Sunday June 12th

We spent the night in Wadi Mousa.  This name of this city translates as “Valley of Moses”.  One of the major reason I chose to go on this trip was to see Petra and it is located in Wadi Mousa.  Most of you are probably familiar with Petra, if not by name by sight.  You will recognize it because it was in the movie “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”.  Toward the end of the movie Indiana Jones enters a temple carved into the side of a mountain, to look for the holy grail.  Well that is the Treasury in Petra.  This is how I first learned of Petra.

Petra treasury

Petra appears to be mentioned by name in the bible but not by its current name (2 Kings 14:7).  Also right across the street from our hotel is Moses spring.  Tradition says this is were Moses struck the rock and water flowed from it (Numbers 20:10-11).

I had high expectations for Petra and was worried that I might be disappointed.  Petra did not disappoint!  This is definitely one of the most impressive things I have ever seen.  It is absolutely amazing.  Words and pictures just cannot do it justice.  After our guide finished with his program he let us wander.  I tried to visit as many points and features in Petra as I could manage in our allotted time.

Royal tombs at Petra

I skipped lunch and I had a couple bottles water and started to hoof it.  I hiked back to the monastery and then up to the royal tombs and peaked in to as many crevices as I could find.

Monastery at Petra

The colors here are absolutely fascinating.  The ancient kingdom of Moab is just to the south of here.  After seeing the colors and the landscape I can understand how the name Moab was chosen our Moab in Utah.  I was surprised by how large Petra is.  It is a vast complex that stretches far more than I have seen.  I was also surprised by how much roman influence is present.  Petra flourished during Nabataean rule from the 3rd century BC to the early 2nd century AD, when it was occupied by the Roman Empire.  To see Petra in its heyday must have been something amazing.  To go from the barren desert to this must have been like leaving the ends of the earth arriving at it's heart.

Wisdom from an 11 year old

Today while walking through Petra I received wisdom from an 11 year old.  I started a conversation with a little girl who was selling trinkets and post cards.  A sweet little soul.  We were just chatting and she asked if I had a daughter.  I told her I have no daughter...I have no wife.  She look at me with a somber look and said, “No wife, no life”.  We all were laughing so hard at her earnest comment.

After Petra a few of us were hanging out in the pool cooling off.  I made the comment that while we were on top of Mt. Nebo looking into the promised land, it did not look so promising.  It is essentially the same desert on that side of the Jordan river as the desert on this side of the river.  I think that during that time maybe the Jordan valley was much more lush and appealing than it is now.  One of the gentlemen here said that maybe after this barren land here anything looked good.  In any case it was a very desirable plot of land.

Our lesson for tonight was to think about the promises made in this land, and tomorrow as we go over the Samaritan pass and get our first view of Jerusalem to think about God's promises to us.  We have a promise that has been given to every generation since Isaac.  It is the same promise he gave Moses:

• Joshua 1:5 -  No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.

As we have today:

• Matthew 28:20 - Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

We have assurance that he will always be with us.