I saw someone on social media ask about examples of how using a Bible atlas is helpful. I thought I give some quick examples. I think knowledge of biblical geography is helpful and generally makes things “become alive” for Bible expositors and apologists. Here are some specific examples:
- Knowledge of Biblical geography can resolve certain alleged Bible contradictions the skeptic might put forth. For example did Jesus ascended from Bethany or Mount Olivet? Is there a Bible contradiction between the Gospels here? I argue that knowing biblical geography refutes this contradiction.
- Biblical geography and atlas doesn’t just help with apologetics and Bible contradictions. It also helps us appreciate the depth of the Spiritual lessons that Bible intended to make. It enriches our study of the Bible and nourish ourselves spiritually. Take the story of Jonah. Jonah flees from God by intending to travel to Tarshish. Tarshish is what we now call Spain. Seeing it on an atlas we see Jonah’s disobedience against God results in him fleeing away from God by heading towards the extreme opposite direction away from Nineveh. Nineveh requires traveling through deserts; Jonah travels away to Tarshish takes him out to sea. The contrasts between obedience and disobedience is very clear with the terrain in the story.
- We have still yet another example from Jonah. Jonah’s father was Amittai. In 2 Kings 14:25 Jonah or his father is described as being from Gath-hepher. According to Joshua 19:13 Gath-hepher is the easter border town for the tribe of Zebulun. If Jonah is from that town then he went from one end of Israel to the other “end” of Israel at the sea port of Joppa. To escape from God Jonah’s first step heads deeper into Israel instead of going into Gentile territory right away if he were to obey and go to Nineveh. The depth of Jonah entering deeper Israel matches the depth of Jonah’s Jewishness that would later be revealed in the story and how he didn’t want to see God show grace and mercy to Nineveh.
- Finally knowledge of biblical geography is great for both Bible exposition and apologetics when we see its importance for Messianic prophecy and typology. Genesis 22:2 tells us Moriah is where the attempted sacrifice of Abraham’s son Isaac takes place and towards the end of the narrative we learn that “the Lord will provide.” In fact the location was renamed as “the Lord will provide:” “Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.”” (Genesis 22:14). Where is this place where the Lord will provide a sacrific? 2 Chronicles 3:1 mentioned Moriah is situated at Jerusalem. Of course Jerusalem is where Christ as God the Son is offered as a sacrifice for our sins. Messianic typology and prophecies will definitely preach and is often unfortunately a missing tool in the apologist’s arsenal.
What other examples can you think of?
The Domain for Truth 
I couldn’t think of any examples you didn’t cover, thank you for diligently explaining this! We’re blessed to have these readily available to us with technology.
Thank you for reading this sister, you are right there are so many things technology has blessed us with! By the way I shared your posts on Molecular Machines on our blog earlier today in cased you missed it.
Thank you so much for sharing that, brother!
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
Thanks for the reblog!
Yankee Whiskey Bravo
Pastor Jim, an example of how a Bible map/atlas can bring insight is that in studying the letters to the seven churches in Revelation, it was an education for me to see how deep in pagan territory these churches were. Thanks for this enjoyable post!
Wow that’s true. I wasn’t even thinking of that and reading your comment it made me realize it was to real churches John wrote to in Revelation 2-3. Thanks for sharing that Maria! If you have more of these examples, send it our way!
Okay!
I actually have the atlas you reviewed a long time ago bookmarked to buy one day. This is one area I want to learn a lot more about.
Thanks, Jim. Every believer reads and studies the Bible differently, but for a non-pastor, a good Bible dictionary, one-volume commentary, concordance, and Bible atlas are soooooo helpful. As my wife and I read through the Bible, it’s so beneficial to see the location of a city or landmark in relation to a wider area rather than to just read the name.
I wished every husband in the church would study the Bible together with their wife. You are right being able to see the location of where Biblical events takes place is beneficial. Personally for me there are times looking at an atlas I’m surprised at how much people walked and travel back then! That makes me want to walk more for some reason…
A geographical chain reference would be a great asset. Events can take on greater significance when we can layer a series of poignant events in that same valley or mountain or town for example. Historical narratives could more vivid when we know the location and even the distance between two points of reference. ( From L. A. to San Francisco is nothing compared to from L. A. to Main ) The example of Jonah illustrates his flight being more defiant than I previously understood. Further it would take the great appointed fish 3 days to swim back to the area of Nineveh.