One of the great privileges of my life has been to be involved in various archaeological digs in Israel and Jordan. I have excavated at Khirbet Iskander in Jordan, Tel Rehov and Tel Beth Shemesh in Israel, and recently at Shiloh, where the Ark of the Covenant resided during Israel’s early history. This region is commonly called the Bible lands, or the Holy Land.
I became interested in doing archaeology there because of the rich and helpful lessons it brings to the student of the Bible. The Scriptures are filled with references to the lands, peoples, and cultures of the biblical world. The more we understand the background of the biblical text, the better we can understand the message that is given. Christianity is a historical religion. The characters of the Bible are historical figures, and the events of the Bible—such as the Exodus, the last week of Jesus’ life, and the spread of the early church—really happened.
Brother Jack Lewis offers some helpful advice concerning the nature of archaeological evidence. He counsels us by saying, “The aim of Biblical archaeology is to illuminate the Bible rather than to prove the Bible… One will be blessed by the study of Biblical archaeology if he studies with Bible in hand to ‘test everything; hold fast what is good.”
For all students of the Bible, archaeology gives us firm confidence that the Bible is true, historically accurate, and tells the real story of God’s plan for saving mankind.
Bible archaeology is also another confirmation of the inspiration of Scripture. Second Timothy 3:16 tells us that “all Scripture is breathed out by God.” Thus, when the Bible speaks of peoples, lands, cultures, and historical events, it speaks the truth. Many today want to discount the biblical accounts, calling them myths or made-up stories. However, students of the Bible can point to archaeology to demonstrate that this is not the case.
There have been numerous confirmations of biblical events and people discovered through archaeology, showing that many skeptics have been mistaken in their claims. Some men, such as William Ramsay, even began their archaeological investigations as skeptics but became believers through their research. Ramsay wrote:
“I found myself often brought in contact with the book of Acts as an authority for the topography, antiquities, and society of Asia Minor. It was gradually borne in upon me that in various details the narrative showed marvelous truth.”
As more archaeological work continues, we can expect additional discoveries that will continue to illuminate the Scriptures. Edwin Yamauchi, a well-known archaeologist, speaks to this when he writes:
“In the light of past discoveries, one may expect that future archaeological finds will continue to support the biblical traditions against radical reconstructions. Such finds will further illuminate the background of both the Old Testament and the New Testament, making clear what has been obscure.”
Yes, the Bible student can learn much from the study of biblical archaeology. The Scriptures come alive when we study the discoveries and sites where biblical events took place. Archaeology illustrates the Scriptures for us and helps explain the times, people, and cultures described in the Bible.
Secondly, archaeology is a powerful tool in answering skeptics of the Bible. There have been more than one hundred inscriptions and other archaeological discoveries confirming people mentioned in the Scriptures. Entire civilizations, cities, and actual locations referenced in the Bible have been uncovered by archaeologists.
These discoveries help Bible students not only have confidence in the inspiration of Scripture, but also allow us to see where many of these events took place. Archaeology reminds us that the Bible is not merely a book of ideas—it is a record of God’s work in real places and real history
-Garry L. Hill, D.Min