FEATURE
Benefiting From Archaeology
ARCHAEOLOGY is of interest to Bible students. Why? Because in many instances the findings of archaeologists have helped to improve our understanding of life in Bible times and of the original languages in which the Scriptures were written.
At times archaeological finds have even silenced those who criticized the accuracy of certain events or statements made in the Bible. For example, was there a Babylonian king named Belshazzar and an Assyrian king named Sargon? Up until the 19th century, these names were known only from the Bible record. (Isa 20:1; Da 5:1) But the discoveries of Sargon’s palace at Khorsabad and the now famous Nabonidus Chronicle upheld the historicity of these rulers.
This does not mean that proof of the Bible’s authenticity depends on the discoveries of archaeology. Israeli archaeologist Yohanan Aharoni noted: “When it comes to historical or historio-geographical interpretation, the archaeologist steps out of the realm of the exact sciences, and he must rely upon value judgements and hypotheses to arrive at a comprehensive historical picture.” Thus, when evaluating their finds, archaeologists have at times disagreed with the Bible.
Should this cast doubt on the Bible’s authenticity? Not at all. A faith that depends only on the interpretation of archaeological finds is a shaky one indeed. Proof that the Bible is divinely inspired is found within the Bible itself, and not in archaeology.
Mound containing the ruins of Beth-shean
DIAGRAM: Tell el-Husn (Tel Bet She’an)
An inscription that reads: “Hither were brought the bones of Uzziah, king of Judah. Not to be opened.” This marked the place of reburial of the king’s bones, evidently in about the first century C.E.
The Gezer calendar, believed to be from the tenth century B.C.E., is one of the oldest examples of ancient Hebrew script
Sargon II, whose existence was long doubted by critics, has become well known to archaeologists
On a wall of the tunnel connecting the Spring of Gihon to the Pool of Siloam (apparently built by King Hezekiah) was found the inscription shown here that describes how the work was accomplished