#1 - A PANORAMIC VIEW OF THE WORLD OF THE BIBLE
If we are to understand the Bible story line, it is essential for us to be familiar with the geography of the world of the Bible.
The events of the OT took place in a territory which is bounded by five great water bodies of water – the Mediterranean Sea on the west, the Black Sea towards the North, the Caspian Sea on the North-east, the Arabian (Persian) Gulf on the South East and the Red Sea towards the South.
This territory extends eastward as far as Persia and westward to Egypt. The mountains of Ararat in Armenia Mark the Northern limits and Mount Sinai in the Sinai Peninsula marks its southern limits. On the east of the Sinai Peninsula, between the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf is the great Arabian Desert.
The great semi-circle around the Arabian Desert is commonly referred to as the “Fertile Crescent.” It formed an important centre for human settlement and civilization from the earliest times. Three great rivers, the Nile, Euphrates and Tigris constantly watered the land making it extremely fertile. This regular source of irrigation helped agriculture and as a result a stable economy developed.
#2 - THE PHYSICAL FEATURES OF THE ANE
IMPORTANT RIVERS
THE EUPHRATES
In Gen. 15: 18 and Deut. 1: 7 are called “the great rivers.” This river represented the northern extremity of the Israelite monarchy at the peak of its power.
The Euphrates along with the other river joins together shortly before they flow into Arabian Gulf.
According to Gen. 2: 10-14 it was between these two rivers where the Garden of Eden existed.
THE TIGRIS
The Tigris rises in the Arabian range in Asia Minor, flowing as a combined stream with the Euphrates for about 100 miles into the Arabian Gulf.
The important cities of Asshur and Nineveh were situated on its banks.
According to the KJV in Gen. 2: 14 and Dan. 10:4 another name for this river was Hiddekel.
THE NILE
This is the greatest river of Africa and rises in the centre of the continent from Lake Victoria and flows north through Egypt into the Mediterranean.
It turns the portions of the desert through which it flows into a fertile garden.
No wonder Egyptians worshipped it as a goddess, like the Hindus do to the river Ganges.
THE ORONTES
The Orontes rises in Mount Lebanon, flowing northward through western Syria, until just short of Asia Minor, it breaks westward through the mountains emptying into the Mediterranean.
The OT cities of Riblah, Hamath and Kadesh as well as the NT Christian centre of Antioch were located in the Orontes valley.
IMPORTANT MOUNTAIN RANGES
The mountain ranges are very important aspects of the physical features of the ANE. In this section, we will look into five important mountain ranges.
THE ARARAT MOUNTAIN
This mountain is in eastern Armenia about midway between the Caspian and Black Sea.
THE CASPIAN MOUNTAIN
This mountain is a branch from Ararat south and eastward forming the northern boundary of Media.
THE ZAGROS MOUNTAINS
This mountain also starts from Ararat following a south-easterly direction and forming the traditional boundary between Assyria and Media.
THE LEBANON RANGE
This range runs in two parallel branches south of the Ararat and Taurus ranges through Syria and Israel down to the Siniatic Peninsular. Lebanon means “white” because of the snows.
THE TAURUS RANGE
This range branches from Ararat in a westerly direction forming the southern coastline of Asia Minor.
"To have faith in Christ means, of course, trying to do all that He says- C.S. LEWIS"
The Mountains appear to have played a significant role in Biblical history. They also seem to have been closely related to the faith and worship of the people of Israel. We will see the four main incidents related to these mountains.
Noah’s ark is thought to be rested on Mt. Ararat (Gen 8: 4).
Abraham set out to sacrifice his son Isaac on Mt. Moriah (Gen 22: 2).
Moses saw the burning bush at Mt. Horeb (Ex. 3: 1-2).
The Law was given to the children of Israel from the mountain of Sinai (Ex. 19: 11, 20).
#3 - THE POLITICAL FEATURES OF THE ANE
The lands of the ANE are not easy to determine because their boundaries and names varied at different periods of history.
In terms of recent world history which dramatically changed within the 60 years with the change of political fortunes, our task becomes more difficult.
Nevertheless, we can safely recognize the existence of at least thirteen different political regions in the ANE world.
They may be generally classified in 3 geographical areas as Lands of Mountains systems, Lands of the Plains and Lands of the Mediterranean.
#4 - LANDS OF THE MOUNTAIN SYSTEM
Armenia
Armenia does not appear in the original scriptures but it is the translation of the word “Urartu” (Ararat). Few events in scripture are associated with it.
Media
In the original the name is “Madai”, the son of Japheth (Gen 10: 2).
The Medians or Medas inhabited the region northeast of Babylon between the Caspian Sea and the Zagros Mountains.
In the year 644 BC the Median Kingdom was established and soon became supreme over Assyria, Armenia and Persia, forming the Medo-Persian Empire.
This Medo-Persian Empire succeeded Babylon as the supreme world power in 536 BC.
Persia
Located southeast of Media and north of the Arabian Gulf, it was first subjected to Medes till the Persians revolt under Cyrus the Great.
Following the fall of Babylon in 536 BC, they conquered and ruled over all the lands from India to Ethiopia, until Persia was conquered by Alexander the Great in the year 330 BC.
#5 - LANDS OF PLAIN
Assyria
It was also called as ‘Ashur’ in the Hebrew language, after the name of the first city where a dynasty of kings began to rule about the same time that the Israelites were in Egypt.
The permanent location of the capital was at Nineveh, which became the centre of the great Assyrian Empire.
Elam
The land between the Zagros Mountains and the lower Tigris River, east of Babylon was occupied by the Elamites.
The name of “Amraphel” the earliest conqueror mentioned in the Bible (Gen 14) was associated with this place.
Elam soon became the vassal of Assyria and later a province of the Persian Empire. The capital of the Persian Empire, Shusan lay within the province.
Mesopotamia
In the Hebrew Scriptures Mesopotamia is called as “Aram Maharaim.” In general it refers to the region between Tigris and Euphrates and more specifically to the North western portion of the region. It is famous as the area from which the patriarch Abraham and his family travelled en route to Canaan.
Babylonia
was also known as “Shinar” or “Chaldea” it was thought to have its origin as the kingdom at Ur in the 4th millennium BC, although Babylon became its capital. During its long history it was ruled by kings from various lands. The better known among them are the Amorite lawgiver Hammurabi and Nebuchadnezzar, who was perhaps its greatest king.
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