Life lessons from biblical geography

Israel, Phoenicia, and Aram (Syria)

When I went to Mt. Carmel, I was intrigued that there were so few biblical events that happened in that specific region. But the reason why that was so dawned on me as I was studying Phoenicia. Mt. Carmel was on the border between Phoenician and Israelite territory, as the Phoenicians controlled all the coastal land around Mt. Carmel. The one major biblical event that happened there was the contest between the God of Israel and Elijah with the prophets of Baal and Baal. This contest was not just a contest between two gods, but also between two nations, as Baal was one of the gods of the Phoenicians (1 Kings 18). One can understand why Elijah was so scared of Jezebel after the contest when it is considered that not only was she a follower of Baal, she was also a Phoenician and the Phoenician god had just been defeated.

·       Compassion on foreign individuals

While the nations of Phoenicia and Aram are condemned by the prophets, there are a few examples where individuals are blessed. These examples are contained in the ministry of Elijah and Elisha. Naaman, a military leader from Aram, is healed by Elisha. Elijah goes to Phoenicia to care for a widow and then heals her son. This is especially significant for Elijah, since in the next chapter he goes to have his contest with the prophets of Baal (the Phoenician god). Jesus picks up on this pattern and goes to Phoenicia himself, healing a demon-possessed girl. Jesus tells the two stories about Elijah and Elisha healing foreigners to the people of Nazareth to show that a prophet is not accepted in his hometown. The people then try to throw him off a cliff. These various examples remind us that while God chose Israel, he chose them in order to be a blessing to the nations and so that they might come to know him. Overall, Israel failed in its mission to be the source of knowledge of YHWH to the world, but there were a few exceptions.

·      Foreign gods

The neighboring regions of Israel to the north had an overall negative influence on Israel. For Aram, they were essentially constantly at war with Israel, except when the Assyrian threat became strong. This constant warring meant that the battle lines were clear and there was (relatively) not much worship of Aramean gods in Israel. The military threat from Aram was ever-present, and at various points in Israelite history that threat essentially reduced Israel to a vassel, but a greater problem was had elsewhere than this military threat.

The greater problem was with the Phoenicians. The Phoenicia were usually at peace with Israel. They were a trading nation that was much happier paying tribute to another nation than being destroyed, although they did fight at times. Israel benefited greatly from trade with Phoenicia, especially during the time of Solomon, when between the two nations they dominated the trade routes of the near east. But this close connection also brought the Phoenician gods into Israel, and they were part of the downfall of Israel. Their negative influence is seen with Solomon and is dreadfully obvious with Ahab and Jezebel. A lesson to be drawn: we can be in more danger from our friends than our enemies. 

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