Granite and wind

Today was bittersweet because it was our last day in Egypt. We started the morning by boarding river taxis and heading down the Nile from Aswan further south. The weather was sunny and warm and the Nile river waters were clear and sparkling. We arrived at Elephantine Island, a name which comes from the shapes of the rocks in there but also because it was a trade center for many things including elephant tusks.

We disembarked our river taxis and climbed up stairs to the center of the island, which is still an active archaeological site. This island was the center for the worship of the deity called Khnum, the creator God who is depicted in the form of a ram. We even saw the remains of a Jewish temple from this area which was destroyed and rebuilt in 410 BC. Jonathan explained how there was a rivalry because the temple of the deity was directly across from the Jewish synagogue; the worshipers of Khnum did not appreciate the Jewish priests making animal sacrifices of rams. The other fascinating thing about the synagogue was to learn that these were some of the people to whom Jeremiah wrote his old testament word!

This morning Jonathan described the passage of Jeremiah chapter 44 when the Jews were warned but respond with a statement of rebellion: “As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord, we will not listen to you.” As shocking as that sounds, we are guilty of the same rebellion in our own hearts!

We made a quick stop at a quarry on the way back to our cruise boat. Aswan is known for its export of red granite, from ancient times until today. In this granite quarry we were able to see the “unfinished obelisk.” Several days ago we saw an obelisk designed by Queen Hatshepsut (female Pharaoh) which was 62 feet high. If this one has been completed, it would’ve been the largest in the world at approximately 90 feet tall and 1200 tons, one solid piece of granite! People still marvel today at how such massive stones were cut, designed and delivered!

This afternoon we enjoyed lunch, a brief faith lesson with Jonathan, then a late afternoon sunset boat ride in an Egyptian sailboat which is called a felucca. The water and the scenery were beautiful. Unfortunately there was not enough wind and we had to get towed by a river taxi back to our dock! We had some laughs joking about breathing in the exhaust fumes!

Tonight we will have an early dinner and early bedtime as we have to rise very early to catch our flight to Jordan. Pray for us as we transition to a new country and continue to learn with the Lord has for us and minister to each other.

“Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy! For the Lord, the Most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth. He subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet. He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob whom he loves. God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm! God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne. The princes of the peoples gather as the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; he is highly exalted!”

ESV 9-47:1 Psalms