For many, seeing is believing. The Bible is not exempt from the desire for proof to trust its contents, which is one reason archaeology is important. Archaeology is the study of human history and prehistory through the excavation of sites and the analysis of artifacts and other physical remains.
Scripture and other historical text are important, but also leaves much to the imagination. Archaeology is important because findings either confirm or clarify what we believe about the past. Biblical archaeology, particularly, is necessary because it fills in the gaps and provides what modern biblical text does not.
While there are discoveries that are not in agreement with the Bible, there are a plethora that parallels biblical text. Many biblical accounts were believed to be myths until artifacts proved otherwise.
David was considered simply a legendary figure until Tel Dan Stela was uncovered. On the other hand, the resurrection of Jesus was considered to be a fabrication because secular archaeologists assumed a tomb and burial box were his. However, it was had already been determined years prior that it was not. Just because evidence has not been found (yet) does not make it untrue. As the saying goes, "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence."
We have Christian archaeologists to thank for providing us with the facts that validate, per se, the Bible. As archaeologists continue in their pursuits, there is more evidence to support the history and validity of the Bible content. Some of those findings include:
- Dead Sea Scrolls - One of the greatest archaeological finds of the twentieth century is the Dead Sea Scrolls, which are ancient manuscripts that make up the Hebrew Bible. They are significant because they are one of the longest-lasting surviving manuscripts of the Bible. The scrolls were discovered in 1947 as over 800 documents and fragments. Although there are some fragments, the complete book of Isaiah was found in tact. The differences between the Old Testament and Dead Sea Scrolls were minor punctuation and spelling errors.
- Crucified Man at Givat Hamivtar - A crucified man may not seem to prove very much. However, it does when there have been many arguements that the crucifixion of Christ was untrue. The reasoning behind that claim is because crucifixion was not believed to be a form of capital punishment during Christ's time of execution. Just outside of Jerusalem, the remains of a man's full skeleton crucified in the first century were found. In the foot region, there contained a bent nail leading to the conclusion that crucifixion was indeed a method of judgement during that time.
- Tel Dan Inscription - Uncovered in 1993 and dating back to the 9th century, a stone tablet is found that makes reference to a military battle and victory. It mirrors the biblical account that is found in 2 Chronicles 22 of the Bible. The insciption on the tablet translates to "House of David" and gives us a precise dating to the Davidic dynasty therefore confirming its existence.
- Moabite Stone - In 1868, a missionary in Jerusalem found a stone tablet that appeared to be from earlier times. It is now also known as Mesha Stele. It was broken with the intentions of selling more pieces and therefore making more money. The text written on the tablet is created by King Mesha dates back to the ninth century BC. The content of the tablet reads of military achievements. In the Old Testament, the same occurence is recorded in 2 Kings 3. A copy of the tablet was created before its breaking and is in currently in the Louvre.
- Hezekiah's Tunnel - The Bible narrates that before the Assyrian invasion of Judah, King Hezekiah built a tunnel. That tunnel was built to bring the waters of the Gihon Spring into the city of David. In 1867, Sir Charles Warren discovered said tunnel. 2 Chronicles 32 gives the account of the tunnel. About 20 ft from the exit of the tunnel, there is also the Siloam inscription that also mentions King Hezekiah. It has since been removed to Turkey.
Scriptures in its entirety is God's Word revealed to and written by chosen authors. Because it is inspired by God, the Bible is infallible and inerrant. It is completely true with or without any secular evidence. However, it is comforting to have external, supporting proof of the collection of sacred text that we refer to as the Bible.
Conscious and Christian,
Simultaneously.
