Sermons and Biblical Studies

Ron Knisley You have never heard of punctuated equilibrium?! Well, read on and learn. Of course, you have heard of sharks, but I suspect that you don’t know as much about them as you may think you do. For example, many of the more than 300 species of sharks aren’t the bloodthirsty, man-eating villains that … Continue reading “SHARKS
PUNCTURE THE THEORY OF PUNCTUATED EQUILIBRIUM”

Bryant G. Wood During his time as king of Judea, Herod the Great (37–4 BC) constructed a magnificent palace on the west side of Jerusalem. The only remnant one can see today is the so-called Tower of David just inside the Jappa Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem. The lower portion, 20 m (66 … Continue reading “REMAINS
OF HEROD’S JERUSALEM PALACE UNEARTHED”

Joan E. Taylor Currently, the most popular alternative site to traditional Golgotha, located in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Jerusalem, is the area of Gordon’s Calvary, with the so-called ‘Garden Tomb,’ but scholarly endorsement of this locality has never been very strong.1 Generally, the current consensus holds that Golgotha was located in the vicinity … Continue reading “GOLGOTHA:

A RECONSIDERATION OF THE EVIDENCE FOR THE SITES OF JESUS’ CRUCIFIXION AND
BURIAL”

Suzanne Rogers Have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishing exactly like the pattern I will show you (Ex 25:8, 9). This is what the Lord commanded the Israelites to build as a dwelling place for His presence. He told them exactly what … Continue reading “FOR
YOUNG ARCHAEOLOGISTS
DYEING TO BE HOLY”

David P. Livingston What is the proper relationship of the literature (texts) of the Ancient Near East (ANE) with the Old Testament?. The literature I speak of are the Gilgamesh Epic, the Sumerian and Babylonian King Lists, Hammurabi’s Code, and many others. Much scholarship has been invested in Old Testament studies, as well as in … Continue reading “CORRELATING
THE TEXTS OF ANCIENT LITERATURE WITH THE OLD TESTAMENT”

First of Six Parts Charles F. Aling No portion of the Old Testament has a richer Egyptian coloring than the story of Joseph. Egyptian names, titles, places, and customs all appear in Genesis 37–50. In the last one hundred years or so, historical and archaeological research has made the study of the Egyptian elements in … Continue reading “JOSEPH
IN EGYPT”

Second of Three Parts John J. Davis The excavation of burials, once they are located, can be the fulfillment of archaeologists’ dreams, but locating ancient burials is, more often than not, their worst nightmare. Changes in surface topography due to soil erosion, earthquake activity, agricultural pursuits, and modern building can make tomb exploration extremely difficult. … Continue reading “BONES,
BURIALS, AND BIBLICAL HISTORY:
THE DISCOVERY OF ANCIENT TOMBS”

Phillip E. Johnson (A message delivered at the Evangelical Free Church of Hershey, PA, May 13, 2001, printed by permission.) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made … Continue reading “EVOLUTION
AND CHRISTIAN FAITH”

Bruce R. Crew Introduction One of the more neglected topics in the field of biblical geography involves the territorial extent of Edom’s geographical domain. Earlier scholars have limited the geographical territories of Edom exclusively to southern Transjordan’s mountains of Edom (i.e. Edelman 1995:2–3; Aharoni 1979:40–41; Bartlett 1969:1–20; Gleuck 1936:152). Its boundaries included an area that … Continue reading “DID
EDOM’S ORIGINAL TERRITORIES EXTEND WEST OF ‘WADI ARABAH?”

Suzanne Rogers What is the First Specific Mention of a Plant in the Bible? There is an oblique reference to bdellium (bedolach) in Genesis 2:12. The word is used once more in Numbers 11:7 where manna is described as having the same color as bdellium. Its use and source is not clear although it appears … Continue reading “FOR
YOUNG ARCHAEOLOGISTS:
INTERESTING DETAILS ABOUT PLANTS IN THE BIBLE”