We started the day in Bethlehem having had a good night at the Jacir Palace Hotel (likely the nicest of our time here) and headed toward the Dead Sea.  First stop was the security wall (over 5 meters high).  Our guide, being Israeli Arab had to go around by another way and after passing the check point (no problem) we met up with our intrepid leader once again.

Nope, not another place ride... this was the view from Massada, the place where a group of about 1000 Jewish Rebels who defied Rome had to make an ultimate decision:  Fall to Rome and become slaves (or possibly worse actions to their persons) or end their lives.  They chose the later and in the end all the husbands killed their families, then 10 chosen fighters killed all the men, then one of the 10 killed the nine and finally himself.  A few women and children lived and the account has been recorded by Josephus an ancient historian.  It is an incredible story of a group that is on one hand so valiant and yet on the other made a choice that seems not to make any sense.  This high fortress (once a palace and fortress by Herod the Great (great builder but lousy person - killed the babies after Jesus birth along with having various family members murdered).  It is interesting to wonder if small ethical decisions made without care won't eventually lead to much larger ones where we no longer have the proper moral compass.  Following Jesus certainly brings us face to face with many difficult decisions - while we may not agree with the rebels decision at Massada we must say that as opposed to many of us in North America they at least made a decision.

Brown is the dominant colour of this land...

So when you see a place like En Gede (See the story of David sparing the life of Saul while he went into a cave to "relieve himself") a beautiful place of water and life in the midst of heat and brown.  

It makes one think that maybe when we have so much we miss the miracle of God's great provision.  In the hot and dry land (it was 45C at the dead sea - tonight in Jericho it is not yet below 30C at Midnight) the oasis of God's provision is so clear and refreshing.

Ok - on a lighter note showing just how hot it was...this man (not part of our group) started losing clothes up at Massada this morning!!!

Good night from Jericho...