Isn’t it encouraging to know that the Bible has been supported by archaeology in so many ways? While some have tried to discredit the Bible because secular historical sources haven’t always confirmed what it says, many exciting discoveries over the years have provided supplemental evidence of the Bible’s accuracy & trustworthiness. Even things in Scripture that critics claimed couldn’t have been possible have been confirmed as factual. As the late great Jewish scholar & archaeologist Nelson Glueck said: “…It may be clearly stated categorically that no archeological discovery has ever controverted a single biblical reference. Scores of archeological findings have been made which confirm in clear outline or exact detail historical statements in the Bible.”
No amount of discoveries will ever “prove” the Bible is true to those skeptics unwilling to believe. We don’t rely on archaeology to prove our faith, but it does make it easier to show how reasonable it is. Even in cases where the historicity of Scriptural accounts has been doubted, given time, archaeology eventually catches up.
We could go down the list of discoveries over the last 150 years or so, but let me just point out a few from the past year. This month the headline was about archaeologists uncovering the oldest known mosaics of ancient Biblical judges-Deborah, Jael & other heroes. The 3-panel mosaic at least 1,600 years old was found in a synagogue in Israel. Last July alone there were 2 such news stories. First, it was reported that a clay pot fragment found may be named for the Biblical judge & warrior, Gideon from over 3,000 years ago. Second, it was reported that archaeologists uncovered a city wall from the time of the first Temple that protected Jerusalem nearly 3,000 years ago.
Last September, archaeologists said that 3D scans show a boat-like formation matching the size of Noah’s Ark in eastern Turkey. Perhaps they’ll eventually be able to excavate it, but we don’t need such a discovery to prove the biblical story of the Flood. And in October, a new study was published in the journal “Scientific Reports” that suggested: “The biblical ‘sin cities’ of Sodom and Gomorrah could have been destroyed by a meteor ‘cloudburst’ that incinerated all 8,000 inhabitants….”
Jesus confirmed the historicity of Noah and of Sodom’s destruction in Luke 17:26-29. And when a man is able to live the kind of sinless life Jesus did, teach the kinds of things He taught, perform the miracles He did, predict his own death & resurrection, and then actually come back to life-I’m going to believe whatever that guys says! The evidence for the resurrection is beyond a reasonable doubt, so why would I doubt anything else Scripture says?!