Day 04 - From Wilderness to Promise

Today we said goodbye to Jordan.

We crossed through the Arava Valley, moving from one side of the biblical story to the other, from wilderness memory toward fulfilled promise. The road itself felt intentional, a corridor of transition that mirrors so much of the biblical narrative.

Our first stop in Israel was Timna Park.

This region formed part of the landscape through which the children of Israel wandered during their forty years in the wilderness. Long before Israel’s journey, the Egyptians had established a stronghold here, mining copper from the hills. These were some of the earliest industrial-scale copper mines in the ancient world, reminding us that this land has always been contested, worked, and desired.

But the most striking feature today was not ancient mining.

It was the life-size replica of the tabernacle.

As we walked through the tabernacle, we were reminded of God’s deep desire to dwell with His people. This was not random design. It was a divine blueprint, a gracious invitation to draw near. Every space, every object, every movement told a story of holiness, access, and covenant.

For Israel, this was the center of their camp. For us, it is a powerful lens through which to see Christ. Jesus is the fulfillment of every element. The altar. The laver. The bread. The light. The veil. The presence. The Ark.

At creation, God said, I will create the world, and humanity will fill it.

At Sinai, God reversed the rhythm. He said, You create a space, and I will fill it.

The same is true in our lives.

When we create space for God, He fills it.

The tabernacle stands as a reminder of God’s covenant faithfulness, His relentless pursuit of His people, and His desire for relationship, not distance.

From Timna, we drove north through the Land toward the Dead Sea. Along the way, we reflected on the geography of Scripture. Deserts shape dependence. Roads determine movement. Rivers define boundaries. Valleys become corridors of travel and trade. Geography gives birth to roads, roads give birth to cities, and cities become the stages where the biblical story unfolds.

These are the places we will now walk. The cities we will journey through. The landscapes that shaped prophets, kings, disciples, and apostles.

Our prayer is simple. That as we step into the world of the Bible, the words of the Bible would ignite within us, and our hearts would burn like the disciples on the road to Emmaus.

We ended the day floating in the Dead Sea, effortlessly held by the water, watching as the mountains of Edom cast long shadows across the surface. As the sun slipped below the horizon, the pace slowed, the noise faded, and our hearts found rest.

We were finally standing in the Land once called Promise.

And the journey is only beginning.

Shalom,

Jerrell