Archaeology and the Bible (Part 5) – Joseph and the Israelites in Egypt

Joseph in Egypt, Jacopo Pontormo, c. 1517, Italy

The story of Joseph and his rise to power in Egypt is often questioned by critics.  The idea of a foreigner sold into Egypt as a slave that eventually becomes Pharaoh’s second-in-command and saves the future nation of Israel sounds unbelievable.  Combined with the fact that some historians claim there is no evidence of Israelites ever living in ancient Egypt, one has to question if the Bible is simply reporting myths. Continue reading

Archaeology and the Bible (Part 4) – King David, Man or Myth?

The Tel Dan Stele, currently on display in the Israel Museum, Jerusalem

Because of the fantastic story of his rise to power—and the lack of corroborating archaeological evidence—many historians and critics doubted the existence of king David and his reign in the 10th century BC.  The prevailing academic theory became that he was just a mythological hero, much like King Arthur. Continue reading

Archaeology and the Bible (Part 3) – The Old Testament Prophets

Maarten van Heemskerck - Prophet Isaiah predicts the return of the Jews from exile

Maarten van Heemskerck – Prophet Isaiah predicts the return of the Jews from exile

Secular critics often question the prophetic books of the Old Testament.  A primary charge is that they could not have been written by actual prophets in the claimed time periods because accurately predicting the future is impossible.   Rather, the books were forged at later dates by unknown authors after the supposed prophesies had already occurred.  But what does the evidence tell us? Continue reading