Day 4 and Day 5

Again, we've seen so much and done so much it is hard to explain it all. With no further ado here is what we did on March 15th and March 16th.

March 15

Places Visited

• Jordan River - We were baptized in the Jordan River. Sonny baptized me and then I got to baptize Allie. It was very cool to think about that this was the river that John the Baptist baptized people seeking repentance and the very river that Jesus Himself was baptized in. It was VERY cold. Water temperature was probably close to 55 degrees. We'll have pictures when we get back.
  
• Bet Sayan - This is the site of some of the most exciting excavations going on in Israel today. It is also the site of Saul's final stand and death. They have uncovered a Tel, which is an unnatural hill. The hill is made by different civilizations building upon one another. At the top of Bet Sayan is Saul's civilization. There are 16 civilizations below that one! Unbelievable! We walked through the Roman City which was pretty beautiful as well.
  
• Qumran - The caves are the place where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Among these scrolls was a complete version of Isaiah (all 66 chapters). This Isaiah scroll is over 2000 years old. The text matches exactly with the versions that we've had passed down through the centuries. There are some different spellings, but the defintions of those words have never changed. God will preserve His word. He does preserve His word and we were in the place that some of it was preserved.
  

March 16

• Massada - This is a plateau that is 1300 ft high. I climbed it with 9 of our other pilgrims. It was a hard climb to the top on a 2.5 mile trail. I did it in right around 40 minutes. I'm so out of shape. I remember in college making climbs higher than that in 30 minutes. Got to get in shape when we get back to the States. Anyway this is the plateau where before Roman takeover Jews decided to not allow them to take them alive. There were 900 Jews here. The children were killed first. Then the women. Then the men. Then there were 10 elders left. They threw lots to figure out who would be the last one. That last one killed the other 9 and then fell on his own sword. Suicide was a curse in the OT and this way only one person had to commit it . The Jews said that they would never be taken as slaves and seen their children abused and their women ravaged. Instead they would die on their own terms.
  
• Ein Gedi - This is the place where many of David's Psalms were written. David would escape here from Saul and then from Absalom. In the Scripture it says that David cut off the hem of Saul's garment. This is not the bottom of the garment, but his prayer shawl which is actually very close to him. It is much more near his waist. Amazing!
  
• Mt. Olives - This is the place where Jesus will return it is right across from the Eastern Gate and overlooking the site of the future Temple (the 3rd). IT is the current site of the Dome of the Rock.
  
• All Saints Church - Church next to the Garden of Gethsamane
  
• Garden of Gethsemane - This is the place where Jesus walked and prayed before He was betrayed. This is in the shadow of the Temple probably. Allie and I got to pray in the garden that Jesus prayed in and sweat drops of blood. There are many Olive Trees there over 2000 years old. This was the place. AMAZING!