like a bridge between Africa, Asia and Europe

since in the late bronze and early iron ages Egypt and Mesopotamia were the two great

centers of civilization

knowledge, wealth and power traveled between them

to get to Egypt from Mesopotamia you would first head north and west

to avoid a great Arabian Desert

to Haran or one of the cities on the northern Euphrates, and from there WESTto Aleppo

and south to Damascus through mountain passes

south again down the Rift Valley to the Sea of Galilee

the Plain of Jezreel past the fortress city of Megiddo

through the pass southwest to the coast

from where a level road leads to the riches of Egypt

this small corner of the world that God chose was a highly strategic land bridge

to control it, was to master trade, wisdom and power

for it linked the powerful great empires of Mesopotamia

with the stable rich and ancient culture of Egypt

Canaan is a land of sharp contrasts

with the prevailing winds from the west across the Mediterranean, the east side

of the hill country gets a little moisture

what rain does fall

runs off fast creating steep sided wadis

a land of shepherds not farmers

the hill country itself is also a steep and rugged though more fertile with a mix of

crops and herds

these hills run like a spine up the center of the land broken only by the

arrow-shaped Plain of Jezreel

David chose Jerusalem a Canaanite city in the hill country as his capital

the City of David occupied a ridge above the Gihon spring

from which a later king, Hezekiah

cut a long tunnel for the rock to supply the city

a reminder of the importance of water in this dry land

so in Bible times

Israel occupied mainly the rugged hill country

home of shepherds and kings

the foothills of these mountains, the Shephelah,

get both more rain and runoff, and are gentler and more fertile

trees and tree crops are grown on the hillsides,

and grain and vegetables on the valley floors

but it's the plains, at the base of the hills

that are the most fertile territory today as in Bible times

like the plain of Jezreel, from Carmel inland to the Jordan valley south of

the sea of Galilee

the coastal plain Philistine territory in Old Testament times largely inhabited by

Greek-speakers from all parts of the Roman empire

in the New Testament

just over the hill from the plain of Jezreel

which is perhaps the most fought over real estate on earth, is Nazareth

Jesus' hometown

from the hill above the town

one can see Megiddo

harmaggedon in the book of Revelation

So, the land of the Bible is not merely a land flowing with milk and honey

but a land of contrasts

and a highly strategic location