More on the Promised Land

When I was at Jerusalem University College, Dr. Paul Wright presented a very different, but meaningful, idea of the Promised Land than I had before heard or considered.  God describes the Promised Land to the Israelites as "a land flowing with milk and honey" (first in Ex. 3:8), which usually makes us Westerners think of all the good things in life, and plenty of them!

Shepherding: A view from our apartment in Amman--isn't it great that you can see flocks of sheep in the middle of a large city?

The lands of Israel and Jordan are pastoral: "milk" indicates the numerous sheep and goats (or "shoats," as Owen calls them) and the life of shepherding; while "honey" indicates date palms and fig trees, from which honey is derived, and the life of agriculture.  Still sounds good, yes?  But these are hard "professions" when you think about it.  Shepherding involves long days under the hot sun; long, cold nights; danger from animals and marauders; sometimes insufficient food or water...Tending agriculture also involves long, hot days; dependence on weather for successful crop growth; danger from animals and marauders (Matt. 21:33--why else would they need a watchtower?); back-breaking work...In both cases, it's a life of dependence on God, who sustains all.  

Agriculture: also right outside our building. 

To borrow an idea from Rabbi Hirsch from his The Pentateuch – Translation and Commentary, (Judaica Press, Gateshead, 1982):

(the below excerpt is also found in this article)

It is very characteristic that the abundance of produce by “zov” only occurs in reference to Eretz Yisrael (the land of Israel)… In Tanach, the word zov never means overflowing. It occurs mainly to describe a human pathological condition, and otherwise as a flowing forth caused by miraculous power…“Eretz zavas…” (land flowing) does not seem to describe a land that develops the abundance in accordance with its natural fertility, but a land that only does this under special conditions. Palestine is a hard land… which can only blossom and flourish “under the continuous special care of G-d for it, from one end of the year to the other.” When it gets water, it blossoms luxuriously. But it only gets the water from above. It is a land that makes it necessary for its inhabitants to be good.

Thorns are plentiful in this hard land.

That pretty much sums it up...though I might prefer to change that last word "good" to "redeemed."

It IS a hard land.  The geographical area today referred to as Israel and Jordan is called by some scholars the "land between"--because it is directly "between" all the major powers of the ancient world.  Thus, it was traversed heavily and caught in the crossfires of warring countries, fought over, and often even at war itself.  It is hilly, rocky, and dry in many places, cultivated only by hard work and divine intervention.  The idea of it being an "easy" land to exist in just doesn't compute when you experience the land itself.  But under God's blessing, it becomes indeed a beautiful land, a promised land.
  
I still definitely think of the Promised Land as a positive place.  At the very least, the Israelites must have been tired of traveling and thrilled to settle their own land.  And when something is YOURS, though it be un-ideal, it is infinitely better than more amazing places that aren’t yours…which brings us back to the theme of belonging and place.  It is also a very positive thing to live in dependence on your Creator and to live in the fulfillment of His promises to you, even if that brings your way  adversity instead of abundance.

Prelude to The Promised Land

I stumbled across this painting a few weeks ago, and fell in love with it immediately.  I'm still not even entirely sure what it is about it that demands my favorable attention...But it also makes me curious because of its title: "The Promised Land."  What about this painting represents the Promised Land?

My mild attempt to study the painting as a result of this question has led me to these observations:

• The painting is...exotic, vibrant, fluid, and teeming with life.
• It contains hidden symbols in the low center: 
• The Star of David has 6 points which symbolize God's authority over the entire universe (the 6 points of north, south, east, west, up, and down).  The star is made up of 2 interlocking triangles, which, among other things, represent God's communal relationship with His people.  (Click the "Star of David" link above for an article with more interesting symbolism!)  This symbol speaks loudly to the Jewishness of the painting. 
• There are three ankh symbols.  The ankh is the "key of life" and is the Egyptian hieroglyph that represents eternal life.  The number three, in Jewish tradition, represents holiness (look through your Bible for this number--it may be enlightening!).
• The infinity symbol "houses" the other symbols and (per Wikipedia) indicates "a quantity without bound or end."  The symbol could also be interpreted as the number eight, which in Jewish tradition symbolizes new beginnings, the return of the Messiah, and creation's restoration to its original perfection.  To indulge a bunny trail...People ask me all the time why, historically, Christians began worshiping on Sunday (the 8th day, the first day of the new week) instead of the Biblically encouraged 7th day.  I never had a good answer, because I never really bothered to research it properly.  Anyway, according to this article, early Christians chose the eighth day, the first day of the new week, specifically and intentionally because it represents the new covenant established by Jesus' death and resurrection.  I like that...a lot.  (I like the Biblical reasons for worshiping on the 7th day, too, but I think the main point is that we are worshiping.)
• At the center of the infinity symbol, of eternal life, is love (notice the heart).
• There are lots of eyes...eyes on birds, eyes on fish, eyes on butterflies, eyes on peacock feathers.  The whole painting seems to watching.  It brings to mind 2 Chronicles 16:9--"For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him..." And Psalm 33:18-19--"But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine."
• Even while the painting overall is bright and hopeful, the background fades away into darkness, danger, instability...like the whole painting is one gusty breath away from being displaced or scattered to the wind.  Or like being one disobedient act away from being scattered to the ends of the earth?  (It IS a Jewish painting, after all.)
• There are fish, a staple food in Israel.  There are date palms, from which comes honey.  There are butterflies, which can symbolize resurrection, new life, freedom, etc.  (Apparently it's also a symbol of the Holocaust because of a poem a Jewish man wrote at that time.)  The center of the most prominent flower seems (to me) to be filled with pomegranate seeds, a symbol of fertility and potentially eternal life.  I found this really cool blog that has a fantastic discussion on pomegranates, if you're interested!  
• There is Hebrew writing in the top right...I would love to have a bigger/clearer copy of this print to see what it says--so curious!
• Please share your own observations!

How to make all of these disparate ideas cohesive?

The Promised Land is a real, physical place in which God reigns supremely and is supremely responsible for sustaining all life.  It is a place where God embraces reciprocal relationship with His people.  It is place where the Lord watches over all in love and in holiness and offers new beginnings and eternal life.  It is a fragile existence, that needs to be maintained. 

But wait--there's more...(tomorrow).

Desert Wanderings (Part 1)

We rented a car this past weekend (sweet freedom!!), and frantically used every spare second of it.  Friday, we wandered the desert...probably my favorite geographical area in all of the Middle East (whether Israel side or Jordan side, both are equally amazing).  The desert...it reminds me of God, in that it cannot be captured or described, but its raw power leaves you gaping in awe and wonder, and its stunning beauty encompasses you in loving warmth so that all you can think about is its very self.  Words escape me for describing this amazing place; and unfortunately, words must escape the camera too, since it simply cannot capture the majesty. 

Here's an attempt, anyway.

Every time I visit the desert, I cannot help but ruminate over the ancient Israelites wandering around the very same region and what it must have been like for them.  Things are very different today, with roads and vehicles and frequent rest areas with food and refreshments.  I'm sure the landscape has changed some, too, but much of it also is similar to those long-past days.  I find the desert to be beautiful and welcoming, probably primarily because I know that I don't have to face its harshness: food and water are plentiful, I can travel by air-conditioned car, and when I am tired of it, I can return to my comfortable home.  I don't have to deal with inescapable, suffocatingly hot days, or worry about the lack of life-sustaining water, or the hazards of scorpions or snakes, or unwelcoming people groups, or the lack of food, or inhospitable environment, or any number of things they must have faced. 

Not to mention that they had left a rather comfortable home in Egypt where everything they could need or want was abundant, and out here, they were essentially homeless.  They had been in Egypt for 430 years--it was all they had ever known.  Sure, they were heading to the Promised Land, and sure, their extended wanderings were their own sinful fault...but I tend to think, if I were in their shoes, I would have complained just as severely.  Even though they were slaves in Egypt, they had gotten comfortable, and it's hard when you're comfortable (even if it's in a bad place) to have to move on to a new place.  While they traveled and wandered, they were aliens in a foreign land, so God reminded them frequently, "Do not oppress an alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens..." (Ex. 23:9).  I myself have felt a deepened compassion for foreigners and immigrants in my own homeland after being one myself; it's hard to not belong.

So, that was a long introduction to get to my main thought...Along our drive we found a beautiful beach on the northern shore of the Dead Sea, and I wondered:  After wandering for generations through THIS...

 ...what must it have felt like to trudge over yet one more summit, and see THIS...

It must've felt too-good-to-be-true, life-saving, angels-singing-Hallelujah miraculous!  Even up close, doesn't the water just draw you in like the Sirens of ancient Greek lore?  I, for one, wanted to throw all to the wind and immerse myself in the crystal waters!  And then how their hearts must have sunk when they realized how brackish the water really is, and how it stings and burns any orifice.  Maybe it didn't happen like that, I'm just musing...but it reminds me of a similar story in Exodus 15:22ff. 

I have said too much, and only covered one stop along our travels.  More to come tomorrow...

The Lord is Risen!

He is risen, indeed.

Sunrise over Madaba

View from Mt. Nebo looking East

We rose bright and early at 4:30 am for a beautiful sunrise Easter service on the summit of Mt. Nebo, overlooking the Jordan Valley below and Israel beyond.  The kids, amazingly, awoke with sweet, happy smiles.  The view was spectacular, especially since the usual haze of late had mostly lifted. At the foot of Mt. Nebo is the geographical area referred to as the "Plains of Moab," the final Transjordan camping place of the Israelites before they entered the Promised Land to conquer Jericho (which can be seen directly across the valley).  The Plains of Moab are mentioned in Numbers 22ff, when the Moabites out of fear of the Israelites "hired" the prophet Balaam to put a curse on them.  Interestingly, some texts of Balaam son of Beor were found at the nearby site Deir-Alla.  You can read more about that here.  It was also on these plains where Moab seduced Israel into worshiping Baal and brought the Lord's punishment; and it was on these plains that God, via Moses, gave the Israelites one last "pep talk" and instructions for what they were to do upon entering the Promised Land (more discussion on the Promised Land in future posts--stay tuned!).  So much rich, interesting history to ponder while gazing at this landscape!

Plains of Moab: the flat, green area in the center of photo

People still camp out in the Plains to this day!

In the service, the message partially discussed the bronze snake of Numbers 21:4-9 as related to John 3:14-15.  Such a simple yet powerful and relevant story...To state it breifly: The Israelites behaved badly (sin), were punished (snake bites leading to death), repented, and were offered redemption (life!) if they looked in faith upon the bronze snake which Moses lifted up on a pole.  We, similarly, have behaved badly (sin), face punishment (death, both physical and spiritual), but if we repent are offered redemption (eternal life!) if we look in faith upon Jesus, who was lifted up on a tree when He died to pay the penalty for our sin.  To quote John: "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life."  Imagine if, way back then, someone was fatally bitten by a venomous snake, and had a chance to live, but needlessly died because they did not want to look at the exalted bronze serpent...How tragic!  Imagine if, today, we have a chance to live, but needlessly die because we do not want to look at the exalted Jesus...How tragic, indeed!

Jack, painting eggs

so pretty!

We had a fun egg hunt

The Easter basket I wove for Jack out of palm fronds

Happy Easter!