Hagai Segal's examination of Israeli political culture explores the messianic currents that have shaped the nation's development from its founding to the present. The title references Sde Boker, the kibbutz in the Negev Desert where David Ben-Gurion retired, symbolizing the pioneering Zionist vision of transforming wilderness into civilization. Segal investigates how religious and secular messianism have competed and combined in Israeli politics, from the Labor Zionist dream of creating a new Jewish society to the religious nationalist conviction that settling the Land of Israel fulfills divine prophecy. The book examines how these competing visions have shaped debates over borders, peace negotiations, and the character of the state. Segal brings journalistic skill to historical and cultural analysis, drawing on interviews and documentary sources to trace the evolution of Israeli political theology. The book grapples with how a nation founded by secular socialists became increasingly shaped by religious conviction, and what this transformation means for Israel's future. This is essential reading for understanding the ideological forces driving Israeli politics today.