Stone Wars

Bible Archeology's Battle for the Holy Land

In the Holy Land, archeology itself is a battleground for God's Land. Amid rock throwing and gunfire, archaeologists are engaged in an academic battle over the history of the Holy Land. Whose Land was it—is it? BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY REVIEW is quoted (U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT, December 24, 2001) as saying, "Archaeology was a way of establishing for the early Zionists at that time their roots in the land." The statement—though seemingly simple and positive—actually minimizes the history of the God's People, God's Land and God's Book, the Bible.

Critics (archeologists called "minimalists") say the Exodus never happened…King David is a myth…and Solomon's empire was a story. On the other hand, Dr. Nelson Glueck, undoubtedly one of the giants of the archaeology of Israel, once said, "No archaeological discovery has ever controverted a single properly understood biblical statement....Scores of archaeological findings have been made which confirm in clear outline or in exact detail historical statements in the Bible."

Amazingly, it was Napoleon who can be accredited with inspiring modern archaeology. During his Egyptian campaign, the Pyramids so impressed him that he ordered a team of 150 scientists to dig and probe the area. Since then many astounding discoveries have surfaced confirming the Bible's testimony. But some critics challenged that a Moses could not have written the first Five Books of the Bible because writing was not in use during his time. But ancient Egyptian texts revealed such early writing possible. Furthermore, in 1979 tiny silver scrolls were discovered containing a text of scripture from the Pentateuch—the Aaronic benediction of Numbers 6:24-26 validating early authorship. Additionally, in one of the el-Amarna Letters there is mention of a group of "Habiru" (or habatu) who were threatening an invasion of Canaan from the East. Thus, the Hebrew people could be identifiable in both an Assyrian "stele" (stone markers) and Egyptian clay tablets.

Jericho, A Key City

Today's modern Jericho has been turned over to the "Palestinian Authority." But what is its history? When God brought the children of Israel into the Land, they were, as written in the Bible, an instrument to execute His judgments on the peoples of Canaan.

It must be remembered that the worship of the nations of Canaan was grossly sensual and revoltingly cruel. Not only were their sacred peoples prostitutes, but their gods demanded to be worshipped with human blood-and that often meant the sacrificing of even their sons and daughters (THE EMPHASIZED BIBLE, J. Rotherham, p. 259). Thankfully, just as God took away Sodom and Gomorrah "as He saw good" (Ezekiel 16:50-63), His plan will provide opportunity for these Canaanites also to learn righteousness in His kingdom.

There is no question among archeologists as to whether Jericho's walls came down (as if destroyed by an earthquake) and the city was burned with fire just as the Bible describes:

"So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city… And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein." (Joshua 6:20,24)

Although the first scientific excavation of Tel Es-Sultan (Jericho) was in 1868, it was Dr. Garstang of Liverpool University in 1930 who concluded:

"From the standpoint of military architecture the defensive works of Jericho at this time were unparalleled...The whole system was destroyed 1600 B.C. by a general conflagration…accompanied also by local fires which completely charred and cracked the bricks….The indications are those of earthquake…there remains no doubt: the walls fell outwards so completely that the attackers would be able to clamber up and over the ruins into the city."

But the nature of the earthquake was unusual. A portion of the city wall on the north side remained standing—no doubt where Rahab's house built in the wall was spared (Joshua 6; Hebrews 11:31). Later archeologists, such as Kathleen Kenyon, decided Jericho was attacked by Egyptians, nevertheless, concluded the same type of destruction about the same time, Middle Bronze Age. While there is dispute regarding the dating of the destruction, Kenyon's dates really coincide with true Bible chronology .

Clearly, Israel's God miraculously timed the blowing of the trumpets on the seventh day to coincide with the earthquake that destroyed this key city in the settlement of the Holy Land. No doubt, angelic forces were behind the destruction of the walls because just prior to the event Joshua was met by the Captain of the LORD'S hosts assuring him regarding the battle (Joshua 5:14). And so God was with Joshua during his campaign throughout Canaan.

It must be noted that none of the cities of Canaan had ever united into a state as did the Kingdom of Israel. The Philistines, "Sea Peoples" who came from the area of the Aegean Sea and the Greek Islands (certainly not Arabs or Semites), settled on a narrow strip of land known as Philistia in five separate city states. There are no descendents of these peoples-and certainly not the Arab Palestinians today who claim to be descendents of Abraham. Israel was the first—and only—nation state to be established in the whole Land whose descendents are present today to lay rightful claim to it.

"The House of David"

Was there ever a thriving united monarchy in the Land of Israel? Recent archeological investigations have demolished the position of those who rejected the Biblical account of Israel's kings. In 1993, archeologists digging at Tel Dan in the Galilee in northern Israel found a fragment of a stone inscription that clearly refers to the "house of David." This is the first inscription outside the Bible that confirms the that there was a house of David. Logic requires the deduction that this inscription refers to David the Biblical king of Israel. U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT (October 25, 1999) explains why this "reference to David was a historical bombshell: never before had the familiar name of Judah's king been found in the records of antiquity outside the Bible."

In addition to the archeological evidence for King David, we also now have confirmation of other kings of Israel. The name of Omri, king of Israel (1 Kings 16:16), is recorded on an inscription known as the Stela of King Mesha of Moab—as well as on rock inscriptions of three kings of Assyria. Other Assyrian inscriptions found in Nineveh confirm the Bible's records about these kings of Israel: Ahab (1 Kings 16:28, etc.), Jehu, Joash, Menehem, Pekah, and Hoshea. In addition, the names of many of the kings of the southern kingdom of Judah are also recorded on inscriptions of the nations that fought against the Jews confirming: Ahaziah (1 Kings 22:40), Uzziah, Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, and Jehoiachin. Scholars found ration records of the army of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon . . .that state, "ten sila of oil to Jehoiachin, king of Judah. . . ." Obviously, the fact that these foreign nations listed the kings of Israel and Judah provides the strongest evidence confirming the accuracy of the Word of God. Clearly, the children of Israel resided in Land of Israel with a monarchy for centuries.

Solomon's Temple

The Temple Mount in Jerusalem is a dramatic scene of layers of stones, history—and conflict. It is not only one of the most controversial and sensitive sites in the world—it is one of the richest archaeologically. But despite the outcry from archaeologists and politicians—nothing seems to stop the wanton destruction of Biblical artifacts on the ancient Temple mount where both Solomon's and Herod's Temple once stood. With bulldozers, the Waqf (Islamic Trust) has moved out thousands of tons of dirt—rich with buried history—by the truckload.

Jerusalem District Archaeologist, Jon Seligman, says the Palestinian effort to question the existence of the Second Temple "is tantamount to Holocaust denial. There is a huge body of evidence. The Arch of Titus, erected in Rome to commemorate the destruction of the Temple in A.D. 70, is powerful contemporary proof." Although there are no remains of Jerusalem's Temple, recent archaeological work has made it impossible for people to deny the existence of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, in a Jewish capital.

Extensive excavations in Megiddo reveal it to be one of three Royal (or Chariot) Cities under Solomon's domain. . ."Now this is the account of the forced labor which King Solomon levied to build the house of the LORD, his own house, the Millo, the wall of Jerusalem, Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer." (I Kings 9:15 (NAS) Thus we have archeological confirmation of an extensive government under Solomon as the Bible describes.

Bible and Archaeology

In the final analysis, the Bible itself—which has survived the passage of millennia—is our finest example of an archeological document. It remains the most accurate and trustworthy account of antiquity in the archaeological record. The Bible, however, not only faithfully recorded the past, but forecasted the future! Hundreds of years before the monarchy of Israel was destroyed, it prophesied the restoration of Israel in the Land of its fathers—just as we see today. When the turbulent restoration of Israel is complete, all wars and controversy will cease—even the war of stones!