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The British Museum proves Bible history Laindon Bible Presentation, 12 th March 2017

The british museum proves bible history v2 (1)

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Page 1: The british museum proves bible history v2 (1)

The British Museum proves Bible history

L a i n d o n B i b l e P r e s e n t a t i o n , 1 2 t h M a r c h 2 0 1 7

Page 2: The british museum proves bible history v2 (1)

The British Museum – some facts• The British Museum Act of 1753 authorised its construction

• Montagu House, Bloomsbury was purchased and renovated for the purpose

• It was opened to the general public on 15th January 1759

• Its collections, books and hardware, built up through the 18th & 19th centuries

• A substantial rebuilding programme began in 1823, largely completing in 1842, resulting in the façade seen today (various minor changes thereafter)

• The iconic Great Court, designed by Lord Foster, was finished in 2000

• Every year there are over 5 million visitors to the Grade I listed building

So what!?British Museum & Bible 2

Page 3: The british museum proves bible history v2 (1)

Well, it provides proof!?

Of the historical accuracy

of the Bible

Making it possible to

date key Bible

periods

With physical artefacts

from Bible times

British Museum & Bible 3

Pretty BIG assertions…

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But isn’t faith blind?•No, it isn’t… it has a basis!

British Museum & Bible 4

“Now faith is the

substance of things

hoped for, the evidence

of things not seen.”(Hebrews 11 v 1)

Page 5: The british museum proves bible history v2 (1)

The rest of our presentation

British Museum & Bible 5

Page 6: The british museum proves bible history v2 (1)

1. T

he

Roy

al G

ame

of

Ur

(Roo

m 5

6)

Page 7: The british museum proves bible history v2 (1)

Background to the game• The Royal Game of Ur is also known as the Game of Twenty

Squares (two sets of seven markers & three tetrahedral dice)

• It dates from the first dynasty of Ur, around 2600 BC

• It was found in Royal Tombs of Ur (Iraq) by Sir Leonard Woolley in 1920s

British Museum & Bible 7

Page 8: The british museum proves bible history v2 (1)

Why it is significant!• The game itself is not the important matter, rather the

testimony it (and other artefacts) gives to Ur’s existence

• Until the 20th century only the Bible acknowledged Ur’s existence, then archaeology proved the Bible true

• Subsequent excavations have uncovered much more besidesBritish Museum & Bible 8

Genesis 11 v 28, 31

28 And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.[…] 31 And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai hisdaughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of theChaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.

Page 9: The british museum proves bible history v2 (1)

Why it is significant!• The game itself is not the important matter, rather the

testimony it (and other artefacts) gives to Ur’s existence

• Until the 20th century only the Bible acknowledged Ur’s existence, then archaeology proved the Bible true

• Subsequent excavations have uncovered much more besidesBritish Museum & Bible 9

Genesis 11 v 28, 31

28 And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.[…] 31 And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai hisdaughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of theChaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.

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2. S

hal

man

eser

(b

lack

) ob

elis

k (R

oom

6)

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Background to the obelisk• The obelisk of Shalmaneser III is a black limestone Assyrian

sculpture discovered in 1845

• It was found in Nimrud, northern Iraq, and dates 858-824 BC

• It is the most complete Assyrian obelisk yet discovered and stands 1.98 metres tall and 45 centimetres wide

• It features twenty relief scenes, five on each side of obelisk

British Museum & Bible 11

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Why it is significant!• It contains what is currently believed to be the earliest

depiction of a Bible figure, who is named ‘Jehu of the House of Omri’ (a family name used by Assyrians to refer to Israel)

• In its 190 lines of text, the obelisk makes mention by name of other Bible characters, including two kings of Syria

British Museum & Bible 12

2 Kings 9 v 13-14

13 Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him onthe top of the stairs, and blew with trumpets, saying, Jehu is king. 14 So Jehu theson of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram…

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3. T

aylo

r p

rism

(S

enn

ach

erib

’s)

(Roo

m 5

5)

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Background to the prism• The Taylor prism, which stands 38 cm high, was discovered

in Nineveh by its name-sake in 1830

• It is inscribed with 6 paragraphs of cuneiform written Akkadian

• It annals a key period in the life of King Sennacherib of Assyria (dating to c690 BC)

• In particular it describes his siege of Jerusalem, during the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah (named)

British Museum & Bible 14

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Why it is significant!• The invasion of Judah by Sennacherib is chronicled in the

Bible histories (Kings, Chronicles) and prophets (Isaiah)

• The Sennacherib prism records no victory for the invading King, but also no explanation (having implied certain success)

• Even more remarkably, the prism’s language (Hezekiah “shut… up like a caged bird”) perfectly accords with scripture*

British Museum & Bible 15

2 Kings 19 v 35

35 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the campof the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in themorning, behold, they were all dead corpses.

* Psalm 124 v 7

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4. N

ebu

chad

nez

zar

bri

ck (R

oom

55

)

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Background to the brick• The square brick (32.5 x 32 cm) was discovered in Abu

Habba, Southern Iraq, in the 1820s

• It has a stamped inscription, set across seven lines, in cuneiform text

• The inscription reads ‘Nebuchadnezzar II, king of Babylon, who cares for (zanin), Esagila and Ezida’

• The fired clay brick dates from c.604 BC-562 BC

British Museum & Bible 17

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Why it is significant!• Nebuchadnezzar is a key Bible character, being the ruler of

Babylon, who invaded Judah and carried away captives

• The Bible describes him as a great & powerful ruler and the bricks, each individually inscribed with his name, support this

• Further discoveries also endorse the Biblical record, e.g. names of officials, details of the empire and local customs

British Museum & Bible 18

Daniel 2 v 37-3837 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, andstrength, and glory. 38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and thefowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thouart this head of gold.

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5. T

he

Cyr

us

cylin

der

(Roo

m 5

2)

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Background to the cylinder• The Cyrus cylinder, or charter, is clay formed and was

discovered in 1879, in the ruins of ancient Babylon

• It was excavated in several fragments, having been broken in antiquity (two main fragments to barrel-shaped cylinder)

• Despite its small size (22.5 x 10 cm) it contains 45 lines of text and a great level of detail about Cyrus the Persian

British Museum & Bible 20

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Why it is significant!• The cylinder provides corroborative evidence of the Persian

policy of repatriating captive peoples (including the restoration of their temples and worship)

• This exactly aligns with the Biblical record in the histories

• Cyrus a key Bible character, mentioned more than 20 times British Museum & Bible 21

2 Chronicles 36 v 22-23

22 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah mightbe accomplished, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughoutall his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, 23 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earthhath the Lord God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is inJudah. Who is there among you of all his people? The Lord his God be with him, and let him go up.

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6. B

lock

fro

m R

oman

ga

tew

ay (R

oom

78

)

British Museum & Bible 22

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Background to the block• This 2m wide block was found in an ancient arch in 1835

(dating back to the 2nd century AD)

• This arch spanned the Egnatian Way on the west side of Thessalonica

• The block was recovered after the arch was destroyed in 1867

• It describes a list of civic officials that governed the city

British Museum & Bible 23

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Why it is significant!• The block mentions the six politarchs (‘rulers of the citizens’) that governed the city

• This is exactly the same word used by Luke in his account, but it’s absent from any other Greek literature

•This ably demonstrates that Luke was an eyewitnessBritish Museum & Bible 24

Acts 17 v 1, 6

1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica,where was a synagogue of the Jews: […] 6 And when they found them not, they drew Jasonand certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the worldupside down are come hither also;

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Just a few examples…

…from a single museum

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But, what we’ve unearthed

British Museum & Bible 26

There is a complete alignment between the Biblical narrative and the record of human history, as evidenced through archaeology…

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Don’t take our word for it!

British Museum & Bible 27

Go and see for yourself!