The Study of the Old Testament: Geography and History Essay Example

“How did the Egyptians have such a stranglehold on nations including the Hebrews? ” That can be answered in various ways using your knowledge of geography.First of all, the African deserts surrounding Egypt acted as a natural barrier against enemy attacks, making it a safe haven. Egypt was also supported by the legendary “Gift of the Nile” which supported the dry desert area with an infinite amount of refreshing water. Egypt and other countries geographically similar such as Mesopotamia, Syria, Arabia, etc. were located in what is called the Ancient Far East.

These countries are mostly desert, and to know the geography of the area helps when reading the Bible, a text that is centralized in the Ancient Near East.For example, the customs of people during Jesus’ time were largely different to ours due to the difference in geographic location. Eating unleavened bread and wearing sandals and robes everyday are things of the past, and particularly, the past of those living in the Ancient Far East. Could you imagine the confusion when a new reader of the Bible suddenly reads a story about Jesus wandering the desert? I think that they would be bewildered with the fact that our Messiah spent his days jogging in the desert just for the heck of it.