KACS Radio Network

The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. You shall keep them, O Lord, You shall preserve them from this generation forever. Psalm 12:6, 7.

What concrete evidence do we have that the Bible is historically accurate? Is there reliable information regarding names, places and geographical locations in Scripture? Discoveries in the past 200 years demonstrate the validity of God’s Word. Archaeology does not prove the Bible is divinely inspired, but it does provide a basis for belief. Demonstrating the accuracy of scores of biblical details, it supports our faith. The past two centuries have provided us with a number of remarkable archaeological finds. Here are just a few.

The Moabite Stone, discovered in 1868 in Jordan, confirms the Moabite attacks on Israel as recorded in 2 Kings 1 and 3. This is hard evidence from outside the Bible of a specific event recorded by writers of Scripture. Following the death of Israel’s king Ahab in 853 B.C., the king of Moab attacked Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. Through the miraculous intervention of God the Israelites Arose up and attacked the Moabites, so that they fled before them . . .” 2 Kings 3:24 The Moabite Stone precisely records the Moabite defeat and their subsequent retreat as outlined in the Bible.

One of the most amazing finds of the twentieth century was the "Lachish Letters,” discovered from 1932 to 1938. These incredible documents found 24 miles north of Beersheba describe the attack of Nebuchadnezzar on Jerusalem in 586 B.C. They detail Jerusalem’s fall from the perspective of Babylon. The Lachish Letters confirm the historical accuracy of Jerusalem’s fall. They testify to the truthfulness of the inspired prophets in Chronicles, Isaiah, and Jeremiah, who spoke of Babylon’s attack on Jerusalem.

Another almost unbelievable find is the Cyrus Cylinder, made of clay. This record describes Cyrus, the Persian king, including his overthrow of Babylon and the deliverance of the Jewish captives in 539 B.C. This archaeological find is especially significant when one considers that Cyrus was named more than 150 years before his birth, in Isaiah 44:27,28 and Isaiah 45:1 as God’s chosen Ashepherd” who would carry out the deliverance of Israel.

These discoveries, along with scores of others, continue to confirm the accuracy and reliability of the Bible. They speak eloquently of a God who has not left Himself without a witness in the world. They testify powerfully that we can have absolute confidence in the integrity of the Scriptures. Praise God that His Word still stands.