VIRTUAL PILGRIMAGE DAY 7: THE DEAD SEA

The last few days have been full of emotions and spiritual discoveries as we have encountered the people of the land of the Book, with its historical links, buildings and sheer spiritual vitality. Yesterday we concluded with a dead and buried Jesus, laid in a tomb. So today we are going to visit one of the deadest parts of our planet!

We have an early start because on the way we are stopping at an amazing place – Qumran – a large archaeological site where, about 70 years ago ancient manuscripts were found by a young shepherd boy in a cliff face. These scrolls date back to the first century CE and tell us about the religious community who lived at Qumran. The teaching from these scrolls echoes some of the things that both John the Baptist and Jesus said. The style of John reflects some of the Scroll’s teachings. Jesus spoke about darkness and light which the Qumran focussed on. Was John the Baptist a member of this Essene community?  Did Jesus spend time here – his 40 days in the wilderness, where was he – did he find refuge here. We shall never know but it is interesting to ponder!

These  two pictures show the cave where the scrolls were discovered. When I was leading a party there in about 1996 a retired teacher, who was also a Lay Reader attached to my church sidled up to me and told me she had, about 30 years previously climbed down into that cave! An incredible story! Today pilgrims are not allowed anywhere near it. We explore the ruins of Qumran, which are extensive.

It is now time to get back on the coach and head to En Gedi about half way down the Israeli side on the Dead Sea. The road descends sharply as the Dead Sea is 400 metres BELOW sea level. The river Jordan flows into it but there is no outfall. It is hot here. But the Sea is shrinking alarmingly as water is increasingly extracted further up the Jordan for irrigation purposes – the deserts really have come alive because of it. Our hotel complex, once on the shore is now 200 yards distant!  We change into swimming costumes and make our way down to the water’s edge where we attempt to swim! Because of the constant evaporation the water is full of minerals which makes it very buoyant. All one can do is float, do not try and turn over and swim it is nigh on impossible! A mouthful of this water is disgusting! But it is good, we are told for our complexion: this is the place to come for spa treatments – mud packs and all!

As we leave the water there are plenty of showers by the beach to wash off the salts. We change and have lunch before visiting Masada – the scene of the last battle of the Jewish zealots’rebellion in the first century CE. This historical site was only identified in 1850. It is remote and inaccessible. However there is now a cable car which takes us all the way to the top!. When you get to the top you find that you are not on a high mountain but at Sea Level! It is  hot up there and there is no shade. Make sure you have plenty of water, sunscreen and a hat! 

It was a fortress in King Herod’s time and our guide shows us around all the main places which are being unearthed. We then return by cable car to join those who prefer to keep their feet on terra firma! The adventurous and fit ones can take the steep and winding pathway down. 

A pit stop for refreshments before returning to the coach for the journey home which we take via Jericho to see both a sycomore tree such as Zacchaeus used when Jesus came to Jericho. We pause and read his heartwarming story.

Luke 19 New International Version (NIV)

19 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. ² A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. ³ He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd.⁴ So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

⁵ When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” ⁶ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

⁷ All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

⁸ But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything,I will pay back four times the amount.”

⁹ Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

We then more on to see where Joshua fit de battle of Jericho when the walls came tumbling down.

Jericho is an oasis in the desert and there has been a town here for about 7000 years, although it has moved a bit in all that time. It is an important archaelogical site, and the Bible tells the story with some graphic detail. It takes about 6 chapters but we will read just a few verses!

1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: ² “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. ³ I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. ⁴ Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. ⁵ No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. ⁶ Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.

⁷ “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. ⁸ Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips;meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. ⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

6 Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

² Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. ³ March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. ⁴ Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. ⁵ When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”

⁶ So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.” ⁷ And he ordered the army, “Advance! March around the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the ark of the Lord.”

²⁰ When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city. ²¹ They devoted the city to the Lord and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.

So like Joshua, feeling strong and very corageous we jump back on the coach and head back to the hotel, pausing briefly to wonder at St George’s monastery which appears to hang on the side of the cliff. And so weary, and rather over-full on archaelogical facts we return for our last night at this hotel in Jerusalem. The Golden Walls staff have looked after us well and we will be sorry to leave this bustling city!