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Day 5 in Israel: Ein Gedi, Masada, and the Dead Sea

Today was another fun day for our group as we visited Ein Gedi, Massada, and the Dead Sea.

Waterfall in the middle of the desert at Ein Gedi
First, if Ein Gedi sounds familiar, that is because it is where David, who was running from King Saul was hiding in a cave. As he was hiding, Saul entered the cave to use the bathroom when (and this is one of the more comical scenes in the Bible for me), he cut off a corner of Saul's robe while he was relieving himself to later prove to him that he had no quarrel with the King. This location was a 30 minute hike into the desert which revealed one of the greatest treats so far, a beautiful waterfall in the middle of the desert.

View of the desert and Dead Sea coming down from Ein Gedi

Masada, from a distance.
Next we traveled to Masada, which is not a place of Biblical significance but is extremely important in Jewish and ancient history. Masada was a fort built by King Herod on top of a flat top hill as a refuge if ever attacked. It was eventually taken over by some Jewish zealots, and was the final stronghold of the Jews after the Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D. After its excavation, this location revealed much about both of its prior occupants and stands as an important symbol for Jewish people today.

The remains of Masada from high above.

Lastly today we visited the Dead Sea where we were able to swim, which is one of the most unique experiences I have ever had. The Dead Sea has over ten times the salt content of the Earths oceans, so therefore objects become VERY buoyant in its waters. I could lay completely on my back and not sink at all. It was hard to even stand as the water would force your body to the top. One person was even reading a newspaper while floating in the water. Then we were able to rub the famous Dead Sea black mud/sand on our bodies which made for good laughs, and even funnier photos. 

Today was a day of experiencing some of God's most beautiful and unique creations in this Holy Land, as well as experiencing some of the history of the people who lived here that we don't have Biblical accounts of. Tomorrow we begin touring in and around Jerusalem with stops at the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, and in Bethlehem at the Church of the Nativity and visiting with Palestinian Christians at Bethlehem Bible College. 

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