The Rock

On the last day of our 3 day trip we were extremely busy. We started at Masada. This was one of the things I was looking forward to the most. Herod built this fortress out of fear that Anthony would give the territory to Cleopatra and he would need a place to hole up. This fortress was built on 24 acres on top of an isolated rock along the Dead Sea. The drop to the East was around 1500 ft, but the drop on the West was much less. Later the Zealots took this fortress as a refuge against the Romans who had just destroyed the Temple. The Romans laid siege to this unsuccessfully. They then spent 3 years building a siege ramp to push the wall down and attack. The remnants of the siege ramp are still there. Anyway, this place was another amazing achievement by one neurotic and disturbed person. Here are just a few pictures. The first is a picture of the North Palace's 3 levels. The second was only part of the hike one side and you can also see part of the siege ramp that the Roman's built.





Next we had lunch at the Dead Sea near En Gedi. It was extremely hot and I was not feeling well this day so I did not get all the way in the water. The water is not refreshing. It is hot and full of things that I do not want to know about. The mineral content of the water is around 35% while the Ocean is around 7%. Incidentally, this is the lowest place on Earth.



After lunch, I was struggling but En Gedi called and I really wanted to do this. I was rewarded with a beautiful and inspiring hike. Additionally, I got to swim in one of the pools and was refreshed to my bones. I know why David hid hear. It was a lush green garden in the midst of a vast wasteland. Here I got some energy back.



Our last stop was Qumran. We were not able to explore the caves at all, but only the communal site of the Jewish Monks. This was a little disappointing and I will not include a picture of this. However, at this place the most important archaeological find of all time occurred since Joshia recovered the Book of the Law.

I am preparing for a 4 day trip to the Galilee region after having had 2 days off. Unfortunately, my days off have consisted of resting and trying to get better. I am feeling much better today and I am ready for the trip north. I will check back with you in a few days.

Blessings - DC

Going to the Super Bowl

We stayed overnight at Mitzpe Ramon in a youth hostel (it was actually fairly nice). It is situated on the edge of the Super Bowl - which is a geological feature that has carved a huge depression in the ground. I had a chance to do my quiet time on an edge of a cliff overlooking this huge depression. The variety of beauty that God has placed on this Earth is amazing. Below is one picture and it does not do the area justice. Additionally, it had been blazing hot everywhere we went, but at Mitzpe Ramon the weather relented and brought us all refreshment.



We later went to Avdat (an important Nabotean City). This town was eventually converted to Christianity and had to Churches. I find this interesting that a town in this time period had two Churches and they were within 150 ft of each other. Then we spent time at a Wadi near Avdat. This was a beautiful area that had a challenging hike up the side of the Wadi wall. This was an amazing hike and I was feeling good, so I went. Here is a picture of the Wadi.



We went from there to Beersheba. They found an altar their that looked half pagan and half Jewish in design. The excavator of the site was Amaroni and he was never every to firmly establish the location of the temple area. Typically temple areas where built on top of old cultic sites, so he was intrigued as to why he was not finding this. They did find a room that had no floor going down very deep. His conclusion is that Hezekiah uprooted the temple so completely that he dug up every temple going as far back as they could dig. Here is a picture of the reconstructed altar found there with a living sacrifice on top.



The last place we stopped was Arad, where we explored the site where they found a temple that reflected Israelite worship and design. Inside of what would have been the Holy of Holies were two standing stones. Some scholars believe that one represented YHWH and the other Ashura. Other scholars think that these two stones were to represent the law given the absence of the Ark of the Covenant in their temple. Intriguing.



Blessings - DC

My Day as an Outcast

This day had a lot packed in. We were going to the Valley of Elah (David and Goliath), Lachish, Askelon (for some learning and swimming in the Mediterranean), and lastly onto Mizpah Ramon to spend the night.

As I noted earlier I had been struggling with "Herod's" Revenge and bus travel was somewhat treacherous for me. I was not able to do many of the sites. I had to stay by the bus and bathroom, and I had no energy to do anything. This was extremely difficult for me as I trained hard for this trip so that I would not miss anything. All morning and early afternoon I would try to keep up, but was ultimately not able and had to retreat to the bus or lay in the shade. I felt like a leper (OK that is hyperbolic, but it was difficult). The last place we stopped was at Ashkelon along the Mediterranean Sea where I once again had to lay in the shade. At Ashkelon I received His peace.

I did not get to explore this impressive ancient city. Instead I lay in shade and prayed. -

I prayed for my wife that she would continue to have the strength to endure with me gone. I thanked God for her and the strength she provides for me.

I prayed for my children that they would make the lives of each other and others richer as they have made my life richer. I thanked God for them and their endless energy and heart for Him.

I prayed for my parents and parents in law and thanked God for their loving support in our lives.

I prayed for my brothers and their families. I thanked God for the way they have loved me and accepted me. I prayed that my children would feel the same way about their brothers as I do about mine.

I prayed for the Watsons, Degoughs, and Dreyfus' as they wait on that phone call telling them to come get their children.

I prayed for the Boykins and the Davises as they enter into a dry and thirsty land.

I prayed for the myriad of people that I know are wanting to get pregnant. May God release this upon you.

I prayed for many others whose requests I know, but are too private to mention. I prayed that the Lord would provide what you need.

I needed this day. I needed this day badly. I am in a great place learning great things, but one of the true blessings of Christ is those that I get to live my life with. So on a day when I was missing some of the best educational teaching available, it was not a waste, because I prayed.

Lord may I never let the pursuit of knowledge of You get in the way of my life that is lived for You.

Below are two of the few pictures I got this day the first is from the Valley of Elah (I also got a smooth stone from the Valley) and the second is a picture of the Mediterranean Sea.





Be Blessed - DC

The Herodium to Bethlehem

On this day we went to the Herodium to observe this massive pleasure palace built by Herod the Great just a decade or two before the birth of Jesus. This area is south of Jerusalem and adjacent to Bethlehem. Herod built this by basically combining two different mounds to an unnatural height. The first picture below is from the top pointing down towards one of the luxury pools and Roman baths and another is a picture from a tower looking down into the complex. This place was a spectacle of human achievement. There was a even a theater with parade grounds down below. This structure was meant to impress the world. It was meant to be on display.




Next we went to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. This Church is a Greek Orthodox and is built on top of the supposed birth place of Jesus. Jesus as you know was born in the humblest of circumstances and in the humblest of places. I do not know what I was expecting, but I was extremely disappointed and underwhelmed by what this church had done. As you will see below, it looks like a gaudy and never used fireplace. They have filled the area with symbols and icons. It is now a place of opulence instead of humility. I think you see where I am going. Are we a people of opulence or of humility? It seems to me that both the American Church and American Christian Culture reflect the Herodium instead of the Stable. This sad alteration of the supposed birth place of Christ must have seemed like a good idea at the time, for me it seemed to deface it and its intent.



The last thing is that I am also loading almost all the pictures I have taken onto Facebook. I have labeled them and you are free to email me and ask any questions. It is lengthy to upload pictures to this blog site. Friend me on Facebook if you want or you can go to http://www.facebook.com/dcaulley1.

Blessings - DC

3 Day Trip

I will be gone on a three day trip to the Negev region and I will not have my computer. I will update when I get back. Please be praying for me as I am getting over a case of "Herod's" revenge as well.

DC

More Photos and Thoughts

We did a lot of driving on this day. We started in the luscious western part of the country and saw Beth Shemesh (birthplace of Samuel). This land was given to tribe of Dan, but they were ultimately not able to hold it and moved north above Galilee. Think Ceseria Phillipi area. Next we went to Gezer the "front door" to the hill country. And drove east and had lunch and Nebi Samwil (the supposed burial site of Samuel). This is one of the tallest locations in all of the hill country. With great views of modern and ancient Jerusalem and Ramallah. This was and has been a strategic hill through out the history of the land. On clear days they say you can see from the Mediterranean Sea to the Dead Sea. Impressive. This day it was not clear.



Next we traveled thorough the Benjamin Wilderness to Jericho. It was hot. 110 Degrees in the shade. The site at Jericho had been picked clean, but it is a place where many springs feed a otherwise desolate area. The next part of my day was my favorite. We stopped in the Judean Wilderness close to the old road that lead from Jericho to Jerusalem. This is the road Jesus walked several times and the road where the parable of the good Samaritan is set.

As some of you may know Anna and I have been going through something of a wilderness time for the last several months. I will spare all the details. We do not feel abandoned, only that God is stripping away the unnecessary parts of our life. Seeing the wilderness is what I was looking forward to the most. My Dad took this picture of me, and it struck me through the heart as I feel this picture captures aspects of my life. Only when you look close you see the oases along the bottom of the Kelt Wadi. These areas of green sustained people and flocks in this wilderness. My oases is my wife and kids. I am in the wilderness, but it is not joyless because of my family. God has used them to sustain me and we will be His people as we cross over the Mt of Olives and into the land that God has prepared for us. Only we will not be faithless and we will not back down and we will not give in.



My last thought from this day is the vast difference between the east side of Jerusalem and the west. Within 10 miles the land changes significantly. This last picture is from the Rephaim Canyon where we started our day. This picture below tells it all.



Be Blessed - DC

Some Pictures from Day Two

The Dome of the Rock - This is a shrine on the Temple Mount that some believe covers directly over the place where the Holy of Holies was in the Temple and that this was also the place where Abraham bound Isaac.


For some reason this was very interesting to me. I am standing on what archeologists believe are the stones turned over from the destruction of the 2nd Temple in 70 AD. This were found when they dug towards the southern part of the Western Wall.


Below is a picture of me and my Dad at the Western Wall (Wailing Wall). There were Bar Mitzvahs going on during our whole time there. This was a unique experience.