Evidence that the Bible is God’s Word Lakepointe Hot Topic Class - Week 5 Allen Hainline ”Is not My word like fire?" declares the LORD, "and like a hammer.

Evidence that the Bible is God’s Word

Lakepointe Hot Topic Class - Week 5

Allen Hainline

”Is not My word like fire?" declares the LORD, "and like a hammer which shatters a rock?” Jer 23:29

We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God. 2 Cor 10:5

Outline - Bible

• Internal Evidence• External Evidence

– Scientifically accurate biblical statements unknown at time• Contrast with holy books of other religions

– Archaeology and History– Prophecy – ones verifiable today

• How do we know what we have now is what they wrote then?

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Is the Bible God’s Word?

• Internal evidence– “All Scripture is inspired by God” 2 Timothy 3:16– Not the kind of book written by man

• Exalts God not man (weaknesses shown even for heroes)

– Unity• Written by 40 diverse authors over 1500 year period• Kings, peasants, philosophers, fishermen, poets, statesmen, scholars

provide consistent message

• Popularity– Despite attempts to eliminate it, most popular book ever written

(9 billion copies)• Voltaire predicted its demise within his lifetime but printing press for

Bibles operated in his house 100 years later

– Translated into more languages than any other book (> 2300)

• Evidence– Above facts are not strong evidence but should motivate one to

study the Bible in search of truth– Rest of this presentation focuses on the compelling evidence

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Science Statements in Other Religious Texts

• Islamic scripture (Qu’ran)– Sun said to “set in a spring of murky water." (18:85-86)– Sun has a resting spot (36:38)– Stars considered closer to earth than moon (71:15-16)

• Hindu scripture– The wind drives stars around the pole– Earth held up by elephant– Universe birthed from an egg– Sun said to be closer to earth than moon

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Evidence for Bible (Science)

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Science Then Science Now Bible

There are 1022 stars (Hippocrates)

Approximately 1022 stars(10,000 million million million)

The number of stars is uncountable (Jer 33:22)

Earth held up by elephants or by the Greek God Atlas

Earth surrounded by empty space in its orbit

“He hangs the earth on nothing” Job 26:7

Four elements were fire, earth, water, air (Plato)

Matter comprised of subatomic particles which are individually invisible to naked eye

“What is seen was not made out of things which are visible” Hebrews 11:3

Sick people must be bled Blood brings oxygen and nutrients to sustain cells

“Life of the flesh is in the blood” Lev 17:11

Water flows into the ocean only through rivers and rainfall

Springs in the ocean were discovered in the 1970’s

“Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea?” Job 38:16

Did not understand importance of washing with running water

Washing with running water critical to washing off bacteria

When dealing with disease, wash hands with running water Lev 15:13

Did not understand need for sanitary practices (e.g. Bubonic plague !)

Critical to minimizing spread of diseases

Quarantining, burying human waste, use of hyssop as antibacterial agent Lev. 13:45-6; Deut 23:12-13

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Science Then Science Now BibleUnderestimated expanse of earth – no understanding of time zones

24 time zones around earth Luke 17:34-36 discusses worldwide event of Christ’s return. When Christ comes, some will be sleeping at night while others grind (in morning) and others work in field (typically afternoon)

Ocean floor assumed flat Ocean floor contains deep valleys and mountains

Ocean floor contains deep valleys and mountains (2 Samuel 22:16, Jonah 2:6)

Air weightless Air has weight Air has weight (Job 28:25)

Earth is flat Earth is nearly spherical Hebrew word for sphere used in describing earth in Isaiah 40:12

Life formed from different type of matter

Life formed from elements found in non-living matter

“God formed man out of dust from the ground” Gen 2:7

Universe thought to be static until early 20th century

Universe is accelerating in its expansion; more accurately described as being stretched

“The LORD who stretches out the heavens” Zech 12:1 and 8 other verses; Hebrew implies continual stretching.

Time extends forever into past

Time itself began at the Big Bang

God acted before time began (2 Tim 1:9, Titus 1:2, I Cor 2:7)

Safest time for circumcision unknown

Peak day for available clotting agent (Prothrombin)

Circumcise on 8th day (Gen 17:12)

Evidence for Bible (Science)

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Biblical Archaeology

• How is archaeology important? What can it prove?– Only a “fraction of a fraction of a fraction” remains

• Most artifacts did not survive past their time• Only a fraction of those survived 2000+ years• Less than 2 per cent of sites have been excavated

– Provides insight into Biblical culture and times– Counters skeptics’ claims

• Validate accuracy of Biblical accounts

– Verifies fulfillment of prophecy• Verify old date of original writing• Validate historical events

"It may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever contradicted a biblical reference.” Nelson Glueck (highly respected archaeologist)

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Old Testament Archaeology

• Old Testament shown to be unique:– Documents non-flattering aspects– Countless cases where skeptics proven

wrong by later findings• Hittites – 19th century critics questioned

whether or not such a people even existed– Countless Hittite artifacts now known

• Who was the last king of Babylon?– Critics said book of Daniel incorrect in claiming it was

Belshazzar because Herodotus indicated it was Nabonidus; “Belshazzar made up”

– Artifacts found indicating Belshazzar was Nabonidus’ son and was in charge while his father was away for several years from Babylon

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Flood Archaeology

• Sumerian King List– Much longer life spans prior to Great Flood

• Ancient Flood Stories– Every continent had flood stories

• South America: Incas• North America: Iroquois, Aztecs• Europe: Celts• Africa: Hottentots (Southern Africa)• Asia: Babylonians, Sumerians, Hindus, Burma(Myanmar)• Oceania: New Guinea, Aborigines, New Zealand

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Jericho

Joshua 6: Jericho walls came down, city burned but not looted"As to the main fact, then, there remains no doubt: the walls fell outwards so completely, the attackers would be able to clamber up and over the ruins of the city. This is remarkable … the city walls always fall inward, not outward.” Garstang“The city's walls had fallen in a way suggestive of sudden collapse. A thick layer of soot at the site … supports the biblical idea that the city was burned, not simply conquered. “ Says Wood: "It looks to me as though the biblical stories are correct.“ Time Magazine Score One for the Bible

– Estimated date consistent with Exodus date• C14 dates to ~1400 BC (exact right time frame)

– Burned artifacts recovered indicating no looting of city (very unusual!)

• Found large stores of grain– No long siege

• Unusual time of attack matched Biblical account

Old Testament Historical Validation

• Sennacherib’s Prism – Assyrian king admits failure to conquer Jerusalem just as Bible records (King Hezekiah prayed for deliverance)

– Conquered 46 out of 47 cities– Seems miraculous that tiny Judah could survive against

mighty Assyria!

• Cyrus Cylinder – records King Cyrus of Persia’s Babylonian conquest and his decree to allow captives to return & restore temples

– Skeptics questioned whether any ruler would allow this

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New Testament Archaeology

Sir William Ramsay (renowned archaeologist) – Initially skeptical of NT accuracy due to supposed late authorship (2nd century)– Investigated for 30 years 300+ references to events, people, places, districts,

official’s titles etc. (Politarch, Tetrarch, Archon, Proconsul, etc.)– Concluded: "Luke is a historian of the first rank; not merely are his statements of fact

trustworthy...this author should be placed along with the very greatest of historians.“"Luke's history is unsurpassed in respect to its trustworthiness“– For example, skeptics claimed Iconium in Lycaonia not Phyrgia as Acts 14

indicates• Based on Cicero’s writings dealing with a slightly different time period• In 1910, Ramsay discovered an inscription declaring Iconium under authority of

Phyrgian district from A.D. 37-72 (only)

New Testament Archaeology

• Census– Began by Caesar Augustus– Egyptian papyrus indicated need to return

home to register

• Herod Agrippa killed during speech– Acts 12:20-3 records being killed after

accepting praise for being a god– Same basic story recounted by Josephus

• Jesus tomb at Church of Holy Sepulchre– Was this within city walls at time?

• No, according to Israeli records

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• Capernaum sites– Simon Peter’s house– Synagogue where Jesus taught

• Jericho problem– Mark 10:46 – healed beggar as Jesus was leaving Jericho– Luke 18:35 - healed beggar as Jesus was approaching Jericho– Archaeology has revealed that there were 2 Jericho’s in Jesus’ time

• Jesus could have visited both towns, beggar at entrance to richer town

• Artemis of the Ephesians statue found (Acts 19)• Skeptics once claimed Pontius Pilate never existed

– Inscription found in Caesarea (top right)

• Erastus (city treasurer of Corinth mentioned in Rom 16:23)– Inscription found in road in Corinth (bottom left)

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New Testament Archaeology

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Early Christian Artifacts Near Jerusalem

Skeptics claim Christianity grew legendarily• Oxford historian indicates 2 generations insufficient for legends• Refuted by early Christian worshippers near Jerusalem and empty

tomb• Findings from Ossuaries (Bone Boxes)

– Ossuaries used primarily prior to 70 AD (or 130 at latest)– 3 archaeologists led excavations finding Christian ossuaries

• Clermont-Ganneau, Bagatti, Sukenik• Sukenik (atheist Jew) dated site to 50 AD or prior

“World’s greatest authority on Jewish ossuaries” “All our evidence indicates that we have in this tomb the earliest records of

Christianity in existence. It may also have a bearing on the historicity of Jesus and the crucifixion.”

• Christian symbols found (crosses, chi-rho, etc.)• Critics questioned early use of symbols such as crosses

• Herculean cross cannot have been later than 79• Cross might not be symbolic but testify to actual event

Other Ossuary Evidence

Ossuaries found that may correspond to NT figures:– Caiaphas the High Priest– Sapphira of Acts 5– Lazarus and Martha of Bethany– Alexander son of Simon of Cyrene (carried Jesus’ cross)– Matthias, Joseph Barsabbas (replacement apostles of Acts 1)– Simon bar Jona with cross in Christian tomb– James son of Joseph brother of Jesus?

• Forgery charges but skeptics agree patina for “Jesus” portion ancient

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Archaeological FindsRefute Skeptics’ Dating

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Gospel of John– Critics: “written after 160-170 A.D.”– P52 found in 1920 in Egypt dated to 125 A.D.

• Papyrus fragments of 4 verses from John 18

Pentateuch– Claimed late date for writings for Pentateuch– Silver scroll found inside amulet dated to 7th century B.C.– Name of “YHWH” and priestly blessing from Num 6:24-25:

“The LORD bless you, and keep you; the LORD make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace.”

Verifiable Prophecies

Goals:Provide examples of prophecies that:

– Provide specific details verifiable today

– Fulfilled well after date written• By even most liberal estimates

Jesus indicates how compelling prophecy can be:

“If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead." Luke 16:31

Holy books of other major religions contain almost no prophecy

(especially ones verifiable today)

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“It will be the lowest of the kingdoms, and it will never again lift itself up above the nations … they will not rule over the nations.” Ezekiel 29:15

“There shall no longer be princes from the land of Egypt“ Ezekiel 30:13

Prophesied when Egypt was a worldleader in wealth and influence

Egypt

EgyptianProphecies

Fulfilled

– $1592 per capita income • Ranks 123rd, no nation more populous is poorer• Compare to rich Arab neighbors: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE ($43K)

– Olympic medals: 24 vs. Australia’s 432 (1/4 the population)– "Deprived two thousand three hundred years ago of her

natural proprietors, she has seen her fertile fields successively a prey to the Persians, the Macedonians, the Romans, the Greeks, the Arabs, the Georgians, and at length the race of Tartars distinguished by the name of Ottoman Turks." Volney historian

– Egypt has been ruled by foreigners• Only became a republic in 1953• Today's ruler Mubarak is of Arab descent

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Prophecies of Egyptian Cities

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• Memphis– "I will also destroy the idols and make the images cease

from Memphis. Ezekiel 30:13– In 10th century, Muslims conquered Memphis and rebuilt it 10 miles

away where no pagan gods had ever been worshipped.– Stones of Memphis used to build Cairo so new idols left

• In ~1900 archaeologist Petrie had trouble even finding ancient city

• Thebes– "I will … execute judgments on Thebes. I will also cut off the hordes

of Thebes.” Ezekiel 30:14-16 (“cut-off” = killed)– Judgments on Thebes by Nebuchadnezzar and 2 other rulers

• Each destroyed and burned the city– By 25 BC, huge city was reduced to two small villages

• As prophesied:– People of Thebes killed but ruins remain– People of Memphis were not killed (only moved) but no idols remain

Source: Dr. John A Bloom

Prophecies - Edom

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Prediction FulfillmentEdom will be made desolate as far as the city of TemanEzekiel 25:13

Edomites wiped out except for Teman (or Maan) on the eastern border of land of Edom, “and the only city in all that land that is not deserted!”Edom was size of New Jersey; Petra, its capital was carved out of a mountain side and was considered impenetrable – its was rediscovered only in the 1800’s.

Edom will be conquered by IsraelEzek 25:14

"At the end of the second century B.C., they (the Edomites) were subdued by Hasmonaean (Jewish) priest-king John Hyrcanus I “Columbia Encyclopedia, 5th Edition(~480 years after prophecy)

People will stop living in EdomJer 49:18

“After the Jewish Wars the Idumaean people (Edomites) are no longer mentioned in history” Wikipedia

Edom was powerful nation at time of prophecy and Israel was in captivity.

Edom Today

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Map of Central Region of Edom from GoogleMaps

As predicted, no remaining cities except Teman (Maan)

Prophecy - Babylon

And Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the glory of the Babylonians' pride will be overthrown .. She will never be inhabited. Isaiah 13:19-20"I will turn her into a place for owls and into swampland; I will sweep her with the broom of destruction," declares the Lord Almighty. Isa 14:23

Fulfillment: “All that remains today of the ancient famed city of Babylon is a mound … of broken mud-brick buildings and debris” In 275 BC, inhabitants transported to Seleucia, and its history comes practically to an end. By 141 BC, in complete desolation and obscurity.” WikipediaArchaeologists excavated Babylon during the 1800s. Some parts of the city could not be dug up because they were under a water table that had risen over the years. Saddam rebuilt some buildings as a tribute starting in 1985; Recent war led to destruction of much of what had been built there.

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Babylon was world’s largest & most fortified city• City covered 196 square miles (protected by world’s most powerful military)• Surrounded by double walls (outer wall was 300 feet high) and moat• Nebuchadnezzar’s Palace larger than most cities in Palestine

– Even if destroyed, why not rebuilt near rivers in the desert?

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Why Prophecy of Babylon so Amazing?

Babylon

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After1932 picture

Before

Prophecy - Philistines

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“The remnant of the Philistines will perish” Amos 1:8“Eventually all traces of the Philistines as a people or ethnic group disappear. “ Wikipedia

“Baldness is come upon Gaza” Jeremiah 47:5– “A city of Gaza still exists .. it was found that the new city of Gaza was in the

wrong location. A search was made for the old city and it was found buried under the sand dunes… What better description could you give of a city buried under sand dunes than to say that it had become bald? ” Stoner

“And the coast will be for the remnant of the house of Judah ... In the houses of Ashkelon they will lie down at evening” Zephaniah 2:4,7

– Settled by 100,000+ Jews– Few Arabs live there

Prophecies of Tyre

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Predictions (Ezekiel – 592-570 BC) Fulfillment

Nebuchadnezzar will destroy the mainland city of Tyre (26:8)

"After a 13-year siege (585-573 B.C.) by Nebuchadnezzar II, Tyre made terms and acknowledged Babylonians suzerainty. (dominion)" Encylopedia Brittanica

Many nations will come against Tyre (26:3) ; Debris will be thrown into water (26:12)

Alexander the Great conquered in 332 BC by building a causeway from rubble from mainland city; many nations involved in massive project

She will be made a bare rock; flat like the top of a rock (26:4)Fishermen will spread nets over the site (26:5)

“The larger part of the site of the once great city is now bare as the top of a rock - a place where the fisherman that still frequent the spot spread their nets to dry. “ Phillip Meyers secular historian

Will not be rebuilt (26:21) No version of a Phoenician Tyre ever rebuilt; Modern-day Tyre at a slightly different location than ancient Tyre.

Old Testament Prophecies:• In several places in the OT, God told Israel if they rebel they would be exiled:

– “The LORD will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other …” Deut 28:64 – Fulfillment: Jews are by far the most scattered people group on earth (Joshua Project)

• They would retain their identity as a people and not be completely destroyed– “Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them or abhor them so as to destroy

them” Leviticus 26:44– Fulfillment: "Despite their long-term residence in different countries and isolation from one another, most Jewish

populations were not significantly different from one another at the genetic level… most Jewish communities have remained relatively isolated from neighboring non-Jewish communities“

– “All things are mortal, except the Jew. Other forces pass but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?” Mark Twain

• They would eventually return to their homeland and nation suddenly reborn– “For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land”

Ezekiel 36:24 (and 12 other OT books predict this)– “Who has ever seen such things? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a

moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children.” Isaiah 66:831

Israel

• Fulfillment of sudden birth: May 14, 1948– Proceeded very quickly in aftermath of Holocaust

• Fulfillment of re-gathering:– In 1948, 600,000 Jews in Israel -> Now 7 million– “There is no place in the world where the number of

immigrants is five times the number of the people who were there. It is unprecedented” USA Today

• "The desolate land will be cultivated instead of being a desolation” Ezekiel 36:34-35

– Israeli desert agriculture/irrigation became example to world• “Nations of the earth will be gathered against it” Zech. 12:3

– The next day 5 nations attacked Israel and trend continues today

• Military will become strong again Zech. 12:6– Israel has won numerous wars against more populous Arab

neighboring countries32

Israel was chosen people to channel God’s blessings to all people“I (God) will make you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great.. all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” Gen 12:2-3Great in ways other than size (Deut 7:6-8)

– 1/5th of 1% of world population (2% in US)

Great Name/Great Blessing (Human standards)– 173 Nobel prize winners were Jews (23%)

• 37% of all US recipients were Jewish

– 26% of Nobel Prize winners in physics – 37% of 100 most imminent psychologists– 36% of Best Screen Play (Academy Award)– 53% of Best Original Song (Academy Award)– 54% of all world champion chess players– 20% of “Thinkers of 20th century”– 35% Pulitzer prize winners

Spiritual blessings too (Bible, Jesus)33

Prophecies - Israel

Israel

In OT and when early Christian church was mostly Jewish, predicted that most Jews would not accept Messiah but that Gentiles from around world would (Psa 118:22, Romans 10 )

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Ezekiel told in 537 BC that 360 years of punishment left before nation re-established – “You will bear Israel’s sins for 390 days – one day for each year of their sin. After that, turn over and lie on

your right side for 40 days – one day for each year of Judah’s sin.” Ezekiel 4:4-6 – 390+40 years – 70 years already served in exile = 360 years)– Ones who returned did not turn back to God in lasting way – resulted in 7x punishment

• “And if in spite of this, you still disobey me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over.” Leviticus 26:18

– Jewish calendar (360 days/year -> 907,200 days)– Modern calendar (365.2425 days/year -> 2,483.8292 years)– Subtracting 907,200 days from the Gregorian date of May 14, 1948, reveals a date of July 15, 537 BC

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Author/Work

Written Earliest Copy Time Span Manuscripts

Iliad by Homer ~850 BC 100-200 AD 950 years 650

Annals of Imperial Rome by Tacitus

115 AD 850 AD 735 years 2

Plato’s Tetralogies 427-347 BC 900 AD 1200+ years 7

Lives of the Caesars by Seutonius

~110 AD 950 AD 840 years 8

Greek New Testament 45-90 AD 125-300 AD 35-210 years 99

Greek New Testament 45-90 AD 125-1000 AD 35-900 years 5664

New Testament in other languages

45-90 AD 350-1000 AD 35-910 years 18,000+

How do we know we have what they wrote?

Entire New Testament except for 11 verses can be reconstructed from quotations of Church Fathers (95 – 400 AD) (~ 1 million quotations)

Dead Sea Scrolls

• First discovered in 1947• Some manuscripts dated as old as 3rd century BC• Confirmed level of accuracy of scribes’ copying

– Isaiah scroll matched exact Masoretic texts in 95% of words– 5% variation almost entirely spelling alterations or slips of

the pen

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Masoretic TextOldest ~1000 AD

Isaiah Scroll 37

“The number of manuscripts of the New Testament, of early translations from it, and of quotations from it in the oldest writers of the Church, is so large that it is practically certain that the true reading of every doubtful passage is preserved in some one or the other of these ancient authorities. This can be said of no other ancient book of the world.” Sir Frederick Kenyon

Conclusion

Questions

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Next Week: Who is Jesus?

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• Next Week:• Uniqueness / Impact• Historical Evidence

• Including evidence for the 3 hours of darkness• Evidence from prophecy

• Fulfilled Old Testament prophecies• Including time he would declare himself as Messiah

• Evidence for the Resurrection• Lord, Liar or Lunatic ?

Old Testament Archaeology

• Tophets– Liberal disbelieved Biblical accounts of child sacrifice

• Despite Greek and Roman historical accounts concerning this also

– 20,000 Phoenician urns uncovered of young children• Included animals in sacrifice, inscriptions like “Given to fulfill a vow”

• Hazor – Joshua’s Conquest? – heads of idols chopped off– “Everyone is a potential destroyer of Hazor, if not mentioned in any document,

except those specifically mentioned in the Bible as having done so.” – Yadin– No other ancient peoples would degrade idols– Tablet Fragment found mentioning king ofHazor by same name as Biblical account

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Archaeology of Early Israel

Amarna Letters• Letters to Pharaoh about Habiru invaders in Palestine in

14th century BC

Merneptah Stele• Records a Pharoah’s victory over Israel in 13th century BC

– Word used for Israel corresponds to people group but not nation

– Consistent with status during this time period of Judges

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Tales of Two Cities

• See Bible/CitiesProphecy.doc• Ashkelon/Ekron

• Prophecies (Zeph 2:4-7): Ashkelon was to be reduced to ruins, but later inhabited by a remnant of the Jews Ekron was to be uprooted

• Fulfillment: Both inhabited until Crusades, when both destroyed, and harbor of Ashkelon filled w/ stones Since 1948, Jews rebuilt Ashkelon and cleared harbor, but location of Ekron still uncertain

• Ninevah/Babylon– Just focus on Ninevah: Nineveh (Zeph 2:13-15) to be destroyed and left desolate, but to become a place for grazing

sheep; Nineveh was destroyed suddenly and location forgotten for centuries; name of largest mound Quyunyiq means "many sheep"; long abandoned, though recently suburbs of Mosul have grown out to reach site

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