Greetings from Israel!
Today we spent the day exploring the wilderness south of Jerusalem called the Biblical Negev. This region is in the southern part of Judea. It is formed by a large east-West valley the runs through the more mountainous regions of wilderness that surround it. This area stands out because, due to its flatter nature and wind blown loess soil, it serves well for pasture land. That is, when it has had some rain. The region is largely dry, but there are small areas that are sporadically green. This is what requires shepherds to lead their flocks from place to place in order to find some plant life to feed on. This is the region from which Moses sends out the 12 spies in Numbers 13 and 14.
Further south, a pair of mountain ranges creates a wide valley called the Wilderness of Tsin. We spent time at several strategic lookouts that gave us a good sense of the lay of this particular land, but probably our most illuminating activity was a hike we did through a canyon at the southern end of the wilderness (Nahal Avdat). This allowed us to see things up close, from the Israelites perspective. We were easily able to see the affect that water has on this parched land as we walked along a small stream that flowed out of a spring and along our route. Just as that little bit of water caused an almost miraculous sprouting of greenery, so too does our Lord’s Word bring forth restoration to His people (Psalm 126). Just as the Lord gives the ibexes strength to stand in the most precarious of places, so too does He help His people to stand amidst all kinds of calamity.
We also had the distinct pleasure of exploring the ruins of two churches. These two buildings were built in the 4th and 5th centuries by Arab (yes, Arab!) Christians. It was very moving to stand in a place where our forefathers worshipped the Lord over 1700 years ago. It was even more powerful to note that even though those buildings are now ruins, Christ’s church still stands, strong as ever, and continues to preach the same good news that they proclaimed so many centuries ago.
Peace,
Pastor Matheny and Matt Brand
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