Israel's Long History

One of the amazing things about the Holy Land is their long history. In the United States, most historic sites tell stories from only a hundred or two hundred years ago, and the most ancient sites only go back five hundred years. It is therefore amazing when I go to Israel where “new” can be five hundred years old and it is common to stand at the location of events which go back 3,000 years or more.

The view from Old Joppa to New Tel Aviv

In my class about Israel this week I introduced people to the city of Joppa, which was an ancient port of arrival into the Holy Land. At least one history records that Joppa was founded and took its name from Japeth, the son of Noah. Japheth left home after the flood and founded this seaside community because of its beauty (Joppa means beautiful).

A New book on Israel

Upon thinking about Japheth’s founding of Joppa, I began to think of other stories I read about Israel for one of my latest books, Israel: Stories for Your Journey. The residents of Gezer, located only twenty miles from Joppa, claim that Noah lived on the hilltop of their city. It is claimed that Noah’s wife, his daughter, and also Adam’s wife Eve baked bread in an oven near the city.

The Cavernous water source at Gezer

Walks in Israel can be walks through history, if you listen to the stories. Everyone wants a piece of the action and to tell a familiar tale about the past. Did Japheth really found Joppa? Did Noah live in Gezer? Did Eve bake bread in the cavernous hole near Gezer’s city gate? Probably not, but the stories are fun, and the reality of the matter is that people have lived in Joppa and atop the hill at Gezer for a very long time.

Shepherds of Greatness

This week in the devotional Advent Journeys we move to the fields outside Bethlehem. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live as a shepherd? There is more to the life than just following sheep. Take a look at the devotions this week, you can explore for free if you are an Amazon Prime member. I think you will enjoy the adventures of the Shepherds.

The Bible has a lot to say about shepherds. The first shepherd in the Bible (and we can assume the man who domesticated sheep) was Abel. His work, his heart of faith, and his offering pleased God. God’s love for Abel was seen by all (but there were not many people in the world at that time), and was displeasing to Abel’s brother Cain.

The Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Jacob’s sons were all shepherds. They developed large flocks, enjoyed great prosperity and developed quite a reputation as businessmen. Some of their neighbors were not too keen on their success. The Philistines stopped up their wells and attempted to get them to move, but God protected the Hebrew people.

Moses took up shepherding at the age of forty after a tragedy made a move necessary to sof ha’olam smola (סוף העולם שמאלה). Moses possibly learned the basics of shepherding through leadership training in Egypt in the school of Pharaoh. On the back side of the desert Moses met his wife, saw a burning bush and received his call to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt. (Who ever said Shepherding is boring?)

In an opposite way a shepherd boy named David received training to become King of all Israel through his leadership of sheep. (I wonder if there is a similarity between dumb sheep and a nation full of people). David learned bravery through protecting his sheep. He learned to sing and compose music either through necessity because of the vastness and emptiness of the Judean wilderness or through the constant bleating of the sheep. The solitude of the desert also taught David to worship God.

Shepherds are a unique group of people who carry a huge responsibility. This week we will join the shepherds as they live out their responsibilities and carry out their duties. Please, join the reading!

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