See Israel

Imagine being able to go back in a time machine! Today was just that, a door for us to enter the vibrant past of Israel. Except we took an orange bus.

Well preserved excavations within the Bet She’an National Park was our first stop. As we strolled down the grandeur of Roman column lined streets and through its glorious buildings, the imaginary scenes of lively colourful markets and Roman fashion and culture began to play out in our minds. I had to tell myself many times this isn’t just a movie set. It truly is a one of a kind real site that is allowing us to experience all the parts of an ancient Roman city. “How could the Romans do all this without modern day equipment?” was the question simultaneously rolling off all our tongues. Ancient Bet She’An is mentioned in the book of Samuel, as a city on whose walls the corpses of King Saul and his sons were displayed. In the Roman period, it was flourishing and the most important of the ten cities, the Decapolis. Today it is an impoverished place, no longer on the political map. Without being here, it is hard to describe the massive amount of space dedicated to the Roman bathhouse area. The bathhouse featured prominently in Roman social life, so trust me when I say they sparred no expense or effort on this lavish facility. Both the rich and poor alike could afford the minimal entrance fee; frequenting the baths not only for the sake of cleanliness but to meet friends, relax or close a business deal. Really this is not so different from how we pamper ourselves in spas today. Nothing is new under the sun was our conclusion too.

Our next blast to the past knocked our socks off, as only the hand of God could put this into stage. Nestled in the heat of the dessert, we observed the Qumran Caves, where the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered. Essenes were Jewish Religious leaders who escaped to the dessert, living in these steep cliffs to get away from the corruption of the High Priests. Members of the sect were strict in their observance of the Jewish laws of ritual purity and maintained 7 ritual baths, located mostly in the vacinity of where the scrolls were being transcribed. Every-time they wrote the name of God these men had to go take a bath. Fast forward to the 1900’s and we learn a about a young Bedouin shepherd boy who threw a stone into one of these desert caves. Unexpectedly, he heard a crash of pottery. He climbed to the cave and saw large vessels with parcment paper in them. He took them to his father, who hung them as a trophy on the outside of his tent. ( imagine something so precious carelessly flapping in the wind). Discussions began in the tribe as what to do with this ‘thing’ the boy discovered. A rich Armanian Bishop bought it for $250, as a sort of favour and gave it to a scholar to study. Given high danger in Jerusalem at the time, the scholar was given but 1 night to study the scroll on the eve of November 29, 1947. This was the exact same night as the UN vote to allow Jews to have a homeland in Israel. The scroll was Isaiah 43 which prophecies that Israel would become a nation in one day. Although we don’t understand His timing it is always perfect.

We stopped next to enjoy a view of the oasis of Ein Gedi where David hid from King Saul. We dont know exactly which cave it was, but each of us were encouraged to pick one and just imagine the bible story from Samuel. David dangling the piece of King Saul’s garment he had secretly cutoff, as a peace symbol and in honour of Saul’s position as God’s anointed one. We also recounted Psalm 42. Can’t you just picture it? David watching the deer desperately searching for water in the dessert mountains of Ein Gedi and inspired to pen his beautiful psalm right in this location.

A new mode of transportation was added to our travels, a cable car ride to the top of Masada. Masada is a rugged, natural fortress of majestic beauty overlooking the Dead Sea. It is a symbol of the ancient kingdom of Israel, its violent destruction and the last stand of the Jews in the face of the Roman army. King Herod built this place to the highest standards of his day. This king lived the good life. Most impressive was the upper terrace. The King’s sleeping quarters were built around a roofed chamber, which via a small ornamental garden led to a balcony surrounded by 2 rows of columns. It is easy to imagine this lavish king sitting on his balcony with its pristine view of the Dead Sea and enjoying the afternoon shade and breeze. However, it was a weird feeling to be that high up and yet not be at sea level.

We ended our day at the Dead Sea, the lowest area in the world. Us girls enjoyed a mud bath and floating on our backs in the buoyant, salt bottom waters. It felt good to giggle, laugh and be silly. Pictures will never do justice to the colours, sounds and feel of the Dead Sea waters. Our guide is right, it should be one of the wonders of the world.

Studying history is important because it allows us to understand our past, which in turn allows us to understand our present. If we want to know how and why our world is the way it is today, we have to look to history for answers. Having said that, in today’s reflection God shared something both amazingly comforting and powerful to me. Your journey describes your past, it got you to your present but it does not control your future. The ancient world never wasted their rocks, they used them to build beautiful roads, homes and places of worship. This is true for me too. See, God is doing a new thing and I perceive it.

[Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.- 43:18:19]Okumaya devam et