Tag Archive for: Deanna Huff

Archaeology Contributes to the Witness of the Bible

Can stones give you insights into the past? What do they tell you? When I encountered the Rosetta Stone at the British Museum, I was surprised that a stone could say so much. Archaeological pieces like this provide a witness to a society in time.

The Rosetta Stone contributes to the witness of the Bible. It also allows us to gain insights into how ancient cultures lived and experienced life. Archaeologist Randall Price states, “The Bible cannot be proved or disproved by archaeology. . . however, archaeology can bring historical confirmation to the historical statements in the text of the Scripture.” [i] Although archaeology cannot provide certainty of the Bible, it is a witness to the Bible, it contributes to its reliability, and it is a voice offering evidence to confirm the claims of the Bible.

Figure 1The Rosetta Stone – Source: Hans Hillewaert, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3153928

Archaeology Reveals Mosaic Authorship as Plausible

Many people believed Moses could not have written the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible) because writing did not go back that far in time. In 1799, however, near Rosetta, Egypt, General Napoleon Bonaparte’s officer discovered the famous Rosetta Stone. After the defeat of Napoleon, it was taken by the British and placed in the British Museum in 1802. It cites the celebration of the first anniversary of Pharoah Ptolemy V in 195 BC. The intriguing factor is that the citation on the stone is written three times in three different languages: Egyptian Hieroglyphics, demotic Egyptian, and Greek capital letters. The Greek text could be read by Greek New Testament scholars, who helped crack the code to hieroglyphs. This revealed the hieroglyphics as more than signs but an actual readable language. The discovery of the bilingual text of the Rosetta Stone provides evidence that readable language existed during the time of Moses. Therefore, Moses could have written the Pentateuch.

Archaeology Reveals Israel as A People

Another discovery that contributes to the witness of the Bible is the Merneptah Steele. It was unearthed in Thebes, Egypt, and could be the earliest reference to the people of Israel outside of the Bible. The black granite was inscribed to honor the various gods and the king’s achievements. “The stela concludes with a short list of cities and people in Canaan also defeated by the king: it includes the phrase ‘Israel is laid waste and his seed is not. Egyptologists agree that of the eight names on the stela, seven refer to a land while the reference to Israel refers to a people group, indicating that at this time Israel was not yet settled in a land it could call its own.” [ii] The Merneptah Stela discloses that by 1209 BC, Israel was described as a people group that fits the period of Judges.

Archaeology is a Contribution to the Reliability of the Bible

Archaeology may not be able to prove the Bible with certainty, but it provides evidence for the reliability of the Bible. The Rosetta Stone and the Merneptah both support the Bible’s reliability. The Rosetta Stone suggests that Moses could write the Pentateuch, while the Merneptah Stele offers support that Israel was an organized nation. [iii] Many other discoveries support the Bible’s reliability, especially after King David’s time, that can be further studied. The Bible has the historical support to assure its reliability.

Understanding the evidence supporting the Bible’s reliability can encourage confidence when reading about God and His witness to the nations. The Bible claims to be the “word of truth” in passages such as “Never take your word of truth from my mouth,” located in Psalm 119:43. Also, in 2 Timothy, which states, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” The Bible was given to people so that we might know God and the way of salvation through Christ. Therefore, archaeology can contribute to the witnessing of the Bible so that people can trust it and know the one true God.

References:

[i] Randall Price, Handbook of Biblical Archaeology (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2017), 26.

[ii] Clive Anderson and Brian Edwards, Evidence for the Bible (England: Day One Publications, 2014), 32.

[iii] [Editor’s note: According to the Bible, Israel was organized under judges around that time, but not under a king. That monarchic period wouldn’t happen till the time of King Saul and David, around 1000 BC, long after the time of Merneptah in Egypt. Israel was a distinct and organized people, even in the time of the judges, and in that sense were a nation.]

Recommended Resources:

What I Discovered Digging in Jerusalem by Eli Shukron (with Frank Turek) (DVD) (Mp4 Download)

The Top Ten Reasons We Know the NT Writers Told the Truth mp3 by Frank Turek

Can All Religions Be True? mp3 by Frank Turek

Debate: Does God Exist? Turek vs. Hitchens (DVD), (mp4 Download) (MP3)

 

Deanna Huff is a wife and mother. She is passionate about teaching others to share and defend their faith, drawing on 25 years of experience in the field. Her publications include contributing chapters to Why Creationism Still Matters and Strong Faith. She currently works at the Museum of the Bible. She has also led many seminars for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Ladies Retreat, and the State Evangelism Conference. In addition, she taught high school students for ten years at Christian Heritage Academy, covering subjects such as Bible, Universal History, Apologetics and Philosophy. Deanna earned a Ph.D. in Theology and Apologetics at Liberty University. She holds a Master of Theology in Apologetics and Worldview from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, a Master of Divinity with Biblical Languages from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Oklahoma. Deanna is an active member of Capitol Hill Baptist Church where she co-hosted a podcast called The Analysis with Pastor Mark DeMoss. She also co-hosted a podcast with her daughter Ellie Huff called but why should i care. She and her husband teach an adult Sunday school class, discipling others in the faith.

Originally posted at: https://bit.ly/41Zc4bl

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Dismantling Doubt

Is God really there for me? God, do you see? Do you hear my prayer? Experiences such as job loss, broken relationships, mental illness, or any unyielding pain can stir up questions of doubt. Doubt is standing at your door desiring to chip away at your faith. During these seasons of sorrow and pain, many days can be filled with questions like: Why are you silent? Why didn’t you save them? Why won’t you show them they are wrong? Will you resolve the situation? When you feel as if there is no answer, doubt festers. Is what I believe true? Lest someone think that non-religious persons are different, C.S. Lewis’s personal comment is very instructive.

“Now that I am a Christian, I do have moods in which the whole thing looks very improbable, but when I was an atheist, I had moods in which Christianity looked terribly probable.”[1]

Evidence can aid in dismantling doubts, and though far from being exhaustive, this article will highlight three reassurances that can start the process of dismantling those doubts about Christianity.

Evidence Reassures

When you doubt, remember you are not alone. Recall John the Baptist who appears to be wrestling with doubt while he is in prison. Although he had baptized Christ, he is later taken to prison and questions if Jesus is the Messiah. Matthew writes, “Now when John, while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” (Matt 11:2-3; NASB). We don’t know exactly what John was thinking, but we do know he is seemingly doubting. Jesus lovingly responds without rebuke and instead sends word of the miracles. Matthew writes, “Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: the blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them” (Matt 11:4-5). The miracles are delivered as signs of comfort to reassure, strengthen, and dismantle the doubt John is experiencing.

Evidence Reminds

Now you might be wondering, where is my miracle to solve my pain and sorrow? It’s possible John the Baptist could have asked the same question. C. S. Lewis notes it seems easy to believe when you are not the patient, but suppose you are in surgery with a good surgeon with wholly good intentions. Lewis writes, “If he yielded to your entreaties if he stopped before the operation was complete, all the pain up to that point would have been useless.“[2] God reminds

us in pain that he is with us and doing something, just like he was with Joseph in the Old Testament (Acts 7:9; 2 Cor 4:16-18; Rom 5:3-5). Remember when Job was suffering, and his wife wanted him to curse God? He asked a significant question, “Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity” (Job 2:10)?

In times of questioning and doubt, who is Jesus? He is the Son of Man who came to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many (Matt 20:28). His life reminds us of his love for us. The eyewitness accounts remind us that Jesus, too, suffered for a little while, but ultimately, He conquered death. 1 Corinthians 15:3-7 spotlights the eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. Paul writes to remind the believer that Cephas, James, the Twelve, and more than five hundred brothers, and sisters witnessed Christ overcoming death.

Evidence Transforms

The disciples in 1 Corinthians 15:3-7 are the same disciples who had earlier abandoned Jesus during his trial before his crucifixion. The ones that lacked the courage to stand with Jesus possibly due to their doubts or uncertainty. What changed? Jesus’s disciples and Paul were transformed after their encounter with the risen Jesus. They became bold witnesses willing to die for Christ. Paul changed from persecuting Christians to sharing the gospel with the world. Why would anyone be willing to face persecution or die for something that is untrue? Sean McDowell attests regarding the Apostles of Christ historically “The evidence shows that some really died as martyrs, and that none recanted.”[3]

Transformation for people happens all the time; what is different about the disciples? They were eyewitnesses; they did not believe in a tradition. They believed what they saw firsthand. Too, these transformational encounters with the risen Jesus provide hope for us in our doubt. John is providing encouragement to the followers of Jesus stating, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). It is so we may know and believe. This is encouragement for all believers.

Summing it all up

In conclusion, please note this is not a one-stop article that erases all doubt or pain, but it is a reminder that you are not alone in your doubt, and contemplating the evidence can reassure, remind, and transform our hearts through the work of the Holy Spirit. God is there for you and uses human agents in the Church to encourage us as we wrestle with doubt. People have wrestled with the ways of God throughout the Psalms and many other pages of the Bible. But hopefully, as you work through your doubts, this evidence can play a role in strengthening the weary traveler. The disciples testify to the risen Lord. He will one day establish a government with perfect justice and love. He will wipe away every tear, and suffering will be no more; doubt will be gone. Until then, don’t lose heart in your doubts; wrestle through them and ask God to dismantle doubts by reassuring, reminding, and transforming you to see with his eyes and heart.

 

Footnotes

[1] C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1952), p. 123.

[2] C. S. Lewis, A Grief Observed (New York, NY: Harper One, 1961), 43.

[3] Sean McDowell, The Fate of the Apostles (Burlington, VA: Ashgate Publishing, 2015), 260.

 

Recommended resources related to the topic:

I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist (Paperback), and (Sermon) by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek

The New Testament: Too Embarrassing to Be False by Frank Turek (DVD, Mp3, and Mp4)

Why We Know the New Testament Writers Told the Truth by Frank Turek (DVD, Mp3 and Mp4)

When Reason Isn’t the Reason for Unbelief by Dr. Frank Turek DVD and Mp4

Oh, Why Didn’t I Say That? The Hiddenness of God: Why Isn’t God More Obvious? by Dr. Frank Turek DVD, Mp3, and Mp4 Download

 

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Deanna Huff is a wife and mother. She has been teaching and training for the last twenty years equipping people to know their Christian faith and share it with others. She has led many seminars for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Ladies Retreat, and the State Evangelism Conference. She taught high school students for ten years at Christian Heritage Academy, in Bible, Universal History, Apologetics and Philosophy. Deanna is a Ph.D. candidate in Apologetics and Theology at Liberty University. She holds a Master of Theology in Apologetics and Worldview from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, a Master of Divinity with Biblical Languages from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Oklahoma.

Originally posted at: https://bellatorchristi.com/2024/02/04/dismantling-doubt/

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Archaeology and Apologetics

By Deanna Huff

Upon entering the British Museum, the first display I encountered was the Assyrian section. The room was full of rocks voicing stories of the past. My breath was taken away as I realized I was standing in ancient history hearing the words of kings and their people.

The stones that surrounded me were the same stones that stood during the times of the kings of the Bible. Stones testify as memorials even in the ancient time period. Joshua was commanded,

Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests’ feet stood firmly and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.…When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ Then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So, these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever. (Josh 4:3-7 ESV)

Archaeology – The Black Obelisk

The Assyrian Black Obelisk memorial dates from 825 BC and it was discovered in 1846 in Turkey. The relief sculpture attests the military achievements of King Shalmaneser III and his chief minister. These monuments inspired people with patriotism and unity for their society. The obelisk reveals kings of surrounding nations paying tribute to King Shalmaneser III in five scenes on five rows. Foreign kings are bowing down to King Shalmaneser III to indicate he is the ultimate king of the land.

The significance of the discovery for the biblical world is located on the second row of the obelisk. It identifies King Jehu (2 Kings 10:34) paying homage and presenting gifts to King Shalmaneser. This is the only contemporary carving of an Israelite king mentioned in the kings.

Apologetics – The Stones Provide Evidence

Archaeology like the Black Obelisk provides support for the reliability of the Old Testament. It offers a historical confirmation to the stories of the Scriptures. Dr. Price states, “archaeology aids in bringing the theological message of the Bible into a real world context where real faith is possible.”[1] Historical affirmations of the Bible can strengthen and enrich a person’s faith. Archaeology should not be overstated, at the same time it should not be understated.

The ancients left behind stones that speak truths of the past to the hearers of today. Discovering historical details of the ancients promotes accuracy of the biblical text. For example, “Excavations at Te Miqne uncovered an inscription that conclusively identified the site as biblical Ekron, a Philistine city mentioned in the Old Testament from the time of the conquest through the postexilic period.”[2] Other beneficial finds such as, the Merneptah Stele, the Rosetta Stone and the Sheba inscription confirm the world that interacted with the Bible.

Stones unearthed in archaeology today are sharing stories of the past and they are complimenting the historical accuracy of the Bible. Therefore, let us be awestruck when encountering the voices of the past as we walk through the halls of museums and use that knowledge to season our discussions with others to share the stories that matter for life.

Footnotes

[1] Randall Price, Handbook of Biblical Archaeology (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2017), 27.

[2] Ibid.

Recommended resources related to the topic:

Science Doesn’t Say Anything, Scientists Do by Dr. Frank Turek (DVD, Mp3, and Mp4)

I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist (Paperback), and (Sermon) by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek

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Deanna Huff is a wife and mother. She has been teaching and training for the last twenty years equipping people to know their Christian faith and share it with others. She has led many seminars for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Ladies Retreat, and the State Evangelism Conference. She taught high school students for ten years at Christian Heritage Academy, in Bible, Universal History, Apologetics and Philosophy. Deanna is a Ph.D. candidate in Apologetics and Theology at Liberty University. She holds a Master of Theology in Apologetics and Worldview from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, a Master of Divinity with Biblical Languages from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Oklahoma.

Original Blog: https://bit.ly/3CtW307

 

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