What was life like in Bible times?
The Bible is like a historical “time capsule” giving us insight into daily life!
How did people get around with no airplanes, cars, or trains?
They walked of course, and there were animals and other things to ride.
Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey a few days before his death. (see Matthew 21:1–11, Mark 11:1–11, Luke 19:28–44, John 12:14)
Jacob’s wives and children rode camels. (see Genesis 31:17)
Joseph rode a chariot when he went to visit his father, Jacob. (see Genesis 46:29)
Joseph gave his brothers carts (sometimes translated as ‘wagons’) to bring their children, wives and father to Egypt. (see Genesis 45:21)
In Moses’ time, Pharaoh’s army (see Exodus 14:9, 23) rode horses and chariots.
So, if you like animals, you would’ve had fun taking care of them and riding them!
What kind of music did they have?
Miriam, Moses’ sister, played the tambourine. (see Exodus 15:20)
David played the harp (see 1 Samuel 16:23) and wrote many songs praising and honoring God.
When David’s son, Solomon, became king, they played “ram’s horns” (or “trumpets”) at the celebration. The account also mentions “pipes” (or “flutes.”). (see 1 Kings 1:35-40)
So, if you’ve got musical talent, you would have enjoyed writing songs to praise God, and playing various instruments!
Without video games or the internet, what did people do for fun?
The Apostle Paul compares a Christian devoting their lives to God and following Jesus as “running a race,” so that was obviously an activity people knew. (see 1 Corinthians 9:24)
Paul also mentions boxing in the same context. (see 1 Corinthians 9:26)
Paul further talks about athletes training and competing as a metaphor for the challenges associated with living a godly life, so his audience clearly understood this sports reference. (see 1 Corinthians 9:25)
Swimming is mentioned in the Bible, so it’s reasonable to imagine people swam for enjoyment or even competition. (see Acts 27:43, Ezekiel 47:5, Isaiah 25:11)
We know people attended weddings, and even Jesus was a guest! (see John 2:1-12)
There were parties in Bible times, too – a banquet was given in honor of Esther becoming queen (see Esther 2:18)
People danced to praise God. (see Psalm 149:3)
So, maybe you would have been invited to exciting parties with food and dancing. If you like competitions and physical activities, you could have joined in!
With no instant messages, how did people communicate with far-off friends?
They wrote letters!
The Apostle Paul is credited with writing several books of the Bible, and some of these books are actually letters to the early churches. Paul was a very good writer, offering valuable advice and encouragement, like, “Be thankful In all circumstances,…” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NLT) and “Let us not become weary in doing good,…” (Galatians 6:9, NIV)
So, if you like writing, you could have sent letters to faraway friends and family, perhaps telling them everything you were thankful for!
So, what was life like in Bible times? Many activities are familiar to us today. Let’s make the most of what we have in our OWN time period, learning about and praising God!