Is the Bible True - Walter J. Veith

www.amazingdiscoveries.org

2010

Is the Bible True? ManypeoplequestionwhethertheBiblecan ManypeoplequestionwhethertheBiblecanbetrusted.Infact,in betrusted.Infact,intoday'ssociety, today'ssociety, theBiblehasbecometobeseenasabookoffables,an theBiblehasbecometob eseenasabookoffables,andonlyoneperspectiv donlyoneperspectiveoutof eoutof many.ManypeoplenolongerreveretheBi many.ManypeoplenolongerreveretheBibleortakeaBibleverse bleortakeaBibleversetoheartwhen toheartwhen theyhearit.TheBiblehasbecomeonparwith theyhearit.TheBible hasbecomeonparwithanyotherholybook anyotherholybookfromanyother fromanyother religion—abookofgoodprinciplesto religion—abookofgoodprinciplestofollow,butnotthestan follow,butnotthestandardorguideby dardorguideby whichpeopleshouldlive. Beforeanymeaningfuldiscussioncanbehadaboutsalvation,God,theapocalypse, Beforeanymeaningfuldiscussioncanbehadabout salvation,God,theapocalypse, heaven,oranyotherbelief,weneedtodeterminethe heaven,oranyotherb elief,weneedtodeterminetheveracityoftheBible.Only veracityoftheBible.Only thosewhoaccepttheBibleastruecanappreciateand thosewhoaccepttheBib leastruecanappreciateandunderstandwhattheBible understandwhattheBible hastosayaboutanytopic.Withoutthatfundamental hastosayaboutanytop ic.Withoutthatfundamentalunderstanding,anydiscussi understanding,anydiscussion on ismoot. Itispossibletoverifytheauthenticityof ItispossibletoverifytheauthenticityoftheBible.Thefieldofarchaeology theBible.Thefieldofarchaeologyhasdone hasdone muchtoprovetheBible'srecordtrue.Also,aswestudy muchtoprovetheBible'srecordtrue.Also,aswestudysomeofthepropheciesof someofthepropheciesof theBible,wecandeterminethetruthfulnessoftheBib theBible,wecandetermin ethetruthfulnessoftheBiblebythefulfillmentof lebythefulfillmentofthose those prophecies.TheBibleitselfdeclaresitselfinspired.I prophecies.TheBible itselfdeclaresitselfinspired.Itcomprises66booksw tcomprises66bookswrittenby rittenby 44differentauthorsoveraspanof1500years.Theseauthor 44differentauthorsover aspanof1500years.Theseauthors,frommanywalks s,frommanywalksof of life,andofvaryingdegreesofeducationandnobi life,andofvaryingdegreesofeducationandnobility,mostofwhomn lity,mostofwhomneverknew everknew eachotherorlivedwithineachother'slifespan,wer eachotherorlivedwithi neachother'slifespan,wereonlyabletowriteso eonlyabletowriteso cohesivelythroughGodsinspiration.Anobjectiv cohesivelythroughGodsin spiration.AnobjectiveviewoftheBiblecan eviewoftheBiblecanshowus showus that,indeed,theBible'scompositionisuniqueandinspired. TheBiblecontains66bookswrittenovera1500-yearperiodoftim TheBiblecontains66bookswrittenovera 1500-yearperiodoftimeby44different eby44different authors.Theauthenticityofitsstoriesandofth authors.Theauthenticity ofitsstoriesandofthepeoplethatlivedin epeoplethatlivedinitshistoryhas itshistoryhas beenauthenticatedbythediscoveryoftheDeadSeaScrollsin1948.Thescrollsdate backto150-170BCandcontainallorpartsof backto150-170BCand containallorpartsoftheOldTestamentbooksexcep theOldTestamentbooksexceptthe tthe bookofEsther.Manyotherdiscoverieshavehelp bookofEsther.Manyotherdiscoverieshavehelpedprovemanydetailsofthe edprovemanydetailsoftheBible Bible thathadbeenscoffedatbyhighercritics: TheCyrusCylinder,discoveredin1879,recordsCyrus'overthrowofBabylonand hissubsequentdeliveranceoftheJewishcaptives. TheRosettaStone, discoveredin1799inEgyptbyNapoleon'sscientists,was writteninthreelanguages:hieroglyphics,demotic,andGreek.Itunlockedthe mysteryofthehieroglyphicswhichhavehelped mysteryofthehierogly phicswhichhavehelpedconfirmtheauthenticity confirmtheauthenticityofthe ofthe Bible. TheMoabiteStonediscoveredin1868atDibon,Jordan,confirmedMoabiteattacks onIsraelasrecordedin2Kings1and3 onIsraelasrecordedin 2Kings1and3.. TheLachishLetters,discoveredin1932-1938,24milesnorthofBeersheba, describedtheattackofNebuchadnezzaronJerusalemin586BC.

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www.amazingdiscoveries.org

2010

Archeological Excavations TheBible'sauthenticityisalsoevidencedbyarcheologicalexcavationsthatprove theexistenceofnamesofpeopleandcitiesfoundintheBible.Thediscoveryofthe cityofPetra,forexample,helpedconfirmtheauthenticityoftheBible'srecord. Inaddition,manyoftheBible'sprophecieshavealreadycometrue.Prophecies concerningBabylon(Isaiah13:19-22),Tyre(Ezekiel26:3-5),Sidon(Ezekiel28:2123),Cyrus(Ezra4:3;5:13-14;Isaiah44:28;45:1),MedoPersia(Daniel8:20-21), Greece(Daniel8:20-21),andJesus'birthplaceBethlehem(Micah5:2)haveallbeen fulfilledexactlyaspredicted.Thesefulfilledpropheciesareanextremelystrong argumentforthetrustworthinessoftheBible.Theysignifythatwecantrustthe propheciesconcerningtheAntichrist andotherend-timeprophecies.

Unity of Scripture AnotherevidenceoftheBible'sinspirationisfoundinitscohesiveunity.Inmore than3000places,theBibledeclaresitselfinspired.Itdoesnotcontradictitself. ThepropheciesoftheBibleincasessuchasBabylon,Tyre,Petra,andEgypt ,aswell astheMessianicprophecies,provetheBible'sauthenticity. TheBiblehassurvivedcenturiesandevenmillenia.DespitealltheattemptsofSatan tohideit,destroyit,andmakeitinaccessibletothecommonperson,theBiblehas beenpreservedbyGod. "ThewordsoftheLORDarepurewords:assilvertriedinafurnaceofearth,purified seventimes.Thoushaltkeepthem,OLORD,thoushaltpreservethemfromthis generationforever"(Psalm12:6-7).Jesusalsopromisesthat"heavenandearth shallpassaway,butmywordsshallnotpassaway"(Matthew24:35). ButwhatdoestheBiblehavetosayaboutitsinspiration?Fromwheredoesitsayit getsitsrevelation? 2Peter1:21says,"Fortheprophecycamenotinoldtimebythewillofman:but holymenofGodspakeastheyweremovedbytheHolyGhost." Infact,theBiblestatesemphaticallythat,"allScriptureisgivenbyinspirationof God,andisprofitablefordoctrine,forreproof,forcorrection,forinstructionin righteousness"(2Timothy3:16). Whenthiswaswritten,itwasprimarilyreferringtotheOldTestament.Thosethat saythattheOldTestament,ortheGospels,orotherpartsoftheBiblearenolonger applicabletous,areincorrect.TheentireBibleexistsforouredification.The ScripturespointtoJesusandHissolutionforoursinproblem. FromGenesistoRevelation,JesusisrevealedinHisvariousforms.InthePentateuch (thefirstfivebooks),Jesusisrevealed.InGenesis,ChristisourCreator.InExodus, ChristisourSanctuary,ourHaven,andourDeliverer.InLeviticus,Christisour 2

www.amazingdiscoveries.org

2010

SacrificeandJudge.InNumbers,ChristisourGuide.AndinDeuteronomy,Christis revealedasourReward.InthebooksofRevelationandDaniel,weseeChristasour Judge.AndwefindtheseaspectsofChristrevealedthroughouttheBible. Psalm119:160says,"Thywordistruefromthebeginning." InJohn17:17weread,"thywordistruth." ThegreatestevidenceoftheBible'sinspirationisevidencedintheChristitreveals andthechangesinthosewhostudyit(John5:39;Acts4:12;Matthew11:26-28).

Tyre and the Bible TyrewasthemaritimeequivalentofBabylon.Carthage,arivalofRome,wasonlya colonyofTyre.WhenTyrewasattheheightofitspower,theprophetEzekiel prophesiedthis:  AndtheyshalldestroythewallsofTyrus,andbreakdownhertowers:Iwillalsoscrape herdustfromher...andtheyshalllaythystonesandthytimberandthydustinthe midstofthewater...AndIwillmaketheelikethetopofarock:thoushaltbeaplaceto spreadnetsupon;thoushaltbebuiltnomore:forItheLORDhavespokenit,saiththe LordGOD(Ezekiel26:4,12,14). ThedestructionofTyrecouldhavebeenplausible.However,theprophecythatTyre wouldbethrownintothemidstofthesea,anditsformerlocationbescrapedlike thetopofarockseemedmorethanimplausible.Yetboththeseprophecieswere fulfilled.NebuchadnezzarofBabylonbesiegedthecityandconqueredit.The inhabitantsofTyre,however,escapedtoanearbyisland.Nebuchadnezzarthen renderedthecitytoruins.Fortwoand-a-halfcenturies,theseruinswereamute contradictionoftheBible. WhenAlexandertheGreatconqueredtheMedo-Persianempire,longafter Nebuchadnezzar'ssiege,thenewislandcityofTyreresistedhisadvances. Frustratedbytheirefforts,Alexanderorderedhistroopstobuildacausewaytothe islandbythrowingtheancientruinsofmainlandTyreintothemidstofthesea,and usingthedusttocreateawayforhistroops,thusfulfillingtheprophecythatTyre wouldbethrownintothemidstofthesea. ThescrapedrocksandsunkencausewayofancientTyredeclarewithemphasisto thisgenerationthattheBibleismorethanjustanordinarybook.

Petra and the Bible PetraistheGreekwordfor"rock."IntheheartofMountSeir,halfwaybetweenthe DeadSeaandtheGulfofAqaba,thereisavalleysurroundedonallsidesbyvery steeprockycliffs,withafewnarrowgorgesleadinginside.Inthisvalley,thecityof Petrawasbuilt.ItsBiblicalnamewasSela.Theearliestinhabitantsofthisareawere theHorites,orHurrians.Later,Esau,thebrotherofJacob,settledintheterritory

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southoftheDeadSea,andhisdescendants,theEdomites,graduallyreplacedthe Hurrians.TheEdomiteslivedherewhenIsraelcamefromEgyptduringtheExodus, about1445BC. About400BC,theEdomitesweredrivenoutbytheArabianNabataeans.These peoplemadePetratheircapitalandcontrolledthemostimportanttraderoutes betweentheEastandtheWest.Caravanspassingthroughthisterritoryhadtopay taxestotheNabataeans,whointhiswaybecameverywealthyenablingthemto buildbeautifulpalaces,temples,theatres,andtombshewnoutofsolidrockintheir capitalcity. Inlatercenturies,caravansfollowedotherroutesbetweentheOrientandEurope. TrafficthroughNabataeanterritorydriedup,Petrabecamedesertedandforgotten, andforcenturiesitwasalegendarycity.AllthereferencesinScripturewere consideredbyhighercriticstobefigmentsoftheimagination.Theyclaimedthe non-existenceofPetraasprooffortheunreliabilityofScripture. Intheyear1812,theSwissexplorerJohannBurckhardt,disguisedasanArabian sheik,discoveredthelostcity.Whenhepublishedhisreport,itseemedalmost unbelievablethatsuchapicturesqueplacecouldhaveexistedjust161kilometres southofJerusalemwithoutbeingknown. BecauseoftheunstableMiddleEasternpoliticalsituation,visitstoPetraweremade virtuallyimpossible,andonlyinrecentyearshasthisancientcitybecomereadily accessibletotourists.ObadiahdescribestheloftyplacesofPetraandtheconfidence ofitsinhabitants.However,Jeremiahpredictedthatthecitywouldloseitspower andbecomeuninhabited(Obadiah3-4;Jeremiah49:16-18). WhydidGodpredictthedemiseoftheinhabitantsofPetra?Fortheanswer,one mustlookintotheritualsandpracticesofthesepeople.Themainplaceofworship, the Jabel-Aibb'Atuf ,isthebest-preservedhighplaceinalltheBiblelands.Theobject ofworshipherewasnotGod,butthesun.Andaspartoftheirworshiptheyoffered humansacrifices.Closeby,twoobelisksmaybeseenwhichwereprobablysun pillarsoffertility. ItwasbecauseoftheseandotherabominablepracticesthatGodinstructedIsraelon theirentryintoCanaanaftertheExodus,todestroythehighplacesoftheheathen. Becauseofthepaganvicesandimmoralritespractisedthere,thefingerofprophecy forecastthedownfallandentiredestructionofcitieslikePetra(ReadJoel3:19and Ezekiel35:3-9). StandingonPetra'shighplacewiththecolourfulruinsofthecitybelow,youcan hearthevoiceofitsdesolatesilencedeclaringthatGod'spropheticWordneverfails!

Egypt and the Bible TheBiblestoriesconcerningtherelationshipofGod'speoplewithEgypthavebeen subjecttomuchridicule.CriticsregardBiblicalstories,suchastheaccountsof 4

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JosephandtheExodus,asmythology. Thestonesofarchaeologyweresilentwitnessestothedramasofthepast,andit wasonlyafter1799,whentheRosettaStonewasdiscovered,thattheancient recordscouldbedeciphered.IttookJean-FrançoisChampollion20yearsto deciphertheancienthieroglyphicsfromtheRosettaStone.TheStonewasuniquein thatthreelanguageswereinscribeduponit,eachtellingthesamestory.Thescience ofarchaeologyisthusafledglingscience,andmostofitstreasureshaveonlybeen subjecttoscrutinyinthelastcentury. Todayitispossibletonotonlyreadhieroglyphics,butalsotheancientcuneiform writings.Astoundingly,theancientrelicshavesucceededinsilencingmanyofthe Biblicalcritics.TheharmonybetweenScriptureandarchaeologicalfindingshas shednewlightuponthedebate. ConcerningthestoryofJoseph,itisknownthattheSemiticHyksosoverthrewthe Egyptiandynastiesfromtheyear1780BCto1545BC,aperiodofjustoveraquarter ofacentury.Duringthistime,itwouldhavebeenpossibleforaSemitetoreachthe positionofprestigeoccupiedbyJoseph.Inrecenttimes,frescoeshavebeenfoundin Egyptiantombsdepictingfatandthincows,andinscriptionshavebeenfound referringtosevenleanandsevenopulentyears,makingthisBiblicalstorymore thanjustamyth.OneofthemostexcitingstoriesinScripture,however,isthe Exodus. AccordingtoBiblicalchronology,Moseswasbornin1530BC,duringthereignof TutmosesI,whoruledfrom1532to1508BC.TutmosesIwasthethirdpharaohof the18thdynasty.ThefirstpharoahwasAmoses1570to1553BC,followedby Amenhotep1553to1532BC,whowasthefatherofTutmosesI.Thisisthepharaoh whoissuedthedecreethatallthesonsborntotheIsraelitesweretobethrowninto theriver,butthatgirlswerepermittedtolive(Exodus1:22). Aaron,thebrotherofMoses,wasbornin1533BC,priortothereignofTutmosesI, andhehadthusescapedtheviciousdecree.AccordingtoBiblicalchronology,Moses fledEgypt40yearsafterhisbirthin1490BC(Remember,wehavetocalculate backwards,aswearedealingwiththetimebeforeChrist).Exodus2:15tellsus aboutPharaoh'sreaction: WhenPharaohheardofthis,hetriedtokillMoses,butMosesfledfromPharaoh,and wenttoliveinMidian(NIV). Itwashere,inMidianofSinai,thattheLordrevealedHimselftoMoses.Two pharaohsreignedsimultaneouslyduringtheexileofMoses.TutmosesI,whoissued thedecreetokillthenewbornsonsoftheIsraelites,wasthefatherofHatshepsut, theprincesswhoisthemostlikelycandidateforhavingfoundMosesintheNile.Itis probablethatMosesgrewupasafosterchildinthehouseofPharaoh.TutmosesI hadnosons,and,uponhisdeathin1508BC,Mosescouldhavebecomethepharaoh,

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buthedeclined.Acts7:20tellsus,"Moseswaseducatedinallthewisdomofthe Egyptians,andwaspowerfulinspeechandaction." InHebrews11:24,wearetold,"ByfaithMoses,whenhehadgrownup,refusedto beknownasthesonofPharaoh'sdaughter." AfterMoses'refusal,TutmosesII(thehusbandofHatshepsut)becamepharaoh,but heonlyruledfrom1508to1504BC,aperiodofjustfouryears.Again,Mosescould havebecomepharaoh,butagainherefused.Hatshepsutherselfbecamethenext pharaoh.HermortuarytempleisatDeirelBahri,andsheruledEgyptfrom1504to 1482BC;atotalof22years.TheillegitimatesonofHatshepsut'shusbandbecame co-regenttogetherwithher.HewasTutmosesIII,whowasfavouredbythe Egyptianpriesthood. ThestoryofHatshepsutisasadstory.In1488,sixyearspriortoherdeath,all officialrecordsofHatshepsutceased.Herroyalwallpaintingsonthewallsofher mortuarytempleatDeirelBahriweredefaced,andherstatuesweredestroyed.To thisday,onlyafewsmallbustshavebeenfound.Suchdrasticactionwasonlytaken ifpharaohsweredisloyaltoEgyptiandeities.ItisprobablethatHatshepsutadopted theHebrewreligionin1488,whenEgyptiandocumentationaboutherceased. Mosesatthistimewasalreadyinexile,havingfledbeforethewrathofTutmosesIII, whoenjoyedthesupportoftheEgyptianpriesthood. MosesheardaboutthedeathofHatshepsutwhilehewasinexile,andherdeathis recordedinhiswritings.Exodus2:23states,"Duringthatlongperiod,thekingof Egyptdied."ThesolerulerinEgyptwasnowTutmosesIII,andwithHatshepsutout oftheway,andtheprotectionsheprobablyaffordedtheIsraelitesnolonger available,Tutmosessuppressedtheminamostcruelfashion. TheIsraelitesgroanedintheirslaveryandcriedout,andtheircryforhelpbecauseof theirslaverywentuptoGod.Godheardtheirgroaningsand...lookedontheIsraelites andwasconcernedaboutthem(Exodus2:23-25). ThereturnofMosesandhisfearforPharaohisnowunderstandable,particularly sincethesamepharaohthatinducedhimtofleebecamethesolerulerinEgypt. TutmosesIIIwasoneofthegreatestpharaohsinhistory.Hewasknownasthe NapoleonofEgypt.Heruleduntil1450BC,which,accordingtothechronologyin1 Kings6:1,istheyearoftheExodus.AccordingtotheBible,theExodustookplace onMarch17,1450BC.TheprecisedatesofthePassoverandtheExodusare recordedintheScriptures.TheBibletellsusthatthepharaohthenruling(Tutmoses III)followedtheIsraelitesthroughtheRedSea,andthathewaskilledinthe process.ThebiographyofTutmosesIII,writtenbyAmenemhabsays,"Lo,theking completedhislifetimeofmanyyears,splendidinvalour,inmightandtriumph:from year1to54."

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1504to1450,areignof54years,bringsuspreciselytothedateoftheExodus. Amenemhabmentionsthemonthandthedayofhisdeath: Thelastdayofthethirdmonthofthesecondseason...Hemountedtoheaven,hejoined thesun:thedivinelimbsmingledwithhimwhobegothim. AccordingtotheEgyptologistJamesBreasted,thistranslatestotheMarch17,1450 BC.AmummyofTutmosesIIIintheCairomuseumwasanalysedbytwo Egyptologists,HarrisandWeeks,in1973andfoundtobeamummyofayoungman, whereasTutmosesIIImusthavebeenatleast80. Egyptianshadawayofdisguisingtheirembarrassments.Thepharaohwasprobably neverrecoveredfromtheRedSea,andtohidethisfact,afakemummywasputin hisplace.Thereismorecircumstantialevidencefromthe18thdynastytosupport thisargument.TutmosesIIIco-reignedwithhisson,AmenhotepII(afterthedeath ofHatshepsut),andAmenhotepIIwasnotinEgyptatthetimeoftheExodus,butin Syro-PalestinesuppressinganuprisingwithmostoftheEgyptianarmy. AccordingtoEgyptianwritings,hereturnedinJune1450BC,whenheapparently defacedmanyEgyptianmonuments.Thisactneedsanexplanation.TheBibletellsus thatallthefirst-borninEgyptdiedinthelastplague.OnreturningtoEgypt,he wouldhavefoundnotonlytheIsraelitesgone,buthewouldhavealsofoundhis fatherdead,andhisfirst-bornsonkilledintheplague. OnecannowunderstandtheemotionfeltbyAmenhotepthatcausedsuchaviolent outburst. ThenextpharaohtorulewasTutmosesIV,whowasthesecondbornsonof AmenhotepII.Accordingtosuccessionrights,thefirst-bornshouldhavebecome pharaoh,buthedied.Toexplainthisapparentanomaly,thereisaninscriptionon theSphinxtellingthestoryofhowthesecond-bornsonbecamepharaohintheplace ofthefirst-born. Apparently,TutmosesIVwasrestingbetweenthelegsoftheSphinxwhenheheard avoicetellinghimtoclearthesandfrombetweenthelegs,andtheSphinxwould seetoitthathe,ratherthanthefirst-born,wouldbethenextpharaoh.Anunlikely story,andanotherdemonstrationofattemptstocloudtheissue,sothatthe embarrassmentshouldnotbemadepublictothedescendants. MonotheisticworshipinEgyptdidnotdiewiththedeathofHatshepsut.Duringthe AmarnaPeriodofthe18thdynasty,monotheismagainsurfacedinEgypt.The pharaohafterTutmosesIVwasAmenhotepIII.ThissonofTutmosesIVwasstillan idolater,butduringthereignofhisson(AmenhotepIV),thereligionofEgyptshifted fromtheworshipofAmuntothatofAten.Atenismwastheworshipoftheone CreatorGod. ThesymbolofthesunanditsrayswasusedtodescribedAten'scareforhumankind.

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ThesunwasnotworshippedinAtenism,butservedmerelyasasymbol.Thereis goodevidencethatAtenismhasitsbasisintheHebrewreligion. TheExodusmusthaveleftitsmarkupontheEgyptianpeople,andmanyadheredto theGodoftheHebrews,ratherthantotheEgyptiandeities.Theessenceofthe Egyptianreligionwasthatofsunworship,butnumerousgodsplayedsecondary rolesintheirbeliefsystem.AmenhotepIVchangedhisnametoAkhenaten, symbolizingthechangefromAmunworshiptoAtenworship( Amenhotepmeans "Amunispleased").FurtherevidenceofAkhenaten'sbreakwiththeoldreligionis thatheshiftedhiscapitalfromLuxortoanewcapitalAkhetaten.Inasongwritten byAkhenatentohisgod,thereare17versescorrespondingwithPsalm104. UnderAkhenatan'sinfluence,Egyptiancultureexperiencedaperiodofrealism.In statuesofpharaohsandtheirfamilies,pharaohswerenolongerdepictedaslarger thanlife,butstatuesofAkhenatenandhisfamilyportrayhimwithallhisdefects, andhiswifeandchildrenareportrayedinalovingrelationshipwiththepharaoh. HiswifewasthefamousNefertiti,whosenamemeans"maidenofjoy."Theyhadsix daughters,ofwhichonewasengagedtoayoungmanbythenameofTutankaten. Thedaughter'snamewasAnkensenpaaten.Notethatthenamesendin"aten," portrayingtheirmodeofworship.UponthedeathofAkhenaten,Tutankatenwasto becomethenextpharaoh.However,hischangeofnametoTutankamunindicates thathispharaohshipwassubjecttothechangeofhisreligion.Thegreatest archaeologicalfindsconcernthispharaoh,andtellthestoryofashortbutsplendid reign. Wasitworthgivingupthetruthforthesakeofearthlyglory?Thedefacingofthe statuesassociatedwiththereignofAkhenatenagaindemonstratesthehatredand rivalrybetweenidolatryandtheworshipoftheCreatorGod.

Babylon and the Bible Twohundredyearsago,scholarsdoubtedwhetherBabyloneverexisted.Theonly recordcouldbefoundintheBible.CriticsusedthestoryofBabylon,andwhatthey calledits"non-historickings,"todiscountScripture.However,Babylon wasdiscoveredandexcavatedin1898. WeknowtodaythatBabylonwasoneofthefirstcitiesintheworld,andfoundedby Nimrod,great-grandsonofNoah(Genesis10:9-10).Archaeologistshavefoundhis nameonmanyinscriptionsandtablets,whileamassiveheadofNimrodhasbeen excavatednearCalahontheTigrisRiver. TheBibletellsthestoryofthetowerofBabelandhowthelanguageofhumanity wasconfusedthere.Archaeologistshavefoundthattheinhabitantsofancient Mesopotamiahadapopularhabitofbuildingtowerscalled ziggurats.Almostevery cityofimportancehadatleastone. TheTowerofBabylonwasthehighestandlargestofall,being91metershighand

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2010

builtinsevenstages.Thefoundationsandafewstepsofthestairwaymaystillbe seentoday.ThiswasthemostprobablelocationoftheTowerofBabel.Itis interestingtonotethat,accordingtotheScriptures,thetowerwasbuiltofbrickand asphalt(Genesis11:3NKJV),andthisistheverybuildingmaterialfoundinthe buildingsofBabylon. For1400years,thecityofBabylongrewinimportance.In626BC,itbecamethe capitaloftheBabylonianempire.Babylionreacheditspeakinthetimeof NebuchadnezzarII,becomingthewonderoftheancientworld.Itwas18kilometres incircumference,with26-meter-widedoublewallstowering62metershigh.Itwas amagnificentsight,theexternalbrickworkofbuildingsbeingglazedandofdifferent colours.Theouterwallswereyellow,gateswereblue,palaceswererose-red,and templeswerewhitewithgoldendomes. Reliefsofbulls,dragons,andlionsdecoratedmanywallsandgates.Thefamous HangingGardenswereoneofthesevenwondersoftheworld.Weknowtodaythat ancientBabylonwasacenterofadvancedscience,art,culture,andindustry.Then appeareduponthescenetheHebrewprophetsIsaiahandJeremiahwhopredicted herutterdestruction.  AndBabylon,thegloryofkingdoms,thebeautyoftheChaldees'excellency,shallbeas whenGodoverthrewSodomandGomorrah(Isaiah13:19).  AndBabylonshallbecomeheaps,adwelling-placefordragons,andastonishment,and anhissing,withoutaninhabitant(Jeremiah51:37). TheseamazingpropheciesareallthemoreastoundingbecauseBabylonwaslocated attheverycenterofeconomictraderoutesofthattime.Destructionofacitymight havebeenplausible,butthatitwouldneverberebuilttobeinhabitedagainseemed far-fetched.Thispropheticclaimhasbeentestedovertheages,yettheprophecy standstothisveryday. Babylonwasextremelywealthy.Jeremiahpredictedthatthesetreasureswouldbe robbed,andthatallwhorobbedherwouldbesatisfied(Jeremiah50:10).To readthishistoryistoreadthefulfilmentoftheprophecy.CyrustheMediantook treasures,XerxesthePersiantookhugeamountsofgold,andAlexanderofGreece plunderedwhatwasleft,fulfillingthesepropheciestotheletter.

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