Jordan Field Study

It's interesting - Today the Jordan Valley is a border, but in Biblical times the land on either side of the Jordan was considered part of the same region. The tribes of Israel lived on both sides and people crossed back and forth all the time. It was interesting to see how -in so many ways -the land is the same, but today it is viewed so separately.

We stayed in Amman two nights of our trip. Amman is the both the modern day capital of Jordan, as well as the site of the ancient capital of Ammon, (Rabbah).

Here is a picture of the city today...

And remains of the ancient capital, Rabbah.

Here I am at Pella. Pella was one of the cities of the Decapolis, and the sister city to Beth Shean, which can be seen in the distance, across the valley behind me - but in Isreal!

One of my favorite spots was Gadera. Some believe it is the site for the pig drowning story from the Gospels, but never mind. Clearly this would be a long way for the pigs to go! Regardless, what a beautiful view of the Sea of Galilee from here! Do you see what I mean about the region being united?? I had to keep reminding myself that I was in another country, looking down into Israel from here. Even more exciting, I could actually see Tel Katzir from here - the kibbutz where I lived last summer. I can't wait to go and visit there during the break!

Here I am with my friend Ruth...

We made a stop at Ramoth-Gilead. Nothing much to see here today, except the Bedouin camp next door. How cool to see a sheep fold. Our teacher was talking about the Old Testament the whole time we were here (this is where king Ahab fell to the Syrians), but I was so distracted by the sheepfold - all I had was New Testament imagery in my head!

On the Dome of Gilead, another Decapolis city - Gerasa.

More of Gerasa - with the modern city in the background..

And of course, the highlight of the trip ---- PETRA. What a fabulous site. You walk into it through what is called the Siq (seek), which is a deep, slot canyon. You walk in it for about a mile, and then you see this....

Which opens up to see this - the "Treasury". Petra is an entire city of Nabatean tombs - a necropolis, if you will. :) One of the larger and most well known tomb is called the Treasury, because it was once believed it was full of loot. Instead, it was just a tomb, but the name stuck. It is most well-preserved, as its location in the canyon better protects it from wind-erosion.

This whole region is red sandstone, and in some places you can find some amazing color!

The other well-known tomb at Petra is called the 'Monastery'. The walk is over 900 steps to get up to it, which may not sound too bad, but we had already walked around the whole site and 600 steps up the 'high place' in another spot. So I really wanted to see the Monastery - but my feet and legs were not happy about it. So we reached an agreement - take a donkey up, and walk down.

So here I am. My donkey's name was Michael Jackson. Good donkey...

Donkey cam...

Victory!! We were delivered safely (we had our moments of doubt) to the top! Here is the "Monastery" ...

...A.K.A. The Top of the World....because that is how I felt from up here, looking down into the Rift Valley. I can't tell you how much I LOVED this day!! :)

And then ----Our last stop....of our last day....of our last field study. How fitting that the location would be Mt. Nebo, the mountain where God showed Moses all the land He promised to the Israelites.

Deuteronomy 34:1-4

1 Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the LORD showed him the whole land—

from Gilead to Dan, 2 all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the western sea, 3 the Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar.

4 Then the LORD said to him, "This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, 'I will give it to your descendants.' I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it."

After all we have learned this semester, we could virtually stand there as the passage was read aloud, and point in the direction of each of these places as they were listed. It still gives me chills to think about ---all these years later we can stand here ----and, for the most part, see what Moses would have seen. Then to remember that he died here and never entered the land that he was shown! As a perfect ending to our time, we left here, got on the bus, and descended into the valley, entering into "The Promise Land" via Jericho, just as the Isrealites would have, led by Joshua. Fantastic.

I love this land. It takes my breath away.