Sir Fredrick Kenyon is a very famous Christian archaeologist and he said “Archaeology has not yet said its last word; but the results already achieved confirm what faith would suggest, that the Bible can do nothing but gain from an increase of knowledge.” All the material, the series of tells, masses of ruins layered over centuries, they haven’t even begun to do all the work. They are only half way through translating the Dead Sea Scrolls. There is so much more. There is still a wealth of information yet to be found. If we don’t yet have the substantiation for some part of the Biblical text – wait. God has not finished the process yet. More will come to light from the sands of the Ancient Near East.
As I begin this new series I will share with you recent up to date information of what has been found “in the sands of the Ancient Near East”. To begin let me share with you three of the most recent discoveries since last year. That is how up to date and recent the information I have is. But Ian why don’t we hear of these discoveries on the TV news? Because these finds substantiate the Bible and that is the last thing the news media of the world want the world to know. Rather they would bring us to date with “fake news”, “Trump news” or frankly news of any other kind than give us an inkling that the Bible may be true after all. Or how they have found water on some distant planet but don’t tell you the atmosphere is filled with toxic gases.
Here are a few recent finds in Israel:
6th June 2019
ARCHAEOLOGISTS IDENTIFY CITY GATE FROM TIME OF KING DAVID
The previously uncovered gate found in the area last year was cautiously identified to be a part of the biblical city of Zer.
Bethsaida 88 248. (photo credit: Stephen G. Rosenberg)
A city gate from the time of King David was discovered after 32 years of excavation in the ancient city of Bethsaida in the Golan Heights’ Jordan Park, opening up a world of new possibilities, opinions and theories about the ancient landscape of the Land of Israel. The previously uncovered gate found in the area last year was cautiously identified to be a part of the biblical city of Zer, a name used during the First Temple period. However, the newly found gate dates back to the time and rule of King David, which is purportedly from the 11th to 10th centuries BCE. “There are not many gates from capital cities in this country from this period,” said Arav. “Bethsaida was the name of the city during the Second Temple period, but during the First Temple period it was the city of Zer.” Arav cited Joshua 19:35, which says: “The fortified towns were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Kinneret.”
18th July 2019
Archaeologists and researchers say they have found the city where the biblical David found refugee after running away from King Saul. The biblical Ziklag was discovered at the Khirbet a-Ra‘i site near the southern Israeli city of Kiryat Gat by researchers from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, the Israel Antiquities Authority and Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. According to the Bible narrative, Achish, King of Gat, allowed David and 600 of his followers and their families to find refuge in Ziklag while fleeing an angry King Saul. From there, more than a year later, David left for Hebron, where he was anointed king in Saul’s place. The excavation of the site began in 2015, and more than 1,000 square meters have been exposed to enable the identification. Ziklag is a Philistine name given to the town by immigrants from the Aegean, according to the Israel Antiquities Authority. Finds at the site provide evidence of a settlement from the Philistine era — lasting until the 6th century BCE — topped by a rural settlement from the time of King David, the early 10th century BCE. Nearly 100 complete pottery vessels found in the various rooms of the settlement appear to be identical to those found in the 10th-century fortified Judaean city of Khirbet Qeiyafa—identified as biblical Sha‘arayim—in the Judaean foothills. Carbon 14 tests date that site to the time of King David.
September 18th 2019
A volunteer looking through dirt that had been excavated from Robinson’s Arch in 2013 found a 1 cm impression of a seal. The seal, or bulla, would have sealed a paper or container and marked the identity of the author or owner. This clay seal impression references the name Adoniyahu, the royal steward. Adoniyahu appears three times in the Hebrew Bible and most notably as the name of King David’s son.
No evidence for David? You just haven’t looked long enough nor in the right places. I thought these three very recent findings would titillate your curiosity for what is to come. I like to keep my knowledge of Bible finds up to date. Well I think you will agree, September 18th this year is as up to date as you can get. It is only 17 days ago.
I am sure you will notice that these three recent finds are all related in some way to David, King of Israel. Excuse me, “there is no evidence for David as a King in Israel.” Don’t speak too soon Phillip Davies!
It’s a little rash to make such claims. I wonder if when God hears such statements by Bible scholars who should know better, whether He gives the angels an assignment to guide the hand and intentions of field archaeologists to “dig here”.
Hang to your hat. There’s lots more to share with you in this current series of Nuggets.