Walking with God in the Desert – Week 2 “It’s hot here and there’s no way out”

Shade is scarce in the desert lands of the Bible. So desert travelers learn to appreciate even the smallest areas of shade where the temperature drops a few degrees and the wind feels just a little cooler. In the shade, one can rest for a bit before venturing into the heat again. Even the shade of a small bush can make the difference between living or dying.

Retama raetam is adapted to survive extreme drought conditions. Its roots go deep into the earth, while the slender branches reduce the amount of surface area exposed to dry desert air. While it does produce very small leaves, they are quickly dropped in order to conserve water. The fallen leaves make sitting or lying under the tree more comfortable than lying on the hard ground.

What the Bible describes as a bush or tree in the desert near Beersheba is most likely a broom tree. The broom tree was significant in the scriptures in a few places. 

1. When Abraham sent away his son, Ishmael, and the boy's mother Hagar, they wandered in the desert near Beersheba. They went into the desert with only the food and water they could carry on their back. Read about this in Genesis 21:8-20. Do you think Abraham was cruel in doing this? What happened when their water ran out and death seemed imminent?

2. After a dramatic event in which God's power was displayed, Elijah ran into the desert near Beersheba when his life was threatened by Queen Jezebel. Read I Kings 19:1-8 and describe Elijah's condition after a day in the desert.

3. Read Isaiah 25:4. Given what we have learned about the desert lands of the Bible, how might your understanding and expectation of God's provision - "refuge", "shelter", and "shade" - differ from how people of the bible might have expected God to fulfill these descriptions?

4. How have you found "shade" in the difficult times of your life and how has it been "just enough"?

5. Read Exodus 15:22-27. What hardships did the people face? What was their solution? How did God show Himself to be a trustworthy provider?

Why do you think God choose not to reveal ahead of time what to expect or how He would provide?

       Suggested memory verse: Jeremiah 17:7-8 But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.