Biblical Geographic

Many places that are mentioned within the bible are just names, with no particular specific location. Ephesus is an example where you can go and stand in the very arena mentioned within the scriptures.

This very arena is mentioned in Acts 19:29,31 where two of Paul’s companions were caught up by the insurrection in the town. Gaius and Aristarchus underwent an experience that not many of us would hope to endure in our lifetime. Under duress, and probable physical violence these two men were dragged to this very theatre to the chants of great is Diana of the Ephesians. Paul sought to join them, but was persuaded by the brethren at Ephesus to refrain. This was a clear insight to the care that Paul had of his brethren. In juxtaposition to the seething hatred in pursuit of the ecclesia in his novitiate, the anxious thought for the welfare of others consumed him.  The passion was reciprocated in their leaning on him with tears on his departure in Acts 20.

Greek mythology has Diana as the twin with Apollo to parents Jupiter and Latona on the island of Delos. Diana (gk heavenly or divine) was the Artemis of the Ephesians and the Persians. The god of the moon, the cyclical nature of the same controlling the cycles of fertility. The same idea was seen within Jericho the city of the moon, and within Ur and Haran were Nana, the god of the moon was worshipped. There was no mistake then when garments of Shinar were found at Jericho later in the time of Aachan. Josh 7:21. The elements were also seen within Ashteroth Karnaim, where Karnaim contains the idea of horns, and hence the rising moon, and the time of expected conception.  The Latin Artemis was however different, and was the god of the hunt, demonstrated within panels with Marcus Aurelius sacrificing to this deity. Diana was then the goddess of the virgin, whose waiting for conception was a prime feature.

This worship became the foundation for the worship of Mary. The devotion of prayers of catholic masses to the woman indicates the need for appeasement of an angry deity and the placation of Jesus himself! This is at odds to biblical testimony where access to the father is through the son: “No man cometh to the Father, but by me” John 14:6 “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus“  1 Tim 2:5 It also assumes that Mary is still alive to intercede for prayers. This again is at odds with the scriptures where “all men die, and then the judgment“

The theatre is built on the slopes of Panayir Dagh, with the capacity of seating 25,000. It is the largest theatre in Anatolia. [Another large theatre at Bergama / Pergamos and Miletus] The cavea has 66 rows of seats, divided by two diazoma (entrance rows of steps) and has three distinct sections reaching a height of 18 metres. The stage area called the skene, was used for both plays, contests and animal events. There was an actor preparation area called the orchestra.  It was built during the reign of Lysimachus a successor of Alexander ca360-281BC whose segment of the divided Grecian empire included: Lydia, Ionia, Phrygia and the norther coast of asia minor. Lysimachus was one of the four horns of the goat mentioned in Daniel 8:8 One of the main attractions would have been “the sweet maidens, the daughters of Lydia” (1).

The real contest was between not merchant fees and a perceived deranged evangelist, but between the God of heaven, and the powers and principalities of sin. This was so outlined in the book of Ephesians, and the greatest victory ever taken is when a man decides to accept God over personal interest: “That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the ecclesia, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way, Eph 1:20-23.

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1. Jerome Murphy O’Connor: St Paul’s Ephesus: “Texts and archeology” pg 199

For More Photos Visit: Denzi Naval Museum

4 KNO₃ + C₇H₄O + 2 S —> 2 K₂S + 4 CO₂ + 3 CO + 2 H₂O + 2 N₂

The invention of gunpowder changed the face of military endeavours for ever. No longer would every battle rely on  fierce hand to hand contact with primitive weapons, but another form of ghastly wounding and death. But the introduction of gunpowder and the carriage of cannon found an amazing introduction onto the world scene, for it was at Istanbul where canon would prove the force required to overtake the city. The city had not been taken before. Attila the Hun had approached and had it not been for the other diversions, the earthquake damaged walls would not have stopped him. But the siege of Friday, 6 April 1453 until Tuesday, 29 May 1453 saw the approach of alien forces against a city that was the epitome of the eastern leg of the empire for so long.

Numerous cannon, some magnificently ornate with kuftic script, others in the form of dragons and serpents as illustrated can be seen in the Dezinli naval museum, and in the adjacent park. Here also the links from the great chain that crossed the golden horn. A particular canon called the Sultani cannon was the type used within this conflict, and is in the main a modified long brass reinforced tube. A further example called the Dardanelles gun which was cast just after the taking of Constantinople was based on the examples used and is found in the British armouries.

“And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power (authority) was to hurt men five months” Rev 9:10. The stings in the tails were the canon dragged behind horses, which then turned around to fire on the walls of Istanbul.  The divine authority was given to the arabic forces emerging from the middle east into the eastern empire to overcome some of the evils generated by the Roman church.

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The naval museum web site for further images of their collection:

http://www.denizmuzeleri.tsk.tr/en/idmk/sayfalar.asp?KID=267

Mons Casius, known today as Jebel Archus, is considered the home of the god “Baal”, to the south-west of Antioch, overlooking the Orontes (4). This great height gives spectacular views over the Mediterranean seaboard, and in particular a birds-eye view of the final passage of the Orontes into the ocean, [see blog on Sammandag for further details]. Interestingly the other end of biblical Syria near Tarsus was mount Amanus, or the “bull mountain” and the famous Cilician gates. The bull is another depiction of Baal.

Baal is considered the title to the semitic Hadad, or the Akkadian Adad, was the god of thunder, the consequent rain and fertility provided for agricultural prosperity considered the gift of the god. Numerous descriptions of Baal have been found at Ugarit in northern Syria, alongside pictorial depictions of forms of both bulls, and a man with upheld hand with thunder-bolt or arrows.  An additional title was that of rammanu meaning thunder, and may be reflected in the title Hammon-Rimmon of Zech 12:11. Baal was a title used of other gods, and means possessor, or lord. Later equivalents to Hadad were the Egyptian Set, Anatolian Teshub, Greek Zeus and the Roman Jupiter. The word is used in the scriptures of the relationship of a husband “baal” to his wife, such as in Deut 24:1-3 in contrast to a woman joined to another styled in the hebrew ’ish”  when still married. It thus carries the weight of covenant or contract in a relationship, and so reflected in a preserved remnant by Yahweh those “7000″ [a number of a multitude (1000) and covenants (7)] not having bowed the knee to the image of Baal Rom 11:4 and used as an example of the continuing preservation of Israel as a witness to deity.  Yahweh Himself calls Himself  “baal” Hosea 2:16 and described as a husband to Israel Isa 54:5; Jer 3:20.

This form of Baal as a bull is widespread. A life-size stele for Tiglath Piliser demonstrating Baal astride a Bull holding lightning bolts can be seen in the museum at Aleppo. (2) Further basalt stones demonstrating this form were also found at Hatzor in northern Israel. (3) Illustrated is an example from Sidon:

The Egyptian Set, being in a land of no rain was the god of the sandstorm, and the heat of the desert, the destructive forces on agriculture. It was thought to have been involved in Egypt in Memphis from 1550-1295 BC  (1). Elements of the bull-like form of Baal may have been represented in the Egyptian god Mentu who was the war god associated with Set , and the construction of the altar with the golden calf Ex 32:1-6 and the later form in Jerobaom I 2 Kings 10:29; 2Chron 13:8. Notice the link in the language: “behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt” 1 Kings 12:38.

To be a worshipper of Baal was to stand in juxtaposition to service of Yahweh 2 Kings 10:23. Whilst the term is used of numerous gods, as seen in the inclusion of the word in Baalzebub 2 Kings 1:6,16, the term Baal was not a completely inclusive term of apostate worship, as seen in the time of Jehu, Baal was to be removed from Israel, but there was continued apostate worship at the altars of Jeroboam 2 Kings 10:29.

The word Baal is incorporated into numerous proper nouns, such as Baal-peor, Baal-gad, Baal-zephon, Baal-hermon, Baalshalisha, Baalath, Baal-meon et al.

The worship of Baal was to be distinguished by:

• An image 2 Kings 3:2; 10:27 molten images 2 Chron 28:2 graven images Hosea 11:2 a feature of the apostate church Rev 13:14,15; 14:9,11; 15:2; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4
• A specific house 2 Kings 10:20,21,27; 2 Chron 23:17 etc  a feature of the apostate church 2 Thess 2:4
• Garments or vestments of worship 2 Kings 10:22 a specific feature of Babylon Josh 7:21
• Prophets 1 Kings 18:19,22,25,40; 2 Kings 10:19; Jer 2:8; 23:13 a feature of the apostate church Rev 19:20; 20:10
• Priests 2 Kings 10:19; 11:18; 23:4,5; 2 Chron 23:17; Zeph 1:4 a predominant feature of the Roman catholic church
• Worshippers or adherents 2 Kings 10:21 a feature of the apostate church Rev 13:4; 14:9,11; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4
• Solemn assemblies 2 Kings 10:20 the catholic church is renowned for its religious calendar: lent, easter, holy-days, remembrance of saints and such like
• Altars 2 Kings 21:3; 2 Chron 33:3; 34:4 for burnt offering Jer 19:5
• Vessels made for Baal 2 Kings 23:4  a feature of the apostate church Rev 18:12
• Burning of incense 2 Kings 23:5; Jer 7:9; 11:13; 32:29; Hosea 11:2 a feature of catholic worship, more pointed in the eastern church
• Swearing Jer 12:16
• High places Jer 19:5; 32:35
• Allegiance to a Queen 1 Kings 18:19 a feature of the apostate church Rev 18:7
• Education programs and teachers Jer 12:16 a feature seen in the Jesuit and other orders. Styled: “that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants ” Rev 2:20
• Styled “walking after the imagination of the heart” Jer 9:14
• Final destruction to be a draught house 2 Kings 10:27 the apostate church to become the habitation of devils and the habitation of foul spirits Rev 18:2

Hadad was incorporated into the names of both Aramean (biblical Syria) kings and Assyrian kings. So Ben-Hadad is the equivalent to “the son of god” and a title used of numerous individuals: 1 Kings 15:18,20; 20:1,2,5,9,10,16,17,20,26,30,32,33; 2 Kings 6:24; 8:7,9; 13:3,24,25; 1 Chron 16;2,4; Jer 49:27; Note the parallel; “the house of Hazael and the palaces of Benhadad” Amos1:4  Hadad was first used in scripture of a son of Edom, the antagonists of Israel Gen 36:35,36 later reflected in Hadad the Edomite who would oppose the regency of Solomon 1 Kings 11:4f. Further examples are Hadadezer an Aramean king ruling in Rehob (A location in southern Beqa, identified by the Heb. broad and a contrast to Maachah to be oppressed or pressed in, a reference to the Beqa south of the Litani dam) 2 Sam 8:3,5,7,8,9,10,12 Shalmaneser I was identified on a stele as the god of Aleppo and pictorially demonstrated in the form of Hadad.

There is no middle ground. Men are called to serve Yahweh, and if He is God, then serve Him Josh 24:13f; 1 Kings 18:21. There is no real alternate to serving the living God. He has ordained the terms of covenants and salvation. Worship of any other force or church that claims authority is paramount to being seduced to worshiping baal.

Features of Yahweh Himself are attributed by others to Baal. Yahweh is a man of war Ex 15;3 He thundered from the storm at Mt Sinai Ex 19:16; a feature of His voice 2 Sam 22:14  again later to the nation in the time of Samuel 1 Sam 12:18 and to His own son John 12:29 an exhibition of His enormous power, engaged to demonstrate His ability to judge, but at the same time concerned that men would hear His still, small voice, a more powerful force in changing men’s affections 1 Kings 19:12.

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1. Egyptian mythology A-Z  Pat Remler, pg 26
2. Aleppo museum visit, Lostcamels expedition 2010
3. Gods, goddesses, and images of God in ancient Israel Othmar Keel, Christoph Uehlinger pg 58
4. Robinson: Researches into Palestine and adjoining regions vol iii pg  461

This is a remarkable photograph, not because I took it, but because is a direct visual display of bible history.In 66AD the Roman eastern flank was challenged by the Persians, and the Roman empire had no deep-water port on the Mediterranean sea-board. The port of Antioch in Syria, or modern Antakya in Turkey, had its port as indicated to the north of the mouth of the Orontes river near the modern Turkish beach at Çevlik. But it had issues: it was continually silting up, and so no deep keeled boats could enter the harbour. This photograph demonstrates the very silt that was the problem for the Romans!

Titus and Vespasian took troops and Jewish captives from Jerusalem  to build a significant conduit through this mountain to harvest the waters collected from the range behind and divert it through the harbour and thus dispelling the silt.

This conduit was built under duress, and required rapid action, and no doubt the bent backs of the circumcision party (Acts 10:45 RSV) put blood, sweat and tears into this project, and on completion the troops again were diverted to their original task at Jerusalem.

Water still flows here today from the now earthquake damaged conduits, but stands as a testimony of the care of deity to allow the escape of followers of Christ from the siege conditions of Jerusalem, and find a temporary haven at Pella.

Antioch became an icon of the preaching of the truth to the gentiles, and was the sponsoring ecclesia of the missionary journeys of the apostle Paul, Acts 13:4; 14:26; 18:22. Other travels including the apostle Peter would have been via the port Acts 11:26; 12:25. Paul returned to Antioch on his return journey as evident from his interaction with Agabus, a prophet and early supporter of the ecclesia Acts 21:7-8 and would have left here with great hopes for the success of the Jerusalem poor fund in convincing the circumcision party of the need for grace as the prime-mover of acceptance with deity. But this task was to fail: after a short 10 day interval in Jerusalem Paul was taken to Caesarea and then onto Rome, from where the passionate message of the book of Hebrews was written to understand the spirit of grace was so important, particularly in light of the “little time” of the impending judgments of God on Jerusalem with the capture of many for the building of this tunnel project.

Paul would have left from the port, passing close to the location of where the tunnels would later be built. Named after Seleucus Nicator I, one of Alexander’s generals, the port and the city became the early foundations for the northern consolidated kingdom of the Greeks. Later known as the “king of the North” in Daniel 11, this kingdom would be the direct antagonist the Ptolemaic empire centered in Alexandria. The meat in the sandwich was the land of Israel, and significant conflicts would boil over in the “glorious land”.

Interestingly the only remaining ethnic Armenian village remaining in Turkey is not far from here at Vakifli, a reminder of the end of the Armenian orthodox church. Around 130 people only remain in the village. Further, the Titus tunnels stand under the shadow of Jebel (Mount) Archus, the home of the god Baal, but that is the subject of another story…

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Synagogues were places representing the kernel of Jewish life.  It was here that young  Jewish children were ushered through their lives under various Jewish traditions: circumcision, bar mitzvah, marriage and death etc. It was here that the law and the prophets were read every Shabbat, but after reading the law for all of their Jewish consciousness, there were some that fulfilled the law by killing their messiah Acts 13:27; 15:21. This was a custom not only within the land of Israel, but within the synagogues of the diaspora, and a fine example of the synagogue found here at Sardis, in fact the largest synagogue ever excavated.

The exhortation for Sardis was to strengthen things that remain. There was from this statement forces at work that were diminishing the endurance of the brethren and sisters at Sardis. Primary amongst these was the spirit of the circumcision party Acts 10:45 RSV that was following Paul throughout the world, attempting to diminish his work. It was a demand to keep the law of Moses, and be circumcised or else you cannot be saved Acts 15:5. This call to measure up to commandments was a tradition first started by Simeon and Levi in Gen 34, who by deceit prevented gentiles from obtaining a place in the house of Jacob. But God was not willing to be frustrated, little ones were found within the house immediately 35:1 with the well-being given by Jacob for this purpose: John 4:4; 42. This spirit of the circumcision party was so aggressive in their activities that they were present in the Roman ecclesia even before Paul arrived to consolidate their faith, see Rom 2. In contrast to this spirit is grace. God giveth more grace would say James the champion of the Jerusalem ecclesia, and forefront in the battle with this spirit. James would speak of synagogue traditions, with the seating arrangements in James 2:1-5 reflecting this very spirit. Christ was not to finds their “works” perfect. What a challenge to those who felt justified by their application to the deeds of the law,  Rev 3:2; Rom 4.

Sardis was noted to be the capital of the kingdom of Lydia. An important city in the Persian empire, the royal road commencing here ended in Susa and Persepolis. Remnants of the road can be seen outside the remaining ruins of Sardis today. This was the roads on which the posts were to be sent out. Esther 3:13,15; 8:10,14 and astonishing speeds were covered by changing horses and provision of victuals along the way. The reliability of the postal service under the Persians became the foundation for the motto found outside the James Farley postal office in New York and considered by some as the motto of the US postal service: “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds”  The quotation  is from Herodotus Histories 8.98 concerning the Persian posts.

The city was found of the banks of the river Pactolus, around 100km inland from Ephesus. Around 1km to the south from the synagogue complex in the lower city is the temple of Artemis at the foot of the acropolis on which the citadel of the city was once found. [see previous post]

Assos (Gk approaching)  is a small harbour built to the northwest of the ancient harbour. Aristotle came to Assos to marry Pythias the niece of King Hermeias in 345BC before going to Lesvos only some 3 km away. [Levos is the island seen on the horizon in the following pictures] Arriving here after some months on the road in 2004 we collapsed for a couple of weeks and soaked in what I consider the most relaxing times of my life. interrupting our stay here was a volcanology meeting at the local caravanserai, and attending was an old politician who after some discussion remembered clearly as a child meeting Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

The ancient harbour is now just visible from the beach to the south.  The stonework identified through the crystal clean waters. This was the only good harbour in around 80km in the Adramyttium gulf, and so became an important location for trade.

Assos is located at the end of the Biga  or ancient Troad peninsula looking west to Lesvos from where the town was established ca 700BC.

Here looking to the north along the coast towards Troas the location from where Paul travelled by foot. Acts 20:13 The distance is around 35-40km by foot.  [A suggestion of the ancient route: http://www.stpaulsroutes.com/2010/05/from-troas-to-assos.html] This walking was by no means a random inclusion in the record. For the risen Eutychus early in the morning,  here was the presence of the apostle Paul as the representative of the risen Lord, now walking with the disciples for a short time before his departure. This inclusion with the disciples was in the same fashion with which the disciples would be comforted and given instruction before their own incorporation with the work of Christ in their preaching. As a component of Paul’s travels collecting funds to represent the gentiles as representatives of the grace of God to Jewish brethren under famine conditions in Jerusalem, this walking with the disciples displays a joined and co-operative mission to display the gospel of Christ in person.

On the top of the final ridge is the modern town of Behramkale south of Ayvacik and the temple of Athena and the disintegrating ancient cemetery. The doric ruins are adjacent to the more modern ruins of the Ottoman Murad Hüdavendigar Mosque. The sculptured architraves from Assos can be seen in the Musée du Louvre.

Things to see at Assos:

Lystra stands on the ancient Persian road between Sardis and Persopolis and is today marked by the tel called Zordula Huyuk. The artefacts found at Lystra can be found within a small collection at the nearby village of Hatunsaray, and some in the yards of local houses! The site was positively identified by a stone altar ca2cAD now within the museum of Konya.

Paul visted Lystra Acts 14:6 and again in Acts 14:21; on on his subsequent journey found Timothy here Acts 16:1; And possibly again, if Lystra considered within the territory of Galatia Acts 18:23. It was a place where Timothy witnessed the afflictions and persecutions that Paul was to fill up for Christ. 2Tim 3:10,11

Lystra was informed that before that time God had suffered the nations to walk in their own ways, but not without witness to His power. The creative forces of deity in creation defined in the process of  “And God said… and it was so” indicates that the divine Hupostasis or creative intent of God was not frustrated in its objectives. The same creative intent was spoken in regard to men “And God said, let us create man in our image and likeness.”  This hupostasis will likewise not be frustrated, the word of Yahweh not returning to Him void, but accomplishing everything it was sent out to do.  This is acheived by faithful participation with the purpose of deity. “So faith is the hupostasis of things hoped for” Heb 11:1. The things of creation are an evident token of the unfinished business of deity, to us as much as to the inhabitants of Lystra. Rom 1:19f  The lesson of Lystra is “Liking to retain God in our knowledge and experiences” Rom 1:28

 [Hermes: National museum, Athens]  Hermes is the patron god of Travellers. It is the name of one of the brethren at Rome Rom 16:14 and the title given to Paul as “Mecurius” because he was chief speaker Acts 14:12 The  god was otherwise known by the Romans as Mercury. The name Hermes may come from the greek root ereo to utter or speak.

 [Zeus bronze: National museum, Athens]  Silas was called Jupiter (roman), or Zeus (greek) Acts 14:12,13

 [National museum, Athens] The occupants of Lystra brought oxen and garlands to the gates to offer to the gods. The greek meaning has a father of helps. further details on Lystra: Ramsay, Cities of Paul, pg 407