ARCHEOLOGY AND THE BIBLE
Believers can trust the reliability of the Bible. Regardless of the opinions of its detractors, it continues to be supported by archeology and the facts of history. In this first verse from the prophet Nahum, we see reference to two places, “Nineveh” and “Elkosh.” Elkosh was the home of Nahum and was located in the Northern part of Israel close to today’s Lebanon border. Its name means “God, my bow.” Nineveh was the capital city of ancient Assyria. At the time of Nahum it may have been the largest city in the ancient world. Yet, God gave Nahum a vision that it would be totally destroyed and never rebuilt. Both predictions came true.
Today, the ancient ruins of Nineveh, which lie near the city of Mosul in Iraq, have been the site of numerous archeological digs since the mid 1800s. Evidence of Assyrian kings named in the Bible have been uncovered. For instance, the palace of Sennacherib with its 71 rooms and colossal bas-reliefs was discovered in 1849. Over 22,000 cuneiform clay tablets were discovered in the ruins of an ancient library that revealed the wealth of kings like Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal.
These names and the wealth of Nineveh was recorded in the Bible, long before these discoveries were made. The Bible is the archeologist’s best friend when digging in the Middle East. Why? Because it is reliable. We can depend on God’s Word.
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for Your Word. It is like food for our souls. It is Your love letter to us. Thank You for protecting it throughout the ages, so that we may have Your Word today. Forgive us when we try to live without feeding on Your Word. For it is both a light for our path and life-giving strength for our walk. We love Your Word. In Jesus’ name, amen.