Showing posts with label archaeology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label archaeology. Show all posts

Friday, April 13, 2018

How Archaeology Is Thwarting Those Who Want to Rewrite History - RON ALLEN CHARISMA NEWS

(Unsplash/Ahmad Ajmi)

How Archaeology Is Thwarting Those Who Want to Rewrite History

Join us on our podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

The spring 2018 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review announced the retirement of its founder, Hershel Shanks, after 43 years of service.
Mr. Shanks is an example of the impact a dedicated layman can make on the scientific, historic and religious world. Trained as a Harvard lawyer, he fell in love with biblical archaeology on a sabbatical to Jerusalem in 1973. It was Shanks who led the crusade to get the Dead Sea scrolls released by the scholars who had kept them under wraps for 50 years. He also covered the major archaeological controversies where the religious and political fault lines of the Holy Land are played out.
One of the major fault lines comes between the religious and the secular world views of scholars. The secular scholars are constantly attacking the work of earlier Christian and Jewish archaeologists, with a "minimalist" school which argues that such biblical figures as David are mythological. Another line of attack comes from Palestinians who, for political reasons, want to deny Jewish history and try to prevent archaeologists from digging up the Jewish past. There is also an occasional conflict between Jewish and Christian acceptance of findings.
While the BAR, as it is affectionately known, is a secular, not religious, publication, they do try to fairly present the issues. They gleefully reported an artifact which substantiated the existence of the "House of David," to the chagrin of the minimalists. In their January/February 2014 issue, they published an article which proves that the site of David's palace in Jerusalem has been found. Some years back the BAR demolished Palestinian political arguments by proving that the very name of "Palestine" was derived from the Greek word for "wrestler", which translates into the national Hebrew name of "Israel" (He wrestles with God). In their January/February 2016 issue they exposed a New York Times article which falsely cast doubt on the historicity of the Jewish temples, a favorite technique of Palestinian propaganda. In the May/June 2017 issue, eminent archaeologist William G. Dever exposed the fallacies of the "minimalist" view in his article, entitled "Whom Do You Believe—the Bible or Archaeology?".
Our prayer is that secular, political and religious attacks on biblical archaeology will not be allowed to obscure the truth of God's Word. We thank Hershel Shanks for his leadership and pray that BAR and Biblical archaeologists will continue fearlessly stand up to those who want to rewrite history to suit their agendas.
And we thank the Lord that He has left us plenty of evidence to confirm the veracity of the Bible as the solid rock on which our faith can rely. 
Ron Allen is a Christian businessman, CPA and author who serves in local, national and international ministries, spreading a message of reconciliation to God, to men and between believers. He is founder of the International Star Bible Society, telling how the heavens declare the glory of God; the Emancipation Network, which helps people escape from financial bondage; and co-founder with his wife, Pat, of Corporate Prayer Resources, dedicated to helping intercessors.

Friday, December 1, 2017

Drone Flight Reveals 2,200 Year Old Idumean Structure in Central Israel - CBN News

Aerial View of 2,200-Year-Old Idumean Structure, Photo, IAA
Aerial View of 2,200-Year-Old Idumean Structure, Photo, IAA
Drone Flight Reveals 2,200 Year Old Idumean Structure in Central Israel
CBN News 12-01-2017
JERUSALEM, Israel – Israeli archaeology's newest tool, the drone, revealed an intriguing find during a pass over the Lachish region during the recent Sukkot holiday.
The compact aircraft discovered what excavation directors – Dr. Oren Gutfeld of the Hebrew University, and Pablo Betzer and Michal Haber of the Israel Antiquities Authority – called "a rare and exciting find."
The structure, in what was the town of Horvat Amuda, is one of only a handful of its kind in Israel.  Archaeologists said that it is most likely a 2,200-year-old Idumean palace or temple, the IAA said in a press release.

Two stone incense altars were discovered at the site. One of them bore the engraved image of a bull standing in what appears to be a columned temple.  According to the archaeologists, the bull was one of the deities worshipped by the Idumeans.
In addition to the altar, archaeologists also uncovered fragile pottery vessels, including painted bowls, juglets and oil lamps.
In the Hellenistic period, Horvat Amuda was one of the agricultural resource villages for the neighboring Idumean capital of Maresha. The Idumeans, originally a Semitic people hailing from what is now southern Jordan, settled in the Judean hills and created Maresha as a center for their religion and commerce.
Archaeologists believe the structure was intentionally dismantled around 112 BCE when Hasmonean king John Hyrcanus I sacked Maresha. The residents later converted to Judaism and assimilated into the Judean population. (The most famous Idumean is probably King Herod from the Bible.)
Also discovered at the site were numerous underground passages cut by residents of nearby Beit Guvrin for escaping from the Romans during the time of the second Jewish Revolts in 132–135 CE.
The dig is sponsored by the IAA and Beit Lehi, a U.S.-based Mormon non-profit organization, which sponsors excavations in the Land of Israel. Archaeology students from the Hebrew University, Bar-Ilan University and a group of U.S. volunteers helped in the excavations the Times of Israel reported. 

Did you know?
CBN is a global nonprofit ministry demonstrating the love of God and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ through media evangelism and humanitarian aid. Explore the life-changing work of CBN.

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

YEAR IN REVIEW: Jesus' Words Backed by Archaeology: The Stones Are Crying Out - CHARLES COLSON/CBN NEWS & CHARISMA NEWS

A burial cave in Jerusalem

A burial cave in Jerusalem (YouTube)


YEAR IN REVIEW: Jesus' Words Backed by Archaeology: The Stones Are Crying Out




Join us on the new C-Pop podcast where Taylor and Jessilyn discuss, debate and sometimes deride pop culture with a strong sense of humor and a focus on Christ. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

Editor's Note: 2015 was a big year in the church—and in the world. This week we're looking at some of the biggest stories of the year, selected based on feedback from our readers. Thanks for reading Charisma News this year and stay tuned as we continue expanding our coverage in 2016 to include more spiritual insights on the stories that matter most to you.

This article was published February 5th.
A few years ago, people exploring caves outside Jerusalem came across the find of a lifetime: an ancient burial cave containing the remains of a crucified man. This find is only one in a series of finds that overturns a century-old scholarly consensus.
That consensus held that the Gospels are almost entirely proclamation and contain little, if any, real history. The remains belonged to a man who had been executed in the first century A.D., that is, from the time of Jesus.
As Jeffrey Sheler writes in his book Is the Bible True? the skeleton confirms what the evangelists wrote about Jesus' death and burial in several important ways.
First, location—scholars had long doubted the biblical account of Jesus' burial. They believed that crucified criminals were tossed in a mass grave and then devoured by wild animals. But this man, a near contemporary of Jesus, was buried in the same way the Bible says Jesus was buried.
Then there's the physical evidence from the skeleton. The man's shinbones appeared to have been broken. This confirms what John wrote about the practice of Roman executioners. They would break the legs of the crucified to hasten death, something from which Jesus, already dead, was spared.
This point is particularly noteworthy, since scholars have long dismissed the details of John's Passion narrative as theologically motivated embellishments. Another part of John's Gospel that archaeology has recently corroborated is the story of Jesus healing the lame man in John 5.
John describes a five-sided pool just inside the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem where the sick came to be healed. Since no other document of antiquity—including the rest of the Bible—mentions such a place, skeptics have long argued that John simply invented the place. But as Sheler points out, when archaeologists decided to dig where John said that the pool had been located, they found a five-sided pool. What's more, the pool contained shrines to the Greek gods of healing.
Apparently John didn't make up the pool after all. The dismissal of biblical texts without bothering to dig points to a dirty little secret about a lot of scholarly opinion: Much of the traditional suspicion of the biblical text can only be called a prejudice.
That is, it's a conclusion arrived at before one has the facts. Scholars long assumed that the Bible, like other documents of antiquity, was essentially propaganda, what theologian Rudolf Bultmann called "kerygma" or proclamation.
But this prejudice does an injustice to biblical faith. Central to that faith are history and memory.
Christians believe that God has acted, and continues to act, in history. For us, remembering what God has done is an act of worship—something that brings us closer to God.
Thus, while these discoveries in the desert may come as a surprise to some skeptics, they're no surprise to Christians. While archaeology alone cannot bring a person to faith, these finds are an eloquent argument for not dismissing the truth of Scripture before at least examining the evidence, because, as we are learning every day, Jesus meant it when He said, "The very stones will cry out."
For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!
NEW from CHARISMA: Do you want to encounter the Holy Spirit and hear God speak to you? Increase your faith, discover freedom, and draw near to God! Click Here

Love For His People Editor's Featured Book
Paperback $5.99 Kindle $1.99

Why Israel? Why not? This little booklet consists of messages previously written in my books, which of themselves contain many various themes. I wanted to devote one book to just Israel and the Jewish people, and so this small booklet was compiled. 

As you read the following, consider the truth contained in Scriptures, from Genesis to Revelation, which spell out the commitment of God the Father to choose a people who will be a light to the nations. He chose the Jews, and gave them the Promised Land of Israel. 

It does not matter what other national governments try to say, do, or accomplish apart from the plans and purposes of the Lord. They will fail. His Word is true. It is eternal. He is the same, yesterday, today and forever, and thus His commitment in keeping His promises made to the Jewish people will be fulfilled. I hope you stand with them in these last days. 

Steve Martin
Founder
Love For His People, Inc.


Friday, February 6, 2015

Jesus' Words Backed by Archaeology: The Stones Are Crying Out

Jesus' Words Backed by Archaeology: The Stones Are Crying Out




A burial cave in Jerusalem
A burial cave in Jerusalem (YouTube)











A few years ago, people exploring caves outside Jerusalem came across the find of a lifetime: an ancient burial cave containing the remains of a crucified man. This find is only one in a series of finds that overturns a century-old scholarly consensus.
That consensus held that the Gospels are almost entirely proclamation and contain little, if any, real history. The remains belonged to a man who had been executed in the first century A.D., that is, from the time of Jesus.
As Jeffrey Sheler writes in his book Is the Bible True? the skeleton confirms what the evangelists wrote about Jesus' death and burial in several important ways.
First, location—scholars had long doubted the biblical account of Jesus' burial. They believed that crucified criminals were tossed in a mass grave and then devoured by wild animals. But this man, a near contemporary of Jesus, was buried in the same way the Bible says Jesus was buried.
Then there's the physical evidence from the skeleton. The man's shinbones appeared to have been broken. This confirms what John wrote about the practice of Roman executioners. They would break the legs of the crucified to hasten death, something from which Jesus, already dead, was spared.
This point is particularly noteworthy, since scholars have long dismissed the details of John's Passion narrative as theologically motivated embellishments. Another part of John's Gospel that archaeology has recently corroborated is the story of Jesus healing the lame man in John 5.
John describes a five-sided pool just inside the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem where the sick came to be healed. Since no other document of antiquity—including the rest of the Bible—mentions such a place, skeptics have long argued that John simply invented the place. But as Sheler points out, when archaeologists decided to dig where John said that the pool had been located, they found a five-sided pool. What's more, the pool contained shrines to the Greek gods of healing.
Apparently John didn't make up the pool after all. The dismissal of biblical texts without bothering to dig points to a dirty little secret about a lot of scholarly opinion: Much of the traditional suspicion of the biblical text can only be called a prejudice.
That is, it's a conclusion arrived at before one has the facts. Scholars long assumed that the Bible, like other documents of antiquity, was essentially propaganda, what theologian Rudolf Bultmann called "kerygma" or proclamation.
But this prejudice does an injustice to biblical faith. Central to that faith are history and memory.
Christians believe that God has acted, and continues to act, in history. For us, remembering what God has done is an act of worship—something that brings us closer to God.
Thus, while these discoveries in the desert may come as a surprise to some skeptics, they're no surprise to Christians. While archeology alone cannot bring a person to faith, these finds are an eloquent argument for not dismissing the truth of Scripture before at least examining the evidence, because, as we are learning every day, Jesus meant it when He said, "The very stones will cry out."

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

New Archaeology Supports Existence of King David

New Archaeology Supports Existence of King David

Wednesday, December 17, 2014 |  Israel Today Staff
Detractors of the biblical text like to assert that its passages are filled with little more than folklore and myth. But new archaeological finds have again provided evidence that biblical figures like Kind David did exist and did rule over a large portion of the ancient Near East.
Leading journals recently wrote on the discovery of eight significant sites in Turkey and northern Syria which revealed the existence of a large Philistine kingdom under the rule of Tai(ta) of Hamath.
Prof. Gershon Galil of the University of Haifa says this is clearly the same regional ruler as the "Toi, king of Hamath" referenced in II Samuel 8:10, which records that when this king "heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, he sent his son Joram to King David, to greet him and to congratulate him on defeating Hadadezer in battle --- for Hadadezer had been at war with Toi."
According to Prof. Galil: "We know for sure now that Toi of Hamath existed, and that he was indeed a historical figure. The biblical text in the Book of Samuel is therefore well supported by the historical reality of the 10th century BC."
These discoveries also helped to clarify more earlier Egyptian finds according to which the Ramses III boasted of having conquered Philistine cities in northern Syria. Previously, archaeologists had believed the pharaoh was exaggerating.
The finds in Syria and Turkey coincide with the recent discovery of a stele, or stone slab, from a later Aramean king, Hazael, who spoke of having killed 70 rival kings during his conquests. Among his listed victims are kings from the "House of David."
This new evidence backs up the biblical account not only of the existence of King David, but of the fact that he was far more than a small-time, hill-top chieftain.
Want more news from Israel?
Click Here to sign up for our FREE daily email updates from ISRAEL TODAY.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Dig back in time at Israel's Beit Guvrin caves



Digging in Israel.  YouTubeVideo by Israel.


We also have annual tours to Israel,through Love For His People. Please check our website below for further info for the trip in November 2014. 

Steve Martin


Click here: Ahava Adventures 2014

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Unearthed treasure confirms Jewish history in Jerusalem

Unearthed treasure confirms Jewish history in Jerusalem

Thursday, September 12, 2013 |  Ryan Jones, Israel Today 
Recent excavations near the Temple Mount in Jerusalem unearthed a literal treasure trove once again confirming an ancient Jewish presence in the city.
Led by archaeologist Dr. Eilat Mazar of the Hebrew University, the excavating team found a total of 36 gold coins, gold and silver jewelry and a very special gold medallion.
On the medallion can be seen the images of a menorah (seven-branched candelabrum), a shofar (ram's horn) and a Torah scroll. Researchers believe the medallion was in fact an ornament for a Torah scroll, perhaps the oldest such adornment ever found.
For Dr. Mazar, the discovery, especially of the Torah ornament, is downright sensational: "We have already made many discoveries in this area from the time of the first Jewish Temple. But the image of a seven-branched candelabrum has totally surprised us."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fully shared that sentiment, stating in a phone call to Dr. Mazar: "This is a magnificent discovery. Nationally, it attests to the ancient Jewish presence and to the sanctity of the place; this is as clear as the sun and it is tremendous. ...This is historic testimony, of the highest order, to the Jewish People's link to Jerusalem, to its land and to its heritage – menorah, shofar, Torah scroll. The essence of the Jewish People could not be any more succinct and clear. This is a wonderful gift to the Jewish People."
The treasures were found 50 yards from the southern wall of the Temple Mount. "The most likely explanation for the location of the treasure is that it was intended as a contribution to the building of a new synagogue in the vicinity of the Temple Mount," explained Dr. Mazar. "However, one can assume that this mission was not successful."
Want more news from Israel?

Other stories:

Dr. Eilat Mazar


“And he said unto me: ‘What seest thou?’ And I said: ‘I have seen, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and its seven lamps thereon; there are seven pipes, yea, seven, to the lamps, which are upon the top thereof…” (Zechariah 4:2)

Third generation archaeologist Eilat Mazar, of Hebrew University, revealed Monday morning (Sept. 10, 2013) that an unusual cache of gold coins and other related artifacts, dating to the seventh century CE, were discovered this summer at the Ophel excavation site near the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
“We have been making significant finds from the First Temple Period in this area, a much earlier time in Jerusalem’s history, so discovering a golden seven-branched Menorah from the seventh century CE at the foot of the Temple Mount was a complete surprise,” Mazar said.  The discovery is being called the “Ophel treasure,” and consists of 36 gold coins, as well as some gold and silver jewelery and a large medallion embossed with a menorah (seven-branched candelabrum), a shofar (ram’s horn) and Torah scroll, and hanging from a chain.  This is especially significant because it points to a Jewish presence in the area at the time.
The menorah continues to be an important Jewish symbol today, serving as the emblem of the state of Israel, where it is flanked by two olive branches, as described in the book of Zechariah.  The original menorah was constructed, at God’s command, from a single piece of gold (Exodus 25:31-40) and lit first in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple.  It was also famously depicted on the arch of Titus, commemorating the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE.
Mazar points out the chain on the medallion as a clue to its original use.  She explains it was likely an ornament for a Torah scroll.  It was found buried along with a smaller gold medallion, two pendants, a gold coil and a silver clasp, likely all ornaments for the scroll.  The coins were found loose, leading to the theory that they were abandoned when the bearer failed in his task.  “It would appear that the most likely explanation is that the Ophel cache was earmarked as a contribution toward the building of a new synagogue, at a location that is near the Temple Mount,” said Dr. Mazar. “What is certain is that their mission, whatever it was, was unsuccessful. The treasure was abandoned, and its owners could never return to collect it.”
The coins, dating to the reigns of various Byzantine emperors from the mid-fourth to early seventh centuries, were discovered a mere five days into the excavation and just 50 meters (164 feet) from the Temple Mount, in the ruins of a Byzantine public structure.  Lior Sandberg, numismatics (currency) specialist at the Institute of Archaeology, identified this as the third collection to be found in Jerusalem excavations.
Given the date of the items and the manner in which they were found, Mazar estimates they were abandoned in the context of the Persian conquest of Jerusalem in 614 CE.
After the Persians conquered Jerusalem, many Jews returned to the city and formed the majority of its population, hoping for political and religious freedom. But as Persian power waned, instead of forming an alliance with the Jews, the Persians sought the support of Christians and ultimately allowed them to expel the Jews from Jerusalem.
The Ophel project has been funded by Daniel Mintz and Meredith Berkman of New York since 2009. The project includes archeological excavations, the processing of the finds for publication, as well as the preservation and preparations of the site for its opening to the public.
The Israel Antiquities Authority is carrying out the preservation works and preparing the site for the public for an unspecified date.
Article from: Breaking Israel News