Biblical Archaeology

[Ukulelemike 3,802]

I have recently been doing a study on archeological finds that support the Biblical narrative, using it as my Thursday night lessons. There is a lot of very interesting and fascinating information, a lot that, over the last 100-150 years especially, that the Lord has allowed to be found that strongly upholds the truth of the Bible. Of course, not too much of it can prove things like miracles, but it proves the truth of places and people and significant events that took place.

The one thing that bugs me, though, in doing some research on recent finds in Israel, specifically, is that about 90% all support the Bible, both in time and facts, while about 10% are given these crazy dates that biblically can't be reconciled, which makes using ANY of the information suspect. Like, a declaration I read of how there has been a continual human presence in Israel for hundreds of thousands of years, or a tomb found from a 'prehistoric shaman' they date to 12,000y/o. I suspect the things that jive with something we can verify through scripture, they give that approximate age, and what doesn't they just assume to be a whole lot older, even though the shama grave could be from the Canaanite period just previous to Israel taking the land.

But overall, it is amazing the finds that so clearly back the Bible. I think one of the most solidly verified old Israelite kings through Archaeology is Hezekiah, having found two styles of his boluses, (the clay seal for a document), the passage dug to bring water into Jerusalem during the seige by Assyria, Senaccherib's Prism, giving the account of the seige made on Jerusalem and mentioning Hezekiah by name, (also that the story isn't completed, showing they failed, since they always recorded their victories, but never their failures), even evidence of the desecration of places of worship outside Jerusalem, something Hezekiah did. Very fascinating things.  

[TheSword 862]

I find it equally vexing, but a large part of the dating problem is the secular assumptions that are made. One reason for the discrepancy is the secular archaeologists in the community refuse to revise the obviously flawed Egyptian chronology that they try to make everything tie to as a reference point. All other ancient near-eastern chronologies line up remarkably well when that association is removed.

[heartstrings 2,370]

The dates don't bother me much. I'm just thrilled that all those places and things exist and I'm fascinated every time I hear of them discovering something else. But even at that, the Word of God says that blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed(paraphrasing).

[Alan 3,489]

5 hours ago, Ukulelemike said:

There is a lot of very interesting and fascinating information, a lot that, over the last 100-150 years especially, that the Lord has allowed to be found that strongly upholds the truth of the Bible.

Ukulelemike,

If the Lord leads you to do a study on Archeology and the Bible, I think it would be a blessing to us all.

Alan

[Ukulelemike 3,802]

Speaking on the bolus, I watched a video today on the work they're doing on a dig at the 'City of David', where they found a lot of buildings underground. They found two bolus there, about 30' apart, from two men mentioned in Jeremiah, I believe they were Shephetiah and Gedaliah, mentioned in Jere 38:1, as being two of the men sent to put Jeremiah into the dungeaon, which appears to have been a cistern, since it mentions not having water in it, but mire. So it is possible the place they're doing the work may be the palace when that occurred, and there are numerous cisterns in the complex.

[1611mac 188]

Consider: Bible Times & Ancient Kingdoms: Treasures from Archaeology  - A bit pricey at $49.95 but that includes Book and DVD containing 50 PowerPoint presentations packed with about 4,200 high quality color photos, drawings, historic recreations, and short video clips.  Also available as a download set. Powerpoint (Windows) or Keynote (Mac/Apple).

Note: I'll try to add some sample pages and slides today (to the website) if time allows.

[TheSword 862]

When I was walking through the dig at Hazor, one of the coolest things was seeing the burn line in the walls from when Joshua razed the city (Joshua 11:10-13). Walking up the same steps that Joshua and the Israelites tread was just really neat.