The following article is part of the "Biblical Obscurities" blog series by Mike Velthouse, author of Journey Through the Psalms. For years, Mike has been writing articles for his church's monthly newsletter on a number of "obscurities" within the Bible. We will be reprinting many of those articles in the next few months here on the RFPA blog. Join our email list here to receive a notification in your inbox for new additions to this blog series!

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout…Cappadocia…, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father.” (1 Pet. 1:1-2)

It begins at dawn. For those who gather on the rock-formed cliff tops in the early morning darkness, the excitement of what is about to start continues to heighten. The nervous anticipation in the air is palpable. Imagine yourself in this crowd, high above the foreboding canyon below. As the sun finally awakens the distant horizon, the first object for your awaiting eyes appears. At first, it's just a tiny black dot. You blink. A single black dot turns into 10. Blink. 15. Blink. 25. In each object, you see what seems to be a recurring fireball explosion. These bulbous shapes continue to make their way toward you. Larger and larger they appear, their size increasing with the widening orange glow of the ascending sun. Hot air balloons!

Then, an eruption of colors assaults your senses. Brilliant blue. Lustrous lime. Resplendent red. Opulent orange. Wondrous white. Solids. Stripes. Checkers. All in high definition aided by the dazzling sunlight. You stare into the sky with amazement as, one after another, one hundred hot air balloons pass over your head and off into the western sky. Welcome to morning in Goreme National Park, Cappadocia.

Cappadocia is a region in east-central Turkey known for its breathtaking volcanic rock landscape, transformed by water and wind erosion since the beginning of time. God's creative power is fully displayed in these fairy chimneys (tall, cone-shaped pillars of rock), underground cities, valleys, canyons, towering rock formations, and cave dwellings. The rock surfaces display various colors, including red, purple, pink, and gray, morphing into different shades as the sun moves across the sky.

The New Testament mentions Cappadocia twice by name. On the day of Pentecost, as we read in Acts 2:9, people from Cappadocia were in Jerusalem and listening to Peter’s sermon. Cappadocia is also included in the list of nationalities who spoke of the wonderful works of God in their own language and were understood by those from other nations. Peter addresses his first epistle to the scattered elect in several regions of Asia Minor, Cappadocia included.

Although Cappadocia is not mentioned in the Old Testament, we can make some biblical connections to its rich history. The early Hittites settled in this area around 2000 B.C., about the time that God made his covenant with Abraham. This ancient civilization is known for being the first to put a 3-person wheeled platform behind a horse. The Hittite archers used these "chariots" to drive out their enemies from the region. The next Hittite empire began around 1380 B.C. (the time of Joshua) but only lasted a couple hundred years. It’s possible that Uriah the Hittite eventually came to Judah from this region.

King Cyrus conquered this region around 547 B.C., and Cappadocia remained under Persian control until 334 B.C., when Greece, under Alexander the Great, defeated Persia for the final time. Under Seleucid Greek rule, Cappadocia was granted its own independent monarchy, lasting until 17 B.C., when the Roman empire expanded into Asia Minor under Caesar Augustus.

Now, we return to the Day of Pentecost. The Christians from Cappadocia were included among the “Jews, devout men out of every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5) who were there. Cappadocians also received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Think of what they witnessed and were then able to take home with them. Think of how excited these Christians were to return to their family and friends and share their spiritual awakening by the Holy Spirit and the sermon they heard Peter preach.

Then, think of the persecution of the Christians by the Sanhedrin and religious leaders in the years that followed. Much of the Jerusalem church had to scatter to avoid persecution and death. Although about 800 miles away from Jerusalem, Cappadocia was one of the safe destinations. It's no wonder Peter describes those in Cappadocia as "the scattered elect." But this is not where the Christian story of Cappadocia ends. In the century of the 300s, Cappadocia played a vital role in church history.

Do you remember the significance of 325 A.D.? A very important church council took place then: the Council of Nicea. This council firmly established that Jesus Christ is truly God and man and that the Holy Spirit is also truly God. The Nicene Creed eloquently lays this doctrine out for us. But after Nicea, it didn’t take long for certain bishops to drift away from these truths. Three men from cities in Cappadocia opposed these false teachers: Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nyssa, and Gregory of Nazianzus. In fact, in order to defend and preserve the doctrines of the Nicene Creed, another church council met to do just that: The Council of Constantinople, in 381. The works of these three men all contributed to the success of Constantinople in firmly establishing the truths of Jesus’ dual nature, the deity of the Holy Spirit, and the doctrine of the Trinity.

So, believer, you might think of the creeds of Nicea and Constantinople as your personal connection to Cappadocia. As exciting as it is to watch videos of the hot air balloons ascending at the crack of the Cappadocian dawn or find pictures of the incredible, dazzling rock formations in Cappadocia, our spiritual bond to this place is much more vital. Next time you or your minister reads from the Nicene Creed, think of Cappadocia and the three church fathers from there that God sent at just the right time in church history to defend those truths we hold so dear.

Here’s how Peter ended the epistle he addressed to the scattered elect in Cappadocia, some fleeing for their lives: “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

Like what you've read? Click the image below to read more from author Mike Velthouse in the thirty-day devotional Journey Through the Psalms, available now on rfpa.org and in Christian bookstores near you!