Monday: We spent the day monday focused on the verse 1 Kings 4:25 (in fact most of the three days focused on this verse) and the open land to the west of Jerusalem. The verse talks about every person from Dan to Beer Sheva living under their own vine. This looks very different for many people in the land of Judah. For the people in the foothills, this was almost literal. We saw a cave where people lived for over 2,000 years. Coming to Israel, I would never have considered the hilly country to be the safe and comfortable land. Being from the flat land of Ohio, I would have thought the open plains to the west are the comfortable country. There you can see for leagues and leagues, you can easily talk to those surrounding you, and you don't have to deal with walking up and down all day. However, in ancient times, this meant that you were exposed and vulnerable. The hills provide safety at the expense of connectivity. (This is why Judah is always warring with someone around them.) Plus, up in the hills, you get a nice breeze which helps cool the noonday sun. In the afternoon, we looked at the plains. Here we focused on 2 Old Testament stories. First, we saw the place where Samson did all of his work. We saw the village where he came from and the village he set on fire via fox tails. (I also found a piece of possible philistine pottery but probable crusader era pottery here.) We then continued to the valley where David fought Goliath. Still can't believe I saw that place. We finished out the day by seeing Lachish (A Judean Stronghold that was overrun by both the Assyrians AND the Babylonians), seeing Ashkelon (A huge, ancient city on the coast), and some swimming in the Mediterranean sea. It was an amazing day, and I learned a ton.
Tuesday: We spent the day in the Negev. First, we went and saw Beer-Sheeba. This place was the place that Abraham was supposed to have settled, but the Archeology showed no middle bronze age remains. But not much should be expected to be found from that time, since Abraham would have had a goat hair tent. That would have totally decayed. But, we still should have found a well or something. But instead, it was merely and Iron Age city and well. However, this doesn't mean that Abraham was some fake, archetypal character. His well could be anywhere under the modern city or out in the desert surrounding the area known as Beer-Sheeba today. We then went to an archeological sight called "Arad". This was a fortress built out in the middle of no where seemingly. But at second glance, and prodding from the professor, we realized that this sight was an Egyptian area of control for the Salt and Tar route. Arad was also a spot, where they found some interesting finds in the Temple at the fortress. First off.... there was a temple. Secondly, the temple could have been used to worship both Yahweh and some other deity (or, the duel stones found at the sight, one standing one laying on the ground, could represent the power of Yahweh over all the other deities). We then climbed and hiked the Zin Wadi, a place of wilderness wandering. We saw a major sight on the great spice route from Saudi Arabia, and ended the day overlooking the worlds greatest erosion crater. It was far down (don't worry mom, I stayed away from the edge for the most part...)
Wednesday: Today, we spent the morning at Masada. This was the greatest of Herod's Palaces. I saw 1st Century mosaic, a million gallon cistern, and heard the possibly incongruous story of the Zealots vs. the Romans. We then did the grossest swimming ever... in the dead sea. It didn't feel gross getting in. But when in, it slowly goes from being novel to icky. My lips tasted of salt even though the water never got past my neck (from the evaporating water around me). One of the guys got water in his eye and freaked out. He said it hurt a ton. Once I left the water, I realized how nasty I actually felt. Luckily, all my scratched bug bites were cleaned nicely. We then went to natural springs and swam some, and ended the day at Qumran (the place where they found the dead sea scrolls). That is where we thought the day ended and we would head back to JUC (Jerusalem University College, our residence while in Israel). Well, not quite. Today was the beginning of a festival called "Jerusalem Day". And apparently it is where people from around the country come to celebrate Jerusalem. The streets were flowing with people and everyone was chanting in Hebrew, waving flags, and having a generally good time. However, on the other hand, it felt as if the people were at a near point of rioting. In fact, 24 people were arrested around the gate we entered into Old Jerusalem for throwing stones at Arabs. The tension in the city was possibly palpable, or maybe the place where we were was the only place of tension and everything else was peaceful. I felt ok once we got through the area, and the crowds thinned out.
But, while we were there, I was glad that I looked American and everyone there assumes most Americans support Israel whole-heartedly. Which brings us to the subject of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I think that it is a complex subject. Often, American Christians believe that we are told in the Bible that we are to support Israel. I agree we are told to support the people of God. Whether or not this is still the entirety of the Jewish people is still an area of debate. However, this entity occupying the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea is not that. It is now a political entity. Still, that does not disclude them from any support. It simply keeps them from that wholesale inclusion of the people of God (at least in my eyes.) I believe that all who follow Jesus Christ, void of any ethnicity, culture, or nationality are the People of God. I believe that Jesus died and fulfilled and expanded the covenant that was given, like when he expanded it during Moses' and David's time. I always believe that we are told to love everyone and help those in need. I don't believe that we have a biblical mandate beyond those to support the political entity that is Israel. However, neither the Israeli's nor the Palestinians are without blame in the conflict. And generalizing a population on any single feature, such as religion, is a dangerous tactic. I do not know how to solve the problem here, but I do believe that violence (any kind, be it rockets or concrete walls) here only makes things worse. To make it clear, I am neither a supporter of Israel nor Hamas. I am a supporter of peace (I don't know how to enact this peace, nor do I feel that I am in a place to make a difference here.) And in the words of Forest Gump.... That's all I have to say about that.
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