Whew! What a full and incredible day today. We started things out with baptisms in the Jordan River. Typically groups make use of a baptismal site in northern Israel near the Sea of Galilee. Our group did something that none of our other groups have done on previous trips – we were baptized in the Jordan River at a smaller and much less used site in southern Israel, closer to the Dead Sea.
It seemed to be much more authentic geographically and raw in it’s setting. It was also very private – which was probably at least partially due to the fact that you have to go through a little more trouble to access this site. Since it is right on the border with Jordan (the river actually serves as the boarder – if we would have crossed over to the other side, we would have been in Jordan), we had to wait at the border gate to enter the “buffer zone” in order to drive to the site. While waiting, we took some pictures of the hundreds of leftover landmines (only about 20 feet from us) that date back to the 1960s that were on the other side of the fence (we have pictures).
At the baptismal site, all of us were baptized. We talked about Jesus’ baptism (which probably took place in the area where each of us was baptized this morning). The weather was perfect – sunny and 65 degrees. It was a very special and blessed moment for our group – the consensus was that this was the most meaningful moment of the day, and probably one of the most meaningful moments on the trip.
After the baptisms at the Jordan River, we drove along the western coast of the Dead Sea, heading to Masada. We were able to enjoy some incredible views of the sea. On the way to Masada, our tour guide shared with us the history of this desert fortress built by King Herod 2000 years ago. When we got there, we rode the cable car 900 feet up into the sky to reach the mountaintop. We explored the ruins, took lots of pictures, reflected on all that happened here, and rode the cable car back down.
Our next stop was En Gedi. This was one of the cave areas in the wilderness where David hid from King Saul. It was an oasis in the desert for him and his men. We hiked back to one of the waterfalls (something that none of our other groups have done), and reflected on the story of David hiding here from King Saul in 1 Samuel 23-24. We also reflected on a variety of Psalms that David wrote near En Gedi – they were ones that focused on God being his refuge and stronghold, as well as ones that focused on David longing for God as a thirsty man thirsts for water in a dry and weary land. These Psalms came to life in front of our eyes, as we visited En Gedi and were able to understand why David used the poetry and imagery that he did. We were able to feel and experience what he wrote and why he wrote it.
Our next stop was the Ahava (which means “love” in Hebrew) plant. This company uses the mineral rich resources of the Dead Sea to make all sorts of beauty and skin care products. They are sold back home now…we had the opportunity to learn about what they do and purchase some of their products for friends and family. Since we visited their plant, they let us use their private beach to go swimming in the Dead Sea.
We all made our way down to the beach, covered ourselves in mud, and floated around in the water. The Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth (1200 feet below sea level). The water is so mineral and salt concentrated (38% compared to the ocean, which is 3-4%), that our bodies do not sink. We simply float and bob at the top. This was a once in a lifetime experience that everyone thoroughly enjoyed. Again, the weather could not have been more beautiful for us.
When we left the Dead Sea beach, our last visit was the ancient Essene community of Qumran. This was a community of devout Jews 2000 years ago who wanted to focus on God by removing themselves from the distractions of their society. It was the site where in the 1940s a series of scrolls were discovered by a shepherd boy in one of the caves that were used by the Essenes. These scrolls had been copied by scribes in their Qumran community – and they were eventually named the Dead Sea Scrolls – which have become one of the most important finds related to the Scriptures that we have ever discovered. The park was closed, so we had to climb the entrance gate to get it - it was Leor's idea.
We were all starving when we got back to the hotel – because most of us had not eaten lunch. We had only snacked on little things throughout the day. So we all ate dinner together…and then after dinner we walked a few blocks from our hotel to a local supermarket. We all picked up a few things that we needed and that we wanted to take back home. Now we’re all back at the hotel – everybody is wiped out! It might be an early to bed night tonight. We have two days left…lots to do and see in Jerusalem.
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