Judean Wilderness

The Wilderness closely guards its harsh deadly secrets, in a strange way it portraits a somber beauty especially as it boarders the Dead Sea. A deadly oasis that would leave its guests to die slowly of thirst. The Judean Wilderness is located along the Rift Valley extends from Mt. Hermon though two thirds of the continent of Africa, the Judean desert receives little direct rainfall and formed by earthquakes , floods, and the other elements of erosion. Throughout the turbulent history of the Land of Israel, whenever people fled civilization, the wilderness of the Judean desert became the ideal place to hide. It's no accident that many of the events recorded in the Bible take place in this relatively desolate, but uniquely beautiful region. Here David fled the wrath of Saul, Elijah the Prophet found refuge in its caves and the Essenes escaped Hellenistic domination of Jerusalem. Here the Zealots made their final, desperate last stand against the might of Rome. It is mountainous. It is almost completely devoid of any vegetation. It boasts an annual rainfall of less than 2 inches. Still, it is the home of nomadic Bedouin families whose lifestyles remain almost unchanged over several tousand years. It is perhaps the most striking terrestrial feature of this small, but geographically varied land. It is the Wilderness of Judea. Seeing the land brings to sharp focus various events which transpired in Bible history. From the wanderings of the Israelites in similar rugged terrain, to the temptation of Jesus before he began his public ministry, the Wilderness holds a position of drama in Bible history. John the Baptist was a rugged and severe man. His personal appearance and demeanor mirrored that of the land from which he came. Much like the prophets of old, his was a message of repentance. When he saw the insincere Pharisees and Sadducees approach, he did not in any way spare their feelings as he called them to repentance (Matthew 3:4-12). The wilderness of Judea was the site of Jesus' temptation by the Devil (Matthew 1-11, Jesus must have suffered immensely during his fast. Not only was He deprived of food and water for 40 days and 40 nights, but He also wandered about, on foot, in some of the most desolate and harsh country on earth. And yet, He resisted the devil. He serves as our perfect example, and a worthy sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 4:15-16). It is the Wilderness of Judea. Seeing the land brings to sharp focus various events which transpired in Bible history. From the wanderings of the Israelites in similar rugged terrain, to the temptation of Jesus before he began his public ministry, the Wilderness holds a position of drama in Bible history. John the Baptist was a rugged and severe man. His personal appearance and demeanor mirrored that of the land from which he came. Much like the prophets of old, his was a message of repentance. When he saw the insincere Pharisees and Sadducees approach, he did not in any way spare their feelings as he called them to repentance (Matthew 3:4-12).