THE BIBLE AND ARCHAEOLOGY Session 1 Welcome
Nov 30, 2014
THE BIBLE AND ARCHAEOLOGY
Session 1
Welcome
DOES THE ARCHAEOLOGIST LOOK
LIKE IS THIS?
CAN YOU SAY?
IS THE ARCHAEOLOGIST YOU SEE LIKE THIS?
WHAT FIRST INTERESTED YOU IN ARCHAEOLOGY?
ParentsSchoolingSiblings
Reading the BibleCuriosity
Early influences
FORMATIVE EXPERIENCES
DR DAVE REIDOld Testament
Emmaus Bible College Professor
HE LOVED THE BIBLE AND THE LAND OF THE BIBLE
I would like to dedicated this Sunday School class to the memory and ministry of Dr. Dave Reid (April 2, 1937 - January 31, 2012)
INSTITUTE OF HOLY LAND STUDIESJerusalem University College
Overview and Summary
THE BIBLE AND ARCHAEOLOGY
WHY STUDY ARCHAEOLOGY?
• Increase my knowledge in the Word of God
• Build up or deepen my Faith• Curiosity• To solve a Biblical problem• Defend the Faith• Come up with Bible illustrations• Reconstruct the biblical background
WHAT IS ARCHAEOLOGY?
• The word archaeology is strictly speaking “the study of ancient things”
• “the study of past human life and activities by the examination of materials and artifacts of human civilization”
ARCHAEOLOGY TELLS OR ANCIENT MOUNDS
•Tell or Tel - Josh 8:28•Mound•Ancient Ruin
Names of Ancient Cities that have been
buried
MODERN DAY TELL OR ANCIENT RUIN
CROSS SECTION OF A TELL
WHAT IS THE VALUE OF ARCHAEOLOGY?
1. Archaeology confirms the Bible.
2. Archaeology clarifies the Bible.
3. Archaeology complements the
Bible.
REASONS TO STUDY ARCHAEOLOGY
Archaeology confirms the Bible.
ISAIAH 20:1
In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, (when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him,) and fought against Ashdod, and took it;
Paul Emile Botta
French Archaeologist who discovered the fortress of Sargon in 1843
ARCHAEOLOGY CONFIRMS THE BIBLE
A ROYAL PALACE
KING SARGON’S ROYAL PALACE
KING SARGON’S PALACE
WINGED LION FOUND IN KING SARGON’S PALACE
ARCHAEOLOGY CONFIRMS THE BIBLE
King Sargon
Isaiah 20:1
REASONS TO STUDY ARCHAEOLOGY
Archaeology clarifies the Bible.
ARCHAEOLOGY CLARIFIES THE BIBLE
Nuzi Tablets
Genesis 29-31
The Story of Jacob and Laban
WHERE IS NUZI?
THE ANCIENT MOUND OF NUZI
WHAT ARE THE NUZI TABLETS?
• Clay tablets• Inscribed by a pen (called a stylus)• Hardened by baking• Clay was used as the paper of Abraham’s
time• Language was Hurrian or Babylonian
written in Cuneiforms characters• Property deeds, lists and government
documents
HOUSEHOLD IDOLS OR “TERAPHIM”
NUZI TABLETS CLARIFY LABAN/JACOB STORY
• Jacob was adopted by Laban
• Adoption meant rights to grandchildren
• Teraphim where evidence in court to the right to property ownership
• Natural children have more rights then adopted children
• Teraphim even gave ownership to in-laws and adopted children
REASONS TO STUDY ARCHAEOLOGY
Archaeology complements the
Bible.
HOME OF ABRAHAM (Abram)
THE WORLD OF ABRAM (Abraham)
(Circa 2000 BC)
Ancient Ziggurat from Ur: the stairway to heaven to worship the moon goddess. Sumerian god and goddess join together around a sacred tree.
ARCHAEOLOGY COMPLEMENTS THE BIBLE
Ur of old Babylonia
worshipped the moon god
Stele of Ur-Nammu (ca. 2200 BC), detail (cf. Frankfort) showing the crescent moon.
PROBLEMS IN ARCHAEOLOGY
• Dating
• Context of finds
• Verification
• Testing a hypothesis
• Reconstruction of the past
• Historical problems
GENESIS 12:16
“And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he
asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses,
and camels.”
ONE HISTORICAL PROBLEM
• Genesis 12:16 refers to Abraham bringing camels into Egypt
• Lack of evidence referring to camels
• It’s too early for camel domestication during Abraham’s time
• Higher critics say that the earliest evidence for camels in Egypt is the Greek era (330 BC)
CAMELS AND
ABRAHAM?
Is the Bible wrong?
CAMELS AND
ABRAHAM?
Are the Critics Wrong?
WHAT IS THIS?
It’s a Camel!
Hello!
WHAT IS THE PLACE OF ARCHAEOLOGY?
• Archaeology CANNOT prove the Bible. Spiritual truth is of such a nature that it cannot be proven or disproved by the material discoveries of archaeology. The truths of the Bible do not need proving; they are self-evident.
• The net effect of archaeology has been to support the general trustworthiness and substantial historicity of the biblical tradition where data is available
ARCHAEOLOGY IMPROVES OUR UNDERSTANDING
• Archaeology helps to place the Bible (an Oriental book) in its Near Eastern setting and thereby to improve the ability of the westerner to understand it.
• This science provides much material that serves to confirm the Scripture.
ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE TEXT OF SCRIPTURE
1. Clarifies Scripture
2. Confirms Scripture
3. Complements Scripture
SILVER SCROLL: THE AARONIC BLESSING
Numbers 6:24-26
May Yahweh bless you and keep you;May Yahweh cause his face toShine upon you and grant youPeace
ARCHAEOLOGY HELPS US VALUE THE TRUE WORD OF
LIFE
• That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
1 John 1:1-2