Wednesday, April 15, 2009

April 15, 2009
We left the King David Hotel later today so the girls could sleep in and since we wanted to first see the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Shrine of the Book is part of the Israel Museum. It houses the Dead Sea Scrolls- which were only found about 50 years ago in Qumran in a cave by a Bedoin goat herder. He was looking for his goat and he threw a rock near a rock where and it made some glass cracking sound. He wondered what that sound was and went in and found a manmade cave, like a vault that held ancient scrolls in ceramic jars. He sold them to some people and a few years later some of these scrolls got into the hands of archaeologists, they found that the scrolls, some written on parchment, some on leather, were over 2000 years old and were from the Essenes. The scrolls were the books of the Bible. The one scroll that was completely intact was from the Book of Isaiah. The Essenes were people that were like the “keepers of the faith.” They studied the words of the scriptures, lived a life that was not centered on war, but were a peaceful people who left Jerusalem likely because they felt the way that Jesus did, that those that were the Pharisees and the Priests in the temples had become corrupted and that they were no longing keepers of the faith, but that they had become corrupted. It is likely that John the Baptist could have been an Essene and possibly have even lived here for a time. He lived in the wilderness, and this woujld have been considered the wilderness, near the Dead Sea, about a 45 minute drive from Jerusalem. The reason this place would have been choosen is that it is near a spring, one of the few springs near the Dead Sea. There were many caves here, where they could go off and contemplate, there was a small town where there would have been a library, dining hall, cleaning baths, that were part of the ritual of cleansing, before each meal. Many ways it was like a monastery of studying the scriptures, drawing closer to God and for them, keepers of the faith. These scrolls show that the Bible has remained fairly intact in its scriptural form for a couple millennium.

The Shrine of the Book was very interesting, they dug up where they lived, these would have been men that came and went for almost 150 years or more. They left this area in around 65 AD and would have left with the threat of the Romans and scattered. They clearly hid the scrolls in their manmade cave which was like a vault. In their excavated town they found dishes, sundial which was essential to keeping traditions that they are to be on certain days and the calendar was important to keeping their sacred holidays. There were oil lamps found, vases and dishes, ink wells, writing utensils and simple tools. They would have left rather quickly but with the thought of once things settled they would return and gather there again, which did not appear to happen, since the Romans gained total control of Israel in around 70-73 AD.

It was cool to go to Qumran after and see the excavated site and the location of the cave. Really sheer luck to uncover them and it gives us confirmation of the accuracy of our Old Testament and insight into the life of these people- since there is written their strict codes and brief history of their people and their beliefs. There we saw a short film about the place nad the people, their ritual baths, their meals eaten in silence and their studies and writings.
We saw at the Israel Museum the model made of limestone of the Old City of Jerusalem during Christ’s time and you could get a better sense of how small the city was, nothing outside the city walls. The Mount of Olives was outside the cityw alls and where Christ suffered for our sins in Gethsemane, then see where he went to Caiphas’s palace and then to Pontos Pilot’s court, Antonio’s Fortress and then from there maybe to Herod’s palace and then to Calvary where he was hung on the cross and then to the tomb and then rose again and appeared to Mary. All would have been in the city for Passover and stayed in and around the old city. The model is good for giving perspective and it changes as new discoveries are made. We see where the Pool of Siloam is where Christ told the blind man to go to the Pool and wash his eyes and be able to sea, that he had to walk down from the temple mount and then have the faith to see- that Pool we ended at outside near the Hezekiah tunnel.
After museum we went to Qumran and saw the movie, saw the village that has been excavated and the cave and then had a bite to eat. We bought some mud and sea salts, since I swear my skin feels tighter and better since the mud bath yesterday!!
We began our around 2 hour drive to Nazareth. I asked Yosi to please take us to a place where we could have a quiet moment and see Nazareth. We were able to see the city from the top o f a beautiful munt. Apparetnly where the Pope is coming in May and going to give a sermon, last time was in Bethlehem. It was peaceful with a beautiful little path. You could see Mt Tabor-which is believed to the the Mount of Transfiguration. We read from the scriputes about Christ living in Nazareth, we also read the account from 1 Nephi when Nephi saw Nareth in a dream, 600 years before Christ was born and saw Mary and knew that Christ would be born here.

We headed down the hill and into the very busy city of Nazareth, during Christ’s town it was a tiny village, off the path and away from the city. It was only around 6 acres. There is a huge Catholic Church built over where is thought to be Mary’s home back in Christ’s time. Here it is believed that the angel Gabriedl revealed to mary in her home that she as a virgin was most choosen among women and woujld bear her first sone as a JESUS, who wouljd be be the son of God. Here is alos where Joseph wouljd have received the same confirmaion that Chirst is to be born of Mary, the wife he was engaged to,. This massive church covers the home of Mary, right near the worship of Joseph. There is a Byzantine church, which a new structure in this century was built, which is the largest Christain church in the Near East- huge nad rather beautiful and it has depictions fo Mary in mosaics all over the courtyards and inside the church. There is also a chapel dedicated to joseph, which is near where Joseph coujld have worked- since it seemsed to be an area of work.

The whole town and everywhere we walked was where Christ walked. This was a small town and he lived her for almost 30 years. They knew him well. When he returned to Galilee, after his baptism and his 40 day fast he came here. They turned him away denying him as the son of God. He then went to Cana, which we drove through where he performed his first miracle for his mother, who was attending a wedding and they had run out of drink- he turned water to wine there. From there he headed to Galilee.


As we entered Galilee, we drove to where people get baptized now in the River Jordan,it was beautiful and scenic. There were possums there that looked like giant rats, we were a little freaked out.

We had a great vegiie dinner, then checkout out our Kibbutz. It is NOT the King David, but fine enough, in my room covered in blue tile, floor to sealing, This room could be cleaned with a hose. But, glad to be here.

Falling asleep in my kibbutz bed. Goodnight. Fun day and lots of interesting things. Entering the area where Jesus lived in Nazareth and then around the Sea of Galilee, it was as I thought it would be, a beautiful and peaceful place to grow up and later come and teach, preach His father's words.