God called Israel out of slavery and brought them to Palestine. Why would God put them here? It is a mountainous, dry, and seemingly out of the way place. If I were to create a people I would do it in the middle of culture – like a New York or a Los Angeles. Instead, God sends his people to North Dakota. How does this make any sense?
What makes Palestine significant the fact that it is a land bridge between the southern power (Egypt) and the northern power (Mesopotamia). Palestine is the land between the harsh desert that is now northern Saudi Arabia and the Mediterranean Sea. If these ancient superpowers wanted to trade with each other, they had to cross this land bridge.
Actually, one northern valley has roads leading to three continents (Europe, Asia, & Africa). Megiddo, a city located here, has seen more battles than anywhere else. I think it is because of this strategic positioning that God sent his people to that mountainous, dry, and seemingly out of the way place. He wanted his people to influence the most people that the possibly could.
And is it any wonder that God was angered when his people acted just like everybody else? He called them to be different. He gave them place in the middle of the action so people would notice their difference. But they are content to act just like everybody else does and God sent them into exile.
What does this say about us? Are we putting ourselves in the way so people will notice us? Are we living any differently than the people who are around us?
What do you think?
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1 comment:
Hey Dan, I've wondered about this kind of thing too and I think you're on to something about Palestine being a crossroads where many cultures could have been impacted. If this was God's reason for placing the Israelites there I think it would also argue for our need to be out in the world. There is something in me that sometimes wants to escape to a monastery or Anabaptist commune but for most of us, I think God calls us also to be in the "crossroads." Interesting post Dan.
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