Samaria Field Study (Ephraim and Manasseh)
September 28, 2008
These days are so full; when I come to write it down it is difficult to clearly and cohesively organize all the random swirling thoughts in my head. Perhaps I should start journaling as we ride along.
I would have to say that today was one of my favorite days in the field so far. I must admit that part of my enjoyment probably stemmed from the break in the unrelenting heat – I really enjoyed the clouds and wind and even a couple rain drops. The rest of my enjoyment, though, was based in two areas. The first is the land itself. Of all the areas we’ve been in, I think that this area of Ephraim and Manasseh is one of the most beautiful. It’s not majestically beautiful with high mountains and sweeping vistas, nor is it exotically beautiful with tropical plants and flowers. Actually, it was rather rocky with brown, prickly plants. Some plants were green, though, and in spite of the drought, there were still little yellow and purple flowers that bloomed on the rough hillsides. Then there was the fresh scent of the wind. It reminded me a little bit of eastern Montana – beautiful in a lonely, deserted sort of way. Of course, that area is anything but deserted. It is contested territory to this day.
My dad may want land in the Judean Wilderness:
But if I were to choose a place to live, the hills of Ephraim and Manasseh would be higher on my list:
The second thing that made today enjoyable might sound a bit odd, but it was the emotional response I had to some of the stories and places. I will explain that further as I go along.
The first major stop of the day was at Elan Moreh, a Jewish settlement overlooking Shechem. It was a high point and we were able to see various towns (Tirzah, Sychar, and Shechem, surrounded by the Mountains Ebal and Gerizim)
and routes/valleys (Michmethah Valley, Wadi Beidah, Wadi Faria, Salim Valley, and the Shechem Route) through the region of Samaria. It is clearly a much more open area than the Judean hills, or even the Benjamin plateau. It makes sense that many would try to rule a kingdom from this region. It also has good soil and better water than most of the region ‘down south.’ Lots of advantages, and yet for some reason, its position in history was usurped by Benjamin and Judah and Jerusalem. I wonder if the failure of the Northern tribes to follow God (as compared to the rare but occasional success of the Southern tribes) is due in part to the land. Life in the north would almost certainly be easier. In the south agriculture is more difficult, trade is more difficult, and the desert is ready to gobble up the fertile land. Perhaps this difficulty in life made the southern tribes more dependent on God by necessity whereas the northern tribes found it too easy to trust in the richness of their inheritance.
One of the unique opportunities at Elan Moreh was Phineas (I think that would be his equivalent name in English, it was pronounced more like “Pinkus”). He was the guy who allowed us onto the settlement and who then showed us around. He mostly told us what we were looking at (for the views) and gave a little bit of the Jewish history in the region (or at least his version of history…I’m sure there are many who would disagree). He did not talk very much about his own ideology or the ideology of the settlement to the group, but a few people asked him questions about that so we were able to hear a little. It was interesting. And rather tragic. I’ve always had sympathy for the Jewish point of view, but I’ve been trying to see all points of view and remain mostly neutral for now. The thing is, Jews and Arabs are not all that different in many ways. They both value the land, and have somewhat similar reasons why it should belong to them. Perhaps one side is more right than the other. Perhaps not. I really feel that I know too little to be saying anything, but my impression is that both sides have this attitude: “The land is our and ours alone. We should not have to share with anyone. Our claim takes precedence. Our rights are the only ones that count – you are not even human and therefore don’t matter.” It reminds me of 3 year olds trying to hog all the cookies. There are enough cookies for each child to get one or two, but each child is trying to take all of them and will not be satisfied with only one or two. I suppose this is true of most interracial conflicts. There is room for everyone to live and there is really no reason for segregation - only the human propensity to hate anyone who is different from you. It’s tragic.
From there we went to Mt. Gerizim and listened as Brad proclaimed the blessings from Deuteronomy 28.
“Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God.”
This almost made me cry. God promised the people of this land so much, and they failed so bitterly. We were overlooking modern day Nabulus with the attached refugee camp. We heard the blessings of peace and prosperity promised on this hill over 3000 years ago, only to see the reality of conflict and poverty (at least for some people). How badly the fulfillment of those promises is needed! Also, what a warning it should be to us as Christians: the grafted in olive branch is easily cut off again. May God use us to bring His truth and peace to this region.
On Mt. Gerizim we also talked to the High Priest of the Samaritans and saw where they sacrifice the sheep every year for Passover. He told us that the five tenets of their faith are (as I understood them):
1. There is one God
2. Moses was the prophet of God
3. Mt. Gerizim is the holy place (it is where Israelites built their first alter after entering the land, its where the Temple of Moses stood and where the temple will be rebuilt, and it is where Abraham brought Isaac for the sacrifice)
4. The five books of Moses (the Torah) are true
5. In the last days another prophet like Moses will come
There are only about 700 Samaritans around today. Their story is also rather tragic, in many ways. They are so close to the truth, and yet so far.
The last stop of the evening was at Shiloh: the location of the Tabernacle and the cultural center of Israel following the conquest. I really liked that area. It may be considered the remote interior of Ephraim, but perhaps that’s why I liked it. We talked about the Philistine capture of the ark and the evidence that they then came and destroyed Shiloh. Later Jeremiah uses the example of Shiloh to warn Jerusalem that they too will be destroyed if they don’t repent. Yet another tragedy: they don’t listen.
To sum up the lessons from today: it is absolutely vital to obey God and to teach the next generation to fear and obey God. The land of Ephraim and Manasseh, both past and present, gives numerous examples of what happens when God is pushed aside, forgotten, or even used selfishly. We must take Him on His terms, not ours. Only in Him is there hope for Shalom.
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