Once we arrived at the top of the rocky cliff, I was captivated. The view was spectacular!
Although it was warm as we journeyed through the ruins of King Herod's "vaca" home, the sunshine was welcomed! Saad filled us in on the history of the place, and I was amazed. The architecture was simply marvelous, state of the art for that time period, and the details that ran all through the palace were immaculate. What a beautiful structure it must have been back in the day!
Even still, what intrigued me the most, was the story of the jews who sought refuge in the abandoned palace, years after Herod's reign.
Unfortunately though, their location was discovered by the roman armies, and once the mountain was surrounded, the jews had a choice to make. Looking out at the armies below, they saw their own people, jewish slaves, standing as human "shields" in front of the soldiers. If they chose to fight, they would have killed their own. If they had chosen to do nothing, then all of them, including the women and children, would have been taken as slaves. And so, they decided to defy the romans one last time and take their own lives. Men were chosen, by casting lots, to do the unthinkable. They had to kill their wives, their children, their friends, and lastly, themselves. (I can't even imagine!) According to history, only two women and two children escaped by hiding themselves in the crevices of the rocks.
What the romans stumbled upon, as they entered the hollow walls on that frightful day, was no doubt, an unimaginable sight.
Selfishness and sacrifice were the words that were pumping through the veins of those ruins today. As I looked out over the Dead Sea ("the lowest place on earth") from the top of Masada, my thoughts were filled with wonder. Who would have thought, that the beautiful palace Herod had built for himself so many years ago, would be remembered more for the selfless sacrifice of a humble people devoted to the Lord, than for it's temporary grandeur?
We took the cable car back down the mountain, enjoyed some ice cream, and ended our day floating in the Dead Sea. SO MUCH FUN! We were all amazed that we could literally sit with our legs crossed and bob on top of the water, effortlessly. We lathered mud all over us and were amazed at how silky our skin felt after we rinsed. It was DISGUSTING and AWESOME all at the same time!
Today was indeed an adventure! An impacting ascent to the top of a mountain followed by a relaxing float in a memorable sea. Lessons were learned and memories were definitely made at "the lowest place on earth."
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