Christ as Map

Here is a map of the world. Up is east, with Christ's head. His right hand is to the north, his left hand is over Africa, and his feet are to the west. The resurrected body of Christ is the world.

The Ebstorf map of the world drawn in about 1234.
Source: J. Brooman, Imperial China

http://asia-for-teachers.educ.utas.edu.au/CD/cdx/units/unit1/module1/lernact1/perspec1.htm

Psalm 48

Our experience of God is closely related to our experience of place. This may strike you as a "pagan" notion, but consider scripture. For example, in worship yesterday we read Psalm 48.

The first part of the psalm praises the LORD in God's city, noting both the geomorphology (it's a mountain), the location (the far north), and the function (a fortress and temple) of this city.

¹Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised

in the city of our God.

His holy mountain, ²beautiful in elevation,

is the joy of all the earth,

Mount Zion, in the far north,

the city of the great King.

³Within its citadels God

has shown himself a sure defense.

The psalmist recounts how other kings fear this city which God establishes forever. The armies of the world cannot conquer the city of God!

⁴Then the kings assembled,

they came on together.

⁵As soon as they saw it, they were astounded;

they were in panic, they took to flight;

⁶trembling took hold of them there,

pains as of a woman in labor,

⁷as when an east wind shatters

the ships of Tarshish.

⁸As we have heard, so have we seen

in the city of the LORD of hosts,

in the city of our God,

which God establishes forever.

Selah

God is worshiped in the temple in this holy city!

⁹We ponder your steadfast love, O God,

in the midst of your temple.

¹⁰Your name, O God, like your praise,

reaches to the ends of the earth.

Your right hand is filled with victory.

¹¹Let Mount Zion be glad,

let the towns of Judah rejoice

because of your judgments.

The psalmist urges us to walk around and admire this city that we might give witness to God to the next generation.

¹²Walk about Zion, go all around it,

count its towers,

¹³consider well its ramparts;

go through its citadels,

that you may tell the next generation

¹⁴that this is God,

our God forever and ever.

He will be our guide forever.

This psalm (and many others) point to a God who is deeply related to a particular place. The geomorphology, location, function, and holiness of this particular place point to God. The Bible affirms that our experience of God is closely related to our experience of place.