most people of today have heard of the Dead Sea scrolls, but very few know that the scrolls were discovered here, in Qumran. In the first century, a group of men, the Essences, lived there to practice their messianic beliefs away from the politics of the church (you could call them "monks" almost). This is where they transcribed the Dead Sea Scrolls, and hid them in the caves to protect them from the Romans. It was pretty much a desert with dozens of ruins all around, showing where these people had lived.
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.
Dead Sea- We came, we floated, we loved it! They are not kidding when they say you'll float, and they're not kidding when they say it'll burn your eyes (I learned first hand).
We are now in our hotel on the shore of the Sea of Galilee! Tomorrow will be focused on Jesus' ministry. Goodnight from Israel!
Dead Sea
Known in the Bible as the “Salt Sea” or the “Sea of the Arabah,” this inland body of water is appropriately named because its high mineral content allows nothing to live in its waters. Other post-biblical names for the Dead Sea include the “Sea of Sodom,” the “Sea of Lot,” the “Sea of Asphalt” and the “Stinking Sea.” In the Crusader period, it was sometimes called the “Devil’s Sea.” All of these names reflect something of the nature of this lake.
Upcoming Signature Tours
With 30 years of experience creating trips for other ministries, we've prepared our own signature study tours featuring some of our favorite itineraries and compelling teachers! If you've never been on a GTI Study Tour, take a moment to learn more about what you can expect.