Masada was number 1 on my list to go see, i have seen everything else in my previous Israel trip but we skipped Masada last time. Masada is famously known as Herod the Greats Winter Palace--it is set up on a Mountain Top that over looks the Dead Sea. Unfortunately im beyond tired and i dont have time to type out the full history of Masada, but trust me it is worth looking up-- just type Masada into google and you can read the history...
Standing a top the mountain and looking at the dead sea and the desert below was breathtaking... i love the desert, there is something about being in a desert that makes me happy...the contrast of colors is gorgeous, the ocean blue mixed in with the color of sand as well as the gray/purple mountains in the distance is gorgeous...
It was so cool walking around and seeing the ruins and all the limestone as well as the rooms... it was fun...
I will write more later...i just wanted to post some pictures.
Sarah
O you made it to Masada! Congratulations! I love the pictures keep them coming!
ReplyDeleteLove in Christ,
Marsha
Aaah the Judean Wilderness. I am so glad you made it safely!
ReplyDeleteI love you
Dad:)
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteSo good to see the pictures as your journey progresses.. I pray you are blessed beyond your expectations and continue to meet those challenges with great success. May your faith continue to grow & may you feel the strength of our dear Lord each and every day. We miss you..
The Kieners '~)
Hi Sarah,
ReplyDeleteThe honeycomb design in the tiles was interesting as well as the design under the fallen plaster. Will now follow your suggestion and google Masada.
Masada is an incredible place to visit.
ReplyDeleteI’ll never forget pastor Chuck Smith giving me a kind of “personal tour” atop Masada as a young man and truth be told I was more enamored at the time in hanging with pastor Chuck than being atop Masada!
But as the years passed I had numerous chances to visit Masada and I really enjoyed it. I even dreamed of wanting to take Greg Jr. and Pete atop Masada and camp over night which I was told by an Israeli friend was possible. It was atop Masada that for years the Israeli Defense force swore in soldiers ending the ceremony declaring: "Masada shall not fall again."
Ok, now for the “heavy stuff” ...
Over the years my view of Masada has changed. It’s why when I took you(my first born daughter:)) to Israel years ago we did not visit Masada!
To me, Masada represents a dead end ...
While on one hand the story is inspiring -- Jews refusing to be the slaves of Rome fighting for their freedom! On the other hand I have no respect for the leaders of Masada nor their world-view. Those atop Masada were the “Sicarri”! They were Jewish insurrectionists who murdered both Romans AND JEWS! If you did not hold to a Siccarri-political-world-view and especially if you were a Jew of rank or influence, you were vulnerable to be murdered by the "dagger-men" (i.e. literally “Sicarri”).
Remember Barrabas? A zealot. Insurrectionist. A Sicarri! It could be said that Jesus was crucified on the cross that had been prepared for a Sicarri.
Many Bible scholars believe that Judas the Betrayer was a member of the Sicarri who never converted.
What Masada represents is a flawed and dangerous world view.
Two thousands years ago there was a choice between Barabbas and Jesus.
Every generation faces the same choice!
Having said “all that” -- I’m glad you had the chance to visit:)
I love you
Dad
Love these pictures! I remember this site - I have some of the same pictures in my Israel album. My hope and prayer is that one day we can bring Bri to Israel...she is our little Jewish girl, you know. Love you.
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