Topical Bible: Deserts: Parts of, Afforded Pasture

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In the biblical context, deserts are often depicted as vast, arid regions characterized by their harsh conditions and sparse vegetation. Despite their inhospitable nature, these areas occasionally provided pasture for flocks, illustrating God's provision and the resilience of life even in the most challenging environments.

Biblical References:

1. Provision in the Wilderness:
The Israelites' journey through the desert after their exodus from Egypt is a prominent biblical narrative. During this time, God provided for their needs, including sustenance for their livestock. In Exodus 16:35, the Israelites are described as eating manna for forty years until they reached the borders of Canaan, indicating that their flocks also found pasture in the desert regions.

2. Pasture in the Desert:
The prophet Isaiah speaks of the transformation of the desert into a place of abundance. Isaiah 35:1-2 states, "The wilderness and the land will be glad; the desert will rejoice and blossom like a rose. It will bloom abundantly and even rejoice with joy and singing." This passage metaphorically highlights the potential for life and sustenance in the desert, suggesting that God can provide pasture even in desolate places.

3. Nomadic Shepherds:
The patriarchs, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were often nomadic shepherds who traversed desert regions with their flocks. Genesis 13:5-6 describes how "Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were unable to remain together." This indicates that even in desert areas, there was sufficient pasture to support large herds, though it required careful management and movement.

4. David's Experience:
David, before becoming king, spent time in the wilderness, where he found refuge and sustenance. In 1 Samuel 23:14-15 , it is noted, "David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not deliver David into his hands." The wilderness provided not only a place of safety but also resources for David and his men.

5. Symbolic Significance:
Deserts in the Bible often symbolize testing, purification, and reliance on God. The provision of pasture in such areas underscores the theme of divine care and sustenance. In Psalm 78:52 , it is written, "He led out His people like sheep and guided them like a flock in the wilderness." This imagery reinforces the idea of God as a shepherd who provides for His flock even in the most barren landscapes.

Cultural and Historical Context:

In ancient Near Eastern culture, deserts were both feared and revered. They were seen as places of danger but also as spaces where one could encounter God. The ability to find pasture in the desert was crucial for the survival of nomadic tribes and their livestock. The biblical narratives reflect this reality, portraying deserts as places where God's provision is evident despite apparent scarcity.

Theological Implications:

The presence of pasture in the desert serves as a powerful reminder of God's providence and faithfulness. It illustrates that even in the most desolate circumstances, God is able to provide for His people. This theme resonates throughout Scripture, encouraging believers to trust in God's provision regardless of their circumstances.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Genesis 36:24
And these are the children of Zibeon; both Ajah, and Anah: this was that Anah that found the mules in the wilderness, as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Exodus 3:1
Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

On the Death of his Father.
... not fall very far short of his deserts, I will ... opposites"Greek error and legal imposture,
some parts of each of ... For in this he afforded us no slight assistance ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/oration xviii on the death.htm

The Letter of the Church of Rome
... that from one generation to another the Master "has afforded and opportunity ... What
world is there to receive anyone who deserts him? ... "The tiniest parts of our ...
/.../richardson/early christian fathers/the letter of the church.htm

Syria at the Beginning of the Egyptian Conquest
... of Babylon still possessed, from the deserts of the ... if they were beaten, the citadel
afforded them a ... similar practice still obtains in certain parts of modern ...
/.../chapter iisyria at the beginning.htm

Book ii. Jerome Answers the Second, Third, and Fourth Propositions ...
... disciples might experience no pleasure but that afforded by the ... a great concourse
of people from all parts of Greece ... my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/book ii jerome answers the.htm

The Reaction against Egypt
... The text is so mutilated that it is impossible to give a literal rendering of it
in all its parts, but the sense is sufficiently clear to warrant our rilling ...
/.../chapter iithe reaction against egypt.htm

The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
... of the Arabian desert, and is composed of a grey, or in parts a whitish ... Accad, I
gathered together its nations who were scattered, I gave them pasture and drink ...
/.../chapter ithe first chaldaean empire.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... The tribes of Joseph and Judah, who subsequently played such important parts, were
at that ... or barley in the open air, or lead his herds to pasture far from his ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm