Page 7 - Biblical Backgrounds

Commerce in Ancient Mesopotamia:

Howard Vos explains that commerce has many
different aspects. The Sumerians were engaged in
growing plants and animals for food, making bricks
for personal and industrial profit, growing and
importing trees to be used for decoration in
dwellings and temples, and metalworking, among
other things. Metals such as gold came from
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outside Sumer. These metals were used to make
tools, weapons, crowns, statues of deities, jewelry,
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and other items. Other common metals included
silver and copper. Pottery was also important in the
commerce of the time. Like many cultures, today,
the state and religion are often involved in
orchestrating commerce. The Sumerian rulers are known to have created factories for the development
of goods. Both the government and the temples owned land and used it to produce commercially
functional items such as those listed above. Individuals owned land as well, but did not produce on the
level of the industrial operations.

Abraham and Ancient Mesopotamia
Abraham was a man of his culture whom Yahweh called into a special relationship. As Abraham followed
Yahweh, the relationship became closer, and he realized Yahweh was not going to allow Abraham to
worship other gods. Yahweh made a covenant with Abraham, and Abraham responded in faith. We
know from Romans 4 that God credited Abraham’s faith as righteousness and blessed him. Abraham
came from a background that worshipped many gods and revered the ancestors and their deities. Often,
following the one true God means we have to say no to parts of our culture and heritage that do not
honor God.
Abram may have lived in this
area of town, but perhaps
did worship this false god
when the Lord spoke
directly to him. However,
Abram was from the godly
line of Seth through Shem
and, contrary to his culture,
may have worshipped the
Lord. We really don’t know.

The common district was
filled with marketplaces,
schools, and libraries, and many of the people were very wealthy. People had very elaborate homes
with lush gardens and many conveniences for the day.

12 Voss, Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Manners and Customs, 20-22.
13 Public Domain Image. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/322903.

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