Reading the Old Testament in Syria

yeah, it gets interesting real fast. we read from 1 and 2 Kings today - and it is interesting to see how some of the same conflicts that occurred in 1000+ BC are still going on now. (see 1 Kings 11:24-25)

one of the things that is important on this trip is the understanding that geography, that place, is important to a clear understanding of the Biblical story. today during our daily 6:00 pm debriefing session, Linford said, "Reading the Bible is just like stepping into another culture. You should ask questions...It tells the story without explaining why the story is there. You don't have to judge it. You can just compare your own experience of God with it."

I found that quite comforting, as we were reading verses such as "The Israelites inflicted a hundred thousand casualties on the Aramean foot soldiers in one day. " (1 Kings 20:29) and "Joab and all the Israelites stayed there for six months, until they had destroyed all the men in Edom." (1 Kings 11:16) and "David also defeated the Moabites. He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were put to death, and the third length was allowed to live." (2 Samuel 8:2)

Reading those verses does feel like I'm stepping into a foreign country; and maybe even more scary than traveling across the ocean to an Arabic speaking nation with few Americans in sight or reach. I remember one of the first nights we were here, Linford said "There are lots of crazy things going on in the Old Testament, and people ignore it because they don't understand it, or it is hard, or it conflicts with pacifism..." and it was funny and we laughed, but it is true. Reading verses like 1 Kings 11:16 and 2 Samuel 8:2 is terrifying to me, because the words seem to directly contradict the character of what or who or why I believe God to be.

Reading those verses here is even harder - because it all feels very real. I am living in Damascus, which is mentioned in all of the stories we read today. And (WHAT?) I saw and touched the wall Paul escaped over. It isn't like I can just ignore the history; I am literally walking on and in and through it every day. The culture here is also very militaristic, which only drives home the sense that I am a player in this drama that keeps repeating over and over and over and over and over again...

All that to say, I am excited to read the Old Testament here. (Which, if you know me well, is somewhat surprising. Let's just say that I am much more a fan of the New Testament - and the Psalms, I suppose - than I am of what seems to me to be a violent and angry Old Testament).
Third Linford quote of this post: "Christianity is just as exotic as any other religion. We're just used to it." One of the things I am most excited about right now is that this city takes what I'm used to, my sense of being established as a Mennonite, as a Christian - and shakes it all up, turns things around, upside down, inside out. I think I will emerge still a pacifist. I'm fairly certain I will still be a follower of the Way. But my understanding will be different, and that is good, I think. It will be good.


so going back to how I opened this post -

Reading the Bible is just like stepping into another culture. You should ask questions...It tells the story without explaining why the story is there. You don't have to judge it. You can just compare your own experience of God with it.

I think I am getting through the culture shock of the Old Testament right now and hopefully sometime soon on this trip I will be able to "observe" my Bible in ways that will help me grow and understand the world better. And that, for sure, is pretty sweet.