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Why do you think geography has been given so little attention by Bible readers?
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As a Christian, I have found it very revealing to understand what has taken place in the various mountains, valleys, and plains of Palestine. When I think of Megiddo, of the various battles that have and will take place in the valley of Armageddon. Some people just want to know what has been said and done, but the way the battleground is laid ut affects the battles strategy. Having high ground was extremely important, so where did it affect God’s people? So much to learn to really understand.
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I think one reason is that we don’t understand fully the importance of geography in the Bible. We often look at it as though it is an interesting fact, but not as something that will aid our understanding.
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First, I don’t agree that there has not been much attention paid to geography in reading the Bible. I believe that it depends on the specific faith you were brought in, and the particular messengers one has heard. Nevertheless, I think that people are generally taught to focus on the words, not the environmental factors, or the history behind those words. History played a big role in the formation of the Christian Faith. Sometimes the message taught is more literal., without emphasizing environmental, historical and political factors behind events, like the exodus of the Israelites, or the repeated use of animals like the sheep to a Biblical message.
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Because the location of the text doesn’t seem as important as the actual content being taught.
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Because humans like excitement, drama, and action in their stories so they don’t stop to consider the geography that is contained in them.