What do these sites have in common? Oh I don't know, I guess they are all mentioned in the Old Testament.
We hiked up a hill to the top of Tel Azekah (1 Sam 17, Joshua 10:11) which was in biblical times a very defensible city high on a hill. Sargon, the King of Assyria attempted to take this city during the reign of King Hezekiah but was unsuccessful. At one point the Philistines controlled this post, and would have been stationed here looking down on the Elah Valley when the Philistines and Israelites met in the valley for battle. The Philistines challenged the Israelites to send their strongest man against the Philistines strongest man, Goliath. Sadly the Israelites (lead at the time by King Saul) gave into fear, showing a lack of trust in Yahweh the God of Israel. David who was just a young shepherd at the time, not even a soldier, was appalled to hear what Goliath and the Philstines were saying about the God of Israel. He was not angered that Goliath was offending Israel but he was angered that Goliath was offending the Lord and that the men of Israel would do nothing to stop him. They were fearing man rather than God. Because David feared God alone and put his trust firmly in Him, he did not hesitate to go against Goliath. He gave God all the credit for the defeat of Goliath, saying in 1 Samuel 17: 37, "The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And he said to Goliath in verse 46-47, "This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands.”
The photos show an over look of the Elah Valley and the area where this event took place. The second picture shows the now dry Brook of Elah where David picked up the 5 smooth stones he gathered to use against Goliath.
We hiked up a hill to the top of Tel Azekah (1 Sam 17, Joshua 10:11) which was in biblical times a very defensible city high on a hill. Sargon, the King of Assyria attempted to take this city during the reign of King Hezekiah but was unsuccessful. At one point the Philistines controlled this post, and would have been stationed here looking down on the Elah Valley when the Philistines and Israelites met in the valley for battle. The Philistines challenged the Israelites to send their strongest man against the Philistines strongest man, Goliath. Sadly the Israelites (lead at the time by King Saul) gave into fear, showing a lack of trust in Yahweh the God of Israel. David who was just a young shepherd at the time, not even a soldier, was appalled to hear what Goliath and the Philstines were saying about the God of Israel. He was not angered that Goliath was offending Israel but he was angered that Goliath was offending the Lord and that the men of Israel would do nothing to stop him. They were fearing man rather than God. Because David feared God alone and put his trust firmly in Him, he did not hesitate to go against Goliath. He gave God all the credit for the defeat of Goliath, saying in 1 Samuel 17: 37, "The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And he said to Goliath in verse 46-47, "This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands.”The photos show an over look of the Elah Valley and the area where this event took place. The second picture shows the now dry Brook of Elah where David picked up the 5 smooth stones he gathered to use against Goliath.
These next photos show Mount Carmel, where another man who feared God rather than man contended against enemies of God. Mount Carmel is lush, green and just plain beautiful! It was on this open area on the Mount Carmel that the prophet Elijah contended with the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:20-40) and God showed Himself to be the one and only Almighty God. Elijah then destroyed the wicked prophets of Baal (as depicted in the statue there today).
"Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that You, O Lord, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again." Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The Lord, He is God; the Lord, He is God.” 1 Kings 18: 37-39
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| View from Beth Shemesh towards Timnah |
This final set of pictures are the home lands of a man who did not fear and obey God as he should have for most of his life and yet God still used him to judge the nation of Israel and begin to deliver Israel from the hands of their enemies--the Philistines (Judges 13). He is even mentioned in Hebrews being noted for the faith he had in the Lord. At the end of his life, Samson obeyed God, asking Him in faith to restore his strength that he might fulfill his purpose. These ruins are Beth Shemesh which was the home-town of Samson. He would have traveled from here to Timnah where he fell in love with his Philistine girlfriend. It was in the area between here and Timnah that he killed the lion with his bare hands and caught the foxes, tying their tails together! Judges 15:3-5
Beth Shemesh is mentioned in several books of the Old Testament. It was in Beth Shemesh that the Lord struck down the of that city men who had improperly and disrespectfully looked upon the Ark of the Covenant. (1 Samuel 6). The people were in awe and fear and so they sent the Ark away from them to be held up at Kiriath-Jearim (mentioned in an earlier post).
Seeing these places where some of the greatest people in the Old Testament lived and died was quite awe-inspiring. I loved that our guide, Dr. Grisanti reminded us throughout the trip that God uses normal people who live faithfully before Him for great purposes in His kingdom. It was a good reminder to me that even though I will most likely never be well known for much of anything, I can still be used in great ways as I am living in trust and obedience before the Lord, taking every opportunity to love His people and faithfully magnify Him. Regardless of where God takes me, and whatever situation I am in, Lord may I be found faithful.
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| Overlook of Jezreel Valley from Mt Carmel |
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