Into the Desert Wilderness

 Hello Grandkids Family and Friends

Today we left the Sea of Galilee and drove south along the Jordan River which looks like a western US valley with some irrigated fields along the river and dry hills and mountains on either side.  We stopped at a garden spot that has been developed for Christians to be baptized in the river- and bought some souvenirs at their shop.  Our next stop was at an old city (Tel) where the Philistines defeated Saul and Jonathan and hung their heads on the city gates.  The Romans had built a large city sometime after Jesus that was destroyed by an earthquake and abandoned and covered by sand.  When it was discovered and excavated in recent times (after 1967 6-day war) many mosaic floors and fairly complete walls and many toppled columns were found.  This was a very impressive Roman ruins- we wondered how they could have built such a large city with huge stone walls and decorated marble columns.

We saw the old city of Jericho which has been occupied for 10,000 years- the oldest known city.  We stayed in a very luxurious hotel in Jericho which is one of the Palestinian Authority cities within Israel. We had time for a swim in their large pool and a nice dinner- always a buffet with many different dishes to choose and try new things.  The land is so dry that we can’t understand how anyone could live here- where did they find enough water to grow anything and raise animals?  This is not too far northeast of Jerusalem, so maybe John the Baptizer came through here and maybe Jesus came this way on one of his trips from Galilee to Jerusalem.

In the morning we drove to the south end of the Dead Sea to Masada- a tower cliff where David stayed for a time while hiding from Saul and later Herod built a huge palace and fortress with a wall all around the top of the cliff- maybe 10 acres.  When the Romans destroyed Jerusalem about 1,000 Jewish people escaped and used the supplies that Herod had stored there-which only the military outpost guards had used.  Thankfully they have built an aerial tramway that takes you up and down (800 feet high).  They had closed the Snake path which has switchbacks all the way to the top due to the hot weather.  I liked the water diversions and cisterns that were part of the fortress.

We then visited En Gedi- which is a wadi (desert stream) where David hid from Saul for a while.  We hiked up along the stream and walked (I wore sandals) in the water at several waterfalls along the way up.  We stopped at the first waterfall and put our feet in.  Judy headed back and Russ went on.  It was at this walk that Bob fell and scraped up his hands and knees.  Many trees and shrubs and birds and other animals live in this small valley in the desert.  Water in the desert has such importance and value- and the idea that Jesus can give us “living water”- not from a well or from a spring- but from his sacrifice for us that gives us a new birth in Christ and eternal life and forgiveness from our sins is wonderful. Would you like Jesus to give you his living water that can save and refresh your soul?

We also stopped at Qumran where the Dead Sea scrolls were found in 1947.  These are our earliest copies of the Old Testament Books of the Bible.  A Jewish sect wrote these copies of the Bible books and other historical documents and hid them in clay jars during the Roman revolt of 66-73 AD. 

Before we left the wilderness desert we stopped at a beach at the Dead Sea with the world’s lowest bar and snack shops at about -1,300 feet.  We changed into our swimming suits and floated in the very salty water.  It is not quite syrup but it is very dense so you float by just sitting down and it is a little hard to keep your head and eyes out of the salty water- the buoyancy tries to turn you over onto your stomach.  Some people like to add the salt to their baths and some people like to rub the mud on their skin- as a health and youth treatment.  Judy put mud on her face and back and arms.  They had nice showers at the beach and chairs under shade to sit for a while after our float in the Dead Sea.