2-9-2012 Masada!

Masada Entry

Mike, our tour guide, approached me in Welcome Center of the site we were preparing to tour. I thought maybe I had committed some unknown cultural faux pas and he was going to correct me in his diplomatically warm way.

“Skip has requested to climb up, rather than take the tram. Petey is going with him and if you want to…”

“…Yes!” I almost shouted, not even pausing to consider the challenges that were going to present themselves. This was one of those opportunity moments that most likely come once in a lifetime and I couldn’t refuse. My “spiritual senses” were buzzing – I stilled myself with a prayer, listening for any indication that I should turn back. I had no doubt You were behind this, Lord, nonetheless, I wanted to seek Your blessing. Peace was my signal for a “go” with the mission. Off I ran to catch up with my newfound friends who were as eager as I to climb from base to summit, the mountain, in the Southern Judean wilderness, known as Masada.

Petey and Skip

Skip led the charge up the mountain…or should I say around the mountain. The pathway was very rocky and wound through amazing terrain, but it was not “up”. Soon we ran into another set of obstacles, a group of high school youth, also making the trek – they, apparently being less excited about the venture, were plodding along far to slowly for our trio. We skirted and dodged through the class, excusing ourselves politely as we hiked ahead. Well this can’t be too difficult, I thought as we continued to wind sideways. Hmm – when do things change?

Judean Wilderness in the direction of the Dead Sea

Careful what you pray for? Did I hear You speak that into my heart, Lord? Change is what You are always working on in me. I should know better!

The beginning of the Snake Path to Masada

And indeed – the path East took a sudden and sharp North. I watched Skip, ahead, starting to ascend and our nice rocky road became a goat trail – winding through crags and crevices, jutting left to right at impossible angels. Petey was behind me and I decided this was a good moment to turn back and take a picture. Beyond Petey, was a picture of vast desolation stretching from the jagged desert below us and out beyond to the Dead Sea. How, Adonai, could anyone survive out here long term, much less build a palace fortress as Herod did, or any kind of productive life for that matter? Yet many did and do.

I wanted to tell Petey not to look down, but thought, who am I – one is looking down – to make that suggestion? Skip on the other hand was still setting a grueling pace and I had to focus all my attention and energy on maneuvering the narrow way. I again looked below toward the Welcome Center (odd name, I was now thinking) and saw the group of teens following our example. Who would let their children take such risks, Lord? Who indeed.

Petey on the Snake Path

Now sweat was soaking my shirt and the path seemed to be getting even steeper – was this the right path? Was it even a path at all? Had Skip taken a wrong turn? We seemed to be headed up another mountainside, away from Masada, not toward it. The Exodus from Egypt came to mind – no wonder Your people questioned Moses. Skip was not currently on my “A” list.

Skip and Petey...lost?

I turned to make sure Petey was OK and realized, at a turn a little ways back, I had stopped for another snapshot and Petey had passed me. I was last! Something in me churned, Lord. Pride? I didn’t like being last. Something You are obviously still working on in me.

Regardless of positions, we all had a ways to go and as I measured in my mind, what I saw ahead of me, a strange thought came to my mind. “Don’t look up.” Did that come from You or from Satan, Master?

Masada aquifer caves viewed from Snake Path 

I turned and looked down once more and was astounded at the view – not only the natural chaos of the terrain, but to my left were cistern caves carved into the sheer cliff walls of Masada itself. How did the “first ones” do this?

Mark confirming the way

Finally, I heard Skip cheer. The trail above apparently was leveling off and turning to converge with Masada. We were nearing the completion of scaling the 1300 foot fortress sanctuary where, in 70 AD, a group of Jewish zealots held off the Roman army for 3 years. Incredibly, the Romans laid siege by building a dirt ramp up the side of the mountain, using slaves to accomplish the task. All at once, I was humiliated. How cruel and unbending we can be in our determination.

The straight and narrow path to Masada

Yet, another equally determined group climbed this mount without the aid of a marked path, bringing with them, wives, children and the outcast, to then make a  proclamation of their faith by sacrificing themselves instead of submitting to foreign gods. Am I that faithful to You?

From the top overlooking where Mark, Skip and Petey trekked

As for the rest of our journey to Masada, someone had gone to the effort of building a concrete stairway to ease our remaining steps to the summit. As my companions and I made our way up to join our group, we talked about our families and our appreciation for our wives (who most likely wouldn’t appreciate what we had just done). My mind, however, was still behind – making the trek up and realizing along the way, the significance of this moment. Far below, I could just make out the twisted path, now snaked with teenagers in their own struggle to ascend. What would they find when they arrived? No doubt their discoveries would differ individually from my own. We each learn from You according to different paths.

Patti and crew at the top of Masada

What had I leaned along the way? That others before me had achieved great things to allow me this moment? That You, God, are the Creator of all – both nature and man – and that it is only by Your grace that we can accomplish anything? The later, I think.

As I look both down and up from where I am, I try to set aside my pride and submit, Jehovah – Your son led the way by his own suffering path and victory of ascent.

Lead, Lord, and I will follow.