(Image by kyle simourd via Flickr)

A group of 70 or so lead “mini-books” were apparently discovered by Bedouins in a remote valley of northern Jordan sometime between 2005 and 2007.

The small books, or “codices”, appear to be made of cast lead and bound by lead rings with each page or leaf approximately the size of a credit card and each contain images and text written in Ancient Hebrew. See the pictures.

Scholars who have examined the relics believe that they are early Jewish Christian artifacts possibly dating from the period between the crucifixion of Jesus and the early writings of Paul. If so, these writings could do for early Christian studies what the Dead Sea scrolls have done for early Judaism and OT Hebrew Bible scholarship.

The artifacts found in a remote cave in Jordan are now in the possession of a Bedouin who lives in Israel and the Jordanian government is trying to get them back.

Response: The possibilities are exciting. However until scholars are able to procure the relics and subject them to proper testing all of the sensational claims in the various articles about them are just that. Unsubstantiated claims.

<<Read the rest of what I have to say about it on the Apologetica page>>            *Top

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Lately it has become fashionable to question whether the Biblical accounts of a strong kingdom ruled by David and Solomon could have even existed in the 10 century BC (BCE).

Many scholars consider the accounts to be rather mythical in nature. Now a recent archaeological finding lends strong support to the Biblical record.

Eilat Mazar, from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, says of her find -an ancient wall:

“It’s the most significant construction we have from First Temple days in Israel.”

“It means that at that time, the 10th century, in Jerusalem there was a regime capable of carrying out such construction.”

<<Read the rest on my Apologetica page>>                *Top

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• Hebrew University archaeologist discovers Jerusalem city wall from tenth century B.C.E. (scienceblog.com)
• In ancient wall, scholar sees proof for Bible (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Ancient Jerusalem Wall Provides Proof For Bible Stories, Archaeologist Says (huffingtonpost.com)
• King Solomon era relics found in Jerusalem dig (tech.bl0x.info)

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The Iraqi government is in the process of erasing all Hebrew and Jewish markings on the Tomb of Ezekiel and plans to build a huge new mosque over the site. The burial site of Ezekiel is located in Al-Kifl, just south of Baghdad and has been a pilgrimage destination for Jews and Christians for centuries.

The new plans for the site were reported the first week of January by Ur News, the Iraqi news agency. Meanwhile, Shelomo Alfassa, Director of Justice for Jews from Arab Countries, responded:

(Iraq’s Antiquities & Heritage Authority) “has been pressured by Islamists to historically cleanse all evidence of a Jewish connection to Iraq – a land where Jews had lived for over a thousand years before the advent of Islam.”

The desecration of the tomb is taking place under “the pretext of restoring the site.”

Response:Shades of the Taliban and 1,400 year old Buddha sculptures.  Another case where Islamic officials are involved with trying to erase and eliminate the artifacts of another religion.

Is this why we sacrificed so much to free the Iraqi people? So that they could become Islamists and erase the Jewish heritage from their land and persecute Christians?

This is an outrage! Also the story has gotten almost no attention from the world media.                *Top

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An Israeli Scholar recently concluded that parts of the Bible were probably written far earlier than most modern scholars thought. Professor Gershon Galil of the University of Haifa came to that conclusion after translating an inscription on a 3,000 year old piece of pottery.

<<Read the Rest on my Apologetica page>>           *Top

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"This seems to confirm the unanimous and undisputed tradition that these are the mortal remains of the Apostle Paul."

Are these Really the bones of the Apostle Paul?

Dr. Andrew Jackson of the SmartChristian blog calls this “very speculative” and I agree. <<Read my conclusions on the Apologetica page>>            *Top

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(Shrine where the Ethiopian Ark is housed)

The Orthodox Church of Ethiopia has claimed for years that they actually have the original Ark of the Covenant spoken of in the Bible. One of the problems with the claim is that they have never allowed archeologists to inspect or test the artifact which most scholars believe is a mere copy at best.

However, the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church has recently announced that he will be unveiling it for all the world to see very soon. Does that mean scholars will finally have access to the ark? Probably not.

<<Read the Rest on my Apologetica page>>            *Top

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The discovery of this shard could go a long ways towards supporting the Bible and towards dispelling some of the recent theories against the accuracy of Biblical accounts.                   <<Read my complete article>>              *Top

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