Holy Land - Day 7

The Dead Sea

Our hotel

Unfortunately, after we got home, all of our Dead Sea photos and videos were accidentally deleted.  Except for this one that LV took of his feet in the Dead Sea.  I will say, it was an amazing experience floating in that water.  So much fun!

We had the choice of a hike or a visit to Masada.  It was recommended that anyone who was afraid of heights or couldn't do a strenuous hike, head to Masada.  LV and D opted to hike En Gedi with H.

Hike to En Gedi 

Looking out over the Dead Sea.   It is prophesied in Ezekiel 47 that fisherman will be casting their nets into the Dead Sea from En Gedi, and it will be full of life.

D and LV

Maybe it was a cave like this that David hid in from King Saul

LM asked to go to Masada, so I went with him

Masada

LM looking out over a wall of Masada

After our visit to Masada, our group had a teaching at the En Gedi trail head.

En Gedi trail head.

After we picked up the En Gedi hikers, we were off to a wilderness experience.  On our way we passed by numerous Bedouin communities alongside the highway.

At the wilderness experience we got to ride camels!

LV is in front on the front camel, D and H are there in the middle.  LM was riding with me.

When we arrived at Abraham's tent, he came out to greet us with water to wash our hands.

After all of the guests arrived (via camel), we enjoyed a large, tasty dinner.

Then we were off to our hotel in Jerusalem.

Holy Land - Day 6

Day 6

Saying good-bye to our kibutz.

 Beit-Shean

An arena where Christians were fed to the lions.

Theater

Columns in the theater.

Roman latrine

 LV is sitting on the hopper in an ancient Roman latrine.  There would have been water flowing beneath the marble slabs to carry the waste away.  If you were a wealthy person in those days, your slave would go warm your marble slabs for you.  Aren't you glad you know now?

Shhhh... Don't tell LV I put this picture on my blog.

Looking down on the Roman ruins from a mound under which is the remains of the ancient city of Beit Shean.

walking down the main city street

Gideon Springs

There was this funky tree, and nobody had a clue what it was.  

The flowers on it were very pretty. 

But the "bark" was like giant thorns! 

The spring where Gideon led his men to drink and the Lord told him who would fight. 

Arrived at the Dead Sea

Looking down from the 14th floor of our hotel.

Coming soon... Day 7!

The Holy Land - Day 4

 Day 4

On the Sea of Galilee

We rode on the King David

After the boat ride we went to lunch.  We had St. Peter's fish lunch.

We stopped alongside the rode where Pastor Tonye shared his testimony.  There are mine fields left from  wars past between Syria and Israel.

Zion, our bus driver, and Ronny, our tour guide.

Baptism in the Jordan River

D is next in line to be baptized.

Pastor Sam baptized me when I was almost 12, and Pastor Tonye was the pastor of my college group.  

The baptisms were recorded and available for purchase.  D's baptism was replayed so many times, so he got to watch it.

Up next, Day 5.

Woodland Museum of Biblical Archaeology

On February 4th we went on a field trip with Creation Works to the Woodland Museum of Archaeology. I had no clue we had such a museum close to us! It was fascinating! Pat Roy, from Creation Works did a presentation about dinosaurs and the Bible with half the group while Pastor Morgan did a guided tour of the museum with the other half. Then we traded. Pastor Morgan is also and archaeologist and travels to the Middle East once a year to dig. He told us that they are pretty sure they have found the remains of the city of Sodom. The location is just right, and the archaeological evidence is there! How exciting! In fact, he has a roofing tile from the dig site that the kids got to smell, and it smells like sulfur (the fire and brimstone that God used to destroy Sodom).
Pastor Morgan showing the kids a sling stone from the time of David.

D holding the sling stone.


Pastor Morgan holding an ancient oil lamp.

Egyptian mummy mask.

Cananite dagger blades.


Cuneiform tablets.




A model of King Herod's temple.
The whole crew!
(and because I wasn't in the last photo...)