Boker Tov! (Good Morning!)

There was a light rain in Jerusalem this morning! We drove along the desert hills on our way to Qumran National Park. This is where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. What an awesome sight to see the caves in the mountains. The scrolls were found in the lower cave as pictured.

Out next stop, En Gedi! We climbed to a shady area where we had a powerful teaching by Jannie from 1 Samuel 23-24. Saul sought David every day, but God did not deliver David into his hand. David even had the opportunity to kill Saul, but what was David’s response?
1 Samuel 24:6 “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed…” What would be your response if you were on the run from someone?

Comments from this teaching:

You have a choice to not fight back…it’s your freedom to trust.
Pam Wall

It’s a shame when your family knows you have lost your position, as Jonathan did, and you don’t realize it! Saul was chasing David when he should have been fighting the Philistines!
Veronica Harwell

David was in the middle of difficult circumstances, yet he chose to be obedient to the Lord at all costs. We choose not to be obedient to the Word. It doesn’t take more time, it just takes obedience to the Word!
Dorie Etrheim

In Psalms 26:1, David said, “I have walked in my integrity. I have also trusted in the Lord; I shall not slip.” David was able to say that because of his walk dealing with Saul.
Belle Sullivan

On to Masada! Ten miles south of En Gedi is the fortress built by King Herod. We took the tram to the top of the mountain and toured the ruins of this very large fortress. Inside the fortress was a palace. Josephus writes that Jews fled to Masada when the Temple was destroyed in Jerusalm in 66 AD and they stayed at Masada until the Romans captured Masada after a 3 yr siege. The Jews chose death over becoming Roman prisoners

The Choice was rather to die than to be a slave. But, Jesus died that we may be free, though often people choose to be in bondage. Ruby Daniels


Our last stop of the day, the floating in the Dead Sea before returning to Jerusalem!