Does the Bible consist of myths accepted on "blind faith"? Inscriptions from outside of the Bible but written during Bible times thus far confirm at least 55 people in the Old Testament (the Hebrew Bible) and at least 30 in the New Testament. Most of these inscriptions were written during the lifetimes of the people in the Bible to whom they refer and relate them to historical events. This historical evidence, though relatively small compared to other evidences for the historical reliability of the Bible, is disproportionately significant, because these confirmations, established by applying rigorous criteria, are clear and direct.
Mykytiuk (library science, Purdue U.) has developed an identification system to compare and verify names in the Hebrew Bible with those in Northwest Semitic inscriptions. Here, he describes that system in detail, showing the criteria he uses to establish the level of certainty of identification. Next he shows how he has applied this system in the c
This volume continues the tradition of New Seals and Inscriptions, Hebrew, Idumean and Cuneiform (Sheffield Phoenix, 2007) by featuring analyses by eminent scholars of some of the archaeological treasures from Dr. Shlomo Moussaieff’s outstanding collection. These contributions signal fresh approaches to the study of ancient artifacts and underscore the role of archaeological evidence in reconstructing the legacy of antiquity, especially that of the biblical period. The contributors are Kathleen Abraham, Chaim Cohen, Robert Deutsch, Claire Gottlieb, Martin Heide, Richard S. Hess, W. G. Lambert†, André Lemaire, Meir Lubetski, Matthew Morgenstern, Alan Millard, Lawrence J. Mykytiuk, and Peter van der Veen.
Can you believe the Holy Bible? Understanding the answer to this question is one of the most important pieces of information you can possess. Yet people go through life unsure whether the Bible is fact or fraud. They simply don't take the time to address this life-altering question. Some say the Bible is just a collection of stories and fables. Some acknowledge that the Bible is good historical literature, but they don't think it applies in today's world. Others think it is OK to read as long as you don't have something else to do. But is this really a good way to treat information that can make a difference in this life as well as the one to come? Some people don't turn to the Bible until they find themselves in a severe crisis. Many a person in prison, held hostage, recovering from a drug addiction or experiencing a terrible tragedy finally turns to the Bible for encouragement and direction. But what good is this if we aren't sure that what the Bible says is true? You don't have to wait until you are in the middle of a severe crisis to read or prove the Bible's validity for today. Start today to understand how the Bible harmonizes with science, is verified by archaeology, and offers insight for the best life possible. Read this Bible Study aid booklet, Is the Bible True?, and start getting the answers! Chapters in this ebook: -- One of the World's Most Popular Books -- In Their Own Words: Great Men and Women Who Highly Respected the Bible -- The Bible in the Modern World -- Humanity's Bias Against the Supernatural -- The Bible and Astronomy -- Earth's Age: Does the Bible Indicate a Time Interval Between the First and Second Verses of Genesis? -- The Bible and Archaeology -- Cyrus of Persia: The Words of a Prophet Come to Pass -- A Staggering Archaelogical Discovery: The Mighty Assyrian Empire Emerges From the Dust -- King David's Existence Verified by Inscription -- Does Archaeology Confirm the Existence of Specific People Mentioned in the Bible? -- The Bible and Science -- The Biblical Authors: Men of God and Science -- Bible and Prophecy -- Modern Conditions Were Foretold in Scripture Many Centuries Ago -- The Bible and You -- Does the Bible Contain Errors? Inside this Bible Study Aid ebook: "Science cannot of itself tell us why the earth and the physical creation exist. Wrote Carl Sagan: “Why it happened is the greatest mystery we know. That it happened is reasonably clear” . But the Bible tells us why!" "Nutritionist David Meinz says that even though we may not understand all aspects of the biblical dietary laws, we would be wise to follow them." "The understanding of some major prophetic events is crucial as a guide to comprehending where we stand chronologically in God’s plan. The Bible is the lone trustworthy guide in these matters."
In this groundbreaking work that sets apart fact and legend, authors Finkelstein and Silberman use significant archeological discoveries to provide historical information about biblical Israel and its neighbors. In this iconoclastic and provocative work, leading scholars Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman draw on recent archaeological research to present a dramatically revised portrait of ancient Israel and its neighbors. They argue that crucial evidence (or a telling lack of evidence) at digs in Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon suggests that many of the most famous stories in the Bible—the wanderings of the patriarchs, the Exodus from Egypt, Joshua’s conquest of Canaan, and David and Solomon’s vast empire—reflect the world of the later authors rather than actual historical facts. Challenging the fundamentalist readings of the scriptures and marshaling the latest archaeological evidence to support its new vision of ancient Israel, The Bible Unearthed offers a fascinating and controversial perspective on when and why the Bible was written and why it possesses such great spiritual and emotional power today.
Over 101 discoveries and people mentioned in the Bible (OT & NT) are treated in the book that have been confirmed by extra-biblical archaeological evidence from ancient writers, pottery, stelae, inscriptions, bullae (and seals), coins, and other artifacts. The top image on the front cover background is one of the panels of the black obelisk held in the British Museum that is one of the few depictions of an Israelite king. It is of King Jehu, offering tribute to the Assyrian king Shalmaneser III and named on the obelisk. The marble bust of Emperor Tiberius (Luke 3:1) from the Ephesus Archaeological Museum, Selçuk, Turkey is evident in the left hand corner, and is depicted and named on many coins (Matt 22:15-22; Mark 12:13-17; Luke 20:20-26). The bottom coin is of emperor Nero (Acts 25-26; 28:19; Rev 13; 17) and is impressed with his name. The top of the spine has the image of the reproduction of the bronze Shema Seal discovered at Megiddo in 1904 depicting the roaring lion as the symbol of Judah and the name of Jeroboam (1 Kgs 12-14). The inscriptions read "(Belonging) to Shema [top line] (the) Servant (of) Jeroboam [bottom line]." The book will include over 210 photos, charts and maps. I provide photographs of the discovery, translation of the source and a detailed bibliography for each name.
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A lucid, intelligent page-turner” (Los Angeles Times) that challenges long-held assumptions about Jesus, from the host of Believer Two thousand years ago, an itinerant Jewish preacher walked across the Galilee, gathering followers to establish what he called the “Kingdom of God.” The revolutionary movement he launched was so threatening to the established order that he was executed as a state criminal. Within decades after his death, his followers would call him God. Sifting through centuries of mythmaking, Reza Aslan sheds new light on one of history’s most enigmatic figures by examining Jesus through the lens of the tumultuous era in which he lived. Balancing the Jesus of the Gospels against the historical sources, Aslan describes a man full of conviction and passion, yet rife with contradiction. He explores the reasons the early Christian church preferred to promulgate an image of Jesus as a peaceful spiritual teacher rather than a politically conscious revolutionary. And he grapples with the riddle of how Jesus understood himself, the mystery that is at the heart of all subsequent claims about his divinity. Zealot yields a fresh perspective on one of the greatest stories ever told even as it affirms the radical and transformative nature of Jesus’ life and mission. Praise for Zealot “Riveting . . . Aslan synthesizes Scripture and scholarship to create an original account.”—The New Yorker “Fascinatingly and convincingly drawn . . . Aslan may come as close as one can to respecting those who revere Jesus as the peace-loving, turn-the-other-cheek, true son of God depicted in modern Christianity, even as he knocks down that image.”—The Seattle Times “[Aslan’s] literary talent is as essential to the effect of Zealot as are his scholarly and journalistic chops. . . . A vivid, persuasive portrait.”—Salon “This tough-minded, deeply political book does full justice to the real Jesus, and honors him in the process.”—San Francisco Chronicle “A special and revealing work, one that believer and skeptic alike will find surprising, engaging, and original.”—Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power “Compulsively readable . . . This superb work is highly recommended.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Despite the fact that the name of many characters mentioned in the Old Testament, like David, King of Israel, have been recently confirmed by archaeology as well as their epoch and the events in which they were involved, most archaeologists continue to deny the historicity of the Bible they view as pious fiction or a mythical account. They argue that the major events in the Bible such as the victory of Abraham against Chedorlaomer, an unknown king of Elam around 2000 BCE, the victory of Moses against an unknown Pharaoh around 1500 BCE or the victory of Esther, an unknown Persian Queen, against an unknown vizier of Xerxes, never existed because they left absolutely no evidence. They also explain that according to what we know today, these events could not have occurred. These logical arguments are impressive but a precise chronological analysis based on absolute dates, coupled with a rigorous historical investigation, shows that all those major events really took place at the dates and places indicated.
