MANNA's Bible Maps Software A Review by David Banning Christian Computing Magazine - April 2001

Once in a great while a software program comes along that changes our perception of Bible software and shows us just how useful and friendly a program can be. MANNA's Bible Maps software does just that. Available for Windows Bible Maps software is promoted as the "best Bible geography/reference software available today." After exploring this amazing program, I would agree. Any student of the Bible is missing out who does not have a copy of this excellent program. As the author of Bible class workbooks for teenagers and adults, I have found Bible Maps to be an indispensable tool.

Initial Reaction
When you first start the program you are prompted to enter your serial number. The program then opens with an attention-grabbing trumpet fanfare.

I was immediately impressed with colorful, easy to read Main Menu from which the user makes selections. As I began to make my way through the categories, I could not help but be impressed with just how extensive this program is. Click on Kingdoms and discover 21 full color maps of various empires that impacted the Bible story, i.e. Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Roman, etc. Click on Palestine and you will find maps of the region that cover the full range of Bible history from the time before Israel inhabited the land to the time of Jesus. The Physical menu provides maps with extensive information ranging from elevations and climate to satellite maps, cross-sections, rivers and lakes, and units of measure.

The Main Menu also directs you to maps of important Bible journeys including Abraham, the Exodus, Jesus, and Paul and the layout of key Bible cities. A complete section is devoted to the city of Jerusalem and its development through the ages.

You can go to any map or chart, click on any feature and immediately a pop-up field will appear that tells all about the place including Biblical references. In fact, anytime I found a name or text on a map or chart, I could click on it and information appeared. I was also surprised to find that I could edit the text files to include my own information. However, you may find that there is not much to add because the program contains pages and pages of Bible-based information!

Ease of Use & Navigation
While Bible Maps is a scholarly program loaded with information, it is remarkably easy to use. This may be the one aspect of the program that impressed me most. The categories on the Main Menu are simple and straightforward. I had no trouble quickly finding the maps or features I wanted to see. The buttons do what you think they should, and navigating within the program is amazingly uncomplicated. A pop-up navigator allows you to easily go anywhere in the program. In addition, buttons along the left side of the screen, arrow keys, and keyboard shortcuts always provide quick and easy ways to get where you want to go.

Even though you'll probably never need it, user Help is provided and is easily accessed to explain the many features of Bible Maps software.

More Than Just Maps
MANNA's Bible Maps software lives up to its name in that it has much more than just 150 maps. It is chock-full of information. Over 300 full-color photos bring to life the Bible lands and artifacts. Colorful, illustrated time lines make chronological research quick and painless. Bible Maps software includes timelines of the Judges, the Kings of Israel and Judah, the Prophets, from creation to 70 AD, and the book of Acts. If that is not enough, the program also traces the lineage of Jesus starting at Adam. But there is more to this time line feature than simply dates and events. Click on a specific character and a "pop-up" field appears with Bible-based information and scripture references.

The bibliography lists over 200 scholarly works consulted in the development of Bible Maps. After scanning the list, I was surprised to find how recent some of the publications were. This timely scholarship is seen on the maps where archaeological information uncovered within the past year is included. Also, an examination of the maps and timelines reveal that the developers remained true to their claim that the Bible account is the final authority for their information.

As mentioned above, the text which appears when a map feature is clicked can be edited to include the user's own research. This is a powerful feature that cannot be overstated. It gives Bible Maps software the ability to grow with the user into a personal treasure trove of information. In addition, a note field is provided so students can keep their own notes with each screen. I was thrilled to learn that the program's information files and these personal notes can be searched just like the built-in, Bible concordance.

Another feature I especially liked is the Metrology section. This useful tool explains Bible times, weights and measures and includes a calculator for converting Biblical units into modern equivalents.

Another useful feature is found in the scale of miles. To measure the distance between several points, you simply click on the scale of miles to change the cursor to a crosshair. Then, click on a starting point and points on the path you wish to measure ending with a double click at your destination. The distance is automatically calculated and displayed. This feature enables you quickly get an idea of the distances and scale of the Bible lands.

Hidden Surprises & Animations
Beyond the basics, this program is full of neat, little additions that contribute to the program's broad-based appeal. For instance, several of the maps have "hidden photos" or "pop-ups" that appear when the mouse passes over a hot spot. These hidden surprises are fun and educational. One of my favorites is on the New Testament Palestine map, where moving the mouse over Bethlehem unleashes an audio-visual surprise. Also, random tips on interesting Biblical facts can be displayed at start-up or by pressing a key.

Additionally, the program contains a number of animated maps. For instance, all four of the journeys of Paul are animated as is the Exodus and Conquest maps. These features make this program especially useful for working with young children who will want to see how many surprises they can find. One that the kids will really enjoy is the Journey of Jonah complete with the sound of the "big fish" gulping down Jonah and later spitting him onto dry land.

The animations are not limited, however, to things that might appeal to younger students of the Bible. "Time-lapse" maps of the development of the Temple Mount and of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 A.D. are also provided. These maps provide detailed, historically and Biblically accurate information. Bible Maps software also contains information about archaeological digs and excavations that will appeal to scholars in the field.

Powerful Search Engine & Integrated Concordance
Bible Maps software also boasts a powerful search engine and integrated concordance that makes biblical research fast and easy. For example, if you are studying your Bible and encounter a city that you cannot locate on the maps in the back of your Bible, it is very likely you will find the city in the Bible Maps software program. Simply open the program and do a search. Not only will you be given the location and information on that city, but you will also be referred to other maps where that city is found. Bible Maps software boasts over 3,000 searchable items.

Bible Maps software can also do word and scripture searches with its integrated Bible concordance. This is another great feature of this program. Let's say you are looking at a map and you click on a city. Pop-up information appears in a text box. If you double-click on any word in the text box, a scripture, concordance window appears and automatically searches for the word. Also, double-clicking any scripture reference in the text box will display that Bible reference.

Bible Maps software ships with the King James Version and the American Standard Version (1901) of the Bible. By using these versions which do no require royalty payments they were able to keep the price low.

Conclusion
MANNA has created a Bible maps program that is unrivaled in its depth and scholarship, but they have also made the program easy to use and full of surprises so that even young children will enjoy it and learn from it.

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About the Reviewer - David Banning
David Banning has served as a preacher and writer for the last 15 years. He has written numerous Bible class workbooks for adults and children, including the "Get Them Talking" Series for teenagers. He also conducts seminars on how to effectively teach teenagers.

Reprinted from Christian Computing Magazine, April 2001
Christian Computing Magazine, PO Box 10, 633 SE Jonathan Ave., Lee's Summit, MO 64063

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