Current Events Articles: January 2017

Exciting Opportunity with ABR: Webposting Volunteer posted by Henry B Smith Jr MA MAR

An exciting volunteer opportunity exists for a highly motivated individual who has a passion for the Bible and archaeology, and who would like to work together with our staff team in transitioning to and maintaining ABR’s new website, set for development in 2017.

The ABR ministry seeks a volunteer to help ABR transition to a new website. The work will involve assisting the ABR staff with reviewing new site content and making minor suggestions and changes to areas which require correction. This person will also help with posting new articles, current events and other items once the new site is up and running. This volunteer should have some experience in working with website postings. Basic HTML coding knowledge would be a plus, but is not required. We expect this volunteer position to involve about 3-5 hours a week of service, with flexibility. The ideal candidate would reside in the Lancaster County, PA region.

All interested parties should contact the ABR office by sending a cover letter and resume to comments@biblearchaeology.org.

Matching Gift Opportunity for ABR's Dig at Shiloh posted by Henry B Smith Jr MA MAR

ABR Receives $10,000 Matching Gift Pledge for our

Archaeological Dig at Biblical Shiloh!

The Lord continues to miraculously bless ABR’s ongoing archaeological excavations in Israel! An anonymous donor has come forward with an offer to match every gift to the Shiloh Excavations, dollar-for-dollar, through the end of March 2017, up to $10,000!   Gifts of any size will be a vital part of our continuing to excavate in Israel and demonstrate how archaeology supports the reliability of the Bible.

Your Gift of Any Size Will be Effectively Doubled!

Please prayerfully consider making a donation today so we might receive the full blessing of this matching gift pledge. Donate towards the Shiloh excavations using the link below. Type "Matching Gift Campaign" into the Special Instructions field.

Your gift of any size will provide the essential resources for our new excavation at biblical Shiloh and our ongoing efforts to demonstrate how archaeology supports the reliability of the Bible. Thank you for prayerfully considering a donation today so we might receive the full blessing of this matching gift pledge.

Link: 
https://www.biblearchaeology.org/support/supportform.aspx?action=donate

Sacred Agora Excavated at Laodicea posted by Bryan Windle

Archaeologists excavating at ancient Laodicea, the site of one of the seven churches addressed in the book of Revelation, have been uncovering the sacred agora there. Every Hellenistic city in the first century had an agora, which functioned as a city-center and the marketplace. Laodicea's agora is unique in that there was also a temple located there, making it a sacred agora. Excavations have confirmed that Laodicea was one of the most prosperous cities in Asia Minor. Archaeologists have discovered jewelry and sculpture heads, as well as various ceramic vessels. In addition to excavating, a team is involved in a restoration process; in 2016 alone they restored 34 columns in the southern and western portico of the agora. The goal is to restore the agora to the condition it was 2000 years ago, and make Laodicea's archaeological ruins a tourist destination in the next 3-4 years.

Off-site Links:
- http://historythings.com/laodiceas-sacred-agora/
- http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/sacred-agora-unearthed-in-laodicea.aspx?pageID=238&nid=108030&NewsCatID=375

A Great New Film: Is Genesis History? posted by Henry B Smith Jr MA MAR

ABR is excited to tell our supporters about a great film hosted by Dr. Del Tackett, Is Genesis History? The film features ABR Associate Dr. Douglas Petrovich, along with a dozen other PhDs scientists and scholars. I was able to view the full pre-publication version of the movie, and can recommend it 100% to ABR supporters.

What exactly happened “In the beginning” and in the time that followed? Throughout most of history, Genesis 1-11 was considered an accurate and reliable record, but over the past 250 years it has become one of the most controversial writings of all time. Events highlighted—including the creation of the universe in six days, the existence of a real Adam and Eve, and a global Flood destroying the world—are now questioned by many...including some Christians. Where can reliable, well-researched answers be found?




Is Genesis History? is a comprehensive documentary featuring scientists and scholars looking at the world and explaining how it intersects with the history recorded in Genesis. From rock layers to fossils to lions to stars, this fascinating film will challenge and change the way you see the world.

Showing in theaters as a one-night event on Thursday, February 23 only, Is Genesis History? shines new light on our origins, providing a positive argument for the biblical Creation and Flood. Dr. Del Tackett, creator of The Truth Project, serves as your guide—hiking through canyons, climbing up mountains, and diving below the sea—in an exploration of two competing views...one compelling truth.

Find a Theater Near You

Group Tickets Available

Gatehouse Excavated at Timna Copper Mines posted by Bryan Windle

Archaeologists excavating at an ancient copper-smelting factory in the Timna Valley, believed by some to be the mines of King Solomon, have uncovered a gatehouse that dates to the tenth century BC. The fortified gatehouse and animal stables which were studied reveal a highly organized defensive system. Excavators also analyzed the well-preserved dung from the stables and discovered the remains of hay and grapes which originated from hundreds of miles away on the Mediterranean coast. The archaeologists believe this is evidence of a network of trade within the region. These latest findings match earlier analysis from 2014 of organic material and textiles which indicate a sophisticated society. Despite the claim of minimalists, this is further evidence of an organized and complex tenth-century BC culture thriving in the regions of Israel and Edom, just as the Bible describes, as well as of the military conflicts recorded in Scripture between the Israelites and Edomites in the Arava Valley. In fact, some researchers have suggested that copper may have been the resource at stake in some of these battles.

Off-site Links:
- http://www.livescience.com/57494-fortification-found-israel-mining-camp.html
- http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352409X16305867
- http://www.foxnews.com/science/2017/01/12/king-solomon-era-fort-in-southern-israel-reveals-its-secrets.html

ABR Associate Dr. Doug Petrovich Reveals Ancient "Moses" Inscription posted by Bryan Windle

ABR Associate Dr. Doug Petrovich was recently interviewed on Israel News Live to discuss his new book, The World’s Oldest Alphabet: Hebrew As The Language Of The Proto-Consonantal Script. In the one-hour interview, he reveals how he discovered that the pictographic letters of the early proto-consonantal script were actually evidence of the onset of a written form of the Hebrew language, whose pictographic letters derived from Egyptian hieroglyphs. The entire interview can be viewed here:



According to Dr. Petrovich’s translation, the earliest inscription, dating to 1842, includes the phrase, "Hebrews of Bethel, the beloved." Three of the other inscriptions are discussed in detail, and name three biblical people, including Asenath, the wife of Joseph (Gn 41:45), and Ahisamach, the father of one of the craftsmen who would build the Tabernacle (Ex 35:34). The most exciting inscription, however, may be the one which names Moses and dates to 1446 BC, the year of the Exodus. That inscription reads, "Our bound servitude had lingered, Moses then provoked astonishment."

Top Ten Discoveries in Biblical Archaeology in 2016 posted by Bryan Windle

2016 was a banner year for archaeological discoveries that confirm the reliability of the Bible. From the first-ever Philistine cemetery being unearthed, to a palace from the time of Solomon being discovered at Gezer, to the burial bed from the supposed tomb of Jesus being uncovered for the first time in 500 years, numerous finds illuminated the text of the Old and New Testaments. Some discoveries generated sensational headlines (like the first artifacts to have ever been unearthed in situ on the Temple Mount), while others, like ABR's discovery of numerous coins - including a pristine Tyrian shekel a Khirbet el-Maqatir - quietly added to our growing knowledge of biblical places. Here are the top finds in biblical archaeology in 2016, as chosen by several websites. What finds would be on your personal top ten list?

Off-site Links:
- http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/top-10-biblical-archaeology-discoveries-in-2016/
- http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2016/december-web-only/biblical-archaeology-top-ten-discoveries-of-2016.html
- http://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/1.761814
- https://bryanwindle.wordpress.com/2016/12/29/top-ten-discoveries-in-bible-archaeology-in-2016/

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