Good Bible study is multidimensional. And it is an understanding of Scripture in all its dimensions that leads to the most fruitful study. One of the dimensions often overlooked is the geography of the Bible. Unfortunately, when someone encounters a geographical place or feature of some kind in the Bible, it is usually ignored. This is unfortunate, because an understanding of geography in the Bible can unlock a wealth of insight and illustration.

When most people think of geography, they tend to think strictly of the study of the physical features of the Earth. But this is a limited view. Geography is the study of places, cultures, communities, people, and topography. An understanding of geography enables you to move beyond the words on a page. When you encounter geography in the Bible, you have an opportunity to understand what the text meant to the original audience. Just like figures of speech, the significance of a geographical feature of the Bible might not be as obvious to modern day readers as it was to the original audience. That is why you must do a little digging. A solid understanding of the geography of the Bible will give you greater perspective, an aid to the imagination, and a virtually endless supply for illustration. Below we will consider three good reasons to study the geography of the Bible.

A Fuller Understanding of the Passage
In Philippians 3, Paul discusses at length the value of knowing Christ above everything else. Later in the passage, he emphasizes the importance of living faithfully according to what you have learned. He teaches this truth while mentioning, by way of contrast, those who live only for themselves. In a statement regarding those who live only for this life, Paul says in vv. 20–21, “But our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subject everything to Himself.” Believers look forward to a day when we will be in heaven for eternity. But there is much more going on in this verse.

Paul’s words in verse 20 would have certainly stood out to his readers. The city of Philippi was in the province of Macedonia. One of the strategies of the Roman Empire was to establish colonies throughout the land. These colony-cities were Roman to their core regardless of where they were located. This also extended to the laws. Citizens of Philippi were citizens of Rome with all the rights and responsibilities that came with it. In other words, despite not being physically located in Rome, they were citizens nonetheless. Given this, how do you suppose the words “but our citizenship is in heaven” would have struck the Philippian believers? They would have known precisely what he meant. Despite not being physically located in heaven, those who follow Christ are citizens of heaven. Yes, there will be a future day where we will be physically located there, but right now we are already citizens of heaven with the expectations and benefits of being a citizen of heaven.

This is one example that helps us see that an understanding of geography is more than merely being able to identify rivers and cities on the maps in the back of your Bible. Knowing the background of Philippi gives the student of God’s Word greater insight into what Paul was saying in Philippians 3:20. There are plenty of other such examples that teach us to pay attention to geography, since it can give us a fuller understanding of a passage.

Cultural Implications of Geography
Any time you study history, people, or places, you will invariably be faced with the reality that an understanding of these ancient cultures is critical. Bible study is no exception. Geography deals with places and the people that lived in those places. These places had their own customs, industries, and political, social, and economical scenarios.

One example where the cultural implications of a place are particularly rich is the letter to Laodicea in Revelation 3:14–22.

Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea: “The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God’s creation says: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’ and you don’t know that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be committed and repent. Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me. The victor: I will give him the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I also won the victory and sat down with My Father on His throne. Anyone who has an ear should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Once again, people who read the Bible tend to look at this passage flatly making the mistake of trying to intuitively understand what is going on here or overspiritualizing the passage. There are four places in which geography matters as it relates to the culture of that day. First is the wish that they were “hot or cold” rather than “lukewarm.” If you consult a map of New Testament Asia Minor, you will see two cities near Laodicea: Hierapolis (home of the hot springs) and Colossae (home of the cold springs). The passage alludes to these two geographical features. By the time either the hot water of Laodicea or the cold water of Colossae was funneled to Laodicea, it was, as you might guess, lukewarm.

There are three other cultural references in this passage regarding Laodicea. Laodicea was also known as a very wealthy banking district. Historical studies reveal that Laodicea was able to rebuild itself after a natural disaster due to its wealth. But the end of v. 17 refers to them as poor. The verse also refers to them as blind. We know that Laodicea was known to have invented a salve for the healing of the eyes. Lastly, the verse refers to them as naked. We know that Laodicea was also known for their production of fashionable textiles. “Poor” though wealthy, “blind” though medically advanced when it comes to eyesight, and “naked” though known for fashion. Of course, each of these is a play on words, and Christ is calling for something more significant than the physical. Christ spoke of their supposed strengths and pointed out their glaring weaknesses. While some of this may be evident on the surface, it is the cultural details of Laodicea that will move the student of the Bible beyond an intuitive interpretation this passage.

Symbolism Tied to Geography
Have you ever heard of “mountain top” experiences? Generally speaking, when you hear that phrase, you are led to believe that the experience was positive. When you study the Bible, you can see geographical symbols that follow this general pattern.

For example, although some good things took place in the wilderness, it is generally viewed as a place of testing (note Israel in the wilderness in the New Testament and Jesus in the wilderness in the Gospels). Jesus was faithful in the wilderness, while Israel was not. Often, mountains were places where God chose to reveal himself (like Mount Sinai in the Old Testament and the transfiguration of Jesus in Matthew 17). They were also considered places of deliverance (as in the case of Abraham in Genesis 22). By way of contrast, if the high places of a mountain were sometimes seen as positive, it was the low places like valleys that were sometimes seen as negative.

Conclusion
Biblical geography, as critical as it may be for the understanding of key passages of the Bible, is not something that many people have mastered. We discussed Bible study tools in chapter 11, but a few of those tools bear repeating here. First, the main geography tool is a Bible atlas. There are several quality Bible atlases available. A good quality atlas is far more than just a set of maps. Find an atlas that is laid out, at the very least, in a way that follows the biblical story. This makes finding key subjects easier. Second, a good Bible atlas will also have indexes in the back, making key terms and places easier to locate. Another useful tool is a Bible dictionary. Often, a geographical place in the Bible will have its own entry, yielding useful information. Besides Bible dictionaries, there are numerous kinds of Bible background books that can be useful. Lastly, the Internet is filled with many wonderful resources—but be careful to choose wisely, as the reliability of a given website can be suspect.

Those who neglect the geography of the Bible miss a significant source of in-depth information that can serve to help the student of God’s Word understand a passage more fully, illuminate some of the cultural clues that give a study its richness, and uncover some of the recurring symbols throughout the Bible. [Hulshof, Chris & Cartwright, John (2016). Everyday Bible Study (p. 135). B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://app.wordsearchbible.com.]