Have you heard the recent news about wildfires in Israel? A few hours ago I received a worrisome email from David Bivin. He and his wife live a few miles outside of Jerusalem and was evacuated because of the recent fires there.
David is the editor of the journal Jerusalem Perspective and author of New Light on the Difficult Words of Jesus, which I edited. He has been a mentor and friend for many years.
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Treasured friends, shalom!
In response to the fire near us, we can say, “Yep it was a big one”! It was the largest blaze in Israel’s history! 20,000 dunams burned. Canada Park gone!
We were forced to evacuate our apartment in Yad Hashmonah at about dark on Wednesday, and were allowed to return about noon on Thursday. Residents of ten settlements, including ours, were evacuated.
The Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway was closed. So was the train line between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. A heatwave and the strongest winds you can imagine helped spread the flames. People had to abandon their cars in the middle of the blocked Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway and walk to safety through the smoke.
We evacuated to a neighboring moshav, Beit Zayit, and were hosted royally. We were provided with all we could eat and drink. The younger set danced Israeli folk dances on the lawn. Eventually, we all went to hotels or to friends to spend the night. We’ll be reimbursed by the government for hotel expenses.
We had no damage to our settlement. Our apartment is OK. David’s books and filling cabinets are preserved!!!
Our thanks to the Lord!
David and Josa
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Please keep David and his wife Josa Bivin (and Israel) in your prayers!
In the past few weeks, the Bivins have also been awakened repeatedly at night when the Houthis have launched rockets at Jerusalem. The rockets are easily destroyed by the Iron Dome, but shrapnel still falls, which triggers alarms that alert everyone to take cover in bomb shelters. This can be pretty hard at their age – David celebrated his 85th birthday this past year and his wife Josa turned 90.
Below is a picture from when I visited them in July 2023. I’m standing with Josa, and David is behind us. Also pictured are Randall and Margret Buth, and Halvor and Mirja Ronning, scholar friends who head up programs to teach biblical languages in the context of the Land.
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PS: As long as you’re thinking of David Bivin, check out the latest articles at Jerusalem Perspective. I myself wrote one a few months ago for David’s birthday called, “He Could No Longer Openly Enter a Town: A Synoptic Study in Light of an Early Luke.”
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