The Negev Desert:Timna Nat'l Park

Last April, after visiting Petra on a Saturday, I drove north from Eilat to Jerusalem on Sunday. Taking my time to enjoy places that I have not seen, my first stop was just a few miles north of Eilat in the Negev Desert at an Israeli National Park called Timna. Because of some beautiful red rock mountains, Timna is nicknamed "Israel's Petra". Nowhere near the hundreds of tourists that visit Petra, but Timna was a very quiet and wonderful place to visit. Below is one of the main attractions in Timna called Solomon's Pillars.

Solomon's Pillars are just as red as the rocks in Petra.

Timna is more of drive-thru park with various locations where you can stop to take photos or go on a short hike.

At one end of Timna is a scale model of the Tabernacle that God instructed Moses to build in the wilderness. Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: "Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering. And this is the offering which you shall take from them: gold, silver, and bronze; blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and goats’ hair; ram skins dyed red, badger skins, and acacia wood; oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense; onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate. And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it. Exodus 25:1-9.

Inside the Tabernacle were replicas including the Table of Showbread. "You shall also make a table of acacia wood; two cubits shall be its length, a cubit its width, and a cubit and a half its height. And you shall overlay it with pure gold, and make a molding of gold all around ... And you shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be carried with them ... And you shall set the showbread on the table before Me always. Exodus 25:23-30. When the Tabernacle moved, a blue table cloth was used to cover it during the journey. "On the table of showbread they shall spread a blue cloth ... and the showbread shall be on it. Numbers 4:7.

Standing in front of the Holy of Holies was one of Aaron's ancestors, the High Priest., complete with breastplate. "Now take Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister to Me as priest ... they may make Aaron’s garments, to consecrate him, that he may minister to Me as priest. And these are the garments which they shall make: a breastplate, an ephod, a robe, a skillfully woven tunic, a turban, and a sash. So they shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons, that he may minister to Me as priest. Exodus 28:1-4. The breastplate consisted of 12 colored stones, one each for each of Jacob's sons, the twelve tribes of Israel. "You shall make the breastplate of judgment... And you shall put settings of stones in it, four rows of stones: ... And the stones shall have the names of the sons of Israel, twelve according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, each one with its own name; they shall be according to the twelve tribes. Exodus 28:15-21.

The Bronze Altar where the sacrifices took place. He made the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood; five cubits was its length and five cubits its width—it was square—and its height was three cubits. He made its horns on its four corners; the horns were of one piece with it. And he overlaid it with bronze. Exodus 38:1-2.

Before visiting the Tabernacle I went for a short hike in some sandstone rocks. Here was the pathway up that I chose to follow.

I hiked to a isolated place that was ideal for some quiet time with the Lord Jesus. It reminded me of Elijah running to the desert from Jezebel where he heard the "still, small voice of God". Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 1st King 19:11-13.

Here was my pathway back down from my short "retreat".

Below, this unique sandstone rock formation had a hole in it.

Red rock formation with the sandstone mountain in the background.

In the Bible, a woman named Timna was the mother of the Amalekites. Now Timna was the concubine of Eliphaz, Esau’s son, and she bore Amalek to Eliphaz. Genesis 36:12.

The Amaleites were in the land of Canaan when Moses sent in the twelve spies. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; ... " Numbers 13:29

The southern landscape of Israel, the Negev, has been one of the most enjoyable surprises to me. Prior to this time in Israel, I had not been further south than Beersheba.

Solomon's Pillars from a distance.

Up close.

Natural canyons.

If you zoom in on the photo below, you will see "little, tiny people" having a picnic lunch. This gives you an idea of the size of Solomon's Pillars.

After leaving Timna, I proceeded on to The Ramon Crater which was last week's posting. What a privilege it is to be in His Land. Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Psalm 37:3.