It is now Wednesday, our final day in Israel. Adding to this travel journal has been challenging. Our days are so full of activity by the time we finally return to the hotel our energy level has reached rock bottom. Since coming to Tiberias, it’s been more difficult to access the “net” to post. The connection doesn’t always work quickly. Also I seem to have added the same photo in two different places in my last entry. I blame it on weariness! Yet—a good weariness.
On Saturday, June 1st, as mentioned before, we drove south of Jerusalem along the Dead Sea to Masada. Since I had been there before, I sat in the cafeteria and was able to access a connection to add to my online journal so family and friends back home can continue to follow along. If I mentioned this before, I’ll say it again—that day it was over 100 degrees. And Masada and then Qumran, both in the desert area, were HOT.
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| Dead Sea |
A shepherd boy discovered the first of the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran. Later archaeological excavations in the area uncovered a settlement that formerly was believed to be that of Essenes. Now it’s not so certain. We had lunch in the Qumran large cafeteria, shopped for Dead Sea products and other souvenirs, and took a short walk in mid-day sun around the ruins, taking photos of some of the caves where the scrolls where found.
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| Ruins of the potters' workshop at Qumran. |
From there we drove a short distance to a beach area on the Dead Sea. Most of our group at least got their feet wet. I don’t think anyone tried to float. Again, I was able to access the Internet to add more to my journal.
We journeyed back up to Jerusalem to visit the Garden Tomb. This area is near the bus station, but at the time of Jesus was a cemetery. Although a British officer, General Charles Gordon, proposed that this was the tomb where Jesus was buried—because it is outside the city walls and crucifixions took place outside the walls and various other reasons—the tomb in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher was outside the city walls when Jesus was crucified. In 1863 when Gordon proposed this as the tomb, he was unaware that the walls standing at that time were mostly built by crusaders. Archaeologically, the one in the Church is more probably Christ’s tomb.
Christians from all over the world come to Israel. Many from India.
The Garden Tomb provides a lovely oasis in the midst of the bustle of the city. The British Protestant organization maintains the garden with obvious loving care. Our groups always enjoy visiting here.
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| Members of our group: (left to right) Barbara Allinder, Lydia Bailey, Jay and Nancy Huffman. |
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| A young family visiting the Garden Tomb. |
And as guides say on a tour of the garden, it doesn’t matter where He was buried; what matters is that He arose from the dead and is alive. As pilgrims' turn to leave the tomb, the message on the door is clear.
