Turkey is a country mentioned several times in the Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments Here is an overview of the biblical references to Turkey and their significance.
Turkey in the Old Testament
In the Old Testament, Turkey is referred to as Togarmah, Meshech, Tubal and Gomer.
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Togarmah was the grandson of Noah through Japheth (Genesis 10 3) His descendants likely settled in what is now central Turkey
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Meshech and Tubal were also grandsons of Noah (Genesis 10:2) who settled in central and eastern Turkey.
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Gomer was another grandson of Noah (Genesis 10:2) and the father of Ashkenaz. Gomer’s descendants were linked to ancient Lydia in western Turkey.
So in the Old Testament, different regions of Turkey were associated with these descendants of Noah who settled there after the Flood.
Ezekiel 38-39 also has an important prophecy about Gog, from the land of Magog, who will invade Israel in the last days. Most scholars believe Magog refers to Lydia in western Turkey. So this passage points to Turkey playing a role in a future invasion of Israel.
Turkey in the New Testament
In the New Testament, Turkey is referred to as Asia Minor and by the names of its various provinces. The key references are:
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Paul was from Tarsus in the province of Cilicia in southeast Turkey (Acts 21:39).
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Paul traveled through Galatia in central Turkey on his missionary journeys (Acts 16:6).
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Peter addressed his first epistle to believers living in several provinces of Turkey: Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia (1 Peter 1:1).
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The seven churches of Revelation were located in western Turkey: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea (Revelation 1:11).
So we see Turkey was the location of many early Christian communities established by Paul and others. The seven churches were key centers of early Christianity up until the fall of the Roman Empire.
The Significance of Turkey in the Bible
Biblical Turkey was the location of some of the earliest Gentile converts to Christianity. Paul and Barnabas traveled there on their first missionary journey to bring the gospel to both Jews and Gentiles (Acts 13-14).
The churches Paul planted became influential centers for spreading the faith throughout the Roman Empire and beyond. Even to this day, Turkey has a small Christian population keeping the faith.
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Settled by Noah’s descendants after the Flood
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Prophesied to play a role in a future invasion of Israel
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The location of many apostolic churches that helped Christianity spread
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The homeland of the apostle Paul who took the gospel to the Gentiles
God clearly had purposes for Turkey in biblical history. And Turkey continues to play an important geopolitical role between Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Bible Verses About Turkey
Here are some key Bible verses that mention Turkey:
“The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah.” (Genesis 10:3)
“Gomer, Beth-togarmah from the far north with all its troops—the many nations with you.” (Ezekiel 38:6)
“Paul replied, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city.” (Acts 21:39)
“Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.” (Acts 16:6)
“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia.” (1 Peter 1:1)
“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write…” (Revelation 2:1)
Turkey has an amazing biblical history spanning from Genesis to Revelation. It was a land bridge between continents and civilizations where the gospel spread quickly. Turkey was inhabited by some of the earliest Gentile followers of Jesus through the work of Paul and others. The biblical references to Turkey provide insight into the early growth and geographic expansion of Christianity in the first century. Even today, Turkey’s role remains vitally important geopolitically and spiritually.
What was Turkey in the Bible and Biblical History
Biblical History in Turkey is more connected than most people think! The first thing coming to mind when we think about Christian historical places usually in Israel. Considered to be the Holy Land because it was where Jesus lived and died, before him it was the land of Abraham, also the promised land conquered by Joshua.
When Jerusalem was conquered by the Babylonians and the temple destroyed in 586 BC, many Jews were dispersed outside of Israel during the Jewish diaspora.
Later Asia Minor/Anatolia (now Turkey) became home to numerous Jewish communities. A Hellenistic kingdom called the Seleucids settled 2000 Jewish families in Phyrigia and Lydia in 240 BC. Paul’s family was probably settled in Tarsus.
A circular letter sent by consul Lucius recorded in 1 Maccabees 15:16-24, mentions numerous communities in Asla Minör ( How Turkey is mentioned in the Bible) with Jewish people. Although the archaeological remains of the three synagogues found in Turkey – Sardis, Prime, Andriace– all date after the 4c AD, after synagogues are known from the literary evidence.
Another book of the bible mentions Turkey with the name of Adramyttium, the book is: Acts 27:2
“We boarded a ship from Adramyttium about to sail for ports along the coast of the province of Asia, and we put out to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us.”
Within two decades after Jesus, the gospel spread northward to Antioch, a city located in southeastern Turkey. Here the believers were first called Christians. For the rest of the first century, the land of Turkey became the center for the growing Christian movement[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Most Recommended Turkey Tours
The three great apostles – Paul, Peter, John– are all linked with churches in Asia Minor ( currently Turkey). As we look at the Bible, there are a number of references to Anatolian regions and cities in the Old Testament and Apocrypha, and two-thirds of the twenty-seven books in the New Testament were either written to or from Asia Minor.
Because of this area’s strategic geographical role in the early church history, it is not an exaggeration to call Turkey ‘the Holy Land of Asian Minor’s as Frank Clark did in the title of his book on the Seven Churches. You can also check Private Biblical Seven Churches of Turkey Tour in 5 Days
A good example of how Turkey is a great place to understand well Christianity in the early stages is one of Istanbul greatest historical marks Hagia Sophia, was initially a church, and during the Ottoman Empire the Iconic Hagia Sophia Turns Into a Mosque, currently, Hagia Sophia is turned to a mosque after decades of being a museum, the decision was made last year by the president and with the support of the Muslim community.
Another important center for early Christianity in Ephesus one of the Most Important Archaeological Sites in Turkey In apostolic times, Ephesus was one of the cities of the Roman Empire where Christianity was most widespread Paul of Tarsus and John the Evangelist preached in the city.
Now that you know how Turkey was called in the bible, you will be happy to know that although Turkey is a predominant Muslim nowadays, no matter your religion you will very much welcome and will be able to check out the sightseen related in the bible.
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