Why Christianity Moved from the Middle East to Europe: A Biblical Perspective

Have you ever wondered why Christianity, which began in Jerusalem and spread throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia, eventually became centered in Europe? This shift represents one of history's most significant religious transformations, and understanding it requires looking back to the very beginning of biblical history.

The Foundation: Genesis and the Divine Council

The story begins in Genesis, where we encounter concepts that shaped the entire worldview of early Christianity. The early church understood that divine beings served under God, but some of these beings defected and became enemies of God's plan for humanity.

What Happened in Genesis 6?

Genesis 6:4 tells us: "The Nephilim were on the earth in those days and also afterwards when the sons of God came into the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown."

This passage informs every book of the Old Testament that follows. The Nephilim are described as mighty warriors (gibborum in Hebrew) and "men of renown." This language connects directly to later biblical figures like Nimrod, whose name likely means "rebellion," and who is associated with the civilizations of Assyria and Babylon.

The Tower of Babel: More Than a Construction Project

What Really Happened at Babel?

The Tower of Babel story in Genesis 11:1-9 is often misunderstood as simply being about language confusion. In reality, it represents humanity's attempt to create their own version of Eden - to build a tower reaching the heavens and "make a name for themselves."

The people gathered in one place, directly disobeying God's command to "fill the earth." Instead of scattering as God instructed, they said, "let us build for ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens... lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth."

God's Response to Rebellion

God's response was decisive. He confused their languages and scattered them across the earth. But there's more to this story that's revealed in Deuteronomy 32:8-9:

"When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the people according to the number of the sons of God. But the Lord's portion is his people, Jacob, his allotted inheritance."

The Disinheritance of Nations

What Does "According to the Sons of God" Mean?

This passage reveals that when God scattered the nations at Babel, He assigned them to lesser spiritual beings - the rebellious "sons of God" mentioned earlier. This wasn't arbitrary; it was judgment. The nations had rejected the true God, so He essentially said, "If you don't want to worship Me, I'll match you up with other gods."

This interpretation is supported by Deuteronomy 4:19-20, which warns against worshipping "things that the Lord your God has allotted to all people under the whole heaven," while emphasizing that God took Israel as "his own inheritance."

Israel's Role as Mediator

Immediately after disinheriting the nations in Genesis 11, God calls Abraham in Genesis 12 with the promise that "all nations will be blessed because of you." Israel was called to be a "kingdom of priests" - mediators standing between the disinherited nations and God, providing a path back to the true God.

Why Christianity Shifted from East to West

The Historical Pattern

Christianity began in Jerusalem and rapidly spread throughout the Middle East, North Africa, Iraq, Iran, and even India within the first century. Great church fathers like Augustine came from North Africa. Yet today, these regions are predominantly Islamic.

The Spiritual Battle Continues

When we examine the table of nations in Genesis and compare it to modern religious geography, a pattern emerges. The regions that were "disinherited" at Babel are now dominated by a religious system that explicitly denies core Christian doctrines.

Islam's greatest unforgivable sin is saying that Allah has partners or a son. Christianity's central message is that Jesus is the Son of God. These positions are fundamentally incompatible - either one is right and the other wrong, or we're dealing with different spiritual realities entirely.

The Role of Supernatural Opposition

If rebellious spiritual beings were assigned to rule over the disinherited nations, it makes sense that these regions would be particularly resistant to the Gospel message. The Apostle Paul warned that "if even an angel preaches a gospel other than what I've given you, they shall be rejected" (Galatians 1:8).

Hope for the Future

Christianity's Underground Growth

Despite apparent setbacks, Christianity is experiencing remarkable growth in many of these historically disinherited regions. Iran, Iraq, and Turkey are seeing significant Christian growth, often underground but undeniable. As long as God maintains His witness, the growth cannot be stopped.

The psalm that began this series (Psalm 82) ends with a plea: "Rise up, O God, judge the earth so that you inherit the nations." This suggests that God's ultimate plan is to reclaim all nations, not just Israel.

Life Application

Understanding this biblical worldview should challenge us to see our role in God's redemptive plan more clearly. Just as Israel was called to be a "kingdom of priests" mediating between God and the nations, we as Christians are called to be witnesses to all peoples.

This week, consider how you can be a bridge between God and those around you who don't know Him. Are you building barriers like the Pharisees did, or are you actively sharing the hope you have in Christ?

Ask yourself these questions:

• Am I actively praying for and reaching out to people from different religious backgrounds?

• Do I see myself as part of God's plan to bless all nations through the Gospel?

• How can I be a better mediator, standing between God and those who don't yet know Him?

• Am I building my own "tower of Babel" by trying to make a name for myself, or am I focused on God's glory and His mission?

The story that began at Babel isn't over. God's plan to reclaim all nations continues, and we have the privilege of participating in this cosmic redemption story.