Discover Israel- Day 3

A lesson about this fruit started our day. We were deeply challenged to check our hearts. Are we willing to live from our hearts and let others know what we are like inside?

The aqueduct system that brought living water to the community of the Essenes at Qumran is amazing! It came from the rains off the hills beyond. We had high hopes of hiking up the mountain to see how the water was channeled from there, but due to the extremely hot temperatures, we weren’t allowed to.

The dedication of this community is awe-inspiring when you learn what went on in this room. A great deal of time and energy was put into copying and studying the scrolls that contain the Books of the Hebrew Bible. Not only has their careful attention to preciseness in preserving the Word of God carried down through the ages, but also- because of their mistakes, we have the Dead Sea Scrolls today.

Hello from the refreshing springs of water in this oasis in the desert!

As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for You, O God. Psalm 42:1. If each individual on this trip were to say what Text comes to mind here at Ein Gedi, I wonder what it would be? Our lesson here was one that spoke of faithfulness. The water coming down this stream today is rain that fell many years ago in the north. Seeping down into the water veins of the earth, one day it comes out of a spring in the desert.

Who knows what was going on here?!! Several disciples watching as one imitates his rabbi? Our ‘fearless’ leader put on a display of obedience as once again we were not allowed to hike where we wanted to hike. He modeled to us what it means to surrender. We still had fun doing what we did.

The remaining ruins of what Herod built for himself is quite the comparison to…

… the story of the Zealots who later lived at Masada. The easy life of Herod was not their goal in life. The sad ending of this community of zealous believers in God touched our hearts deeply. Their synagogue, pictured here, was once Herod’s horse stable.