Looking to the left from inside the Treasury Building, you see an opening which leads to the rest of Petra. Revelation Chapter 12 describes a "woman" (Israel) running to a "place prepared by God" during the Great Tribulation for three and one half years. One reason I wanted to visit Petra is because of that verse. Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days. Revelation 12:6.
Below the young Arab girl is looking straight up taking a photo of the massive height of the Treasury Building. I had just taken the same photo myself.
More "red" mountains of Edom as we turn the corner. When the Lord Jesus discusses future events with His apostles, He tells Israel (Judea) to "flee to the mountains." Jerusalem is located in the Judean Hills or mountains. From the Judean Hills; to the south is the Negev desert; to the west is the Mediterranean Sea; the enemy might be to the north in the Valley of Armageddon; so to "flee to the mountains" only leaves running east & southeast to the mountains of Jordan. “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains..." Matthew 24:15-16.
One of the corridors of Petra.
The red stone is beautiful.
Several layers of color here.
This desert taxi was by himself. I did not see anyone close by.
Petra had a lot of these pink floral bushes in bloom. In the distance you can see some of the dwellings (caves) that were probably inhabitated when built.
A portion of Daviel Chapter 11 describes the adversary (antichrist) which is to come. During the tribulation, he only part of this world that he cannot touch is here, Biblical Edom and Moab. He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. Daniel 11:41-42.
Below is a Roman-styled amphitheater that could seat 5000. Revelation 12 also describes how Satan chases the woman (Israel) so far then gives up and turns on the rest of the world, especially the Jews and the Christians. Those verses suggest that Israel fled to a region of safety (Edom) where they cannot be pursued. Now when the dragon (Satan) saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman (Israel) who gave birth to the male Child (the Lord Jesus). But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time (3 1/2 years), from the presence of the serpent ... And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Revelation 12:13-14:17.
Matthew 24, Revelation 12, and Daniel 11 are Biblical eschatology (future events). Not only do we not know for sure what will happen but believers in the Lord Jesus won't even be present on this earth when those events take place. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. 1st Thessalonians 4:15-17.
It was a good day to meditate on God's Word.
The guide say there were about 800 dwelling places in Petra.
The amphitheater from a different angle.
More dwelling places.
Petra has it's only little highway of camels, donkeys, and horse buggies (chariots). Arab kids start very young leading the animals and having employment in Petra.
This one looked like Kay's Hannah to me. When Boomer gave birth to Hannah early one morning, Kay hollered at me as she ran to the barn "tell them I won't be at work today." It was a winter morning and Kay spent all day in the barn getting hay for Boomer and Hannah. She did love animals and would have wanted to pet everyone of these.
To get closer to this structure would have required another hour or so to hike.
Below is the same photo not zoomed.
When we finally got to the bottom of the canyon, there was a little restaurant there for lunch. The guide said "it was a free walk" back to the entrance and we had a little over an hour and a half to get there. A young, Arab entrepreneur said "7 dinars to ride to the Treasury Building" on his donkey. That sounded good to me. As I was riding, I managed to take some photos one handed of the "traffic" that was coming at me.
More traffic.
This young man was willing to pose.
This little white donkey either threw his rider or just got away from the owner. He was not the only riderless animal that I saw that day.
The pathway is very clear to see. The animals know the direction without a lot of guiding.
A camel and a cellphone. Only in the Middle East.
One of the photos from "donkey-back."
After reaching the Treasury building, I tipped my young guide 3 dinars and gave him a 10. It was not going to do me any good in Israel. One Jordanian Dinar is close in value to a one Euro which would be about one and a half dollars. Fifteen bucks including tip to ride the donkey. Since my heart was still beating it was well worth it.
I chose a more expensive ride, the chariot, to exit Petra through the siq. But it was also worth it . The young, Arab driver was singing to all the Arab girls as we went by. He did have the horse at a gallup here and there on a very bumpy road. Holding on to the camera and my hat were the hardest things. I was at the meeting place 45 minutes early so I stopped and had an ice cream at the Indiana Jones Coffee Shop. These two young men wanted me to sit in front of their establishment for advertising. It cost them a photo.
After boarding the bus to head back to Aqaba and Eilat, we climbed and climbed uphill before arriving at a beautiful overlook of mountains around Petra. If you zoom in on the lower center left, you will see some tiny, little people that are getting ready to enter the siq leading to Petra.
Same overlook just a little bit further north.
The Jordanian town of Wadi Moussa by Petra. The guide said "because of Petra, everyone has income." There were not many towns close by.
From the bus, the red, red sands of Edom.
It was dark by the time we got through Jordanian customs, but I had taken this picture earlier.
Definitely nice to re-enter Israel. We got back to our hotel in Eilat around 8:00pm. It was a long day but well worth the trip. Petra could be Revelation 12's "a place prepared by God." Even it is not, we do know for sure that He made everything. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1. Although it can be a challenge at times, overall it is a tremendous privilege to live in Jerusalem and be able to see the Land of the Bible. ‘Since the day that I brought My people out of the land of Egypt, I have chosen no city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house, that My name might be there, nor did I choose any man to be a ruler over My people Israel. Yet I have chosen Jerusalem, that My name may be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel. II Chronicles 6:5-6.
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