Places as States: The Spiritual Geography of the Bible

When we read of Jerusalem, Egypt, Babylon, or Israel in the Bible, we’re not merely journeying through ancient lands—we’re being shown inner landscapes. According to Neville Goddard, the Bible is not a record of external history but a psychological drama playing out within the soul. Each place, each city, symbolises a state of consciousness, and learning to read these places inwardly can transform how we understand our lives, our struggles, and our desires.

Jerusalem: The State of Fulfilment

Jerusalem, often called the “holy city,” represents the state of peace that follows the assumption of the wish fulfilled. It’s not a physical destination, but a condition of consciousness. When you have fully accepted your desire as already realised, when you are no longer striving or doubting, but dwelling in the calm knowing of “It is finished”—you are in Jerusalem.

This is why Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem is so rich in symbolism. It is not an external parade but a spiritual event: your awareness (Jesus) entering into the state of fulfilment (Jerusalem) by means of discipline and surrender (the colt). It marks a turning point: the crucifixion (fixing of the desire in imagination) is near, and resurrection (external manifestation) is on the horizon.

Israel: The Awakening of Spiritual Identity

Israel, as Neville often described, is not a physical nation but the symbol of those who have awakened to the truth that God is their own wonderful human imagination. To be called Israel is to enter the journey of conscious creation. It’s to wrestle with self-doubt, like Jacob, and to emerge with a new name, a new identity. Every trial, every victory along the path of assumption takes place within Israel—the evolving inner awareness of divine power.

Egypt, Babylon, and Beyond: The Contrast of States

If Jerusalem represents fulfilment and Israel represents awakening, then Egypt symbolises bondage to appearances and reliance on the senses. It is the state of being enslaved by facts, logic, and fear. Babylon, on the other hand, often represents confusion, scattered thought, and the distortion of truth. These places are not villains, but necessary contrasts in the unfolding narrative of consciousness. We all begin in Egypt, wander through Babylon, and ascend to Jerusalem.

A Spiritual Map, Not a Physical One

Through this symbolic geography, the Bible gives us a spiritual map. Not a map of deserts and kingdoms, but of inner transformations. You are not just reading about a journey—you are taking it. Each place is a state you pass through, sometimes again and again, as you move towards greater alignment with your desire and the awareness that imagination creates reality.