DAY TWO: THE NEGEV – THE WILDERNESS OF ZIN
I was a little nervous about our agenda for today. Today we needed to be prepared for a hike…not a walk, mind you, but a HIKE! I think many of us were a little worried about how we would survive the desert heat today as we prepared ourselves for a strenuous hike up the wilderness canyon of ZIN!
But first, we began our day atop Tel Arad. Tel Arad is a high place in the Negev where the Canaanites built a city and later the Israeli’s built a fortress with a holy temple (gasp!). Thinking it was too far to travel to Jerusalem for the annual feasts and worship festivals, they built their own temple and sacrificial altars. This was displeasing to God.
We talked about syncretistic worship and how we often worship false ideals or objects while seeking to simultaneously worship the One True God.
It was a good reminder to all of us that we must keep a vigilant watch over our lives and make sure that we are not putting a person, place or thing on the throne where God is rightfully seated. I have seen a lot of idol worship on my walks throughout the Old City of Jerusalem. Many people come here to touch the places where Jesus walked or where He died and was buried. They seem to be seeking a connection with the Lord through these objects that they kiss or weep over. Indeed, it is very moving to stand in the places where Jesus stood and walk the streets where He walked. It is also powerful to stand up on the temple platform where the temple was located and where Jesus taught. But I am so thankful that my connection with God Almighty is not through the relics of ancient history, but through His Living Spirit that resides in my very being. Whereever I go, He is with me. And while I’m thrilled to be exploring His Holy Hometown – I know that He will accompany me back to mine next week. It is not the sites here that are holy – it is me who is wholly set apart unto Him, and therefore made Holy by His spirit within me. 🙂
From Tel Arad we went on to BeerSheva. This was another place where a four horned altar was set up for unauthorized sacrifices to the Lord. 2 Kings 23 records the time when Josiah and the high priests from Jerusalem when through this land and tore down all the high places of worship that were displeasing to God. This is also the place where Abraham entered into a covenant with Abimelech in Genesis 21:22-32. The history here is so rich and spans so many years of Biblical narrative.
Finally we arrived at the bottom of a deep canyon…the wilderness of Zin. The moment of trepidation was here at last. But…guess what? This was the highlight of the day for me!
Only pictures can tell the story of this beautiful canyon that we climbed. We had to go up stairs that were cut into the canyon walls and hold onto handholds that were welded onto the stone cliffs.
At one point we just had a steel ladder in front of us to climb. High above us a Ibex watched us navigate the steep terrain…but OH! THE VIEW!! We worshipped God for his magnificent creation. We praised Him for the glory of this desert oasis amidst the deep canyon here in the midst of the desert wilderness. And of course – we celebrated our victory in making it to the very top where our cool air-conditioned bus was ready to welcome us and carry us back to our youth hostel in Arad. Ahhh….
- Can you see the Ibex on the rocks?
Mary Ann Noack 