We Can Rest in Him

After an evening of enjoying the pool, floating on the Dead Sea, and getting some sleep, we loaded the bus this morning and headed to Masada. For our morning devotions, Craig Preston shared from Psalm 42—43. The Psalmist was in turmoil and he called out to God for help. What a comfort to know that we can place our trust in Him and rest in Him no matter what is happening in our lives!

Upon arriving at Masada we saw a short informational video and then rode a lift up to the top of the mountain. As we walked around the ruins of the fortress, our guide gave a lot of information about how the people in this fortress would have lived. We also gained an understanding of the reasons behind the building techniques. It was here that a piece of the scroll of Ezekiel was found which talks about the dry bones. Ezekiel prophesied that one day the dry bones (Israel) would come alive—we’re standing in the land seeing the people back!

The story of Masada is a fascinating one, telling of the strength and resilience of the Jewish people. If you don’t know the story you can read it here https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/masada-desert-fortress.

Today when the soldiers of the Israeli Defense Force take the oath of allegiance they come here. The oath in english says “Masada shall not fall again”, Masada in the oath meaning Israel and the Jewish people. The view from the top was magnificent as we looked out across the land of Israel. God’s creation is amazing. https://www.bibleplaces.com/masada/

Next we enjoyed a shopping stop at the Ahava store. The products are made from the salt of the Dead Sea. These are popular products all over the world. Once again, our group did it’s part to help the economy. And on the way to Jerusalem we stopped at Kalia Beach for lunch. There was a nice cafeteria style restaurant with a variety of food. Of course it had a nice view of the Dead Sea.

On the way to Jerusalem we listened to the song “The Holy City”. With that song playing, the city came into view. What an emotional impact! All of the buildings around are either stone or covered in stone so that they have a uniform appearance. Jerusalem is full of people of many different nationalities and cultures living together.

We stopped at The Friends of Zion Museum. Zionists are people who believe in the development and protection of the Jewish nation. The museum uses high tech methods to teach about the people who were instrumental in the establishment of the State of Israel. We recognized a lot of names from history. Toward the end of the interactive presentation, we were reminded of the many people who risked their lives during WWII to protect Jewish people. We held out our hands and a projection of the photo of a person who was saved by one of these brave people appeared in our hands. We were challenged by the question, What would you be willing to do to protect a Jewish person and the State of Israel? https://www.fozmuseum.com/

After leaving the museum, we made an unexpected stop at The Jewish Agency for Israel. We learned what it means to make Aliyah, the returning of a Jewish person to the homeland. When they arrive in Israel, they need assistance, and The Jewish Agency for Israel provides that help in getting established. Their theme is “The People of Israel Live”. It was a privilege for Jim Showers, on behalf of The Friends of Israel, to present a gift to The Jewish Agency for Israel. This gift was possible due to specific gifts of FOI supporters.

We checked into the Dan Panorama hotel and enjoyed dinner before heading to the Western Wall Tunnel for an evening tour.

Our Team 
Blog author: Debbie Helbig
Administrative Assistant for Ministry Advancement
The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry

Photos: Brett Helbig