Day 01 - Shephelah: Yad Hashmonah (garden), Beth Shemesh, Azekah, Caves of Adullam, Beersheba

Today, we started our journey within a garden. Well, techniquely we started by waking up in a hotel in Jerusalem. But, our first stop was a garden in Kiriath Jearim which is the town where the Ark of the Covenant rested for 20 years before David brought it back to Jerusalem (1 Samuel 4-7:2). Here, we spoke about a major topic of the Bible - our sight. Sight is a funny thing because it all depends on our view point. At first we had the perfect viewpoint, but the fall has skewed it. 

We understood this better when we went to our next stop of Beth Shemesh where the story of Samson happened. This story is marked by the phrase “right in my eyes” (Judges 14). It took losing his sight to help him see that his strength came from the Lord and have enough faith to do God’s will. (Judges 16). Our journey of sight continued as we made our way through the valleys and up the ancient tel (city) of Azekah. We had the perfect view of where David would have stood before Goliath (1 Samuel 17). This story reminds us what it means to live our faith by viewing the world through God instead of viewing God through the world (18:23-24). The three men we studied where Goliath, Saul, and David. Goliath enveloped courage in fearful situations by having faith in himself. Saul faced his fears by bribing others to do his job, but David faced his fears because he knew courage comes from God. He had courage because he was willing to oppose those who dishonor God. Courage is a result of faith. Faith is a result of a correct viewpoint. 

After a yummy lunch break of some pita bread sandwiches, we headed south to the caves of Adullam. This was a refuge for David while hiding from Saul. For a decade, David was in a season of waiting for God’s promises while hiding. While here, David wrote Psalm 57 and 142. At times, this was a dark season, but David complains to God in a way that led to faith instead of doubt. He knows who his true refuge is and turns to God in times of anxiety and trouble. Our last spot for the day was far south. While in Be-er Sheva, we learned about a man who was credited with righteousness due to his faith. Even at the age of 75, Abraham believed the promise God made him even though he felt the odds where sacked against him. By 99, Abraham hadn’t received a single promise but that changes toward the end of his life by receiving Issac (seed), building a well in Be-er Sheba (land), and planting a tree (dominion) (Genesis 21). Our sight can affect our faith, we see that through the Bible. Ultimately, though, our faith should be so well rooted in God that it affects our sight so that our faith is our reaction to all circumstance.