Army Chaplain goes in search of Abraham

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Bryant Maude | Soldiers and civilians from nearby Tallil Air Base make their way through the ancient city of Ur. At one time the largest city in the world, much of it is still covered by thousands of years of dust and dirt.  

IRAQ

11.20.2007

Story by Staff Sgt. Bryant Maude 

316th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary)

By Staff Sgt. Bryant Maude
1st Sustainment Brigade

UR, Iraq – In Genesis chapter 12, God said to Abraham, "get yourself out of your country, and from your kindred, and from your father's house, unto a land that I will show you."

These words, spoken long ago, came alive for Maj. Terrence Hayes, 1st Sustainment Brigade chaplain, as he traveled to the ancient city of Ur.

"About 4,000 years ago, the prophet Abraham lived in a house traditionally right behind us...Abraham, about 75 years old, heard God's voice to move to a land where He would fulfill a great promise to him," said Hayes.

As Hayes made his way through the ancient ruins, the guide Dhief Muhsen, an Iraqi citizen who lives next to the site with his wife and seven children, spoke of the people who lived there thousands of years ago.

"They found the name Abrumu. A name that had some root of Abraham in there," said Muhsen.

"If Abraham lived in a house like that...there was 27 rooms so he was quite a wealthy man. To leave that sort of lifestyle, a 27-room mansion, to go to a land that I will show you. He had no idea where that land was. (It was) quite an act of faith," said Hayes.

A few hundred meters down a narrow, dusty trail stands the Ziggurat, a terraced-pyramid temple of the ancient Assyrians and Babylonians which was built over 4,000 years ago. The temple has slanting walls with steps and rises about 50 feet above the surrounding desert. The site was of great interest to the chaplain.

"I do a seminar called 'Walk through the Bible' and it traces all the major people, places and events of the entire Bible, and one of the scenes is the beginning of the call of Abraham is at Ur," said Hayes.

The Army has allowed Hayes to travel a bit and, as a result, he has been able to visit historical sites like Ur.

"This is the first Old Testament site I can think of visiting. When we were stationed in Germany, we visited Ephesus and Miletus, which are New Testament sites," said Hayes.

From the top of the Ziggurat, people looked around at the entire ancient city; a city which Muhsen says at one time was the largest city in the world. One can't help but to think that so much of it is still covered by thousands of years of dust and dirt.

• Date Taken: 11.20.2007
• Date Posted: 11.20.2007 14:28
• Story ID: 14076
• Location: IQ