Quite early in the morning we left Tel-Aviv for Rehovot. On our way we passed through a small town well known to Christadelphians by the name Rishon Le Zion, meaning “First to Zion.”
This town was developed by Baron Rothschild, who established the Carmel Winery in order to provide employment for the Jews who migrated to Israel in 1870, before they gained their independence. It is quite a large industrial plant and it is still in full operation.
We presume that it was so located because of the grapes that are grown in the district. We were shown the wine being processed, and were told that the demand for their wines is extensive. All the employees were Jews, and from all outward appearances were very busy people. The plant is fully mechanized and up to date.
This was the first industrial plant to be established in Israel, and although under Turkish rule at that time the name Rishon Le Zion meant so much to the brethren living in those days.
It seemed like the visible hand of God in the affairs of Israel and their land. It is a rather attractive small town in the midst of a very fertile section of the country.
One wonders if the spy’s sent nut by Moses reached as far as this section of Israel ? If you look at a map of Israel you will notice that the spy’s went as far as Hebron, for we read in Numbers 13-23: “And they came unto the brook of Eshcol and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes and they bare it between two upon a staff (or a frame) and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs.” Israel today is emphasizing this incident on their coins, stamps and literature.
Leaving Rishon Le Zion we journeyed to Rehovot, thrice mentioned in the Old Testament, but whether it is the site of the places mentioned we have no knowledge. The first mention of the place is in Genesis 10:11, next is when Isaac’s herdsmen strove with the herdsmen of Gerar that Isaac dug a well at Rehovot, Genesis 26:22. (Also in Genesis 36:37). Evidently the name is old even if it is not the site of the present town. The name in Hebrew means enlargement—and how fitting this is for today. It is a lovely town situated amidst orange groves, very fertile and very productive.
The greatest interest at Rehovot is the Weizman Institute and its beautiful buildings. I presume many know who this dauntless Zionist was, and if you would like to read a book that will make your troubles look small in comparison, read his biography in “Trial and Error.”
Dr. Chiam Weizman became Israel’s first President. He came into prominence during the first World War. He was a chemist and became a professor in a university in Derby, England. A plea went out from the Prime Minister of England that the allies were in dire need of a chemical called acetone used in the manufacture of T.N.T. (a very powerful explosive). Dr. Weizman was especially appealed to, and he quickly produced the needed chemical.
When offered a title as a reward he spurned it and asked instead, “that the Land without a people be given to the people without a Land,” Israel of course ; and so was born the famous “Balfour Declaration” with which we are all familiar. Again the visible hand of God was evident, why was he (out of the multitude of chemists in the world) chosen and given the skill to produce this chemical, which by the way, has many peaceful uses.
However, like all humans great and small, the time came for him to lay down his burden — he is buried at Rehovot in a beautiful spot very close to the lovely home he occupied as President. As we stood before the simple stone that marked his grave our thoughts went back to the day when the promise of a home for scattered Israel was fulfilled through his efforts. and undoubtedly guided by an All Wise God. A group of Jewish children stood at one side waiting until we departed so that they might pay their respects to their modern day Moses. In close proximity to the grave of this remarkable man is the memorial square with an inscription engraved thereon which reads :
“I feel sure that science will bring to this land, both peace and a renewal of its youth creating here the springs of a new material and spiritual life.”
If he had prophesied that God would do this instead of science he would have spoken an undeniable truth.
We then visited the beautiful modern buildings devoted to science and research where Dr. Weizman’s sister is actively engaged in research at the age of 68.
One very modern Archives building is given wholly to the modern history of the beginning of Zionism. We were given copies of two letters written by Dr. Weizmann- one to his teacher at the age of eleven — and one to his sister in 11:322. I wish we had the space to print them in full in this article, they are masterpieces.
We then payed a visit to an agricultural college, this also is given over to agricultural research. Soil chemistry is one of their major activities. They are determined to make the “Desert blossom as the rose.” Deuteronomy 4:6. Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.
We spent the entire day at Rchovot and then went on to Ashkelon, once an important place in Bible history. Ashkelon is first referred to in Judges 1:18. It is here that the many exploits of Samson took place. Judges 14:19, “And the spirit of the Lord came upon him and he went down to Ashkelon and slew thirty men of them and took their spoil.”
Another reference of interest is in Amos 1 :8, “And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod (a neighboring city) and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon.” This becomes understandable when we realize that Herod was born there.
Here again we see the visible hand of God revealed to us in Zephaniah 2:4, “For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation,” and so it came to pass for centuries it was a desolation, but not to remain so for in verse 7 we read, “And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah, they shall feed thereupon, in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening; for the Lord their God shall visit them and turn away their captivity.”
Today one of Israel’s finest resorts and indeed a model town. In the evening we rested in a modern motel attached to the hotel Dagon.
A few miles from Ashkelon is the town of Ashdod where the famous shrine Dagon was worshipped by the Philistines, 1 Samuel 5. There are well preserved ruins of Roman and Crusader periods, tragic reminders of an illustrious past, but happy in the knowledge that a glorious future is in the immediate future. Ashkelon is very close to the Gaza Strip and a barbed wire line of demarkation with constant guard is necessary to prevent Arab infiltration. Our guide told us “that Israel does not want Gaza, they want the Arabs to look over the fence and see the difference between the advance Israel is making and the poverty and decadence of the Egyptian rulership.”
The entire country around Ashkelon is known as Samson’s country. It was a short distance from here at a place called Lhi that Samson killed 1000 Philistines with the jaw bone of an ass. Judges 15: 16-17—note however, that it was the Spirit of the Lord that came mightily upon him.
The final drama of his life was enacted in this region, poor Samson—the end had come, like Christ a professed friend had betrayed him. How cruel can human nature be ? The Philistines put out his eyes and brought him down (presumably) to Gaza and bound him with fetters of brass and he did grind in the prison house, and the Philistines made a great sacrifice to their god Dagon.
The story of his final act is well known to all of us. It gave us a strange feeling to see so many signs bearing the name Samson, (Samson’s Garage, Samson’s Restaurant, etc.), and so we concluded we trod where Samson had trod.
Next we visited Beersheba, Abraham’s town, the rapidly developing capital of the Negev. The record of how it obtained its name is in Genesis 21 :31. The name means “The well of the oath,” and the story of its beginning is worth re-reading.
A verse that is well worth giving some thought to in this our day, refers to two Philistines, Abimelech and Phichol when they spoke to Abraham regarding a well that he had dug and then had been violently taken away from him.
They said “God is with thee in all that thou doest.” When strangers can say that of us, we are not far from the Kingdom of God. We stood at the well which Abraham dug, with deep emotion, thinking of Abraham the “Friend of God,” and our relationship to h i m through baptism.
“Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise,” Gal. 3:29. The story of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in and around Beersheba is of special interest to Christadelphians. You will observe in Genesis 21 :30 that Abraham gave Abimelech seven ewe lambs as a witness that he had dug this well. Evidently Abraham had dug seven wells that had been taken from him and finally he called for Abimelech and remonstrated with him and they both sware that he had at least dug this well. It was from Beersheba that Abraham went to Moriah to offer up his son Isaac, and after his experience in not withholding his only son, he returned (Genesis 22:19). “So Abraham returned unto his young man, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.” Such a trial of faith, but oh what a victory, always a cross before a crown. He left with a heavy heart, and he returned with a divine promise, which means so much to God’s faithful ones. Refresh your minds by reading Genesis 22:15-18.
You will notice that Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, in the margin it says a tree and in the American Revised version it says he planted a Tamarisk. This particular tree grows in very dry places even in salty places and many such trees are still found in the vicinity.
It is not difficult to understand the feelings and emotions of a Christadelphian when one realizes that the very germ of our faith “The Promises,” were made to the servants of God who dwelt here. The Beersheba of today is very busy especially on Thursdays when the Bedouins hold their weekly market. What a strange mixture compared to our markets. The Bedouins gather to sell or trade camels, donkeys and goats, a few bread rings, beans, eggs, etc.
We saw the familiar dry goods vendor on the streets with the usual bolts of cotton goods of many varieties. The Arab men and women go about their customary bargaining. The Arabs are just as primitive as they were in the days of Abraham, the men in long flowing gowns and the women in many instances veiled and their dowry coins draped from there head-dress almost covering their faces.
As the evening began to close in it was indeed a wonderful sight to see the camels homeward bound, silhouetted against the horizon. We had spent a wonderful day in a wonderfully historic place, although absent in body we felt that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had been with us in spirit.
Our next journey takes us to the Dead Sea, Sodom and Gomorrah and the lessons that it teaches.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One