What is Masada? What is the history of Masada?

TL;DR:

Masada is not mentioned in the Bible but was a place where the Jewish Zealots hid when the Romans attacked. Masada calls us to trust in God and to stand for what is true.

Masada is not explicitly mentioned in the Bible. The events surrounding Masada occurred during the time period between the Old and New Testaments, so it's not directly referenced in biblical texts. However, Masada is a historically significant site, particularly known for the events that took place there during the Jewish-Roman War in the 1st century AD.

Herod the Great built the mountain fortress of Masada in 31 BC above the western shore of the Dead Sea in Israel. He feared revolt and wanted a place to make a stand that was difficult to attack and easy to defend. The fortress, with large places to store food, vast cisterns to store water, and defensive structures, was accessed only by a narrow path up the 1,300-foot mountain.

King Herod, an Edomite appointed by Roman rulers to oversee Judea, built the fortress and made it nearly impregnable, but it was the Jewish Zealots who hid there one hundred years later who made Masada famous.

In AD 70, the Romans attacked Judea and overran Jerusalem. Masada was the last holdout and center of resistance. General Flavius Silva couldn't directly attack the fortress, so in AD 72 he put thousands of slaves to work building a siege ramp. It took months to complete and when the troops broke into the fortress in AD 73, they found 953 people dead of a ceremonial mass suicide. Two women and five children hid in a cistern and survived to tell the story. They quoted Eleazar, their leader, saying, "Since we, long ago, my generous friends, resolved never to be servants to the Romans, not to any other than to God himself, who alone is the true and just Lord of mankind, the time is now come that obliges us to make that resolution true in practice."

from the old testament

Masada is not mentioned in the Old Testament.

from the new testament

Masada is not mentioned in the New Testament.
While Masada itself isn't mentioned in the Bible, some of the events related to the Jewish-Roman War are indirectly referenced in the New Testament, particularly in Jesus' prophecies regarding the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple (Matthew 24:1–2; Mark 13:1–2; Luke 21:20–24). However, Masada is not specifically mentioned in those passages.

implications for today

The story of Masada teaches us the enduring lesson of perseverance and courage in the face of adversity. Despite being outnumbered and facing overwhelming odds, the Jewish Zealots at Masada chose to stand firm in their beliefs and resist Roman rule. While the way we hold onto what is true may vary depending on situation, God calls us to hold onto Him and to build our lives on the Rock on whom we can stand. God is our refuge and strength; in Him we find the courage we need to stand for what is right.

understand

Masada is an ancient fortress built by King Herod the Great overlooking the Dead Sea.
Masada was the site of the final stand of Jewish rebels against the Romans during the Jewish-Roman War.
Rather than surrendering to the Romans, the Jewish defenders chose mass suicide in AD 73.

reflect

How does Masada call you to persevere in difficult circumstances in your own life?
What sacrifices would you be willing to make for your beliefs or principles?
How can the courage and resilience shown by the defenders of Masada influence your own approach to facing challenges?

engage

Today, Masada remains a strong heritage of the Israelis. Men and women must serve in the Israeli Defense Force and when they finish their basic training, they hike the narrow path to Masada, are sworn in, and declare, "Masada shall not fall again."
What were the motivations behind the Jewish Zealots' decision to make their last stand at Masada rather than surrender to the Romans?
How does the story of Masada resonate with stories of resistance and perseverance in other cultures or historical periods, and how does trusting in God factor in to the way we respond?