The focus of this reflection paper is to highlight the aspects of life in Bible times at variance with life in present day Sierra Leone. This is a treatment of two distinct ears in world history.

History teaches that in the recent past, rebels invaded Sierra Leone because of a lack of fortress. In Bible times, towns and cities were surrounded by walls which served as a primary defense against invaders. This also changed the nature of warfare. Jets flew over Sierra Leone during wars but cities were besieged in Bible times.

A significant natural difference is the level of rainfall. The Palestinian region could only boast of about twelve inches of rain. Water is still a significant issue since it accounts for some of the recent conflicts. Sierra Leone has about one hundred and twenty inches of rain. The structure of the land in Sierra Leone does not match that in Bible times which could be divided into five strips namely the coastal plain, low hills, higher hills, valley and trans valley.

In Bible times, people were initially tent dwellers who later lived in mud houses with flat roof made of grass, dirt and clay. There were no electricity and glass/steel windows as opposed to their presence in Sierra Leone. Lifestyle then was relatively primitive.

The land in Bible times was a better archaeological site than Sierra Leone. Since cities or towns were razed and rebuilt, the archaeologists had impressive layers of civilization from which they dug up artifacts.

The cuneiform writing used in Bible times is not as advanced as the form of writing in Sierra Leone. The print and electronic media for selecting, acquiring, processing, storing, retrieving and disseminating information are more advanced than clay tablets. Although ships were used in Paul’s day, the modern speed boats, ferries and ships used in Sierra Leone are more advanced. Hebrew and Greek were common Biblical languages as opposed to Krio and English in Sierra Leone.

The religious dispensation is also different. The Messianic expectations are the same. The coming of Christ is nearer the Sierra Leoneans than in Bible times. Christians no longer worship only in mountains. Temples and synagogues were used in Bible times but churches are used today in Sierra Leone. Dressing in Bible times provided more covering than in contemporary Sierra Leone.

History in Sierra Leone, in conclusion, is basically given a general treatment as opposed to the theological history in Bible times in which events were mentioned if they significantly affect the Bible situation.