Walking the Bible: #3 or 3: Jordan Wilderness to Egypt

Judea wilderness

In the Judea wilderness Israel spent 40 years in the area of Kadesh barnea in the wilderness of Zin. When they were finally ready to enter the Promised Land and traveled east to go below the Dead Sea Edom would not let them cross. So they needed to travel the way we traveled, all the way south to the Gulf of Elat or Aqabah, Jordan.  This is a detour of hundreds of miles in a  harsh desert country as you can see. But the 40 years in the wilderness seems to have cured them of their complaining. They packed up the tabernacle and representing the presence of God it moved with them.  A Messianic Jewish couple has a ministry with this replica of the tabernacle in this wilderness area

 Traveling north from Aqaba back toward the Dead Sea we drove on "The King's Highway" which existed at the time of Moses. It was a major trade route even then but the Edomites would not let them travel on it so they had to go around even further east.  We stopped at the ancient city of Petra which was occupied by the Nabaieans. Estabilished in 300 BC it was at its peak from 100 BC - 100 AD. I wonder if Jesus was thinking of this city carved out of sandstone when he called Peter "The Rock". It was such a fortress that even the Romans couldn't conquer it. Entered through a narrow gorge you first meet the tombs of the kings and wealthy,
 You may remember "The Treasury" (its a tomb) from Indiana Jones The Last Crusade.

 Petra like all ancient citys had "high places" where the people worshiped. As we went up - Alleliah- in Jerusalem and to the temple to worship God others went up to worship other gods. From the "high place" we could see Mt. Hor where Aaron died and was buried .

We also saw the remains of an ancient temple and the alter where sacrifices were brought

Alter at "high place" in Petra

 We enjoyed a ride out led by Bedouins on donkeys. We then visited a Bedouin family in their tent for tea. These shepherding families continue to live much like the Israelites lived in the wilderness.  They live because they know how to find water!

 The wilderness is all about water. Without water you die and die quickly.

Jordan wilderness & Dead Sea

Between the borders of Amon and Moab in current day Jordan is a gorge called Arnon. This is mentioned several times in the Bible and actually became the most southern boundary of the tribe of Reuben. With water from a spring miles away it flows deep through the gorge.

 We walked, climbed, helped one another and made our way as far up and we could go without climbing gear. It was an experience of Christian community at it best where we all needed one another to get to where we wer going.

From the top of Mt. Nebo Moses looked out on the Promised Land. Israel had made it up all the way to the plains of Moab to the Jordan River. From here Moses climbed back up the mountain where at the age of 120 he would die and the Lord buried him.  Mt. Nebo is in Jordan near the NE corner of the Dead Sea.

View from Mt. Nebo toward the Promised Land

 On the way from there George stopped at a grape vineyard on a hillside. After we hiked up he taught from John 15 about the vine and branches. About "cutting off" the branches with no fruit which can also be translated "lifting up".  This was a practice done in vineyard that were not on a trellis but grew free across the ground. The branch would be lifted up off the ground and supported with a stone. How are we lifting each other up rather then cutting each other off? What kind of fruit are we bearing?

"if a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit"

 Egypt! Land of Food - the breadbasket of the Middle East because of the Nile River.

Land of many gods, BIG temples. Big to make you feel small. Big so you will know that this God is big and powerful. The Israelites spent 400 years here. Why did they not return to Cannan after the famine was over. Did they fall in love with the wealth and prosperity of Egypt? Life in Egypt was good....until a Pharaoh came who "did not know Joseph". Yet even in slavery Israel forgot God. Listen to Ezequiel 20.8 "But they rebelled against me and would not listen to me; they did not get rid of the vile images they had set their eyes on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in Egypt. Egypt is full of images in fact the walls of every temple are covered with images we call hieroglyphics 

Even in slavery there was food and water in Egypt. Compair that to the pictures of the Judea and Jordan deserts above.  We do not read our Bibles understanding the importance of Egypt in the history of God's people. Being there helped me to "see with my eyes" in new ways.  We too can love the things of Egypt rather than the things of God and what we love then becomes our god and traps us as well in slavery.

Egypt- A land of plenty - At least along the Nile 

Sahara Desert away from Nile

"He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters"

 Making bricks: From mud, manure and straw just like the Israelites made them. Since it never rains in this part of Egypt the dried bricks will make a dry house. We mixed the mud, manure and straw with our hands.....the brickmaker with his feet... and set it in a mold.  Profound! Making bricks while you have food and water or the wilderness without food or water but with God. What would you choose?

 We sailed and swam and prayed in the Nile. It dosen't flood anymore since the dams built in Aswan but it is still a source of life. The Israelites lived in Goshen which was the most fertile part of Egypt in the Nile delta.

Praying and saying the "Shama" in the Nile

No - thats not Indiana Jones

We visited the Valley of the Kings where King Tut as well as 30 other Pharaoh's tombs are. They went to elaborate expense to hid them but they were still robbed and raided even soon after their death. As soon as Pharaoh became Pharaoh - a man/god he began thinking about and preparing for his death. The tombs are carved out of the rock of the mountains and included storage rooms for all they would need in the afterlife.
The Valley of the Kings are the New Kingdom from the 1600 - 1100 BC.   The Pyramids are Old Kingdom from 3000 BC.
No, the Israelites did not build the pyramids...they were 1000 years old when Abraham went to Egypt.

Our trip conclude with many reflections on all we have seen and heard. Daily we would recite the Shema in Hebrew and English.

Shema Israel, Adonai elohenu, Adonai echad, 

Ve'ahavta et Adonai eloeikah,

b'khol levavkah,

uve'khol naphshekah,

uve'khol m'odekah.

Ve'ahavta re acha comocha.

Hear O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone, 

love the Lord your God

with all your heart,

with all your soul,

and with all your strength!

Love your neighbor as yourself. 

(Deut 6:4,5 & Lev 19:18)

We have seen with our eyes and heard with our ears. The question is now how we will tell and share what God has shown us. As I near the end of my sabbatical and prepare to return to Madison Ave. and ministry in Paterson this is God's question to me.

 Our Rabbi/ Pastor George DeJong was a faithful leader, teacher, challenger, rebuker and friend. He was a good rabbi to follow. I would encourage any of you reading this to consider taking a Biblical Study trip with him in the future...but just remember to prepare you...because when he says... "Lets go..." its time to follow the Rabbi.

Here is a photo of our whole group taken by Eric Scrotenboer. We were diverse, from many backgrounds and denominations, from 19 - over 70 and coming from all parts of the US and of course George is Canadian. We praise God for each other.