Wilderness

SLIDE 1 We are supposed to be looking at the 23rd Psalm this evening. However, I want to take a short detour. Instead of preaching on Psalm 23, SLIDE 2 I want to teach a lesson on the Judean wilderness, which is sometimes translated as “desert.”

When we talk about the Judean wilderness, we’re talking about the region to the south and east of Jerusalem. SLIDE 3 When you think about the desert, like me you may picture rolling hills of sand. SLIDE 4 There are those deserts, but those are much further south in the Arabian Peninsula. The Judean wilderness is much less sandy and much rockier. SLIDE 5 The Judean wilderness is mountainous and even though it’s difficult to see anything growing, there is vegetation. This evening I want to talk about the terrain, the water, and some of the vegetation. Then I want to make some applications for our lives.

Were you to travel through the wilderness, one of your first concerns would be water. You’ve got to be able to carry it or find it and in the wilderness there’s not an abundant source. Other than carrying in your own water, there are three sources of water. The first is rain. However, it doesn’t rain often and when it does, the ground is so hard that it quickly runs off forming flash floods. SLIDE 6 The rain runs off into deep a ravines or wadis. I’ve heard that if you’re in a wadi when there’s a flash flood the sound of the water coming at you is like a freight train. At that point you’ve got less than a minute to get out which basically means you don’t have time and are going to get swept away. Imagine walling through this ravine and hearing the water coming at you. You can’t climb out, it’s too steep. All you can do is try to outrun it. I’ve got a video that shows what happens when it rains.

FLASH FLOOD VIDEO

SLIDE 7 As I said, it doesn’t rain often. What they learned to do is capture the rain in cisterns or deep wells. You may be familiar with Masada. It was a fortress built by Herod the Great several miles south of Jerusalem along the Dead Sea. It was built as a place to run to if Herod were attacked from the north. Being high in the mountain, it was virtually impenetrable. What is remarkable is it had several swimming pools with the main bath complex being the largest in Israel. In order to have water, they made channels in the mountain side to catch any rainfall in cisterns. SLIDE 8 It’s estimated that if the cisterns were only half full, there would be enough water to sustain thousands of people for ten years. This cistern would hold more than a million gallons of water. The only problem is after a while the water gets stale and dirty. But it is a source of water.

SLIDE 9 A third source of water is a spring. One of the most famous springs is the one at En Gedi. The name En Gedi means “Spring of the Deer.” When you look at that picture it’s hard to believe that it’s surrounded by dry wilderness. If you are traveling east, before you get to this spring you can’t see it. There is no sign of water anywhere. As you get closer you can start hearing the sound of the water fall. SLIDE 10 Then, as you approach you look down and there’s this oasis in the middle of nowhere.

When you read the term “living water” in the Bible it is referring to either the water that comes from a spring. It is fresh and flowing water as opposed to the stale water that’s stored in a cistern. In Psalm 63, we find this declaration by David. SLIDE 11

A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah. You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. (Psalm 63:1)

David is in the desert of wilderness of Judea and has had difficulty finding water. Then, he comes across a spring. Many think he was referring to En Gedi. He then compares God to the living water from that spring that refreshes him. Compare that to the complaint God makes against his people in the Book of Jeremiah. God says that he is living water but that his people have abandoned him for the water of the cisterns. SLIDE 12

My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water. (Jeremiah 2:13)

They could have fresh water, but they have chosen the stale water of a cistern. In the New Testament, we see Jesus picking up on this theme of living water. You’ll remember the conversation Jesus had with the woman at the well. After asking her for water, he later says: SLIDE 13

If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water. (John 4:10)

A few chapters later, Jesus is in Jerusalem with his disciples for the Feast of Tabernacles. At one point in the celebration as the people quietly thank God for proving them with water, Jesus stands up and proclaims that if anyone is thirsty they should come to him. What is surprising is that Jesus doesn’t say he will give them living water but that they living water will flow from them. SLIDE 14

Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. (John 7:38)

Jesus is saying that we will become a source of living water for others. Imagine walking through the wilderness. You’re hot and thirsty and suddenly coming upon the spring at En Gedi. Can you imagine how refreshing that would be? After some time cooling off and drinking to your fill, you’d be ready to for almost anything. Has there ever been a person in your life like that? You’ve been tired and feeling down, but after some time spent with them you feel refreshed and energized. Then, there are other people who if we’re around for very long just drain us of any energy. We should be like the first person for others. Jesus says that rivers of living water will flow from us.

SLIDE 15 It may not seem like much can grow in the wilderness, but the opposite is actually true. All those dark places in this picture are vegetation. What you don’t see is any trees. That’s why so one built with wood. They built with stone. There’s lots of rock. It also explains the complaint God made against his people in Haggai. God asks: SLIDE 16

Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin? (Haggai 1:4)

They were living in luxury while the temple was still a pile of rubble. While there aren’t many trees that grow in the wilderness, there are a few.

SLIDE 17 One of those trees is the tamarisk. While the tamarisk can grow wild, it is almost always planted by someone because it requires some cultivation. The foliage of the tree absorbs what little moisture is in the air. The shade the tree produces is said to be about 15% cooler than the air around it. Because it takes a little bit of work to grow, it’s not a tree you’ll just happen upon very often. Something else unusual about the tree is that it takes almost eighty years to reach full maturity. As a result, you do not plant a tamarisk tree for yourself or even for your children; you plant it that it might be enjoyed by your grandchildren.

In Genesis 21 we read about Abraham planting a tamarisk tree. Abraham had a dispute with Abimelech. Some of Abimelech’s servants had a well from Abraham. After the two men settled the matter we read: SLIDE 18

Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord , the Eternal God. (Genesis 21:33)

At this point Abraham is a hundred years old. He was definitely not planting the tree for his benefit or even for Isaac’s; he was planting it for his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

SLIDE 19 Rabbis will ask how many tamarisk tress have you planted. In other words, how many things have you done that will live beyond you and be a blessing for others? You aren’t doing these because you will enjoy the fruit of your labor but that future generation who might not even know you will enjoy them. How many things do you do that will be a blessing for your grandchildren? So much of what we do each day is for our own benefit and our own walk with God, but what are we doing for others? What are we doing that we might never see the benefit of?

When we read about Abraham planting that tamarisk tree we read over it and not think much about it. However, by planting the tree Abraham was making a statement of faith that his descendants would be in that land for a long time. He firmly believed that God had given him and his descendants that land and that they would be there to enjoy the tree when it matured.

SLIDE 20 Turn to Luke 15. I recently heard Dr. Randal Smith explain the parables in Luke 15. Actually, he says there is only one parable in Luke 15, not three. We talk about the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. But Dr. Smith says it’s actually one parable with three examples. If you’ll look at the text you’ll see that it only mentions one parable.

3 Then Jesus told them this parable. . . . (Luke 15:3)

Think of a pearl necklace with three pearls. It’s not about the individual pearls, but the necklace of which the pearls are a part. The truth Jesus is trying to teach will be found in the common denominator of all three stories which is joy. The reason for Jesus telling these stories is found in the first couple of verses.

1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 Then Jesus told them this parable. . . . (Luke 15:1-3)

Those people who weren’t interested in the services at the synagogue or worship at the temple were coming to Jesus. That was a good thing, but the religious leaders didn’t like it so Jesus told these three stories. The first was about a shepherd who lost one of his sheep. Even though he still had ninety-nine, he left them to go look for the one that was lost. And what did he do when he found it? He rejoiced.

Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.” (Luke 15:6b)

Something is lost, something is found, and what is the response? Joy! Jesus then applies the story saying:

I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. (Luke 15:7)

Next, Jesus tells the story of a woman who lost one of her ten coins. This was her life savings. The homes had small windows so they were dark with dark walls. The coins, which were made with copper, grow dark as time goes by. Finding it would be difficult, but she works hard looking for it. And what does she do when she find it? She rejoices.

And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.” (Luke 15:9)

Something is lost, something is found, and what is the response? Joy! Jesus again applies the story he’s told saying:

In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. (Luke 15:10)

Jesus then tells the story of the lost son, also referred to as the Parable of the Prodigal Son. The word prodigal refers to someone who spends lavishly without thought. Rudely and arrogantly, the younger son asks for his inheritance before his father has died. When he receives it, he leaves home and squanders it. Once his money is gone so are his friends. He’s finally reduced to feeding pigs – the worst job for a Jew. Being so hungry he eating the food he’s supposed to be feeding the pigs, he decides to go home, ask for forgiveness and to be made a slave – not a son but a slave – in his father’s house. Before he makes it to the door, his father sees him and runs to greet him.

We have been taught that this is the story. But what’s most important is not the actions of the younger son or the response of the father, it’s the reaction of the older son. The older son represents those religious leaders who in verse 2 complained when they saw tax collectors and sinners excitedly coming to hear Jesus teach. When he saw the rejoicing, he refused to participate and be glad.

The older brother became angry and refused to go in. (Luke 15:28a)

The conclusion is found in the final words of the father who says:

31 “My son,” the father said, “you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” (Luke 15:31-32)

Something was wrong with the older brother and hence the religious leaders because they refused to rejoice when something that was lost had been found. It is easy to lose the main focus of the gospel and forget – or maybe refuse – to rejoice. It’s easy to begin think that the main focus of the church is the church and goal is to make things comfortable for us. This is the way we like things. In reality, it’s not about us but about the lost. We need to make things comfortable for the lost so that they will feel welcome. It’s about making a difference in the world, not making a difference in this room. If all we do is gather together to make each other feel good but don’t encourage each other to go make a difference in the world we’ve forgotten our purpose. Our job is to reach out to help others come to know the God that we know and receive the salvation we have received through Jesus. As it has been said:

The Church is the only institution that exists primarily for the benefit of those who are not its members.

SLIDE 21 Another tree that grows in the Judean wilderness is the arar. We’d call it a bush. This is a pretty tree. Most of the plants are green, but like in the picture I’ve been showing of the wilderness, they are a dark green. The arar though, is a bright green. It just sticks out when you seen it. SLIDE 22 It also has beautiful flowers. The fruit of the arar is about the size of an orange though it’s green. If you pick it up it feels like an orange. SLIDE 23 To the eyes it looks juicy and flavorful. But looks can be deceiving. If you pry it open, there’s nothing in it. SLIDE 24 Surprising, it’s empty. It feels like there should be something in it, but there’s not. And, it’s poisonous. It won’t kill you, but you won’t feel very good if you drink some of its milky substance.

SLIDE 25 Turn to Jeremiah 17. We find this bush mentioned in the Book of Jeremiah. Though it is translated as bush and not arar, the Hebrew word is arar. Perhaps that’s because we know what a bush is but not an arar bush. In this passage God is warning his people to trust in him and not in men.

5 This is what the Lord says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. 6 That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.” (Jeremiah 17:5-6)

The word used for bush is arar. And an arar is found just where God describes it in this passage, out in the wasteland. Those who trust in themselves or other people will be like this arar growing in the wilderness. It looks promising but it empty and provides nothing. They may look like they have it all together and they may look impressive, but on the inside is emptiness and poison. We need to make sure we don’t emphasize the outward appearance to the neglect of inner character. Remember how God told Samuel not to judge by appearances because he looks at the heart.

God contrasts that person with the one who trusts in God.

7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. 8 They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

If those verses sound familiar it’s because they sound just like Psalm 1, we read it Sunday evening. Go on and turn to Psalm 1. SLIDE 26 The tree in Jeremiah 17 and Psalm 1 is the acacia. It’s not nearly as impressive looking as the arar. It can almost look dead, but it has everything you need. In fact, the tree is often referred to as the gift of the desert. The passage from Jeremiah talks about the tree being green. It is, but it’s a dark green. SLIDE 27 At times, it may even look dead. When the verse says it will always be green, the Hebrew says it will never fail to be green. When it’s supposed to be green it will.

The acacia usually grows in the middle of a wadi. Remember, a wadi is a deep ravine that flows with water when it rains. When it rains, the rain rolls off the hard ground into the wadi and flows through this deep canyon. You’ll find an acacia tree when the wadi flattens out, and that’s where it is in this picture.

When it rains, the acacia blooms and has fruit as well, but it doesn’t have fruit every year. It only has fruit when there is rain which may be several years apart. From the fruit they are able to extract

medicines, raw materials for paint, perfumes. It was also a source of food for their flocks. It’s said that if you boil two pound of the fruit in water you can feed a camel for a week. The wood is good for building. God instructed Moses to build the tabernacle with acacia wood. It’s also good for firewood. It burns hotter and longer than other woods in the wilderness. The resin from tree can also be used in construction or medicinally. This tree and its fruit have these incredible properties. That’s why it’s called the gift of the desert. Perhaps that is why in Isaiah, God says that one day he will plant them in the wilderness.

Most acacia trees you see in the wilderness look almost dead. They have to have water in order to grow leaves and bloom. Until then, they remain dormant. But they can live in a dormant state for a dozen years looking completely dead. When the water finally comes it will spring to life, grow leaves and produce fruit.

This gives a different meaning to Psalm 1 which many believe is talking about the acacia. SLIDE 28

1 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, 2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. [Sunday evening we also talked about what it means to mediate on God’s word.] 3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water [in the Hebrews it literally says rushing waters like we saw in the video, not the flowing waters of a stream we might normally picture in our minds], which yields its fruit [or never failing to produce its fruit] in season and whose leaf does not wither – whatever they do prospers. (Psalm 1:1-3)

If this psalm is talking about the acacia tree, the acacia only produces fruit once every decade. What that means is that the blessed man is the one who mediates on God’s word day and night for years through what we might consider a spiritual desert in order to produce fruit years later. They may not see the value of their studying, but they faithfully continue because they know the promises God makes for those who read and meditate on his word. It’s the kind of people we should be. Because we have so immersed ourselves in his word, when the right time comes we are ready to burst forth fruit for God’s use.

SLIDE 29 The last tree we’ll talk about tonight is the rotem tree or broom tree. It too looks more like a bush. It also doesn’t look like it provides much shade, but in the heat of the day it is very refreshing.

I remember being in a wreck in Florida one August when I was in college (I wasn’t driving!). We were stuck on the side of the road waiting for the state patrol to arrive and fill out the paper work. One of the girls with us got out of the van and stood in the shade of a utility pole. Think about how much shade that provides. The rotem doesn’t provide much, but it’s enough.

SLIDE 30 Turn to 1 Kings 19. The rotem is known for its shade and is mentioned in the Bible for that reason. One place is in 1 Kings when Elijah is running for his life. After Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel he ran from the king and queen to the wilderness.

3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush [the Hebrew word is rotem], sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” (1 Kings 19:3-5)

SLIDE 31 According to Jewish tradition, when Hagar ran away from Abraham and Sarah, she placed her son Ishmael under a rotem bush. The text doesn’t specify what kind of tree or bush it was, but tradition says it was a rotem. It is the bush you want to find when you’re in the wilderness hot and thirsty and desiring some shade. You look at that picture and you don’t see a lot of shade, but that’s what the bush is known for. Notice too that there are no other rotem bushes either.

Found more than a dozen times, the idea of shade plays an important image in the Bible. For example, the psalmist says: SLIDE 32

The LORD watches over you – the LORD is your shade at your right hand. (Psalm 121:5)

SLIDE 33 Stretch out your right hand as far as it will go. That’s how close God is to you. He is never further than your right hand, providing shade. But note, this isn’t the shade of a huge oak tree; this is the shade of a rotem. God is always just enough shade and he’s never further than you can reach with your right hand.

I decided to teach this lesson on the wilderness because I thought it was interesting when I learned it, but also because I think it will help us when we read the 23rd Psalm and read about God leading his people to green pastures and still waters. When we get there, remember the pictures you saw this evening.

An important principle in the Bible is that God is always enough. We may want extra, but he is always enough. For example, the rotem doesn’t provide a lot of shade, but it’s enough. Because we live in a culture of abundance it is hard to learn that all we need is just enough. We keep a month’s worth of food in the pantry. We always have extra supplies. We would be very uncomfortable living on just what we need for today. But that’s all you find in the wilderness. So it teaches you to rely on God who is always enough. Like Elijah, when we are worn out physically, emotionally, and spiritually, we can find shade and comfort in God. God is always enough.