Shivta & Tel Arad

I do believe these are the last of the desert photos from our July 4th weekend trip. One stop was to Shivta deep in the Negev. The Egyptian border was not too far away. We were also in close proximity to the traditional site of Kadesh Barnea, where Moses dispatched the 12 spies in Numbers 13. "Now why are you discouraging the sons of Israel from crossing over into the land which the LORD has given them? "This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land."For when they went up to the valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the sons of Israel so that they did not go into the land which the LORD had given them. Numbers 32:7-9

Shivta was one of the Nabatean cities on the Spice Route to the Mediterranean. Shivta was also a Christian city during the Byzantine Era around 500 - 700 AD (CE).

All that I wrote above I learned from reading this sign.

The ruins at Shivta are quite extensive. It is so isolated not a lot of tourists go there. On July 4th, we were the only ones there.

Walking in some isolated and abandoned areas, I kicked up a few pigeons that were roosting. You can barely see the last one in flight.

Shivta contains the ruins of three Byzantine Churches. Not sure if they had doctrinal differences or the city was large enough to accomodate three churches. Paul's letters have many references to disagreements among the early church. Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. 1st Corinthians 1:10.

This is the second church that I came to. The archeological site just named them the North, South, and West churches. Hopefully there were not divisions among the brethren like the Corinthians. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, "I am of Paul," and "I of Apollos," and "I of Cephas," and "I of Christ." 1st Corinthians 1:12.

At one of the churches there was a baptismal pool in the shape of a cross. After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, Matthew 3:16.

Peter said to them, " Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:48.

I wondered why I took this picture of just rocks but I finally saw the chameleon in the lower left center of the photo. He blends in well.

Trying to break my neck in the middle of the desert, I climbed up these not so safe rocks to take this photo. Not sure why now.

The third church.

Another chameleon hanging from the ceiling. Had he decided to take a walk on my head, I'm not sure what my reaction would have been. It's like he could plant his feet in my bald head.

Instead of leaping for my head, he went the other way.

The streets of Shivta are very visible after 13-1400 years or so.

This is Tel Arad which is close to the modern day city of Arad, which is close to last week's posting of Masada. When the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming by the way of Atharim, then he fought against Israel and took some of them captive. Numbers 21:1.

Tel Arad is located on a high hill where you can see your enemies approaching. Looking south from Tel Arad you can see two Arab villages with the tall mosques.

Looking north from Tel Arad you can see two Bedouin camps in the desert.

Tel Arad was a well fortified city. This was one item that bothered 10 spies but not Joshua and Caleb. "Nevertheless, the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large; and moreover, we saw the descendants of Anak there. Numbers 13:28.

There are always a few tanks in the desert. The bad guys don't live very far away. For behold, Your enemies make an uproar, And those who hate You have exalted themselves. They make shrewd plans against Your people, And conspire together against Your treasured ones. Psalm 83:2-3.

They have said, "Come, and let us wipe them out as a nation, That the name of Israel be remembered no more." Psalm 83:4