History matters. Context matters. How did you get where you are and why are you doing what you are doing today? I imagine that, like me, a whole series of events and circumstances have led you to the who, what and why of your today. To truly understand a person, you have to understand their history and the context of their journey. Beyond that, to even understand yourself it helps to understand those who came before you and the context in which they lived their lives. That’s why DNA testing and sites like ancestry.com have become so popular.
For many of us, our spiritual DNA is even more important than our physical DNA. The Bible serves as our spiritual ancestry.com. It’s through the Bible that we get to know God and those who preceded us in walking with him here on Earth – that “great cloud of witnesses” as the writer of Hebrews puts it. The Protestant Bible was written by over 40 people across the span of 1500 years. As we dig deeper into the world of those people, the more we understand of what they wrote and why they wrote it. This is why biblical archaeology is so important. We get to know the biblical writers and those they wrote about as we uncover their world. Biblical archaeology connects the people of the present to the people of the past. Discoveries are being made every day that help us better understand those who came before us in faith.
One of the amazing things about Israel is how well they care for and protect biblical sites. They understand that these sites contain the history of not only the Jewish people, but also the spiritual history of all of us who follow the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. If you haven’t visited Israel, you should. If you have, it’s time to plan your next trip and dig deeper!
However, Israel is not the only place where biblical history happened. Our spiritual DNA can also be found under the dirt of Iraq, Syria and other war-torn areas. Many of us have watched in horror at the atrocities happening to the people of these countries. The human cost is devastating. At the same time, we are losing our history, as well. It’s not just an internal middle-eastern problem that we can ignore without consequences. ISIS ransacked numerous archaeological sites destroying everything that represented an opposing viewpoint. Beyond that, the constant instability in these areas make archaeological pursuits and biblical tourism extremely dangerous.
To put this in perspective, a few biblical sites in these areas include:
- Damascus
- Babylon
- The Tigris and Euphrates rivers
- Shinar (ancient Sumer)
- Chaldea
- Akkad
- Erech (Uruk)
- Ninevah
There are literally hundreds more either directly under control of Islamic extremists or in areas where radical Islamic view are encroaching. We forget that in comparison to Christianity and most certainly Judaism, Islam is a young religion. It immerged in approximately 600 AD. Prior to that, Christianity flourished in the region. The followers of Jesus have a very rich history in the Middle East. Biblical historical sites must be uncovered, excavated and preserved. Lying under the dirt and sand of the Middle East are the people, places and things of the Bible. When studied, they often affirm and illuminate its story. From a spiritual perspective, I’m convinced this is why we’ve seen such strife in the region throughout the millennia and especially over the last few decades. That land contains treasures that will enrich our understanding of the Bible and in some cases affirm the narrative of the book, itself.
I don’t have the answer on how to bring peace to the region. I know that we should support those that are doing good there both financially and through our personal advocacy within our networks and our elected officials. Most importantly, we should pray. The Bible contains a promise for all the sons of Abraham and we should remind Him of that promise:
“In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing[b] on the earth. The Lord Almighty will bless them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.” – Isaiah 19:23-25
Note: The thoughts expressed here are mine and not an indication of my employer’s views on any topic.
Wonderings on the Way 