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SPECIAL EDITION Volume IV No. 8 Nicholas Scrolls January 2009 The
Land where GOD walked as a Man Part Two Greetings and shalom to all my brethren, friends and neighbors, This Scroll will comprise part
two of my journey through Jerash and One of 40 first class Hotels in
Eilat, ours was situated in front of a lagoon and small marina just off the
northern shores of the We were going to be doing a lot of hiking today so Renee and I were not bashful with our breakfast portions. We met with Hela Crown-Tamir, our tour guide and talked about the days’ itinerary. After breakfast Renee and I walked about the pool area while waiting to board our bus to begin our trek northward. Birds were ringing in the morning with their lovely songs as we captured a few more photos of one another at this luxurious resort. Traveling north to the Passing through the area, Hela
discusses the locations of I told the group that anyone who has ever seen a Volkswagen burn knows their magnesium engine blocks, once on fire, cannot be extinguished by conventional means. Magnesium fire is intensely hot and one can only let it burn itself out. Applying the biblical description of these two cities fates, a meteor shower was the obvious instrument for God’s judgment igniting the local magnesium deposits setting them ablaze. I explained that I was aware of
some current archeological works near what is believed to be one of the two
former cities located in Masada is a mountain plateau rising
450 meters above the western shores of the Dead Sea on the eastern edge of the
Judean desert 68 miles southeast of Jerusalem. Its natural formation provided
formidable protection from adversaries. According to Flavius Josephus, the
Jewish historian, the first fortress was built by “Jonathan the high Priest.” Coins depicting the Hasmonean King
Alexander Janaeus (103-76BC) were discovered during early excavations. Some
scholars tend to identify relationship with Jonathan to Looking down at the valley below
one begins to see several of eight encampments built by the Roman legions who
besieged “Then having chosen by lot ten of their number to dispatch the rest, they laid themselves down each beside his prostate wife and children and flinging their arms around them, offered their throats in readiness for the executants of the melancholy office. These, having unswervingly slaughtered all, ordained the same rule of the lot for one another. That he on whom it fell should slay first the nine and then himself last of all;… They had died in the belief that they had left not a soul of them alive to fall into Roman hands; The Romans advanced to the assault… seeing none of the enemy but on all sides an awful solitude and flames within silence. They were at a loss to conjecture what had happened here encountering the mass of slain instead of exulting as over enemies, they admired the nobility of their resolve and the contempt of death display by so many in carrying it, unwavering into execution.” According to Josephus, not all
perished as two women and five children were discovered alive after the Romans
broke through We saw well preserved fresco
paintings on original plaster walls and intricate mosaic tile designs on
flooring in the Monastery, a luxurious Along the casemate on the northwestern
side of the fortress is the oldest functioning synagogue in the world. Here,
officers in the Israeli military receive their commission from Commanding
Officers and receive blessings from appointed Rabbi’s even to this day. This
building was originally constructed in Herod’s time and is believed to have
been a stable initially but was later converted to a synagogue during the years
of the Jewish wars when rebels were holding out atop the mountain fortress. Two
pits dug in the floor of the back room were found to contain biblical scrolls
among which were scroll fragments of Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry
bones. An inscription was found on the floor that read, “The priests tithe.” It is thought by some that this may have
become a geniza, a storage place for sacred scrolls. This is one of the only
synagogues from the Further south along the casemate
one finally sees where the Romans successfully built an earthen ramp up the
mountainside. The amount of earth that had to be moved to accomplish this piece
of engineering is staggering to one’s mind. Imagine what must have been going
through the thoughts of Jewish rebels as they watched months of effort by the
Romans to build the ramp and seeing their mountain fortress surrounded by eight
Roman army camps below with soldiers numbering in the thousands. Fortunately
the Jewish rebels lacked not for water and food provisions as Herod’s fortress
was well supplied with everything to support a community so they did not have
to leave the presumed protection of The rebels rolled huge stones
down the ramp and mountainside against the soldiers but there was little else
they could do. Even though the rebels had fortified the fortress walls with an
interior wood and earthen wall, the Romans successfully rolled a battering ram
& perhaps catapult up the huge sloping dam to breach through Excerpt: Last speech of the rebel
Commander, Eleazar Ben-Yair at “Since we long ago, my generous friends, resolved never to be servants
to the Romans, nor to any other than to God himself, who alone is the true and
just Lord of mankind, the time is now come that obliges us to make that
resolution true in practice. And let us not at this time bring a reproach upon
ourselves for contradiction, while we formerly would not undergo slavery,
though it were then without danger, but must now, together with slavery choose
such punishments also as are intolerable; I mean this, upon the supposition
that the Romans once reduce us under their power while we are alive. “We were the very first that revolted from them and we are the last
that fight against them; and I cannot but esteem it as a favor that God has
granted us that it is still in our power to die bravely and in a state of
freedom, which hath not been the case of others who were conquered unexpectedly.
It is very plain that we shall be taken within a day’s time but it is still an
eligible thing to die after a glorious manner, together with our dearest
friends… “Let our wives die before they are abused and our children before they have tasted slavery; and after we have slain them, let us bestow that glorious benefit upon one another mutually and preserve ourselves in freedom as an excellent funeral monument for us. But first let us destroy our money and the fortress by fire; for I am well assured that this will be a bitter blow to the Romans, that they shall not be able to seize upon our bodies and shall fail to our wealth also: and let us spare nothing but our provisions; for they will be a testimonial when we are dead that we are not subdued for want of necessaries; but that, according to our original resolution, we have preferred death before slavery.” Unceasing
Conflict – Current News Update Most of us are aware of God said: "I will be an enemy to your enemies and I will oppose those who oppose you."… "All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish…Those who wage war against you will be as nothing as all. For I am the LORD, your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, 'Do not fear.'" (Exodus 23:22; Isaiah 41:11-13). The biased news media often
paints a picture of Israel being the bully here but the truth is that Israel
has endured thousands of rocket attacks coming from the Gaza strip every since
Hamas took control of Gaza. This more recent conflict has lasted nearly eight
years. Where Israel has been patient and willing to negotiate terms, even
giving away large portions of Samaria including biblically significant towns
like Bethlehem, Hebron and Ramalla; the more radical Islamic groups like Hamas
will never be satisfied until all of Israel is given over to Palestinian
control. Hamas has long declared, “Death
to Isrotel
Hotel After touring the Masada museum
at the base of the mountain fortress, we disembarked at 2:00pm and headed for
our Five Star Hotel located on the western shores of the Instead of sandy shores, the
beaches on the It is customary to greet one
another and Jews with the phrase, “Shabbat
Shalom” on the Sabbath. I did this as Renee and I entered the dinning room
and was mistaken for being Jewish. I’m sure it was my beard and olive colored
skin that made me look more Jewish than everyone else among our tour group.
Renee and I were escorted to a table away from where our tour group was seated
and we sat amidst some Jewish families. I did not object because I enjoy
getting mixed up in a crowd. This allowed me to converse with some young women
seated next to us and we enjoyed the backdrop of casual conversations in Hebrew
taking place all around us. I took advantage of the other customary Sabbath
practice and enjoyed modest portions of wine during our dinner. Here, on the
Sabbath wine is served from taps like soda though its alcohol content is about
half that of normal wine. Certain restrictions still apply in regards to food
like no meat can be served with dairy products and of course; you will never
see pork served at any restaurant throughout En Gedi My first impressions upon
arriving at En Gedi are one of a beautiful oasis rising out of the desert. En
Gedi is a canyon formation with two valleys running through it; Wadi David in
the north and Wadi Arugot to the south. Four sweet water springs flow into the En
Gedi reserve generating approximately three million cubic meters of water a
year. The water source comes primarily from the occasional rainfall in the
Judean desert forming a water table below ground that develops into springs
flowing with gravity towards the It is here where the scriptures
describe for us the encounter between Saul and David found in 1 Samuel 24:1-15 “And
it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following (pursuing) the
Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness
of Engedi. Then Saul took three
thousand chosen men out of all While the importance of the above
account tells us of the mercy David had upon Saul sparing his life, the account
also reveals the presence of goats. Healthy communities of a goat species
called Ibex still thrive in the En Gedi reserve to this day. While walking up
the trail through the reserve towards Other wildlife species thrive in this flora and fauna rich reserve and can be seen by tourists visiting the reserve. We were able to spot a small mammal known as the Rock hyrax which live in the rocky clefts and feed off of plants indigenous to the area. A keen eye will also see a brightly colored lizard species known as the Sinai agama sunning themselves in the early morning sunrise. Fifteen species of bats, the Afghan and Red fox, Stripped hyena and Spotted leopard are also residents but hard to find as these usually do their hunting at night being largely nocturnal animals. Avid bird watchers would enjoy seeing Fan tailed ravens, Arabian babblers, Blackstarts, Wheatears and two types of vultures; the Egyptian and Griffon. Located on the Syrian-African rift, the valley serves as an important migration route for many song birds, water birds and birds of prey. Over 200 species of birds can be observed during migration periods but the White and Red breasted wagtails are found in the reserve year-round. En Gedi is also known for its Dates, (Ben Sira 24:4) – “I arose like the date Palm of En Gedi” but it is particularly noted for the cultivation of aromatic plants and medicinal herbs and is mentioned in the Song of Solomon 1:14 “My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire (henna) in the vineyards of Engedi.” The En Gedi reserve is also famous for the biblical persimmon which should not be confused with present day persimmon. The biblical form is thought to have been used as a balsam that was called perfume in our bible and other ancient Jewish writings. This verse attests to the plant’s scent; “…who would bring the crop of a chicken and fill it with persimmon and then put it in her shoe under her heel, and when she would see a group of boys, she would press the persimmon and its fragrance would stir them like poison…” (Eicha Raba 4:18) According to the Roman historian, “Pliny the Elder” the Jews endeavored to uproot the persimmon groves during the fighting at En Gedi keeping them out of Roman hands but the latter were careful to protect them and fought for every plant. Renee and I rested a bit at the trails head in front of David’s Falls and I took the opportunity to drink from the pool at the base of the falls. The water was sweet and refreshing. A number of pools are formed as the springs tumble the downward slopes of En Gedi making for a comfortable place to picnic and refresh oneself in the cool waters collecting in the pools. The park was not very crowded this day as it was still the Sabbath. Renee made it a point to break off a small branch of the Jube Jube tree which is a thorned Acacia, the type used by the Romans when they fashioned a crown of thorns for Jesus prior to his crucifixion. The wood is very tough and the trees thorns are long and extremely sharp often with the very tip of each thorn curling slightly and breaking off under the skin when pierced. One can easily imagine how painful it must have been when the Roman soldiers pressed the crown of thorns upon Christ’s head. Blood surly would have run down his face and neck as the scene is often depicted in movies telling the story of Christ’s crucifixion. Qumran
and the From En Gedi, we traveled north
to the site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Qumran is the ancient
settlement where the Essenes dwelled after making a separation from the temple
system of worship in The Discovery… As we entered the They crawled inside and in the dimness they spied large whole jars
standing on the floor. Inside the jars they found folded pieces of leather,
some of which were wrapped in cloth. That is how the secret of the The now famous Dead Sea Scrolls
were discovered November 27, 1947 - less than a year before After touring a small museum located on the site learning more of the history surrounding the Essenes sect and watching a well done video presentation, we ventured outside to the ruins and marveled at the sophistication and independence exhibited by these God-fearing peoples. The Essenes followed the Old Testament laws and rituals religiously right on down to ritual bathing and cleansing before each meal. Hundreds of pottery dishes, bowls and vases were discovered; many intact upon early excavation of the site. Writing instruments used by the scribes to document and copy Old Testament writings on leather (goat skins) were among the relics found giving a clearer picture of life in their community around the first century. Analysis by scientists have proven that the Essenes were a self sufficient society and their primary goal and intent was to dwell and live in obedience to God away from the dangers of idolatry and pagan-Roman influence awaiting the end days. The ruins revealed traditional Mikvahs (ritual baths), cisterns and aqueducts for collecting precious water, a kiln for making their own clay vessels as well as storage facilities for scrolls and various pottery utensils. Many of the scroll fragments found are not part of the commonly accepted cannon of scripture but they do reveal intimate details about their life and practices including community rules. It is rare to find such a complete record of any former civilization recorded on parchment as most archeological digs produce the more durable artifacts as potteries, arrowheads and building remnants but here, a whole picture is formed as scholars continue to unravel the ancient mysteries of life in Israel under various occupations until the time of Christ. A number of caves have since produced scrolls hidden in clay jars and one of the prize discoveries was the entire scroll of Isaiah, complete and accurate right down to the finest detail. Many of the other scrolls were badly damaged and only fragments have been successfully preserved but enough so as to envision life and practice in the Essenes community. Among the many fragments, some quite large and detailed, is an account of a man named John who had come from the wilderness and dwelt among them for about two years. It was the Essene custom to test anyone for a period of time before accepting them into their very closed and protected society. The written account states that just prior to John’s acceptance as a brother into the community; he left as mysteriously as he had appeared. It is believed by some scholars that this account could very well be speaking of John the Baptist since we know John preferred living in the wilderness over dwelling in the cities and towns. Many other details like their oath of celibacy and strict adherence to law and ritual is quite evident in the thousands of scroll parchment discovered here. If you’ve ever heard the phrase, “sons of light and darkness,” it came from this very sect that wrote extensively of the end times describing the moral decay of civilization and the promised coming of the messiah. The essenes were not considered by scholars to have ever become followers of Christ Jesus but were more traditional and fundamental in their Old Testament belief system. Though no record exists telling us the fate of this devout religious community, it is largely believed that they fell victim to the Roman sieges after the fall of Jerusalem around the same time that Masada was captured. All of the Scrolls discovered
here are kept in After touring the ruins and
taking many pictures, Renee and I found some ancient pottery shards, small in
measure but large enough to collect a handful for my own little office museum
back home. On both trips to After lunch and a welcomed cold
beer, we departed Until then please consider Isaiah 41:6 “They helped every one his neighbor; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage.” END Part Two With all Sincerity and love for the truth and my scattered brethren abroad, Nicholas A. Stivers – a God-fearing disciple, scribe and messenger |