You’d think they would learn. You’d think they would figure this out, especially people who are so smart, with so many letters after their names they could start a new language. Yet for a long time the existence of the Biblical Ur of the Chaldees, Abraham and Sarah’s hometown, was denied. Several excavations were begun in the early twentieth century, but Sir Charles Leonard Woolley, a British archaeologist, finally put the question to rest. From The Bible As History by Werner Keller: “Under the red slopes of Tell al Muqayyar lay a whole city…awakened from its long sleep after many thousand years…Woolley and his companions were beside themselves with joy…for before them lay the Ur of the Chaldees to which the Bible refers.”
Where today sits a railway station 120 miles north of Basra, Woolley found many closely situated private homes along with their broken pots, cuneiform texts, and even some gold jewelry. He found silver lyres and other musical instruments and even a royal game board, complete with “men” to travel the wooden board.
What he discovered, in essence, was the ancient Sumerian civilization, He also discovered royal tombs dating from 2700 BC. It became apparent to these scientists than these tombs also contained the king’s personal retinue, people buried alive in a form of large scale human sacrifice. Is there any wonder God would have called his righteous servant away from that society? And Joshua said to all the people, Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods. Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan, and made his offspring many, Josh 24:2,3. And so the Bible once again is proven not only accurate, but logical.
Woolley’s faith may not have been as fundamental as we would like--he discovered evidence of a great flood in the area but you and I would not have agreed with all of his conclusions in that regard. However, he seemed to work like this: the Bible says it existed so he went looking for it. How many others deny the witness of the Scriptures until their noses are rubbed in it?
Charles Woolley died on this day in 1960. Perhaps we can use this as a reminder. More and more the world considers the Bible as anything but the Word of God. Instead, they say, it is a book of myths and interesting stories. Jesus was not the Son of God either; he was just a good rabbi. Maybe it is time we spoke out more. Are we embarrassed to be seen as ignorant yokels because we believe the scriptures to be the authentic and infallible Word of an Almighty Creator? Do we water down the truths revealed in it because they are no longer politically correct?
It was easy to believe when most of our neighbors did. It was easy to say, “The Bible says…” when we knew that statement would carry some weight. Despite the fact that over and over discoveries are made to prove the factual content of the Bible, people still find reason not to accept it. They always will. Just read the first few chapters of Exodus. Just read the gospels. When people do not want to accept the accountability demanded of us by the Bible, they will reject it. They will find every excuse in the world to say, “That’s different,” when the only difference is it refers directly to their lifestyles and habits.
Say thank you today to Sir Charles Leonard Woolley, but only if you will use his discovery to cement your faith and allow it to change your will.
But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ He who will hear, let him hear; and he who will refuse to hear, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house, Ezek 3:27.
Dene Ward
Where today sits a railway station 120 miles north of Basra, Woolley found many closely situated private homes along with their broken pots, cuneiform texts, and even some gold jewelry. He found silver lyres and other musical instruments and even a royal game board, complete with “men” to travel the wooden board.
What he discovered, in essence, was the ancient Sumerian civilization, He also discovered royal tombs dating from 2700 BC. It became apparent to these scientists than these tombs also contained the king’s personal retinue, people buried alive in a form of large scale human sacrifice. Is there any wonder God would have called his righteous servant away from that society? And Joshua said to all the people, Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods. Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan, and made his offspring many, Josh 24:2,3. And so the Bible once again is proven not only accurate, but logical.
Woolley’s faith may not have been as fundamental as we would like--he discovered evidence of a great flood in the area but you and I would not have agreed with all of his conclusions in that regard. However, he seemed to work like this: the Bible says it existed so he went looking for it. How many others deny the witness of the Scriptures until their noses are rubbed in it?
Charles Woolley died on this day in 1960. Perhaps we can use this as a reminder. More and more the world considers the Bible as anything but the Word of God. Instead, they say, it is a book of myths and interesting stories. Jesus was not the Son of God either; he was just a good rabbi. Maybe it is time we spoke out more. Are we embarrassed to be seen as ignorant yokels because we believe the scriptures to be the authentic and infallible Word of an Almighty Creator? Do we water down the truths revealed in it because they are no longer politically correct?
It was easy to believe when most of our neighbors did. It was easy to say, “The Bible says…” when we knew that statement would carry some weight. Despite the fact that over and over discoveries are made to prove the factual content of the Bible, people still find reason not to accept it. They always will. Just read the first few chapters of Exodus. Just read the gospels. When people do not want to accept the accountability demanded of us by the Bible, they will reject it. They will find every excuse in the world to say, “That’s different,” when the only difference is it refers directly to their lifestyles and habits.
Say thank you today to Sir Charles Leonard Woolley, but only if you will use his discovery to cement your faith and allow it to change your will.
But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ He who will hear, let him hear; and he who will refuse to hear, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house, Ezek 3:27.
Dene Ward
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