June 10, 2017 - Historical Evidence of God

Historical Evidence of God

Before I even attempt to discuss this, some of my Christian friends will say that faith in God is built on faith, not proof.  I agree.  One can be presented with facts, but refuse to believe.  Likewise, one can have few facts and believe.

I want to first address the reasons why this is an important discussion.  First, we Christians are failing to reach many people in our circle of friends and family.  We tell them to believe, but in their heads they are asking, “Believe in what?”  We hope they will just believe and all will be well.  That wishful thinking will most likely lead them to an eternity in hell.  So we Christians need to have an argument backed with evidence.  Ultimately though, it will still take faith on their part.

And secondly, for those who don’t believe.  I want you to know that my faith is not built solely on some hope for a future life beyond death.  I want you to know that I believe what the Apostle Paul wrote,

“What may be known about God… has been made plain to them…, so that people are without excuse.” Romans 1:19, 20

I don’t believe a myth.  I believe a God who has filled the world around me with proof of his existence.

Let’s talk today about the historical evidence.

Both William F. Albright and Nathan Glueck, two 20^th-century archaeologists, neither of who were Christians, have stated that the Bible is the single most reliable document from ancient history.  No other historical document even comes to close to its accuracy.  Places, dates, names of kings, and events have been repeatedly verified through archaeology.  The events of the Bible are set in a historical record, giving credence to the spiritual aspect.  No other religious text of the ancient, medieval, or modern world does that.

Many have tried to say the Bible is historically inaccurate, only to be proven by archaeology that it is, in fact, very accurate.  For example, the Book of Daniel was criticized in the 1800s for being inaccurate because it lists the last king of Babylon as being Belshazzar, though before 1853, there were no records of him existing, only Nabonidas as the last king of Babylon.  The book of Daniel also said that Daniel was the third ruler of the Empire.  Then in 1853, archaeologists uncovered a cornerstone of a building that said, “May I, Nabonidas, king of Babylon, not sin against thee.  And may reverence for thee dwell in the heart of Belshazzar, my first-born favorite son.”  This proved Belshazzar existed.  Subsequent archaeological finds discovered Nabonidas and Belshazzar were co-rulers.  Nabonidas travelled and Belshazzar ruled from the city of Babylon.  That was why Daniel was the third ruler of Babylon.

Archaeological finds have proven many rulers who were thought to be myths, such as Sargon from Isaiah 20:1, Sennacherib from Isaiah 37:37, Horam of Gezer from Joshua 10:33, and Hazar from Joshua 15:27.  The House of David has been repeatedly found in inscriptions from Israel and the surrounding lands.  The website biblicalarchaeology.org lists 53 people mentioned in the bible who have been proven to exist, including five pharaohs, five kings of Damascus, eight kings of Israel, six kings of Judah, eight priests and government officials of Judah, and the list goes on to include Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian kings and government officials.  

Possibly one of the most amazing discoveries in archaeological history was the discovery of the Hittites.  Throughout the 1800s, the people who considered themselves learned, laughed at those who believed the Bible because of the constant mention of the Hittites.  They are mentioned fifty times in the Bible, but were never mentioned in any other writings of antiquity.  Bible scholars were laughed at for mentioning the Hittites, just as someone would be laughed at for believing in giants, centaurs, and unicorns.  Then in 1906, Hugo Winckler discovered a site in Turkey that contained a castle, five temples, multiple statues, and over 10,000 clay tablets recording the life and history of the Hittites.  Since then, more archaeological finds have discovered they ruled an empire that stretched across eastern Turkey, into Syria and Iraq.  Not only did they exist, but they were major players in regional history.

I will talk about Genesis 1 through 11 in a different blog, because it is often spoken of as Judeo-Christian mythology because it talks about the creation in six days, a world-wide flood, and the scattering of languages.  

But this is just the beginning of the historical evidence.  Next time you are reading the Old Testament, realize that you are reading reliable history.  If the history is reliable, then why would the spiritual parts be unreliable? 

Sources:

Institute for Creation Research

Love Worth Finding Ministries

Bible History Daily

Biblicalarchaeology.org