Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 18:4 (Fall 1975)
Article: The Ancient Near East 853-745 B.C.
Author: David Nichols

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JETS 18:4 (Fall 1975) p. 243

The Ancient Near East 853-745 B.C.

David Nichols*

Introduction

All too often secular history is unconsciously regarded by Bible students as nonexistent. The average layman may know nearly nothing about ancient history and yet be a vigorous Bible student. Many fail to realize that History is a tool enabling one to better appreciate the Bible, for it can quicken the pace at which man gains insight into God’s message to man.

There is a need among students of the Bible to be knowledgeable about ancient secular history. Too frequently such knowledge is reserved for the college classrooms or for the scholarly minds. It is this author’s opinion that the Old Testament is ignored largely due to a lack of understanding of places, names, customs, environment, etc. Since the Bible is not just a Jewish history book, but God’s revelation to man, it is necessary to turn to secular sources for additional light on historical events. This is not to say the Bible is incomplete, but historical facts (not theories) help keep the mind from interpretations that are imagined. For instance, much is written concerning the Psalms today supporting the scholarly tagged “sitz en leben” theories, of which some are totally devoid of known facts, but play largely upon the imagination of the reader.

It is a distorted view of the Old Testament that thinks of the believer’s life as one of spiritual leisure made existent by a constant parade of miracles. Each day was one of trusting God for the weather for good crops, for protection from the elements, for security from raiding nomads, for good health, for economic security in the markets and cities, etc. History helps us to understand that the Biblical record may sometimes appear to compress narrative events in time. Often people assume all chapters are in a tight chronological order, which causes the reader to develop a stereotyped view of an actually longer period of history. For example, in the historical books, miracles were given to teach as well as help the recipients, but if one doesn’t allow for time between various recorded events the result can be a warped view of the true history. Present day saints need to know history, for it will help to destroy the commonly believed story book image of the Old Testament. Never should a Christian be so naive in his faith as to expect an easy life of faith. Today, in America at least, we have much more of an ideal situation for the nurture of faith than in biblical times, but we sadly neglect to take advantage of it.

*Graduate of Wheaton Graduate School, M.A. ‘73 and now teaching in Jackson, Mississippi.

JETS 18:4 (Fall 1975) p. 244

This article is written to help illustrate what can be learned from histor...

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