I realized I was reading biblical place names the same way I'd read Tolkien or Lewis—familiar words with no real meaning. Bethel. Beersheba. Babylon. I couldn't point to any of them on a map.

The Bible isn't fiction. Old Testament history IS world history. Same places. Same terrain. Same story. And when we read it like fantasy, we miss so much.

In this episode, I start building the mental map we need—explaining why geography shapes everything in Scripture, why Israel's location made them both wealthy and vulnerable, and how the Fertile Crescent explains almost every story in the Old Testament.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS0:00 - I was reading the Bible like fantasy0:57 - The Middle Earth Problem1:32 - The Bible isn't fiction (same places, same terrain)1:56 - Abraham's journey (measured!)2:55 - Why geography shapes history3:40 - The Fertile Crescent explained5:03 - Israel: The Land Between6:52 - Building your mental map8:14 - The Bible happened in a real place9:15 - What's next

🔗 LINKSOT in Context App: https://otincontext.comFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/oldtestamentincontextYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@otincontext

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