A Night at the Museum

Want to visit a cool museum...without leaving the comfort of your own living room?

Then browse the online collection at the Penn Museum! The museum has 326,000 items in its collection, which includes objects from Egypt, Babylon, Ur, and a number of other sites of interest to those who study the Bible. (This photo is a statue of a ram caught in a thicket...illustrating the ram caught in the thicket in Genesis 22.)

Enjoy your own night at the museum!

Another amazing find in Jerusalem

It seems that new archaeological discoveries from Jerusalem are being reported almost weekly. The latest find is rather fascinating. It was humorously identified by the Israeli Antiquities Authority as the original "store credit." And that's probably a good way to describe it!

What they discovered was a clay seal containing two Hebrew words from the time of Herod's temple. The seal appears to have been a type of marker or "proof of purchase" used as part of the temple services. The inscription on the seal, written in Aramaic, reads "pure to the Lord," using the first two letters of the name Yahweh as the abbreviation for "Lord."

The seal illustrates a temple practice mentioned in the Mishnah, which reads in part, "Whoever required libations would go to Yohanan who was in charge of the stamps and give him money and would receive a stamp from him in return. He would then go to Ahiyah who was in charge over the libations, give him the stamp, and receive the libations from him."

In other words, a person would pay for a specific ritual sacrifice at the "cashier's office" and receive a "proof of purchase" token that he or she would then take to the priest to exchange for the actual offering. This seal appears to be the first actual example of the "stamp," or clay impression, that served as the "proof of purchase" token.

The find is significant for two reasons. First, it helps illustrate and visualize the day-to-day workings of the temple. And second, it serves as one more small reminder that a Jewish temple indeed stood on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. That seems obvious to those of us who believe the Bible. But in the convoluted world of Middle East politics, it helps counteract the propaganda claiming the Jews have no legitimate connection to the city or the Temple Mount.

A "Seven Species" Oil Lamp

During our devotional time on The Land and the Book I've been doing a series on the seven species of plants named by Moses in Deuteronomy 8. And so I was more than a little interested when I received the latest edition of Biblical Archaeology Review magazine had discovered an article on an unusual olive oil lamp. The lamp, carved from stone rather than molded from clay, contains seven spouts plus a handle. And carved on top is a relief of the temple menorah...along with carvings of the seven species of plants mentioned in Deuteronomy 8!

The lamp was discovered several years ago, but it has been surrounded in controversy since that time. It wasn't uncovered in a controlled archaeological dig, and that raised suspicions about its date...and even its authenticity. According to the article, a group of scientists studied the object and have apparently now validated its authenticity. The article suggests the lamp might date back to the time of the Second Temple period, putting it around the time of Jesus. Unfortunately, since specific details on where the object was found are not known, any attempt to date the object more precisely is impossible.

If you would like to read a summary of the BAR article, click here. And then keep listening each weekend as we continue our study of the seven species of the land!

The Sword and the Menorah

These three images are from an Associated Press article reporting on today's announcement about the latest archaeological finds in Jerusalem. I'll be talking more about this discovery on Saturday's program, but I thought you might enjoy seeing these pictures now. The one picture shows the drainage tunnel that has now been uncovered in Jerusalem. It ran along the street that extended from the Temple Mount down to the Pool of Siloam. The other pictures show the sketch of the menorah on a piece of stone as well as the remains of a Roman sword, still in its leather scabbard. These were both found in this tunnel. They are the latest in a string of amazing discoveries still being made in Jerusalem!

Fake!

Some preliminary analysis has been done on the 70 "ancient Christian books" from Jordan, and it looks like they are indeed forgeries.

In an online article in Live Science, Natalie Wolchover looks at the epigraphical features of the writing on the tablets. She reports that a study of the lettering by a professional Aramaic translator indicates the tablets are an "alphabet soup" of Old Aramaic (from 500 years before the time of Christ) mixed with Nabatean and Palmyrene (from at least a hundred years after the time of Christ). According to the linguist the youngest scripts "date from the second and third centuries, proving the documents could not possibly have been written during the dawn of Christianity."

In the picture to the left you can see some of the writing on the tablet. This is part of the script analyzed by the translator. The article includes a comparative chart that shows the type of epigraphical mistakes made by the translator. In addition to the errors in the script, the article also revealed the origin of the picture seen in the photograph. "The image they are saying is Christ is the sun god Helios from a coin that came from the island of Rhodes."

In my very first post I ended by saying, "So keep following these articles, but use a healthy dose of skepticism until all the details are revealed. As a friend often says, time and truth walk hand in hand!" In this particular case it didn't take a great deal of time before the truth about the tablets being forgeries came to light!

Vandalism at Khirbet Midras

On February 5 I posted a blog about a new archaeological discovery in Israel. A church was found that could mark the burial site of the prophet Zechariah. Last week the group I was with was able to visit the site, and it was amazing. This picture to the left is one I took while I was there. You can see some of the mosaics on the church floor that were uncovered during the excavation.

This morning an article appeared in an Israeli newspaper reporting that vandals destroyed the floor's mosaic. This is an absolute tragedy. The archaeologists had planned to cover the site until preparations could be made to guard and protect it. Sadly, they didn't get it covered in time.

Our group might have some of the last pictures taken at the site before it's destruction.

Hysteria and Archaeology

Israel National News has reported on the restoration of a 2,000-year-old drainage tunnel in Jerusalem. Anywhere else this would be a fascinating piece of historical and archaeological trivia, but in Jerusalem it becomes an international incident.

The drainage tunnel dates back to the time of the Second Temple, and the tunnel extends from just south of the Temple Mount down the Central Valley toward the Pool of Siloam. Part of the tunnel is now open to the public. I actually had an opportunity to walk through a small part of the tunnel while it was still being excavated, and it was amazing.

These excavations shed light on Josephus' description of the fall of Jerusalem to the Romans in A.D. 70. Josephus wrote that some Jews tried to hide underground but that the Romans broke up the ground to find and kill them (Wars 6.9.4). No doubt this drainage tunnel was one of the underground spots where these Jewish refugees tried to hide, and in places the stone blocks covering the tunnel had been pried up, confirming the thoroughness of the Roman search for survivors. This archaeological dig helps bring that tragic period of history to light.

Sadly, the archaeological significance of the dig might be overshadowed by hysteria spawned by politics. Charges have already been raised that the dig is threatening the Al Aqsa Mosque. Egypt's Ahram Online captures the hysteria in its caption for the story: "Israel's Aqsa mosque dig-project complete."

But does the project threaten the Al Aqsa mosque? Look carefully at the Google Earth photo I've included with this post. I have labeled the Dome of the Rock, the Al Aqsa mosque, the Western Wall, and the Davidson Archaeological Center (which is where the northern end of the tunnel is located). I've also traced the approximate route the tunnel takes on its 600-meter journey down the Central Valley toward the Pool of Siloam. Note that the excavations do not extend under the Temple Mount, nor to they threaten the Al Aqsa mosque.

Watch for stories about this discovery in your local news. And if they report the excavations threaten Islamic holy sites, please write or call them to point out their error. Reports containing such false statements can lead others to believe such statements are true...when they are not.

World's oldest winery

Today's Jerusalem Post carried an article on the discovery of the world's oldest winery. It is said to date back 6,000 years and was discovered in Armenia, which is located just to the east of modern-day Turkey.

So why is this important?

First, Armenia near Mount Ararat, which is where the ark landed after the flood. Second, the Bible's internal chronological markers places the flood about 6,000 years ago. In reading the Jerusalem Post story I was reminded of what happened to Noah following the flood. "Then Noah began farming and planted a vineyard. And he drank of the wine and became drunk" (Gen. 9:20-21a).

This is not Noah's winery...but it is a good reminder that archaeological discoveries can help illuminate the Bible!

Archaeology and the Bible

What comes to mind when you hear the word archaeology? For some, the word conjures up romance and excitement—Indiana Jones galloping after the ark of the covenant. Others stifle yawns as they mentally wander through dusty museums filled with artifacts. Still others picture sun-bronzed archaeologists on a “dig”…gently brushing away dirt to expose treasures from the past.

Archaeology is a study of a civilization’s material culture that seeks to explain how people lived. Sometimes the work is exciting; most of the time it is tedious. But much of the archaeology done in the Middle East has helped us understand more clearly God’s Word. Specifically, archaeology helps us in three ways.

Archaeology helps interpret God’s Word

Some archaeological finds have served as keys, unlocking the message of God’s Word. Archaeologists discovered an ancient city in northern Syria named Ugarit. During the excavations they uncovered clay tablets containing stories about the god Baal and a stone monument to Baal. The tablets and the monument pictured Baal as the god of lightning and rain. He was the storm god responsible for bringing fertility to the land.

These archaeological discoveries help us understand the ministry of the prophet Elijah. King Ahab of Israel “set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria” (1 Kings 16:32). God’s response was to announce through Elijah, “As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives...there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word” (1 Kings 17:1). God challenged Baal in the very area that was supposedly Baal’s strength—the ability to bring rain.

Several drought-filled years later Elijah summoned Baal’s prophets to a contest at Mount Carmel. Each group would prepare a sacrifice. “Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire—he is God” (1 Kings 18:24). This seemed fair...since Baal was supposedly the god of lightning.

The archaeological finds at Ugarit help us understand why rain and fire are so important in God’s contest with Baal. God’s withholding of rain—and His sending fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice—are clear proofs that He, not Baal, deserved Israel’s worship as God.

Archaeology helps illuminate God’s Word

I vividly remember the first time I ever looked closely at a high definition television screen. I was walking through an electronics store, and I wanted to see if all the hype concerning these new televisions was really true. I realized the difference when a car commercial came on…and I could actually read the fine print at the end explaining the details of the “special offer”! The higher screen density brought out details that were lost on our regular television at home. Archaeology can have the same effect on the Bible, highlighting details that would otherwise not be so obvious.

In the Book of Ephesians, Paul wrote to Gentiles who were once “separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12). Paul announced that Christ’s death “destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility” (Eph. 2:14) that had excluded Gentiles from God’s place of blessing.

Paul used the temple standing in Jerusalem to illustrate his point. Gentiles were permitted into the outer court, but they were prohibited from entering any further into the temple by a low wall that marked the limit of their access to God. In 1935 a portion of a stone from this wall was discovered. An inscription on the stone warned Gentiles of the severe consequences of trying to go beyond this barrier. “No foreigner may enter within the barrier and enclosure around the temple area. Anyone caught doing so will bear the responsibility for his own ensuing death.”

This archaeological discovery adds vividness and depth to Paul’s words. The barrier in the temple was a visible reminder that Gentiles had been excluded from the blessings God had given to His people, Israel. But Christ’s death on the cross shattered the barrier and gave all believers “access to the Father by one Spirit” (Eph. 2:18).

Archaeology helps validate God’s Word

Sometimes archaeology has helped defend the accuracy and reliability of God’s Word. Many scholars have criticized the unity of the Book of Isaiah. Instead of accepting Isaiah as the author, they assign different parts of the book to multiple authors over several centuries. They assume Isaiah 1–39 and Isaiah 40–66 were written at different times and were joined together at a still later date.

In 1947 a Bedouin shepherd found several ancient manuscripts on the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea. These manuscripts became known as the Dead Sea Scrolls. The final collection contained portions of nearly every book of the Old Testament. The scrolls were 1,000 years older than any previously known copies of the Old Testament.

Scholars were excited because they hoped these scrolls would shed light on their theories as to how the “pieces” of the Old Testament had come together. A complete copy of the Book of Isaiah was discovered in almost perfect condition. Would this archaeological find prove, or disprove, the unity of the Book of Isaiah?

In this manuscript, the text of Isaiah 39 ends one line from the bottom of a column. Isaiah 40 begins on the very next line—with absolutely no evidence of any division! This archaeological discovery supports the unity of the Book of Isaiah.

And in conclusion . . .

The Bible does not depend on archaeology for its authority. It is authoritative because God is the author. But archaeology can help interpret, illuminate, and validate God’s Word. It’s encouraging to know archaeological discoveries support biblical facts.

Ancient Garden Found in Israel

A recent report from Tel Aviv University announced the discovery of an ancient garden at Ramat Rachel just south of Jerusalem. The article compares the idea of a royal garden to the hanging garden of Nebuchadnezzar (in Babylon) and the Garden of Eden. The royal garden just uncovered dates to the seventh-century B.C. (600s B.C.).

That might seem like little more than an interesting archaeological fact...until you combine this discovery with other key information. First, Ramat Rachel is just two miles south of Jerusalem. It sits on a hill between Jerusalem and Bethlehem--close to the capital yet away from the sounds (and smells!) of the ancient city, perched on a hill with fresh air and commanding views. Second, previous excavations at Ramat Rachel uncovered remains of a royal palace at the site that dates from the time of the last kings of Judah. Likely, the ancient garden was part of this royal palace...and gives additional insight into the opulence of the entire complex.

But what king during this period of history--a time when Judah was under Babylonian domination--would be foolish enough to construct a new royal palace...with an elaborate garden? I believe the Bible actually supplies us with the answer. His name is King Jehoiakim!

King Jehoiakim was a wicked king who ruled Judah for eleven years (605–597 B.C.). He was eventually assassinated by his own people to spare the city of Jerusalem from being destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar.

The dates of Jehoiakim's reign match the general date for the construction for the palace and royal garden. More importantly, the ruins that have been uncovered could illuminate Jeremiah's message of judgment against this wicked king.

"Woe to him who builds his house without righteousness and his upper rooms without justice, who uses his neighbor’s services without pay and does not give him his wages, who says, 'I will build myself a roomy house with spacious upper rooms, and cut out its windows, paneling it with cedar and painting it bright red.' Do you become a king because you are competing in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink, and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him. He pled the cause of the afflicted and needy; then it was well. Is not that what it means to know Me?” declares the LORD. "But your eyes and your heart are intent only upon your own dishonest gain, and on shedding innocent blood and on practicing oppression and extortion." Therefore thus says the LORD in regard to Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, "They will not lament for him: 'Alas, my brother!' or, 'Alas, sister!' They will not lament for him: 'Alas for the master!' or, 'Alas for his splendor!' He will be buried with a donkey’s burial, Dragged off and thrown out beyond the gates of Jerusalem" (Jeremiah 22:13-19).

At the very time Judah needed a godly leader with wisdom and strength of character, Jehoiakim ruled as a petty despot who only cared about building a new palace to satisfy his own greed. The palace and royal gardens just uncovered could very well be the palace condemned by Jeremiah. If so, they provide clear evidence of the excesses of this self-absorbed, wicked king.