We began this third day of our field study at the much anticipated Petra. Its interesting that so many tourists look forward to this mystery place where the sights outweigh the teeter totter of knowledge. It seems that almost nothing is known about this place, though we have concluded that it may have been an important city if not the capital of the Nabataean kingdom.
In our time at Petra we were able to trek into the treasury, the most famous building on the site. After that we went up to the high place lookout with a three hundred and sixty degree view of the surrounding sandstone mountains and valleys. Around every corner of rock was a new beautiful view as we headed to the more recent monastery which was built on a high face and very similar to the treasury though not as ornate. It was grand to trek around this amazing feat wondering what kind of power structure was in place to build these works of art, chiseling such masterpieces right out of the stone.
Our second and final stop of the day was one in which the knowledge outweighed the site on the balancing teeter totter. In fact, this thriving Edomite capital of Busera was virtually unexcavated. What had been a surpassing kingdom capital to the City of David at Jerusalem, was marked with a hand drawn sign today.
This site was marked with many passages of Scripture that brought the unexcavated tel to life. Isaiah 34 and 63 allowed us to picture the thriving town of sheep and goat herders with grapes and wine presses on their city slopes. Ezekiel 27 made us picture the camel caravans coming in and out of this desert port. We finished the spot reading the entire book of Obadiah watching how it described this solid city on a hill, growing right out of the rocky crop. This thriving city was no match for Yahweh, the God who works in mysterious ways.
(the view from our hotel that night was perfect for a desert sunset)
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