Most
children don't decide where they are going to live. Their parents or
guardians make this decision for them.
Some
children move around a lot. I've met people who moved many, many
times in their early years, before graduating from high school.
Other
people have more stable homes, “roots” in a community, and a real
physical place they can call their “hometown”.
My
own parents decided to leave suburbia and go “back to the land”
in the late 1970's.
They
were not hippies, they didn't do drugs. They were city-born,
college-educated professionals, who desired their children would know
more than they did about nature and growing food.
Consequently,
many of my most important memories were created in the middle of a
literal wilderness, where I primarily lived for the next thirty
years.
A
forest of over 600 acres surrounded our home. We lived eight miles
from town, half-way up a mountain, on a dead-end dirt road.
Black
Bear, Moose, Deer, Coyotes, Bobcat, Red Fox, Raccoons, and Fisher
were our neighbors.
Once
my brother even spotted an “extinct” Eastern Cougar in our back
field. It's tail was three feet long. We heard this large wild cat
scream at night, too. They DO sound like a woman in distress!
We
had gravity-fed spring water, and heated our home with two woodstoves
and one wood furnace. The small iron cookstove in our kitchen
provided both heat and most of our meals.
When
the electricity failed in winter ice storms, this was an enjoyed time
of peace and quiet - no sound of a refrigerator running, or the wood
furnace fan.
Each
summer we attempted to grow enough vegetables to store, to get
through the approaching winter. We didn't ever manage to do this, but
we generally always tried.
 |
| The Way Leads Through Wilderness, 22x30 watercolor by Elise, 2017 |
Winter
on a Mountain
I
remember letting out a deep breath on many late April days,
exclaiming with great relief, “Thank you, Lord, we made it through
(another winter)!”
Winters
were tough – the winter storms often brought many feet of snow at
one time, and the dirt roads also became icy. During mud season, back
roads were full of deep, slimy ruts.
There
were deep troughs next to many dirt roads, which had the ability to
catch and swallow our car on cold, late nights, coming home from
meetings.
Temperatures
were sometimes -25 F., without the stiff wind chill.
Heating
the house was difficult, because it was both big, old and drafty. A
house used only in summer before we bought it – it had no
insulation in it, for many years!
Our
animals needed food and water twice a day, come wind, weather, or
snow. We had to shovel to get barn and chicken coop doors open after
every time new snow arrived.
 |
| The Shining Path, 22x30 watercolor by Elise, 2015 - now titled differently, see above I felt this painting could be stronger, so began to work on it again, see final painting in photo above. |
Immense
Beauty
The
upside to all the problems, the memory I cherish the most, was the
indescribable beauty we saw all around us in the forest.
A
thousand words of description cannot do justice to the way God's
glorious Creation makes you feel His awesome Majesty.
We
could feel His power in the winter wind, as it roared down the
mountain, through the forest, like the sound of a freight-train.
Vivid
dark green leaves on the trees in summer seemed to “clap their
hands”, in praise to their Maker.
The
foliage colors in Autumn were spectacular. As were the changing
colors of the wild ferns and flowers, deep in the woods.
Diamonds
sparkled from the snow under our feet, on icy mornings. The
white birch tree groves with winter snow were like a fairyland.
Taking
deep breaths of clean, fresh ice-cold air outside on those short,
dark winter days was incredibly invigorating! That
air must have been full of Electricity.
I didn't know about “grounding” then, but I would sometimes take my boots off and walk on the snow with my sock feet.
I didn't know about “grounding” then, but I would sometimes take my boots off and walk on the snow with my sock feet.
Our
“lofty mountain grandeur” gave me more understanding of the
“rightness” of all created things. I learned to have real
reverence for the sublime wonders our Father has made.
 |
| Same scene as above, but this photograph was taken in Fall, not Summer - photo by Elise, 2015, Elmore, Vermont |
Country
Living
According
to Google, 82% of America now lives in urban areas. That leaves less
than 20% of people living in the countryside.
I've
heard that people who live in the county usually have a higher IQ
than people living in a city.
This
is probably because city living, while it has it's own challenges, is
often easier than county living.
You
don't have many conveniences in the county – folks have to shovel
their own snow, take their own garbage to the dump. They have to
scale the roof when the ceiling leaks, and find the ice dam. County
folk have to learn to “make do” when water pipes freeze.
Obtaining
basic necessities sometimes means traveling long distances.
 |
| The snowy coast of Maine, winter 2014-2015, photo taken by Elise, when I lived there |
Attitudes
About County Living
I've
since lived in at least two summer-home or resort locations, where
city folks will come to stay for a short time.
I've
noticed that when a city visitor learned I was a local, not a
visitor, an emotional “wall” immediately went up, and their
jovial communication would end.
They
looked on me differently, I felt perhaps they saw me more negatively,
because of where I chose to live.
Biblically,
this attitude is seen thousands of years ago!
This
is sad. Believe it or not, country folk can be some of the nicest
people you ever want to meet. Many are well-read, intelligent people,
with enormously interesting life stories!
President
Calvin Coolidge, who grew up in the tiny village of Plymouth,
Vermont, had a horse on which he would ride through the countryside.
Riding horseback gives you a lot of time to think your own thoughts.
Calvin
Coolidge said in his autobiography, “The mind must be given
sufficient time thoroughly to digest all that comes to it.”
President
George Washington once said, “It is better to be alone than in bad
company.”
Learning
to keep and like my own company, before the distraction of a mobile
phone, computer, or social media, was good education.
 |
| Peace Sublime, 6x6 watercolor by Elise, 2011 |
Walking
Through Wilderness
Two
months ago, I heard a great sermon on the wilderness mentioned in the
book of Exodus.
And
I started thinking about this word, “wilderness”.
The
pastor said, gist, “God brought the children of Israel out of
Egypt, taking them away from everything familiar, to teach them to
trust in God on a daily
basis.
The
pastor then applied this, by talking about people who today go
through relational and emotional types of “wilderness”.
He
added, “I don't mean a literal
wilderness”.
Well,
having lived much of my life in a literal wilderness, and also going
through many times of relational and emotional “wilderness”, I've
come to appreciate the lessons gained in these times.
 |
| Elimore, Vermont photograph by Elise, Autumn 2015 |
Different
Kinds of “Wilderness”
The
week in-between Christmas and New Year's used to be my favorite time
– it meant I could hole up, eat foods prepared for the holidays,
and read new books!
One
year, my mother's annual book box gift contained four or five
authored by Elisabeth Elliot.
Since
Let
Me Be a Woman wasn't
there,
I wanted to read The
Mark of a Man first,
but my mother told me, “I got that book primarily for your
brother.” “However,” she added, “if you read all the other
books first, then you can read that one.”
I'd
previously read one of the Elliot books, so I quickly read another
about Jim Elliot's interesting life, then a book about God's
Guidance.
Then I began reading one I didn't think sounded very interesting, The Path of Loneliness - It may seem a wilderness, but it can lead you to God .
Lonely?
I was pretty certain I wasn't lonely.
The
book described how Elisabeth once felt on an airplane, as she watched
a man and woman communicate with their actions. Elisabeth was a widow
by this time, and lonely.
I
remember feeling some shock in my gut – because I had felt this
same way, watching people in close communion with each other.
I
had desired this kind of close relationship myself and began to take
more interest in what her book was teaching.
 |
| Elmore, Vermont photograph by Elise, 2015 |
Change
or No Change Can Create “Wilderness”
Rapid
life changes; sustained monotony; disappointments or rejections;
limitations; a loss or absence of vision in life; moving into a
vision – outside your comfort zone; a move to a totally new area;
or an injury, illness, or death of a loved one, can all create the
“wilderness” experiences we all go through in life.
A
wise widow tells me she once heard a pastor say “we are all either
going into,
through, or out of,
a wilderness experience.”
She
added, “We are going through His
University.”
Unknowns.
New Things. Unexpected or Unwanted Change. Loss. Tedious
Repetition...are all tests of our faith in our Father's hand.
 |
| Elmore, Vermont photograph by Elise, 2015 |
Wilderness
In My Own Life
A
life-changing neck injury when I was nearly eight, and then suffering
emotionally through my parent's divorce during my early teens created
a type of wilderness and separation from others.
I
internalized much of my physical and emotional pain at this time,
stuffing everything and refusing to deal with or think on the hurtful
emotions.
This
led to emotional problems I wasn't aware I had for a very long time.
Children
traumatized when not able to process their grief will often “arrest”
in their emotional growth. This means they will completely stop
growing emotionally,
while continuing to grow physically and intellectually - until they
acknowledge and accept what happened.
I
know this happened in my life – I'm just not sure when my emotional
growth began again...
Emotional
pain and physical injuries seemed to separate me, even from my loving
siblings. They didn't suffer as many serious physical injuries as I
did, early on, but they were also suffering greatly on an emotional
level, from our dad abandoning us.
On
the other hand, I believe early physical and emotional pain deepened
me.
I
became much more intuitive and empathetic, more able to show
compassion and sensitivity to others - because of all the pain my
body endured.
I
felt different from others. Perhaps everyone feels this way when they
are young. But the books I chose to read were different. The way I
wanted to invest time was different. Partly, this was due to the
serious commitment I had made - to give my life to Christ.
Feeling
intellectually, spiritually and emotionally “alone” probably
affected me earlier than I initially recognized it.
I
am thankful I knew my Father saw me, even when other people did not.
I was grateful for the Spirit of God, who comforted me many times.
_________________
Then
when I was twenty-three, my grandfather, then 84, had a double
hemisphere stroke, which completely debilitated him.
He
had been the family Rock, to whom we all looked for spiritual and
emotional support. Now he was dependent on us for all his daily
needs.
Our
family had been so blessed by our Grandpa after my dad had abandoned
us, and we wanted Grandpa to have his wish, to live at home until he
died.
We
began care-giving for him, helping our Grandmother in as many ways as
we could.
I
had recently had pancreatitis and nearly died a short time before
this, so my health was deemed “not good enough to fly” to
Florida.
My
sisters and my mother took turns, switching off every three months,
going to Florida to work long, sometimes sixteen-hour days.
Care-giving
for someone debilitated in their 80's is no joke. It's hard work.
My
job was to keep the home fires burning, quite literally.
As
I fed wood fires in winter, cleaned ashes out of stoves, cleaned the
house, shoveled snow, mowed grass, fed and watered our horse, cats,
and chickens, I was often completely by myself.
I
often used this alone time to sing praises to God, sometimes softly,
but many times at full throttle. When I was outside the house there
was no one around to hear me sing loudly, except the Lord God.
__________________
Many
other things happened during the next five years, before our Grandpa
went Home.
We
had lots of friends come to dinner, and we invested in many lives,
through many avenues, but it was a time of much waiting and a lot of
relational “wilderness” for me.
I wrote a poem/song years ago, which addressed a little of how I felt during that time:
"Father,
I See
Your Love is Enough for me
I have Hope and I believe
You see all my need
When I go through the wilderness
Let Your Light shine within
A city on a hilltop
I would be, for Thee
Your Love is Enough for me
I have Hope and I believe
You see all my need
When I go through the wilderness
Let Your Light shine within
A city on a hilltop
I would be, for Thee
You see in the daytime...
the night and the light are both alike to You
I trust You, for You know my way
My heart I give to You, this day
I sing and I rejoice
Jesus has borne, by His choice
All my wretchedness and sin
Giving me new life, with Him, within
I praise you, LORD, for You are kind
You bring blessings to my life
I sing the glorious wonder
Of Your Almighty Power
You know my down-sitting and my uprising
You know my thought afar off
You are the Way, the Truth, the Life...the Light of men
Your Light has shone in the darkness
Father, I see
Your Love, it is Enough for me
I have Hope, and I believe
You meet all my need.”
~circa 1996, based on the truth found in Genesis 17:1, Hebrews 6:14-20, Matthew 5:14-16, Psalm 139, Psalm 62:8, Romans 5:6-9, John 1:1-18, John 8:12, John 14:6, and Philippians 4:19
Written when I was lonely, it blesses me now.
 |
| Goose Patrol, an old watercolor painting by Elise, circa 1996 He that walketh with the wise shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be afflicted. ~ Proverbs 13:20, Geneva Version |
Alone
with God
My
mother gave me an excellent little book somewhere during these years,
called Alone with God, printed in 1993 by Richard Wurmbrand.
Richard eventually helped start the organization Voice of the Martyrs.
Richard
had been locked in Romanian jail cells for over thirteen years,
persecuted for his faith in the living Yah.
Richard
lived for three of those years in solitary confinement.
Being
alone with my own thoughts many times, with my siblings gaining
occupations which took them many different places, I could relate to
Richard Wurmbrand's words.
Perhaps
ten years later, now in my mid-thirties and in a different location,
far from Vermont, I was feeling very uncertain about my future.
A
kind pastor, hearing of my then “wilderness,” gently reminded me
it is not always night - there is SUNSHINE in the wilderness!
I
was gladdened by this idea! I had been imagining myself in a very
dark place – but daytime in a forest is full of beauty, light and
life!
I
felt much lighter and happier in being reminded I could enjoy and
should even be rejoicing
in the LORD through this time of uncertainty.
God
tells us He meets those who rejoice and work righteousness:
Thou
meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that
remember thee in thy ways:... ~ Isaiah 64:5a
Not
serving Yah with joy and gladness of heart brings judgment:
Because
thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness
of heart, for the abundance of all things; Therefore shalt thou serve
thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee, in hunger, and
in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things... ~
Deuteronomy 28:47-48a
 |
| Trout Paradise, small watercolor by Elise, circa 2005 |
Lessons
from a Literal Wilderness
During
lengthily times of waiting and wondering that seemed repetitious and
“silent”, I had time to learn:
- Greater Appreciation for Beauty
- Many useful Skills, which help support me today
- Independence as well as Interdependence
- Deliverance from many Distractions
- Motivation to seek God's Face in Bible Study, Prayer and Meditation on Scripture
- Spiritual Depth and more ability to Stand Alone for truth
- An Eternal Life Focus, Security which cannot be taken away
- Lessons in Caring for Animals and Serving other People
 |
Blessings
Abound, 2010. 12x16 watercolor by Elise
And
thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy Yah led thee these
forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to
know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest obey his
commandments, or no. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to
hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did
thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live
by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of
the LORD doth man live. ~ Deuteronomy 8:2-3
|
Wilderness and the Children of Israel
When
Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt somewhere around the 13th
Century, B.C., the Israelite people probably left a very established
civilization. They left “city life.”
I
watched a You Tube piece recently which says some now believe from
the evidence that the great pyramid of Giza, Egypt (which had been there far before the Israelite captivity) was possibly designed and used as a power plant, generating some kind
of electricity.
"The
wilderness region in the Sinaitic peninsula through which for forty
years the Hebrews wandered is generally styled "the wilderness
of the wanderings." This entire region is in the form of a
triangle, having its base toward the north and its apex toward the
south. Its extent from north to south is about 250 miles, and at its
widest point it is about 150 miles broad. Throughout this vast region
of some 1,500 square miles there is not a single river. The northern
part of this triangular peninsula is properly the "wilderness of
the wanderings" (et-Tih). The western portion of it is called
the "wilderness of Shur" (Exodus 15:22), and the eastern
the "wilderness of Paran."
M.G.
Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third
Edition,
published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain, copy freely.
published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain, copy freely.
The
Israelite people may have left everything familiar to their every-day
lives, and everything connected to “modern” society, however,
they were not alone
in the wilderness – they were individually part of a large company
of other people!
According
to one very interesting online article, there were 60,355 Israelite people who came out of Egypt in Moses's Exodus.
While
traveling with numerous people (some who were their own known family or
tribe) may have produced it's own challenges of faith regarding
relationships, and in obtaining daily food and water, it's
hard to believe they were
lonely
in quite the same way someone is when completely by themselves.
That
said, you can definitely be lonely in a crowd, while being with
family, or in a city.
And
I've realized I'm not usually Lonely for other people per say (there are
plenty of people in my life). I'm most often Lonely for intellectual
and spiritual fellowship – for people who think and believe what I
do...
 |
| Edge of the Woods, original watercolor by Elise, 19x26i, circa 1996 |
What
is a Biblical “Wilderness”?
I
have a tendency to incorrectly project what I know of life on what I
read in the Bible.
But
the Middle East simply doesn't have the same dense forests, or large
deciduous trees that we do in North America.
I'm
not an expert in what the “wilderness” must have been like during
the time of the Israelite's Exodus from Egypt, or during King David's
various wilderness experiences.
However,
I do know this area has a completely different climate than where I
have lived most of my life, in a Vermont forest.
The
Middle East was and is, hotter and drier. The “wilderness” and
“desert” there may have had scrub growth and some tree cover, but
with many different varieties of flora and fauna than I've ever seen.
 |
| Approach to Mt. Cook in the Southern Alps of New Zealand, 20x28 watercolor by Elise, 2007 Private Collection |
Wilderness
in the Hebrew Language
There
are seven different words translated “wilderness” and five for
“desert” in the Hebrew language.
One
is #4057 in Strong's Exhaustive Concordance:
מִדְבָּר
midbâr,
mid-bawr'; from H1696 in the sense of driving; a pasture (i.e. open
field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also
speech (including its organs):—desert, south, speech, wilderness.
"Heb.
midhbar, denoting not a barren desert but a district or region
suitable for pasturing sheep and cattle (Psalms 65:12; Isaiah 42:11;
Jeremiah 23:10; Joel 1:19; 2:22); an uncultivated place. This word is
used of the wilderness of Beersheba (Genesis 21:14)”
M.G.
Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third
Edition,
published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain, copy freely.
published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain, copy freely.
This was the “wilderness” where the Egyptian woman Hagar
was cast out, with her son, Ishmael, in Genesis 21:
“Wherefore
she [Sarah] said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son:
for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even
with Isaac. And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight
because of his son. And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous
in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all
that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac
shall thy seed be called. And also of the son of the bondwoman will I
make a nation, because he is thy seed. And Abraham rose up early in
the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto
Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away:
and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness
of Beersheba.” ~ Genesis 21:10-14 emphasis mine
And
it was where Ishmael was raised:
“And
God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness,
and became an archer.” ~ Genesis 21:20
Here
is another Hebrew word for wilderness or desert:
עֲרָבָה
ʻărâbâh,
ar-aw-baw';
from H6150
(in
the sense of sterility); a desert; especially (with the article
prefix) the (generally) sterile valley of the Jordan and its
continuation to the Red Sea:—Arabah, champaign, desert, evening,
heaven, plain, wilderness. See also H1026.
desert
plain, steppe, desert, wilderness
And
the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains
of Moab
on this side Jordan by
Jericho.
Numbers 22:1
Another
Hebrew description for “wilderness” and “desert”, Strong's
H3452:
יְשִׁימוֹן
יְשִׁימו
yᵉshîymôwn,
yesh-ee-mone';
from H3456;
a desolation:—desert, Jeshimon, solitary, wilderness.
yesh·ē·mōn'
(Key) The KJV translates Strong's H3452 in the following manner:
Jeshimon (6x), desert (4x), wilderness (2x), solitary (1x).
They
wandered in the wilderness
in a solitary H3452 way;
they found no city to dwell in. ~ Psalm 107:4
Behold,
I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know
it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the
desert.
H3452 ~ Isaiah 43:19
Yet
another Hebrew word, #2723 - a place laid waste, ruin, waste,
desolation
חׇרְבָּה
chorbâh,
khor-baw'; feminine of H2721; properly, drought, i.e. (by
implication) a desolation:—decayed place, desolate (place, -tion),
destruction, (laid) waste (place).
"And
they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts
[H#2723]: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he
clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out.” ~ Isaiah 48:21
 |
| Spring Beckons, 8x8 watercolor by Elise, 2011 |
Wilderness
in the Greek Language
ἔρημος
érēmos, er'-ay-mos; of uncertain affinity; lonesome, i.e. (by
implication) waste (usually as a noun, G5561 being implied):—desert,
desolate, solitary, wilderness.
used
of places:
- a desert, wilderness
2.
used of persons:
- deserted by others
- bereft
- of a flock deserted by the shepherd
A
desert, full of scrub bushes and trees...
 |
| Isle of Islay, Scotland - 1/2 sheet watercolor by Elise, circa 2007 - Private Collection |
David,
the Shepherd Boy who Became King
Before
becoming King of Israel, David was a lowly shepherd, leading around
and caring for a small flock of woolly, lanolin-smelling sheep.
He
was preparing to be King of Israel, but he wasn't aware of it, yet.
He
must have spent much time in the “wilderness”, perhaps quite
alone with his sheep, rod and staff, and musical instrument.
I
tend to picture him in a green pasture, sort of like New Zealand, but
I doubt there was that much verdant growth on the rocky mountain
sides in the Middle East.
The
Bible records these facts about David's young life [bold emphasis mine]:
Again,
Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said
unto Jesse, The Lord hath not chosen these. And Samuel said unto
Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet
the youngest, and, behold, he
keepeth the sheep.
And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit
down till he come hither. And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was
ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to.
And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. Then Samuel
took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren:
and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So
Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. But the Spirit of the Lord
departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.
And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from
God troubleth thee. Let our lord now command thy servants, which are
before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp:
and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon
thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well. And
Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well,
and bring him to me. Then answered one of the servants, and said,
Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning
in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent
in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him. Wherefore
Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send
me David thy son, which is with the sheep.
And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a
kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul. And David came to
Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became
his armourbearer. And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray
thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight. And it
came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David
took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and
was well, and the evil spirit departed from him. ~ I Samuel 16:10-23
The
historical account continues on in I Samuel chapter 17, with the
three eldest sons of Jesse going into Saul's army, however, David
returns to the small town of Bethlehem, to serve his father, and keep
sheep:
But
David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at
Bethlehem. ~ I Samuel 17:15
Then
David is once again summoned to go back to Saul's camp by his father,
Jesse. He isn't yet aware as he goes that he is leaving the
wilderness to fight the huge Philistine giant, Goliath.
And
Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of
this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp of thy
brethren; And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their
thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge. Now
Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of
Elah, fighting with the Philistines. And
David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper,
and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and
he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and
shouted for the battle. For Israel and the Philistines had put the
battle in array, army against army. And David left his carriage in
the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and
came and saluted his brethren. ~ I Samuel 17:17-22
Eliab,
David's eldest brother (who probably felt overlooked when David had
been anointed by the prophet Samuel), is perhaps jealous of his
youngest brother. Eliab makes fun of David, falsely accuses him,
despising David's bravery, and menial work with their father's sheep:
And
Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and
Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why
camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few
sheep [H4592] in the wilderness
[H4057 מִדְבָּר
midbâr]?
I
know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come
down that thou mightest see the battle. ~ I Samuel 17:28
1.little,
small, littleness, fewness, too little, yet a little
Once
more, David is summoned to go before King Saul, because his brave
words were overheard:
And
David said unto Saul, Thy
servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear,
and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after him, and smote
him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me,
I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant
slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine
shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the
living God. David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of
the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver
me out of the hand of this Philistine.
And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee. ~ I Samuel
17:34-37
After
killing Goliath, David then spends a lot of time back in the
wilderness, perhaps as long as seven or eight years, seeking refuge
in caves and mountains, chased by the then-jealous and angry King
Saul.
And
David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a
mountain in the wilderness
of Ziph.
And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his
hand. And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and
David was in the wilderness
of Ziph in a wood. ~
I Samuel 23:14-15
The
Bible records that David was in many different wildernesses – Ziph,
Maon (I Sam. 23:24), Engedi (I Sam. 24:1), Paran (I Sam. 25:1)
David
had his warrior men with him, so he was no longer alone.
But
the wilderness now became a different kind of refuge than when he was
a boy – it was a place for David to hide out, to live long enough
to see his life purpose fulfilled.
King David then spends most of the latter half of his life living in the city of Jerusalem.
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| Ancient Cuneiform Tablet Carving Illustration for a Meekness Bulletin, CF!B, by Elise, 2003 |
The
Prophet, Elijah
Elijah
was led into wilderness, too. It became a place for him to rest,
recover his strength, hear the still, small voice of God, and avoid
death at the hands of a wicked woman, Jezebel.
This
story is recorded in I Kings chapter 19.
Elijah
felt so alone in his stand against Jezebel, he replied to a question
God asked him that he was the “only one left” who had not bowed
the knee to worship a false god (He says this I Kings 19:10, and
repeats it in verse 14).
“No,”
God replied in verse 18, “there
are seven thousand others” who
were standing in a similar manner. They had not bowed to, or kissed,
Baal.
Hosea's Wife, Gomer
God
likes to use analogies, to teach us important lessons. Hosea was a
prophet who was told by the LORD to go marry a harlot whose name was
Gomer.
Gomer pictured the unfaithful, adulterous people of Israel, who had turned from serving the living Yah to worship idols.
Gomer pictured the unfaithful, adulterous people of Israel, who had turned from serving the living Yah to worship idols.
Hosea
took his wife, Gomer, to a place where he could gain her full
attention:
Therefore,
behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness
[H4057
midbar],
and speak comfortably unto her.
~
Hosea 2:14
“And
I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her
that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my
people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.” ~
Hosea 2:23
Hosea pictures just how much our Father is willing to sacrifice to buy us back, to restore His covenant people to a right relationship with Himself.
Hosea pictures just how much our Father is willing to sacrifice to buy us back, to restore His covenant people to a right relationship with Himself.
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| Twin Lambs, 4x5 miniature watercolor by Elise, 2013 - Private Collection |
John
the Baptist
John
the Baptist is one of my favorite people in the Bible, probably
because I relate to his being rather unconventional in how he lived.
I
once heard a sermon on how John's parents may have felt about
their unusual son. When someone came to tell Elisabeth and her
husband, Zacharias, what their own sons were accomplishing, what
could they say?
“Oh
yes, John is doing well, he's out in the desert eating locusts and
wild honey, dressed in camel's hair and looking pretty wild. He
hasn't married yet, no. No, he doesn't have any children. No degrees.
No accolades.”
But
again, this is putting our
culture on someone from a very different culture. In the east, people
are not known for what they do,
they are known for who they are
– what family they come from.
John's
father was a holy Levitical Priest, who ministered in the temple, in
the city.
According
to Luke 1:5, both Zacharias and his wife, Elisabeth could trace their
lineage back to Aaron, the first High Priest:
"There
was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named
Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters
of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.”
"And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course, According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord." ~ Luke 1:6-9
"And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course, According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord." ~ Luke 1:6-9
John
was meekly living out the vital purposes God had for his life,
recorded in the Biblical scriptures, and clearly told to his parents:
"But
the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is
heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt
call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many
shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the
Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be
filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And many of
the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he
shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the
hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the
wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
~
Luke 1:13-17
John
the Baptist was preparing to say “Repent
you: for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2)
and be "the voice of one crying in the wildernss, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias" (John 1:23)
in preparation for
the arrival of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
The
Bible records that John the Baptist, born when his long-barren mother
was an older woman, lived in deserts
until
his appearing in Israel:
"And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts [G2048] till the day of his shewing unto Israel." ~ Luke 1:66-80
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| Desert Shadows, Camel Illustration by Elise, for Endurance CF!B Bulletin, 2004 |
Christ's
Temptation in the Wilderness
Christ,
Y'Shua, the Messiah, was also led into the wilderness for forty days
of fasting, and then he went through a time of testing.
Christ
often returned to the quiet of the desert, to rest from the crowds,
and converse with His Father during his earthly ministry:
And
he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a
desert
[G2048]
place,
and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had
no leisure so much as to eat. ~ Mark 6:31
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| Camel Caravan Illustration by Elise for Endurance CF!B Bulletin, 2004 |
People
of Faith
Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sara, Issac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthae, David, Samuel, the prophets...
"These
all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen
them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and
confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
For
they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
And
truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came
out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
But
now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God
is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them
a city.” ~ Hebrews 11:13-16
"By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.” ~ Hebrews 11:24-27
"(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts [G2047], and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth." ~ Hebrews 11:38
Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sara, Issac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthae, David, Samuel, the prophets...
"By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.” ~ Hebrews 11:24-27
"(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts [G2047], and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth." ~ Hebrews 11:38
ἐρημία
Greek #2047
a solitude, an uninhabited region, a waste
The
Woman with Child in the Last Days
And
the woman fled into the wilderness
[G2048
ἔρημος
erēmos],
where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her
there a thousand two hundred and threescore days...
...And
to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might
fly into the wilderness [G2048],
into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and
half a time, from the face of the serpent. ~ Revelation 12:6, 14
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| String of Pearls, 7x11 watercolor by Elise, 2015 - Private Collection |
Wilderness
Comes Before the Promised Land
In
his book, The
Dream Giver: Following Your God-Given Destiny,
author Bruce Wilkinson spoke about the “wilderness” being a place
everyone must pass through after leaving your “comfort zone” on
the way to the fulfillment of your God-given dreams or vision in
life.
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| Pack Camel Illustration by Elise for Endurance CF!B Bulletin, 2004 Charity...beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things... ~ I Corinthians 13:7 |
A
Call to Minister in Cities – a new wilderness
The
Levites were an Israelite tribe called to be temple priests who
ministered in Solomon's Temple in three different ways:
- Daily Temple Sacrifices
- Porters – doormen/guards/gatekeepers
- Musicians
"There
were a great number of priests and Levites in the Temple at all
times. According to 1 Chronicles 23:4-5, there were 24,000 priests
and priests' assistants, 4,000 gatekeepers and 4,000 musicians. They
were divided into 24 courses according to their assignment. When a
course was on duty, all its members were bound to appear in the
Temple. Therefore there were more than 1,300 Levites in the Temple at
any given time, although not all of them were serving on the same
day.”
Levitical
priests were instructed to keep themselves pure and holy in every
way. They were held to very high standards, for good reason.
The
Levites were not given an inheritance in the Promised Land in the
same way as the other eleven tribes. God did not give them lands. He
gave them land in a city, and the tithes of the other tribes for their living.
They
were to consecrate themselves totally to God's service. Taking care
of large tracts of lands and many herds of animals would have taken up too much of their time.
The
Lord God, Yahweh himself, became the Levites' portion, their
inheritance and their exceeding great reward.
Today,
Christ's holy life and death is
our sacrifice. He fulfilled the entire Law on our behalf, and is still interceding for us. He gives us, freely
by faith, His own Righteousness, paying our debt.
We,
the people of God, His own Sons who take on His likeness, have
become kings and priests, able and called to minister to others.
What
the Wilderness has
done is teach me all my time alone with
Christ has prepared me for time among people.
I have felt Him preparing and calling me. I must no longer stay in solitary places! I must go to the city physically, as well as through writing and painting, as the Holy Spirit directs.
How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tiding of good things. ~ Romans 10:15
I have felt Him preparing and calling me. I must no longer stay in solitary places! I must go to the city physically, as well as through writing and painting, as the Holy Spirit directs.
How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tiding of good things. ~ Romans 10:15
The ripened harvest field is there. Ministers to those who have not yet
heard the Good News are needed! Will you go for Him?
With
a grateful heart, I remain your painting and writing-friend,
Elise
Desert
[N][S]
- Heb. midbar, "pasture-ground;" an open tract for pasturage; a common (Joel 2:22). The "backside of the desert" (Exodus 3:1) is the west of the desert, the region behind a man, as the east is the region in front. The same Hebrew word is rendered "wilderness," and is used of the country lying between Egypt and Palestine (Genesis 21:14 Genesis 21:21; Exodus 4:27; 19:2; Joshua 1:4), the wilderness of the wanderings. It was a grazing tract, where the flocks and herds of the Israelites found pasturage during the whole of their journey to the Promised Land.
The same Hebrew word is used also to denote the wilderness of Arabia, which in winter and early spring supplies good pasturage to the flocks of the nomad tribes than roam over it (1 Kings 9:18). The wilderness of Judah is the mountainous region along the western shore of the Dead Sea, where David fed his father's flocks (1 Samuel 17:28; 26:2). Thus in both of these instances the word denotes a country without settled inhabitants and without streams of water, but having good pasturage for cattle; a country of wandering tribes, as distinguished from that of a settled people (Isaiah 35:1; 50:2; Jeremiah 4:11). Such, also, is the meaning of the word "wilderness" in Matthew 3:3; 15:33; Luke 15:4.
- The translation of the Hebrew Aribah', "an arid tract" (Isaiah 35:1 Isaiah 35:6; 40:3; 41:19; 51:3, etc.). The name Arabah is specially applied to the deep valley of the Jordan (the Ghor of the Arabs), which extends from the lake of Tiberias to the Elanitic gulf. While midbar denotes properly a pastoral region, arabah denotes a wilderness. It is also translated "plains;" as "the plains of Jericho" (Joshua 5:10; 2 Kings 25:5), "the plains of Moab" (Numbers 22:1; Deuteronomy 34:1 Deuteronomy 34:8), "the plains of the wilderness" (2 Samuel 17:16).
- In the Revised Version of Numbers 21:20 the Hebrew word jeshimon is properly rendered "desert," meaning the waste tracts on both shores of the Dead Sea. This word is also rendered "desert" in Psalms 78:40; 106:14; Isaiah 43:19 Isaiah 43:20. It denotes a greater extent of uncultivated country than the other words so rendered. It is especially applied to the desert of the peninsula of Arabia (Numbers 21:20; 23:28), the most terrible of all the deserts with which the Israelites were acquainted. It is called "the desert" in Exodus 23:31; Deuteronomy 11:24. (See JESHIMON)
- A dry place; hence a desolation (Psalms 9:6), desolate (Leviticus 26:34); the rendering of the Hebrew word horbah'. It is rendered "desert" only in Psalms 102:6, Isaiah 48:21, and Ezekiel 13:4, where it means the wilderness of Sinai.
- This word is the symbol of the Jewish church when they had forsaken God (Isaiah 40:3). Nations destitute of the knowledge of God are called a "wilderness" (32:15,midbar). It is a symbol of temptation, solitude, and persecution (Isaiah 27:10, midbar_; 33:9, _arabah).
These
dictionary topics are from
M.G.
Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition,
published
by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain, copy freely.
“Hate
the evil systems, but love your persecutors.
Love
their souls, and try to win them for Christ.”
~
Richard Wurmbrand
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| String of Pearls II, 7x11 watercolor by Elise, 2015 - Collection of the Artist |
Little
is Much When God Is in It
In
the harvest field now ripened
There's a work for all to do;
Hark! the Master's voice is calling,
To the harvest calling you.
There's a work for all to do;
Hark! the Master's voice is calling,
To the harvest calling you.
Does
the place you're called to labor
Seem so small and little known?
It is great if God is in it,
And He'll not forget His own.
Seem so small and little known?
It is great if God is in it,
And He'll not forget His own.
Little
is much when God is in it!
Labor not for wealth or fame;
There's a crown, and you can win it,
If you go in Jesus' name.
Labor not for wealth or fame;
There's a crown, and you can win it,
If you go in Jesus' name.
When
the conflict here is ended
And our race on earth is run,
He will say, if we are faithful,
"Welcome home, My child—well done!"
And our race on earth is run,
He will say, if we are faithful,
"Welcome home, My child—well done!"
In
the mad rush of the broad way,
In the hurry and the strife,
Tell of Jesus' love and mercy,
Give to them the Word of Life.
In the hurry and the strife,
Tell of Jesus' love and mercy,
Give to them the Word of Life.
Are
you laid aside from service,
Body worn from toil and care?
You can still be in the battle,
In the sacred place of prayer.
Body worn from toil and care?
You can still be in the battle,
In the sacred place of prayer.
~
Kittie L. Suffield, circa 1924
and
thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.
Thy
righteousness is like the great mountains;
thy
judgments are a great deep:
O
Lord, thou preservest man and beast.
How
excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God!
therefore
the children of men put their trust
under the shadow of thy wings.
under the shadow of thy wings.
They
shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house;
and
thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.
For
with thee is the fountain of life:
in
thy light shall we see light.
~ Psalm 36:5-9
~ Psalm 36:5-9
Give
me the wings of faith to rise
within the veil, and see
the saints above, how great their joys,
how bright their glories be.
within the veil, and see
the saints above, how great their joys,
how bright their glories be.
Once
they were mourners here below,
with sighing and with tears;
they wrestled hard, as we do now,
with sins and doubts and fears.
with sighing and with tears;
they wrestled hard, as we do now,
with sins and doubts and fears.
I
ask them whence their victory came:
they, with united breath,
ascribe their conquest to the Lamb,
their triumph to his death.
they, with united breath,
ascribe their conquest to the Lamb,
their triumph to his death.
They
marked the footsteps that he trod,
his zeal inspired their breast,
and, following their incarnate God,
possess the promised rest.
his zeal inspired their breast,
and, following their incarnate God,
possess the promised rest.
Our
glorious Leader claims our praise
for his own pattern given;
while the long cloud of witnesses
show the same path to heaven.
for his own pattern given;
while the long cloud of witnesses
show the same path to heaven.
~
Issac Watts, circa 1709
O
sing unto the Lord a new song:
sing
unto theLord, all the earth.
Sing
unto the Lord, bless his name;
shew
forth his salvation from day to day.
Declare
his glory among the heathen,
his
wonders among all people.
For
the Lordis great, and greatly to be praised:
he
is to be feared above all gods.
For
all the gods of the nations are idols:
but
the Lord made the heavens.
Honour
and majesty are before him:
strength
and beauty are in his sanctuary.
Give
unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people,
give
unto the Lord glory and strength.
Give
unto the Lord the glory due unto his name:
bring
an offering, and come into his courts.
O
worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness:
fear
before him, all the earth.
the
world also shall be established that it shall not be moved:
he
shall judge the people righteously.
let
the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.
then
shall all the trees of the wood rejoice
for
he cometh to judge the earth:
he
shall judge the world with righteousness,
and
the people with his truth.
~
Psalm 96
