Valley day! Today we started off from Yad Hasmona to a high point called Radar Mountain. The hill, originally in Palenstinian hands, was conquered in 1967 and has been in Israel hands since then. From a watch tower we were able to look down at a check point for Palestinians who come into Jerusalem for work. The check point is to enter through "the wall" that snakes all around Palestinian territory to surround Jerusalem. The wall, which at points is more of a fence than a wall, was built a few years ago to protect Israelites from the frequent Arab bombings. Ariay, our guide, and other civillians, patrol along the wall to help eliminate the need for more military.
After Radar Mountain we headed to the Emmaus Road. (Luke 24:13-53) Starting at a Byzantine church we walked around the ruins and sang Footsteps of Jesus. After visiting the church ruins we headed up to the top of the hill where a Roman outpost, on the road to Emmaus would have been. The group was able to walk down the actual road to Emmaus. Since the road was rough, Scott and I, opted out of this because
his knee :-) was bothering him and I didn't really want to fall again.
While we were at the top of the hill we were able to look down at the Ayalon valley and see where God made the sun and moon to stand still for Joshua. (Joshua 10:12). It is also where Israel under King Saul won a victory over the Philistines. (1 Samuel 14:31).
Tel Beit Shemesh (1 Samuel 6) was the city where 50,070 men were smote by the Lord because they looked into the Ark of the Covenant after it was returned to Israel by the Philistines. It is supposed that so many looked into the Ark because it was the first time it was out in the open and curiousity, basically, got the best of them.
While discussing the Ark of the Covenant we were taught about Matthew 11:28-30. The priests always carried the Ark upon their shoulders. Inside the Ark was the 10 commandaments, our schoolmaster, the burden of our sin. Jesus was reminding them of the burden and weight of their sins and that they needed to put upon them His yoke; for His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
Farm Field in Gath and tel Gath.
A tel is all that exists of Gath, Goliath's home town. Some chuckles escaped our mouths as we heard about Goliath as he readied for battle with the Israelites over in the Elah valley. A crazy farmer driving his tractor about 40 miles an hour also added to the effect.
Mrs. Rosenau (center) is 82 and she was an example to us all. Don't quit!!! Climbing up the tel of Elah.With Goliath on our minds our bus took us up the tel of the Elah valley. After a strenuous hike up to the top of the tel we were able to look down upon the field where Goliath mocked the army of Israel, gaining a new perspective of this portion of Scripture. The story nearly played before our eyes as Ariay went through a play by play. We could see where the Philistine army divided into two parts - one sitting up on the tel where we were, the other across the valley awaiting a brave Israelite to come forth and challenge their giant.
The Israelites were watching from this hill.
The brook from which David took his 5 smooth stones.
David, with only a shepherds staff and sling, was convinced there was a cause. And so having great faith that God would deliver Goliath into his hand, he went down into the brook chose out 5 smooth stones (because that's all that would fit into his pouch) and came up the other bank ready to defeat Goliath. Goliath obviously thought David's challenge was laughable as he began to relentlessly mock David and curse him by his (Goliath's) gods. David's response ought to give each of us a reminder of Who gives the ability to defeat the enemy, and that the name of the Lord is powerful above all other names!
"Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands."
Personally, I think it's interesting that David said "he will give you into
our hands." Here David was the only one brave enough to face the giant, but he was not so proud as to take the credit for it, nor was he afraid to acknowledge that the deliverance was for
all Israel, not just him.
From the tel looking down upon the valley of Elah. The Philistines were at the far edge of this field, and up on the tel. David came from the hill at left, into the brook and then into the field to meet Goliath.
Well, I think we all know how the story ends. David put one stone into his sling, winds it up and shortly after leaving the sling the stone meets the forehead of one very boastful, and imposing giant. There are a couple things though that I've missed before when reading this story.
First, the entire time that the Goliath flung his insults at David he was seated, kneeling, or somehow on the ground. Verse 48 of 1 Samuel 17 says, "And it came to pass, when the Philistine
arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine." (emphasis mine) In my mind, that says a lot about how seriously he took David. I can even imagine Goliath casually stretched out on the ground while David proclaimed God's power to deliver.
Secondly, not only did David run towards Goliath, he ran towards the entire army. This makes me think of the civil war movies where the army's run towards eachother bayonets at ready. But this wasn't the case. David ran on his own, with only the Lord there to defend and protect him and to give him the victory.
David did what was right, though no one else did. He didn't stand around pointing the finger at the fearful, and the faithless. He exercised his faith and did what he knew he must.
He didn't speculate. He did.
He didn't walk. He ran.
He didn't think through the what ifs. He made haste.
Certainly there's a lot for all of us to learn from David...and from Goliath!
Following a course in Slingshot 101, everyone, that was so inclined, was able to try their hand at slinging their stones at trees, fields or their companions on the hill. Believe me the latter target was not the intended one but those rocks sure had a mind of their own. And, no, I was not one of the slingers. After someone's rock whizzed close by where I was taking pictures I decided to hide under the protection of a tree. To tell our children about their Daddy slinging stones close to where David defeated Goliath is a highlight of our trip!
Ariay giving us a lesson on slinging stones.
Scott and Pastor Camp try their hand at stone slinging.
All the big boys playing. At the far end is Mrs. Comfort trying out her sling.
Alton Beal, the new President of Ambassador Baptist College.
Me and Silas!
Nehemiah hoping to get a ride in the car.
Kaitlin helping Simeon.
Scott helping Silas. Looks like they're playing imaginary games. 
Enjoying one of my Dr. Peppers that Scott had the Comforts bring for me to Israel from the States. They are just as tasty as I remember!!!
A package from an Indiana supporting church youth group! 
A package from New York friends. We can get Oreos and Ziplocs here but the former Adeline can't eat and the latter are too expensive here.
This is a package from individuals in a Michigan supporting church that were supposed to come to Montevideo. Their travel plans changed at the last minute but they still sent this to us.
This picture is from a game during youth meeting.
Farm Field in Gath and tel Gath.
The Israelites were watching from this hill.
The brook from which David took his 5 smooth stones.
From the tel looking down upon the valley of Elah. The Philistines were at the far edge of this field, and up on the tel. David came from the hill at left, into the brook and then into the field to meet Goliath.
Ariay giving us a lesson on slinging stones.
Scott and Pastor Camp try their hand at stone slinging.
All the big boys playing. At the far end is Mrs. Comfort trying out her sling.
Alton Beal, the new President of Ambassador Baptist College.
Leaving David's Falls looking towards the Dead Sea and the mountains of Moab (Transjordan)
Alton Beal preaching at the David's Falls.
Me soaking in the beauty at the David's Falls. Our tour leader, Craig Hartman, is to my right.
Falls in Ein Gedi.
Sheepfold caves in the Wadi Qelt.
Me and Scott on a camel at Genesis Land/Abraham's Tent...not comfy, at all. :-) That's the Judean desert behind us, beyond that the Dead Sea and the Transjordan Mountains (Moab).
Judean desert beginning to get into an area with some brush.
Bedouin Camp in the Judean Desert on the way into Jerusalem from Jericho.
An ant nest in a tree in the Ein Fashkha reserve by the Dead Sea. These ants take all the salt crystals off the trees each morning.
The reeds at the Ein Fashkha reserve by the Dead Sea.
Fresh water pond, which used to be IN the Dead Sea when the water level was higher.
Judean Desert at the Wadi Qelt.
First glimpses of Jerusalem.
Masada is huge! Much bigger than I expected it to be. One thing I have found is that though I have seen pictures of many of the places/sites we have visited, nothing compares to seeing all of this in real life. Having that 4D mental picture just can't be topped. The size of the city, 18 acres, is comparable to the Old city of Colonia, on top of a mountain. (I know that may not mean much to many of you but it's the only good comparison I could find.) All of Herod's palaces contained everything that would be needed for all of his wives, and servants.
Originally one of Herod the Great's cities, Masada, is completely self supporting. There would have been gardens, grass and flowers up here. A water system brought rain water down from the mountains behind Masada into an aqueduct leading into water cisterns holding almost 200 gallons. The water, to be used for pools, ritual baths, and drinking among other things, was then brought up to the top by donkey on a very narrow trail.
Masada was unique in that it had 4 palaces. The picture above is from the main palace on the mountain. While the one below is where the 3 lower palaces sat, along the cliff face. No thank you!
There are two way to arrive at the top of Masada. The easiest, and preferable, in my opinion, is the tram cars. And the other, more exhausting, way is the snake trail. OK, I'll grant that arriving through the latter would give a closer to genuine experience, but who wants to hike up the side of a desert mountain, or down for that matter, in 104° heat. Though there were a handful of our group who took the trail back down, I was content to take the tram and snap pictures from above of the adventurers on the trail. Plus we had more time to shop in the air-conditioned stores before lunch.
Herod was not the only one who found value in this mountain top citadel. In 66 AD, the Zealots, a group of Jewish rebels conquered Masada from the Romans. In 70 AD the Romans began a siege on the city only to find the Zealots refusing to surrender. It took two years for them to build up a ramp along the back side of the mountain in order to move a battering ram to the walls. Though the Romans breached the wall they did not enter the city that night. That was enough time for the Zealots, not desiring to become slaves or worse to Rome, to commit suicide. Only 2 women and a handful of children survived after hiding.
The area believed to be where the herd of swine ran over into the water after Jesus freed the maniac of Gadara from the Legion that possessed him. 
The Qumran caves where the Dead Sea scrolls were found. The story behind the discovery of the scrolls is quite remarkable. That winter was one of the wettest on record. Because of all the rain the desert was full of grass, yes, even what you see here. Truly a miracle. A shepherd had taken his sheep grazing all they way to Qumran and while here he found some leather. Taking the leather home to have made into shoes it was discovered that it was parchments. 
