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Archaeology and the Bible
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THE BIBLE AND ARCHAEOLOGY
Session 3
Welcome
REVIEW LAST WEEK
What did he say?
HISTORICAL PROBLEMS
ONE HISTORICAL PROBLEM
• Higher critics say that the earliest evidence for camels in Egypt is the Greek era (330 BC)
• There is lack of evidence referring to camels
• It’s too early for camel domestication during Abraham’s time
Genesis 12:16 refers to Abraham bringing camels into Egypt
CAMELS AND ABRAHAM?
The Critics were Wrong!
ARCHAEOLOGY AND GENESIS
• There has been 150 years of archaeology
• Focus of Genesis Archaeology is in modern day Iran and Iraq
• Includes 5-6 previously unknown languages and civilizations
• Pushes back the higher critical views of the Bible
• Reinforces its historicity
ARCHAEOLOGY AND GENESIS 1-11
Extra-biblical Creation Accounts
• Mesopotamia (Babylonian)
• Egyptian
• Canaanite/Syro-palestinian
ARCHAEOLOGY AND OTHER CREATION ACCOUNTS
• Other stories about the creation of the world (extra-Biblical)
• Greek and Roman (Latin) histories only go back so far (Classical Archaeology)
• Biblical history goes back to the beginning
• The Bible mentions cities that go back to the beginning
• Can Archaeology find those cities?
WHAT IS MESOPOTAMIA?
“Between the rivers”
Fertile Crescent
ENGLISH ARCHAEOLOGIST
Austen Henry Layard George Adam Smith Hormuzd Rassam
Digging in Nineveh
LIBRARY OF ASHURBANIPAL(668-626 B.C.)
King of Assyria
BABYLONIA CREATION TABLETS
Called the “Enuma Elish” tablets which means “When above”
WHAT IS THE ENUMA ELISH?
• 1000 lines of cuneiform text on 7 tablets• Date 600 B.C. (but probably go back to
1700 B.C.)• Poetic description of the creation of the
world• Political justification for the Lordship of the
god Marduk (Lord of all the gods)• Fragments found at various sites• Languages of Sumerian and Babylonian
DIFFERENCES ENUMA ELISH AND GENESIS 1-2
Genesis 1-2 Enuma Elish
Monotheistic Intensely polytheistic
Straightforward Confusing and contradictory
Clear division between material and immaterial
Does not distinguish spirit and matter
DIVINE AUTHORSHIP OF GENESIS
1. Moses was familiar with the many theories of origins when compiling Genesis (Acts 7:22)
2. Allusions to other sources in the Old Testament -Book of Jasher (Josh 10:13; 2 Sam 1:18)
4. Reaffirmation of the monotheistic God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
3. Rejection of the polytheistic view of origins.
MOSES EDUCATION
And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.
Acts 7:22
By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
Hebrews 11:24
QUESTIONS?
Does anyone have any questions about last weeks lesson?
THE ROSETTA STONE
ORIGINAL ROSETTA STONE
Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs
Demotic script
Ancient Greek
King Ptolemy V
196 BCDISCOVERED IN 1799 BY AN EXPEDITION DIRECTED BY ONE OF NAPOLEON’S
EXCAVATION DIRECTORS
THE DISPLAY TABLE
• Archaeological Study Bible
• Neot Kedumim News
GENESIS 5 LONG LIVES OF THE PATRIARCHS
Adam lived 930 years, and then he died. Seth lived 912 years, and then he died. Enosh lived 905 years, and then he died. Kenan lived 910 years, and then he died. Mahalalel lived 895 years, and then he died. Jared lived 962 years, and then he died. Enoch lived 365 years and God took him. Methuselah lived 969 years, and then he died. Lamech lived 777 years, and then he died. Noah lived 950 years, and then he died
SUMERIAN KING LIST
• Tablets and fragments of tablets (six lists)
• Discovered in ancient tells in southern Iraq
• List of kings who reigned after Creation
• Political documents
• Made of fired or hardened clay
• Written in Old Babylonian script (Cuneiform)
WHAT IS IT? AND WHAT ARE THEY?
SUMERIAN KING LIST TABLET
SUMERIAN KING LIST PRISM
ANCIENT SUMER
CITIES LIST IN THE PRISM
LIST OF CITIES ANCIENT SUMER
LIST OF THE KINGS BEFORE THE FLOOD
ALULIM RULED AS KING 28,800 YEARSELALGAR RULED 43,200 YEARSAMMILU'ANNA RULED 36,000 YEARSENMEGALANNA RULED 28,800 YEARSDUMUZI RULED 28,800 YEARSEN-SIPA-ZI-ANNA RULED 13,800 YEARSMEDURANKI RULED 7,200 YEARSUBUR-TUTU RULED 36,000 YEARS
DIFFERENCESCOMPARISON
KING LIST TABLET GENESIS 5
Establish political/earthly
legitimacy
Establish genealogical/spiritual
legitimacy
Eight names Ten names
General numbering system
Specific numbering system
City Centered People Centered
SIMILARITIESCOMPARISON
KING LIST TABLET GENESIS 5
Mentions the Flood Describes the Flood
Detailed lists beginning at creation
Succession from Adam to Noah
Center in Mesopotamia Live in Mesopotamia
Long reigns Long lifespans
CONCLUSIONS
• The Bible focuses on people and relationships
• The text of the Old Testament is very specific
• Longevity was not considered unusual in Mesopotamia and ancient history
• The Bible is coherent in its narrative• Our focus needs to be in redemptive
history
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 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
CHRONOLOGY ANDGENESIS 4:22
“And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass (bronze) and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.”
What is the problem in this verse? For the Creationist? or Archaeologist?
HENRI FRANKFORT
ESHNUNNA (Tell Asmar)
ESHNUNNA (Tell Asmar)
COPPER HOARD OF KNIVES ONE WITH AN IRON BLADE
LAYERS OF ARCHAEOLOGY