After a few more days of ministry in the library, today was such a spirit-filled day. We got the opportunity to see many different biblically significant sites. One of the coolest places we got to go to was definitely Mount Nebo. For those who don’t know, Mount Nebo is the place of Moses’s death. It was truly such a surreal experience to be on the top of Mount Nebo overlooking parts of the Holy Land.
The drive to Mount Nebo was gorgeous! As we started making our way to the top of the mountain, I looked out the window and saw hills and mountains of desert terrain. It looked as if God had combined the Napa hills with the deserts of Nevada and Utah. Needless to say, it was beautiful! The roads became very windy the closer we got to the top which gave me a better view of the mountains. Reaching the top of the mountain felt like such a surreal experience.
We quickly loaded out of the van and started making our way over to the entrance of Mount Nebo. Before I even made it to the gate, I had to take a minute to snap a picture of the gorgeous views. It was truly breathtaking. I was immediately awestruck by God’s beautiful creation.
We entered the gates and followed a short path to the very top of the mountain. As we were walking the trail, our tour guide explained that the land below Mount Nebo would have been considered the land of Moab which is where Ruth and Naomi walked. I truly couldn’t believe what I was hearing! Before coming on this trip I had done a study on the book of Ruth which made it very fresh in my mind. The book of Ruth is now probably one of my favorite books in the Bible. I took a brief moment to soak in this experience and imagine both Ruth and Naomi traveling this land.
We continued following the trail and made it to the point where Moses died. The view was indescribable and pictures do not do it justice. Moses died overlooking the Dead Sea, Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Jericho, etc. He was so close to entering into the Promised Land, but it was not God’s will for Him. How hard that must have been to know that you had almost made it to your final destination, but God said “no.” After leading the Israelites out of Egypt and wandering in the wilderness with them for years, Moses didn’t get to experience the reward. As I stood on the top of Mount Nebo amazed by God’s creation, I also chose to reflect upon how Moses might have felt at that time. There are so many times in our lives where we put forth a lot of hardwork and effort, but we sometimes never get to see the fruits of our labor. We have to have faith and remember that God’s ways are always higher than ours even when we are unable to see a happy ending. My prayer is that I will continue running the good race all the way until the end, while remaining faithful and always putting my trust in God’s plans for my life.
Next, we entered the Greek Orthodox church next to the overlook on Mount Nebo. The mosaics were so pretty and there was a sense of peace when you entered the room. The team took a moment to sit on the benches and simply just be with God. There were three stained glass windows facing the benches. The window in the middle depicted a picture of Moses and Jesus which reminded me of the sweet love of Jesus. His love never fails us despite our mistakes and His love leads the way for our lives.
We made our way down the trail back to the vans and stopped at a cool museum along the way which housed several ancient artifacts. As we piled in the vans and made our way to our next destination, I was filled with a sense of gratitude. So many people will never get to see these biblically significant sites, but God has given me such an amazing opportunity to see the Bible come to life. I have been so blessed by this experience and have been given a completely new perspective when reading the Bible.
As this trip soon comes to an end, I ask that you continue to pray for good health and a complete sense of peace for the team. I also ask that you pray for each one of us to apply everything that we have learned on this trip and not just walk away without letting God first work in our hearts. Thank you so much for all of your prayers! We cannot wait to see our friends and family soon!
-Zoe