Day 4 - June 12

Sunday, June 12

Today was Masada! I was so excited and don't know why! I only heard about Masada a little bit right before the trip so I knew practically nothing about it but now I am excited to learn more through the Bible if it is in there and Josephus. First we stopped at an overlook then wove our way down the mountain. I got car sick so I went to the front of the bus and that helped a ton. I still don't know a ton about this sity but I guess Harred the Great built it for himself kinda to show his might. Somehow Jews got up there and lived. They were known as zealots. I don't know much about them either but they were so strong in their faith in God, zealous for their faith. They were known for dying for their faith. They didn't WANT to die for the faith, but they wanted to live for it. It was such a beautiful city and looked over the Dead Sea. Harred had a sauna built in it, a pool for cerimonial cleansing, a temple, synagouge, man and so many other things. Nine huge cisterns! We got to go in one. He dammed up a wadi so all the water would flow into all his cisterns because it didn't rain. Every inch of the place was covered in plaster so every drop of rain that fell was used. Josephus records the attack of the Romans/Jews on the city while the zealots were there. The Romans built a huge seige ramp and huge battering ram/catapult they used to break down the wall. The zelots would not let themselves be killed or captures in this way so the men killed their families, then themselves. Josephus records the details because when they got up there they found a woman and children hiding who told the whole story. The Romans were so shocked at the zealots dedication they didn't kill these people. At the end we all yelled the shema really loud as to yell down to the Romans. Suspecting that was possibly the zealots' last words. Next we went to the desert/wilderness of the Negev called Tzin. It was this huge canyon with a trickling stream running through. We saw ibex (deer/gazelle looking things). They were walking right on the edge of the cliffs just like in the verses we read! SO totally cool to see! Psalm 18:33, Hap 3:19. Also, we saw Nesher which is a vulture and read Ex 14. We talked about how it doesn't seem fair for God not to let Moses enter the promise land for one mistake he made. He was supposed to be leading those sheep... we climbed up the cliff on stairs! Can't believe we did that! Next we drove to some city to see a room that is like one we will see in Jerusalem but easier to see here so we will be better able to picture it when we got there. It is where Jesus was taken on trial. We talked about the crisifixion story. Barabus was a zealot?