What the Bible reveals

Skeptics have always doubted many of the stories in the Bible. The parting of the Red Sea, for instance, is just too magical to be true — exactly the kind of stuff that makes today’s movie fans rave over Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings. The difference, they say, is simply that the people of old were highly gullible and superstitious, while we in the modern times are more analytical- and objective-minded in sifting fact from fiction.

The Biblical story of the Exodus – of God’s delivering Moses and the Israelite people from bondage in Egypt and leading them back to the Promised Land of Canaan – has been called the “central proclamation of the Hebrew Bible.” Yet, outside of the Biblical accounts, archaeologists have found no direct evidence of the Exodus story or that Moses even existed.

Another controversial case is that of Abraham, to whom the Bible traces Israel’s ancestry. According to the book of Genesis, God promised Abraham to be “father of a multitude of nations” and his children would inherit the land of Canaan. The story has been passed down from generation to generation. However, there is no concrete archaeological evidence to support it.

Likewise, David – a central figure in the Old Testament and an ancestor of Jesus – had never been identified in ancient records outside of the Bible. Some hold David to be mere legend, no more than Zorro or Santa Claus. The skeptics’ contention is that many of the Bible stories are mere parables – anecdotes told to convey a moral precept or idea and, as such, should not be taken literally.

Many hard-nosed Christians accuse the archaeologists’ insistence on physical evidence to Biblical claims as borne out of the “prodding of the devil.” This attitude is not at all peculiar. Scientific investigation on matters of faith has always been viewed with disdain by any religion. The common religious standpoint is: “For those who believe, no explanation is necessary. For those who don’t, no explanation is possible.”

Recently, however, scientific and religious positions on several Biblical accounts seem to have converged, at last. In 1993, a stone slab was dug out by an archaeological team excavating the ruins of the ancient Israelite city of Dan in upper Galilee. The stone was part of a monument from the ninth century B.C. and had an inscription commemorating the king of Damascus’s victory over two enemies: the king of Israel and the House of David.

The inscription was written within close proximity to David’s presumed lifetime – not by a Hebrew scribe but by an enemy of the Israelites! The discovery seemed to corroborate the existence of King David’s dynasty and, by implication, the reality of the man himself.

Current studies also tend to prove the actual occurrence of the parting of the Red Sea. There is mounting evidence to connect this Biblical event to a volcanic eruption at Santorini, a small island off Greece. As we know today, volcanic eruptions can trigger seismic activity that can cause tidal waves, which, in turn, are usually preceded by a receding of the coastal waters. Purely a natural phenomenon, scientists say. The miracle is in the perfect timing. The Red Sea receded just in time to let the fleeing Israelites to pass through, and came back in to prevent the Egyptian army from further pursuing them.

The story of Abraham may not have any other record aside from its mention in the Bible. Researchers on the Old Testament are not surprised. It is understandable, they say, that an obscure nomad would not have left as much traces as did the kings and great warriors of his time. The memory of an ordinary man, like Abraham, is often handed down to his descendants only as “family stories.” Generally, slaves, serfs and nomads leave few marks in the archaeological annals.

As regards the Exodus, experts believe that a story tracing a nation’s origin to such humiliating conditions as slavery and oppression cannot possibly be fictional. According to a professor of Biblical studies, no nation would declare for itself “an inglorious tradition of this nature,” unless it had factual basis.

Every small bit of proof in favor of their faith is a reason for believers to celebrate. But unbelievers demand more evidence. Well, it may be just a matter of time. Archaeologists are continually finding new leads, even major discoveries, validating more and more of the Biblical accounts.

It seems like a lot more evidence still lies buried in the grounds of the Holy Land. It seems what the Bible reveals are all true. For now, though, it’s still considerably up to one’s faith. (E-MAIL: [email protected])