I would really like the ability to view "Old Testament" history with the 'contemporary world' of its time; to watch history unfold - linked to my resources (or at least my major resource library). For example, if I'm reading about Abraham in Genesis, I'd like to see what the world was like as it unfolded during his lifetime (more than a snapshot, but seeing the changes in political borders over that 175 year time span). This would requiring drawing from archaeological discoveries and ancient language documents.
I would like the ability to type in a year and see when that year intersected with the Old Testament, what the "current" political situation was for that year, and be able to click on areas for more information (links to articles, illustrations, ancient texts, and other resources).
For example, if I'm studying Gideon (Judges 6-8) in the Bible, who were the Midianites? What was their capital like (technologies in existence; three-dimensional graphic illustration)? What was their architecture like (from palace to public buildings to common homes)? What was their clothing like (ceremonial and every day)? What was their military like (conscription? organization? battle tactics?)? What was the role of slaves in their society (did they have legal rights? how were they acquired)? How did their government work (structure? who's in charge)? What obligations did a settlement in the Midian territory owe to the capital/government? What did a Midian village look like (and how would it be different from a Hebrew village)? What did the government do for its people and what was expected from its people? What did they have to trade? What did they seek in return for their goods? If the Midianites had succeeded in capturing the food supplies of the Hebrews, what food would they have gotten? Did Midianites have the same food or was their food a little different (or a lot different)? And what was life like in Hattusa (Hittie Empire) during that same time period? Or Knossos (Minoan Empire), or Athens (Mycenae Greece), or Abydos, (Egyptian Empire of the New Kingdom era)? What were the trade routes of the time? What goods were being traded, by whom, how (land, sea), and where to? Where were territories being disputed? Where were political tensions and over what issues? What was being invented? Were technologies being shared freely, sold for profit, or hoarded as state secrets (and did other civilizations try to 'obtain' them)?
I guess what I'm requesting is the ability to "understand" and "see" from the perspective of biblical characters, not just from the snapshots given to us by Scripture, but also understanding the world they lived in, the issues they were facing, what progress "civilizations" were making at the time, and the decisions they were faced with. I would like to be able to open a map of "Gideon's world" and 'zoom in' on say Athens and see what was going on at the same time (and study more or zoom in more).
At present, yes, I can compile the data from various sources on my own. It would take weeks if everything was right at my fingertips (multiple books with long descriptions and very few pictures). Maps with timeline capabilities are currently limited. For example, looking at a map for the book of Judges, I can see a few cities in the Levant, but nothing of the outside world and none of those cities are extensively linked to the articles in my collections. With what we have seen from the power of Logos already, I guess I'm thinking of something far more interconnected, indexed, and graphic (from thousands of volumes of biblical research) with layers to add or take away aspects (like a 3D geographic timeline map that can add/remove layers for economics and trade routes, morphing politics of control and influence (borders), capital cities, population centers (cities, towns, villages, outposts, fortifications, and canals), military skirmishes and campaigns, climate patterns, natural and artificial resources, and so forth).
I realize that is perhaps a very ambitious project, but it is definitely something I would like to see in the future.
