God not only provided for them, but he also dwelt with them.

Today was definitely an eye opener of how much God loves us and cares for us. I had the opportunity to hike and study in the Makhtesh Ramon, which is the wilderness of Zin where God’s chosen people, Israel, wandered in the wilderness for 40 years.

Just to give you a visual, the land was not a land that a person would want to spend more than a day in. It is fully exposed to the sun all day long, there is no water, it is dry (very dry) and there is hardly any vegetation or wildlife. How would a person be able to survive out here? I was thinking that most of the day in my dri-fit clothing, while carrying my backpack full of snacks and water. Not only did a person do this, but the entire nation of Israel, numbering in approximately 2 million people, lived like this for 40 years! They had cattle and all their belongings with them, too. Their clothing was made out of animal skin, not the best choice for a life in the desert. They had nothing to confide in other than God’s Word- that He would provide water and food for them- which He constantly did, over and over again. God not only provided for them, but he also dwelt with them because He loved them and cared for them. He guided and provided for them in a land of nothingness, much like a wasteland.

We then loaded onto the bus and ended up at Masada, which was a powerful location that was essential in the international trade, along the King’s Highway. Masada is located near the Dead Sea and is on the top of a mountain that has a flat top. This place is ideal because there was only one way into the city and one way out. This provided for easy protection. This area was definitely a land people desires possession of, from an economical standpoint, because that it was frequently traveled and they could demand taxes and supplies from those traveling through. We also learned about when Herod ruled over this area and how he made decisions like- building three palaces in the area- simply because he could. We learned that, even though he had three palaces, there was evidence to show that he only visited the area once. The hike to the top was tough and took about an hour to reach the top, but the view and impact of our lessons were so worth it!

The day ended with a swim in the Dead Sea, with our group covered in mud. Getting to sit in the Text and learn about the Word of God, where some of it actually happened, is changing my life. My prayer is that through this experience, others will be impacted through the way God is changing my life and making Himself evident! I’m looking for to another day of sitting in the Text!

-Kolby Friday