-
Lesson OneWhat Is Geography?3 Activities1 Assessment
-
Lesson TwoWhy Is There Geography in My Bible?3 Activities1 Assessment
-
Lesson ThreeNow What?3 Activities1 Assessment
-
Lesson FourHow Can I Grow My Geographical Literacy?3 Activities1 Assessment
-
Lesson FiveThe Fertile Crescent and the Promised Land3 Activities1 Assessment
-
Lesson SixKey Geographical Characteristics of the Promised Land3 Activities1 Assessment
-
Lesson SevenTraveling the Promised Land3 Activities1 Assessment
-
Lesson EightRoutes in and through the Promised Land3 Activities1 Assessment
-
Lesson NineWater Realities of the Promised Land3 Activities1 Assessment
-
Lesson TenWeather of the Promised Land3 Activities1 Assessment
-
Course Wrap-UpCourse Completion1 Activity1 Assessment
Participants 269
Discussion Questions
-
Why do you think geography has been given so little attention by Bible readers?
-
69 Replies
-
One of the reasons is that many readers prioritize theological concepts and doctrines over geographical context, viewing the Bible primarily as a spiritual or moral guide rather than a historical document that includes geographical details.
-
I think people don’t think that it is critical to understanding the Bible. I think that it’s very important to know the distances they were traveling and where they were going, and what the terrain and environment was like during that time.
-
I think geography has been given so little attention by Bible readers because we may not see it as critical to what the bible is teaching us. Understanding bible geography is critical to understanding the bible as it helps understand the people, their culture, living situation and how they lived. Maybe people are not interested in geography and don’t want to put the time in understanding it. Or some see it as the past and it is not significant today. There will be many different answers depending on one’s perspective.
-
Because readers are searching for the big message and often miss the details. By studying geography of the Bible I believe it will deepen the meanings and context of the scripture.
-
Geography may be overlooked by Bible readers because we just do not think about it. Instead, we are looking for a “greater” spiritual meaning in what we read rather than noticing how the physical things around us are used to explain spiritual things. We often miss what is right in front of this thinking that things cannot really be that simple or obvious. Sometimes, we just need to slow down and focus on the basics — like geography and how that impacts us.
-
Give an example from the Bible, other than the ones we have used in this lesson, that demonstrates the biblical authors use geography when communicating the thoughts of God to us.
-
69 Replies
-
The rivers mountains and other regions.
-
The “high places” where sacrifices were offered in the Old Testament and crossing the Jordan River.
-
Off the top of my head, the mount of transfiguration, and the sermon on the mount comes to mind as physical geography. when scripture tells us to not throw our pearls before swine reminds me of the natural geography. And when the Pharisees bought the potters field just as prophesy declared they would gives me an example of human geography.
-
The burning bush
Mount Sinai
The waters of the Jordan River.
-
The Lord God formed the heavens and the earth
-
Give two examples of physical geography, two examples of human geography, and two examples of natural history associated with the place you live.
-
53 Replies
-
the place I live has physical geography of huge tall cliffs with a river that feeds into a large lake further down. down the valley between the cliffs and another mountian storms often are mostly there with rain and lightening at times as the weather system passes us by and happens there.
human geography in the place I live is that along the river and on the plain is lots of farms, dairy, grain and chicken farms. the river is often a huge tourist attraction in the summer as people ride on inflatable tubes down the slow moving river, which is very fast moving in the spring due to spring snow melt running into it.
natural geography where I live is the great horned owls come into the night streets from the mountains and in the winter call to one another as this is their mating season. Just outside of our town, deer, black bears and elk and cougars roam the mountains, and in the fall we often find deer and bear passing through our yards, and while the bears hibernate in the winter the deer come feed on shrubs and fruit fallen on the ground under the snow.
-
physical geography: the earth that swallowed up in the wilderness as they wandered for 40 years before entering the promised land. The storm on the sea of Gallilee when Jesus walked on water.
human geography: Noah planted a vineyard after the flood. When Abraham dug wells that the Philistines covered over, and Isaac later redug them.
natural geography: the discussion God has with Job in proclaiming all He made in His wisdom. Song of Solomon throughout uses analogies to describe the beauty of both the beloved and the bridegroom.
-
We live among trees and water.
I forgot what human geography relates to.
On our property we have wild foxes and coyotes. Also chickens and next door many cattle.
-
The area where I live in Holmes County, Ohio, has rolling hills and clay-filled soil. People here farm these hills and life is simpler due to our Amish friends that live among us (they choose bikes and horse-drawn vehicles instead of those with motors). Our area is covered with beautiful green grasses and colorful flowers throughout the spring, summer and fall months.
-
Mt Duval and numerous creeks. Parklands and shearing sheds. Rabbits and lizards