Going to a museum with an archeologist is like...

We head over to the nearby archeological museum, hurrying down a long hallway, passing a Rodin sculpture, and a grouping of Philistine sarcophagi, large ones with obvious Egyptian influence. 

Pierre de Wiessant,by Rodin

 

Palestinian coffins

In contrast to our Palestinian guide’s words, Yossi tells us there is no archeological connection between the Philistines and the Palestinians. Do they claim it anyway so they can justify their right to the land, I wonder?

We have only a short time here, but Yossi says it’s better than nothing. Had he not said to us earlier, “Guys, listen. Going to a museum with an archeologist is like going shopping with your wife. It’s going to take a while and there is nothing you can do about it.”?

Not quite true, I grouse, my feathers ruffled. But I will soon realize that I'd like to spend all day here. Instead, we immediately head for the highlights, passing a large group seated and listening to some expert speak. Some of them glare at us.

The group that resented our intrusion.

We Canadians hesitate to filter through the group, but Yossi loudly announces that we have paid our money and have as much right to pass through this section as they do to sit here. We stop and several of our group step over a line on the floor and set off an alarm. Needless to say, our presence is greeted by the crowd with scorn. 
Do you remember me mentioning in a previous blog that the men who removed the ceiling to lower their invalid friend down to Jesus probably insulted the crowd listening to Him? Here is a modern day version of that.

Our group moves past flint knives and at 6,000 years, the oldest metal artifacts, En Gedi copper. We stop at a small engraving with the earliest mention of King David - archeology's only extra-biblical proof he existed. 
Finally, we reach a section I consider the highlight of the museum. A heel bone with a crucifixion nail through it, Caiaphas’s ossuary, and Herod’s sarcophagus.
 

Not the best photo, but it's a crucified heelbone

Caiaphus's ossuary

Herod's coffin

To me, they are the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory and Venus de Milo of the archeological world, adding to the extra-biblical proof of the New Testament’s words. I leave, grateful to have seen those things in person.

Earlier, we had learned that the reason there is a crescent moon on mosques is because the days were hot and often, people worked and traveled by night. Therefore, the moon was important to them. And since the ancient peoples of the middle east slept through the heat of the day, their day started at sundown. Hence, the way Genesis records that the Jewish day started in the evening, “And the evening and the morning were the first day.” Gen 1:5.

After a quick rush through the museum, Yossi returns to one of his homework questions. Why is the Star of David on the flag? Several people have answered, but they're wrong. I question Yossi’s suggestion of using the Internet. What if it’s false? How are we supposed to know? 

After a while, Yossi admits that the answer is at the Holocaust museum, which we visit next. It’s a sobering experience, especially the Children’s Memorial, a hall filled with mirrors and lit with only two candles. Our guide tells us the Holocaust started in 1933, not 1939, as most, even Jews believe.  

Yossi plays for us there, the Holocaust Anthem, and it's hauntingly beautiful.

At the Holocaust Memorial

We return to our homework, but Yossi still does not confirm our answers. Has the Star of David been placed on the Israeli flag as a reminder of what happened to the Jews? Still unsure, we return to the Old City Market. 

To spices, snacks and shopping!

A stampede, a fighting prophet and the Med!

The next morning, our devotional continues. ‘Lead us not into temptation.’ God doesn’t tempt us, but rather, we, thinking we are having our faith tested, we give ourselves reason to give in to temptation. But we forget that we have a new nature. Old flesh is old ways, patterns influenced by culture. God will not remove us from that culture, but rather help us overcome it, and by overcoming temptation, we learn to trust Him more. 

Yossi speaks again. The mountain ranges around Galilee are Golan, Gilboa, Gilead, and Galilee, all 'G's'. But since the Hebrew names have no vowels, we have given them some. We head for Nazareth which is mostly Muslim. It means ‘root’,  or ‘shoot’. And since Jesus is the root and shoot of Jesse, it would have made sense back then to have him come from Nazareth.
There we visit a first century village (a pioneer village, of sorts.)

As soon as we get there, we witness a dangerous stampede!
 

Get out of the way!

We follow them to the corral. I look at one of the lambs. They're so lovely, so perfect. It’s not hard to see why the animal was chosen by God. 

A perfect lamb!

And learn how olive oil was pressed years ago. There are three types of pressing. Each becomes harder. I think of the number of times Jesus prayed in the garden. Each time harder than the last. He was crushed for our sins. 

Finally, the mash of olive pulp is good only for fuel, while its water is mixed with limestone and plastered on walls for bug repellent. We are given a small clay lamp as a souvenir. 
As we step outside into the brilliant day, I look around us. It’s strange to see this ‘village’ nestled amidst the towering apartment buildings. 

After leaving Nazareth, we climb to Mount Carmel. Wildflowers such as red anemones, colourful cyclamen, and lavender dot the hillside. On the way up, we get another lesson in Hebrew etymology. Yahweh means ‘was, is, will’, or as we Christians later describe it, ‘I am’. In fact, to me, those two expressions are the same. The top of the mountain is beautiful, well-groomed and the only sign of discord might be the guard dog fenced in with the gardening equipment.  At night, I presume, he’s allowed to roam, a canine prophet enforcing the rules.

The plain of Armageddon, from Mount Carmel.

The church here commemorates how the Prophet Elijah mocks the followers of Ba’al and how God lit the soaking wet pyre when the false god could not light even a tinder dry one. But we learn another lesson. Elijah was also a fighter, slaughtering 400 followers of Ba’al as he tears down the mountain in a rage against the false gods. After viewing the plain of Meggido, we pass near the Kishon River, and Yossi points out that Elijah had ordered his bonfire be soaked. But wasn't there a drought at that time? Where did the water come from? From the river and carried up Mount Carmel. 

The back side of Mount Carmel

We pass Manasseh, and after lunch, we reach Caesarea Maritime, easily spotted beside the long aqueduct. Here, archeologists found the tablet that finally proved extra-Biblically that Pilate existed. And here, facing the Herodian siren of questionable years, (Bernice who is there with her husband/brother. We may as well add incest to the list of evil things she did), Paul appealed to Rome, a decision that brought Christianity to the world. 

Can you see the lizard?

the Aquaduct

Our guide preparing to play for us

And we weren't the highest up!

We could hear him clearly and vice versa. The water beyond is the Med.

Yossi gets us into the amphitheater moments before it closes. He wants to play for us there, but another group decides to sing. We wait patiently, (we are Canadian, after all) and after Yossi begins to play, those of us way up at the top can hear him perfectly. His music today is Greek and appropriate among the ruins that face the Mediterranean, whose name means water between land masses with one opening to the sea.  

Some unusual colours

I found some sea glass on the shore and someone spotted a knapsack, having been left by another tourist. Our guide warns us that it will be blown up soon. 
The reality of living in Israel.

We avoid Tel Aviv, and therefore Jaffa. It’s getting late and traffic will be busy. But our guide won’t let us rest. We learn that in Jaffa, Peter saw something like a sheet come down with unclean food on it. But there are no sheets in Biblical times, and the passage describes a prayer shawl. And since Jews who don’t eat kosher aren’t considered Jews anymore, we learn that a new religion is born. Those who follow Christ are no longer considered Jews. Yossi hints about the answer to his first homework question. The prayer shawl has something to do with the Israeli flag. 
But homework must wait. We're coming into Jerusalem and the song 'Jerusalem, the Holy City' is playing. We climb through the sprawling suburbs until we reach our hotel.

Once in our room, our friends stop by with disturbing news. 

Israel has bombed a compound in Syria.

Music by a waterfall, and surprises.

Our trip may sound like a whirlwind tour, but we don’t feel rushed. Our guide, whose steps are measured in deference to those with less mobility, is informative and while he keeps telling us that he wants us to know so much, he adds that it's hard to decide what not to tell us. 

Someone revealed that he teaches comparative religions at a university. As if to confirm that, Yossi often says, "Listen up! This will be on the final exam." 

Apparently, that is guide-speak for "Pay attention! This is important."

I look around the bus in front of me. (remember, I'm in the back seat) Everyone is relaxed and the wifi on the bus allows us to reassure families back home that we are still alive and safe. Am I the only one who paid attention?

En Gedi appears ahead, nestled in an oasis that is itself nestled along the eastern edge of the Judean Hills. It’s in a region called Tamar, which means date palm and the oasis has her share. No sooner are we on the trail that leads through the nature park that once hid David from King Saul, do we spy ibex, a type of goat with curved horns. 

Ibex at En Gedi

They aren't bothered by us walking by. 

Yossi had wanted us here early so we could see them. Too many tourists and they flee and sure enough, on the way back, after the crowds had thickened, we no longer see them.

We stop at a crown of thorns tree, most likely the type of tree used to make Christ’s mock crown before He carried His cross to Calvary. The thorns are well hidden among the innocuous looking leaves.

The Crown of Thorns Tree

After a short walk to the first waterfall, we're treated to another piece of flute-playing. Yossi’s music floats around us as we stand beside a small waterfall, looking up at tan coloured cliffs that shelter us. 

Music where King David walked.

As he tucks away his flute, Yossi then speculates about the cave behind the falls. Was it where Saul retreated to relieve himself, or perhaps did he just wash his feet as some suggest? 
Is it where David cut off the hem of his sovereign’s robe? Surely so, for the caves that dot the cliff walls are too high for a king to climb just to relieve himself.  

The caves of En Gedi

We return and visit the Ahava cosmetics company run by the kibbutz nearby, but I find the products expensive. I jokingly tell my husband I've saved him $800. Then I buy some flavoured salts.
More excitingly, after settling on the bus on our way to Qumran, I answer a pop quiz correctly and win a tube of Ahava hand cream. A nice bonus to a pleasant walk.

It’s not a long bus ride, but at Qumran we stop for lunch. I bought a falafel for $9, only to discover it was filled with cucumber. I must be the only person in the Mediterranean who dislikes both olives and cucumbers. I trade with my husband for his bread and cheese and decide then to forgo the local fast food.

At Qumran, we learn a few things about our guide. He has at least two archeology degrees and with conviction tells us that this is probably not the site where the now-famous Essenes lived. They would have chosen a plateau, and lived humbly. 

Caves at Qumran

This site is far too extravagant, and not where the Dead Sea scrolls were found, but thankfully, no less worthy of study. Interesting and a contradiction from our previous tour guide, but how can I not believe an archeologist? And how else is our new guide going to surprise us?

Perturbed, I return to the bus, but my discomfiture is soon forgotten as my last question is answered. 
Our guide announces that we are about to break the law.