BOBBING IN THE DEAD SEA......

Yesterday, finally, I went into the Dead Sea. The last time I was in Israel, I was just too lazy to get changed, go and float in the Dead Sea, and put mud on my body and hair (it is supposed to be very good for you!), wash it off, get changed....so I didn't. I just stayed and watched and took care of the belongings of those who went in. This time....I bobbed in the Dead Sea. Hana, our tour guide, taught us a new song...BOB, BOB, BOB...IN THE DEAD SEA, BOB, BOB, BOB...IN THE DEAD SEA.....to the tune of the Minions - 

We were told to just relax, lean backwards like you are going to sit on a nice sofa. No swimming, diving, and splashing about. We were told not to shave our legs or armpits before going into the water, ha! ha!. It will be truly painful! There isn't a single living organism in the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea was the last place that we visited today. Click here if you want to know more about the Dead Sea. It is the lowest place on the face of the earth. 
Not only did I bob...I think it was only for 7 minutes...I put mud (the darker the better! Black is beau..ti..fulll!!!) on every part of my body that I could, and in my hair. Then it was pictures, pictures, more pictures! Yucks, the salt water was....so so salty and bitter. After 10 minutes of mud on my face, it began to sting..... got out of the water, ran to the shower, and ....oops forgot to take my towel! Shivering, walked back another 150m, got my bag, went to the shower room, and finally got changed. 

That is little old me in the middle...bobbing about....it is shallow, but I am not touching the ground.

Hmmm...if I ever do this again, it has to be a pretty warm day. Though it was a very good day, much warmer than the past 3 days, it felt chilly. Come to think of it, the Lord has been so so good to us. When we needed a warmer day, He has been doing that for most of the trip. When it was really cold, we were mainly in a building. It was only in the Golan Heights where we were extremely cold....but yet, on that day, it was raining off and on the whole day. But it was like God was watching over us. There was no rain when we were out, but when it was about to finish our time in the open air, it started drizzling...and raining, yes we did get slightly wet, but we were able run and take refuge in the bus. So, we were still able to do what was originally planned!
Before the Dead Sea, we had earlier visited Masada and Qumran. Please read here for the background and history of Masada. Many consider it a brave act that the Jews committed suicide rather than be caught by the Romans who will make them slaves:
When it became clear that the end was near, Zealot leader Elazar Ben-Yair called his people – 967 men, women, and children – together. He reminded them that they had long ago resolved to serve God only, and not the Romans nor any other master. He called upon them to die as free men and women, rather than face capture and slavery by the pagan conquerors.His heartrending and moving speech persuaded the Zealots to commit suicide before the expected dawn attack by the Romans. They burned their belongings and their weapons, leaving food so that the Romans would know that they had died of their own free will and had not perished of hunger.Lots were drawn and 10 men were chosen as executioners:  the rest lay side by side and bared their necks. At the end, one Zealot killed the other nine and then took his own life. It was the first day of Passover, the holiday in which the Jews celebrate their freedom from bondage.(Excerpt taken from http://www.timesofisrael.com/masada-tragic-fortress-in-the-sky/)
Hana said that for a long time, children were brought to Masada for their graduation and were told of what these Jews did, and that it was something to be proud of. But the highest suicide rate is in the army....all the young men and women must serve in the army. Something that seems so right may be totally wrong. There is a difference between killing and murder. The sixth commandment is "Thou shall not murder." In the case in Masada, it was murder....premeditated killing of another person...planned killing their own wives and children, and other fellow friends. Mrs Lee (Swee Chun to the people at SOM) and I just had a discussion on this matter. What would we do in such a situation? She said there is a Chinese saying that goes along the same line....to kill yourself rather than being killed by someone, and to kill the whole family to 'save face' rather than 'losing face'. The conclusion of our discussion...God's Word should be the standard for our actions, above any other reasoning or what we think is right in our own eyes.
Next, we went to Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Read here on how it was discovered, and its importance. It is important because the texts are of great historical, religious, and linguistic significance as they include the earliest known surviving manuscripts of works later included in the Hebrew Bible canon. Hana was sharing that the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls were the same time when there was the United Nations General Assembly with the agreement for the formation of the nation of Israel, in November 1947. Why for 1900 years the scrolls were never discovered...but only at this very important time of the people of God? Israel was recognised as a nation on 14 May 1948. Hana said this was God's birthday present to the nation of Israel. God fulfilled His word to His people that they will one day be a nation...in one day!...and that His word endures forever!
Isaiah 66:8  Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? [or] shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. 
By the way, our guide Hana, is no ordinary guide. She is the best I have ever heard...and such a great expositor of God's Word! God's Word just jumps out of her mouth and becomes alive! I asked her after the time at the Dead Sea whether she has been to Bible College. Her answer was No, No, No. She said she just had the privilege of sitting under the feet of great teachers of God's Word. She mentioned a couple of names, and I could only recognise Derek Prince's name. She said Derek Prince lived with her family for 5 years and actually died in her arms. No wonder she had such knowledge of God's Word with someone who had such a heart for the nation of Israel and filled with God's Word! We went on to the discussion of food as she has been to Malaysia....she wasn't too fond of hawker food. I guess it is the same with us Malaysians....after a few days without rice nor noodles....it was like 'I want rice! I want noodles!" Even pasta did the job!! So she asked me to put in the evaluation....Why can't we have rice and noodles for breakfast?...which I didn't. I think since we are here (and not for a very long time!)  it is good to experience and eat the food here....anyway we will not, and need not, when we get home!! For Mrs Lee, after 3 days, she hardly ate the raw salads. Hana's husband Elihu (I think that is the spelling!) came to share tonight and is involved in Intercessors for Israel. It is just wonderful to see families serving the Lord together! I could see it with Peter and Rita Tsukahira, David and Karen Davis, and basically all the husband and wife team I have seen.