Day 5

Spring running through En Gedi and me standing in front of waterfall

Sunrise at the Sea of Galilee........Gladiatorial Arena at Beth Shean

Ruin city of Beth Shean............ Gideon's spring at En Harod

Cave where scrolls were found in Qumran...A View from our hotel room to the Red Sea

March 30, 2008

Bible Study Theme: When I’m done with this life how do I want people to remember me?

Places Visited:
Sunrise Service at the Sea of Galilee
Beit Shean (Gladiatorial Arena)
En Harod
Qumran
En Gedi
Eilat

Today started early with a sunrise worship service on a jetty of rocks on the shore of Galilee! It was so incredibly beautiful, seeing God’s creation on the sea where Jesus did most of his ministry! To sing praises to the Lord and watch the sunrise is an experience that is very hard to top and something I will cherish the rest of my life! Without a doubt this is something I wish every Christian could experience!

We left Tiberius heading to a ruin city named Beit Shean. Where we took a seat at the Gladiatorial Arena. We had a short bible study sitting where the spectators would have sat in the theater. We took pictures and marveled at the arena. This place really made you think about the number of Jews and also the people of “the way” who were put to death here and in other arenas like it; mostly by animals.

Then we went to the rest of the ruins of Beit Shean. This is a pretty big city and the site where King Saul and his son’s bodies were displayed on the city walls after their deaths. (1 Sam 31:10). We had a Bible study and explored the city a short while, checking out the public latrine and the huge stone columns. Then we were off to En Harod.

En Harod means “Spring of Harod”. This is where Gideon and his army camped while the Midianites camped to the north at the bottom of the hill of Moreh, in the valley. (Judges 7:1-8) All of this area could be seen from a high vantage point a few of us dared to hike! We had a Bible study and were reminded that the Lord thinned out the army by testing them on how they drank the water from the spring. All those who drank with their hand were chosen (300 men). Some of us took took turns drinking with our hand from the stream as we took pictures! We also had lunch and worshipped too!

Next we headed to Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. There not a was not a whole lot to see; a few ruins, and a cave across the way in the distance. Mostly all Qumran had to offer was shopping for Dead Sea cosmetic products. This is where some communication barriers were tested. We tried to buy some products but the total was close to $400! I freaked out in a nice way and needless to say we did not purchase as much as we would have liked.

Then we were off to En Gedi. This is the area where David hid from King Saul for 17 years between being anointed King and Saul’s death (1 Samual 23:29; 1 Samual 24:1). Our guide said David must have known this area well from his childhood. Growing up as a sheepherder, he would have brought the sheep to graze at the end of each winter before the first heat wave. As we pulled in we came across a bunch of wild goats and dry land desert landscape. We started out with a bible study and then ventured further into the valley. We found En Gedi to literally be a desert oasis. A stream of water all the way through the canyon, supplied by a pool of water on top of a large cliff. The spring created lots of waterfalls along the way. I really loved En Gedi and wished we would have had more time to spend there. While at the top waterfall we had a few minutes to sit and write a psalm of our own. (Since this is probably were David got a lot of inspiration to write some of the psalms.) Mine is kind of silly but I tried anyway…

Short Psalm I wrote at En Gedi:
The cliffs of Your protection
The waters of Your word
The Birds are Your warning
When danger is Heard

We left En Gedi and started our four hour drive to Eilat. On the way we stopped at a Kibbutz and had homemade ice-cream, then off to find our lodging. Our hotel is oriental style meets tiki. Minus the buddha’s in the rooms it was really nice. Phil and I stayed up late talking and praying. He delivers a very powerful prayer! Phil is the worship leader in the church and has a strong desire and huge heart for the Lord!

I was thinking all day about what Jim had said at En Harod, “The Lord may and probably will call you out of your comfort zone.” This trip has been an eye opening and heart opening experience for me. It has given me an opportunity to look at my life through a God perspective (spiritual) lens and not just a “me” lens. I believe the Lord is leading me to teaching as my gift, my test confirmed it, mom confirmed it and tonight Phil did too. How long must I resist God’s will? Then the thought came to me, I have very few problems about public speaking. I love to learn and educate others and I adore the word of God! All things a teacher would need to be able to teach. Then what is it, I said? “READING OUT LOUD in public or even one on one with my seven year old cousin Zoey. I am just plain terrible at it. I thought that I had dyslexia or something. But an expert said that I was just fearful. Phil reminded me to think about Moses. At first he needed Aaron because he lacked faith, but as time went by Aaron dropped from the scene and it was all Moses and God! (12:30AM)

Things I learned in Israel today:
1.“En” means natural spring
2.Israeli’s view the United States much the same way an American (non-Christian, non-Jewish) think of Israel…UNSAFE! They may have a point, not only is safety an issue but our moral values are an issue to them also. Lack of family values and Godly morals as a whole.

Quote I heard today:
“No matter where you are now, tomorrow or in life, it is always a good time to worship the Lord. In good times and in trials worship the Lord.” -Unknown