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If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Dead Men Tell Tales - -Author: Harry Rimmer - -Release Date: September 23, 2021 [eBook #66366] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Stephen Hutcheson and the Online Distributed Proofreading - Team at https://www.pgdp.net - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DEAD MEN TELL TALES *** - - - [Illustration: Anthropoid Sarcophagus, or Cartonnage] - - - - - Dead Men Tell Tales - - - by - HARRY RIMMER, D. D., Sc. D. - - _With 37 Plate Illustrations in the Text_ - - _Eleventh Edition_ - - _Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co._ - _Grand Rapids, Michigan_ - - - Dead Men Tell Tales - BY HARRY RIMMER, D.D., SC.D. - - _Copyright 1939 by - Research Science Bureau, Incorporated - Printed in the United States of America - All rights in this book are reserved - No part of the book may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without - written permission. - For information address the publishers._ - - ELEVENTH EDITION - - - - - FOREWORD - - -In an older generation, especially among the writers of the more lurid -types of fiction, it was an accepted axiom that “Dead men tell no -tales!” But this was before the great era of modern archeology had -impressed its findings on the general public, and indeed before most of -those discoveries had been made. - -Our generation knows better. Dead men _do_ tell tales, and marvelous and -wonderful are the stories they bring to us. By means of an archeological -resurrection, the great men of antiquity are with us again. Once more we -hear the accounts of their fascinating lives and adventures, and read -again the records of their culture. The tongueless tombs of the distant -past have suddenly become vocal, and this mighty chorus of the dead -great has forced us to revise many of our once cherished opinions. - -Nowhere is this more strikingly true than in the case of the coincidence -of these old ages with the page of the Holy Bible. The richest finds of -archeology come to us from the very periods of history that are dealt -with in the pages of Holy Writ, and names that were known only from the -record of the Scripture are now the common possession of the scholarly -world. So much is this the case, that we have a new technique of Bible -study in our day. Just as the microscope is the instrument for the study -of biology, and the spectroscope has become the means of study in -physics, so the Bible is best read today in the light that is reflected -upon its pages from the blade of a spade! This, of course, is intended -to apply to the historical sections of the Book, and refers to the -problem of its authenticity and historicity. It still remains true that -_spiritual_ understanding of its message can be derived only from study -that is supervised and directed by the Holy Spirit. - -This volume, the fourth in the promised series to be known as the - - “JOHN LAURENCE FROST - MEMORIAL LIBRARY” - -will deal with some of those fascinating discoveries that bear -particularly on the problem of the Old Testament. The succeeding and -companion volume, which will be entitled “Crying Stones,” will deal in -like manner with the records of the New Testament. - -The material contained in this apologetic is derived from various -sources. Much of it came from records in the famed British Museum, in -London, England. This marvelous storehouse of treasure from the most -remote antiquity is the greatest collection of evidence bearing upon -these questions, that is at present in the possession of man. There is -scarcely a section of the Bible that does not receive some -authentication from the limitless wealth of this noble treasury. - -A great deal of the remainder of this information and proof has been -derived from other museums, such as the Egyptian Museum at Cairo, Egypt, -and the Museum of the University of Pennsylvania. Much of the contents -of this book has come from the excavations now in progress in Egypt, and -from the ruins at Sakkara, Luxor, Karnak, Iraq, and other centers of -present activity. The earth seems eager indeed to offer its treasures of -proof concerning the Word of God. - -The author is especially grateful for the help accorded to him in Egypt -by Mr. and Mrs. Erian Boutros of Cairo, and by certain officials of the -Egyptian government, chief of whom in helpfulness was M. Abdul Nabi, and -the Egyptian Tourist Bureau, whose gracious efforts on our behalf won us -many privileges from the Department of Antiquities. - -The illustrations used in this volume are largely from the author’s own -photographs of exhibits and evidences, made by him and presented with -the assurance that they are not retouched or altered in any manner. In -the course of his studies and travels in search of this material, he -made hundreds of negatives, only a few of which appear in this work. The -exceptions to this are noted where they appear. The zinc etchings are -made from original drawings by Miss Elizabeth Elverhoy from our -photographs, and are authentic in all details. - -We hand you now Tales of Dead Men, rendered by Men Long Dead, as they -unconsciously accredit the sacred page of the Word of God. If you have a -tithe of the pleasure and profit in the reading of these pages that we -have experienced in the gathering of their contents, we shall be repaid -for the labor involved. - - - - - CONTENTS - - - Chapter I The Premise Stated 13 - Chapter II The Tides of Culture 37 - Chapter III Converging Streams of Revelation and History 55 - Chapter IV Modern Science and the Ten Plagues of Egypt 85 - Chapter V Sources 125 - Chapter VI Fragments 163 - Chapter VII The Rebirth of an Empire 195 - Chapter VIII The Resurrection of Edom 225 - Chapter IX The Brazen Shields of Rehoboam 247 - Chapter X Mingled Voices 269 - Chapter XI Vindication of Daniel 317 - Bibliography 349 - - - - - LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - Anthropoid Sarcophagus, or Cartonnage Frontispiece - Egyptians at a wine orgy Facing Page 32 - Crude hieroglyphics on an ancient statue 33 - Example of embellished statue 40 - Colossi at Luxor 41 - The Sheltered Wife 41 - Khnum and Thoth in Creation Tradition 56 - Colossi of Karnak 64 - Colossi of Luxor 64 - Colossi of Amen-Hetep III guarding Valley of Kings 65 - At Tomb of Tutanhkamen 65 - Open burial 72 - Mural from an ancient tomb: Butchers at work 73 - The god Hapi drawing the Two Kingdoms into one 73 - Mace-head in British Museum 128 - Cuneiform writing and sculpture on stone weapon 129 - Ancient seals depicting historic events 136 - Section of funerary papyrus, showing progress of the soul 137 - Herds of cattle, such as Hyksos kings possessed 160 - Ancient mural: Slaughter of cattle 161 - Papyrus showing capture of quail 161 - Cartonnage in the anthropoid sarcophagus 168 - Outside and inside writings and decorations on anthropoid - sarcophagus 169 - Detailed study of outside and inside of anthropoid coffin 176 - Outside of rectangular coffin covered with writings 176 - Murals and frescoes from tomb walls 177 - Commemorative stele 184 - Ancient boundary markers 185 - Stone ouches, or door-sockets 192 - The famed Black Obelisk, which confirmed record of Jehu 193 - Hamath inscription 195 - Small ivory lion from Ahab’s palace 200 - Fragmentary frieze showing ancient chariots 201 - Hittite inscription 208 - Egyptian funerary papyri 209 - Monuments of Petra, showing ruins from one direction 216 - Monuments of Petra, looking in opposite direction 217 - The rough approach to Petra 240 - Approaching Petra by way of the main siq 241 - “El Kahzne”, the Temple of the Urn 248 - Building carved from living stone 249 - El Deir 256 - Additional view of El Deir 257 - En route to the “High Place” 264 - The Altar of Sacrifice 265 - - - - - CHAPTER I - The Premise Stated - - -In the romantic vocabulary of the twentieth century few words are more -potent to arouse the interest of the average man than the fascinating -word “archeology.” A flood of volumes has come forth from the press of -our generation covering almost every phase of this now popular science. -After one hundred years of steady plodding and determined digging, this -school of research has at last come into its own and today occupies -deserved prominence in the world of current literature. This science, -which deals exclusively with dead races and the records of their conduct -is, to many, the most fascinating field of investigation at present open -to the inquiring mind of man. Nothing is of such interest to the human -as is humanity. The study of the life and record of our own kind rightly -means more to us than can most other subjects. - -But the true appreciation of the value of the contribution of archeology -to our modern learning can be appreciated only by those who grasp an -outstanding fact that should be self-apparent, but is so often -overlooked: Namely, these records derived from musty tombs and burial -mounds constitute the daily events in the lives of _human beings_! The -folks who left these records were ordinary people such as make up the -nations of the earth today. They are not merely names on tablets or -faces carved in stone. They were actual flesh-and-blood individuals with -all that this implies. In hours of merriment they laughed, and they shed -tears in moments of sorrow. They hungered, and ate for satisfaction; -they drank when they were thirsty. They loved and they hated; they lived -and they died. Pleasure and pain were their alternating companions, -while ambition, aspiration, and hope drove them on the endless round of -their daily tasks. - -In a word, they were _real_. Their life was as important to them as is -your life, and they lived it in much the same way. Therefore, the -records written by humans and studied by their kind, who now live these -thousands of years later, constitute the source of the most human -science with which our generation has to deal. - -The contributions of archeology have reached almost every branch of -study, but to no particular group of people have they been more timely -and valuable than to students of the Bible. The hoary antiquity of the -Book which has been received in every generation by the intelligent and -the discerning as the Word of God, has its roots in the same generations -that archeology is investigating today. It is inevitable that much of -the material being recovered by modern excavations shall have important -bearing upon the various questions skepticism may raise concerning the -text of the Scripture. - -To the open-minded scholar who approaches this subject without -prejudice, the science of archeology has a twofold contribution to make. -Some of the evidences derived from digging are (a) of incalculable value -in illuminating the text of the Scripture, and are (b) equally priceless -when viewed as a body of indisputable evidence. Under this latter -heading the proofs would come into four classifications: - - 1. The historicity of the text - 2. The accuracy of the account - 3. The authenticity of the record - 4. The inspiration of the whole - -By way of illustrating the manner in which the Scripture may be -illumined by the findings of archeology, we would introduce a -semi-humorous and partially tragic event that occurred in the dim and -distant days of our own earlier studies. During a short term spent at a -well known California college, we were specializing in the field of -history. The teacher of this course, Professor Rosenberger, was one of -the ablest pedagogues who ever wasted her life in the more or less -important task of teaching a rising generation how to think! At the end -of the first few weeks in a class in English history, she informed the -student group that the following day we would be privileged to have a -test in this particular subject. When the class gathered for the happy -event, there were twenty questions written on the board which were to -constitute our examination. - -The first question was something like this, “What new treaty had just -been signed between France and Spain at this particular period?” - -The next question had to do with the political commitments of the Holy -Roman Empire. - -The third question took us into the Germanic states, and in all of the -twenty questions not one word concerning England was mentioned! - -As the class sat with the usual and habitual expression of vacuity which -generally adorns the countenance of a college student facing a quiz, the -Professor said, “You may begin.” - -Some hapless wight procured the courage to protest, by saying, “But you -said this was to be an examination in English history!” - -The Professor replied, “Quite so! This _is_ English history!” - -Then leaning forward over the desk she said, in impressive tones, “How -can you expect to know what England is doing, and why, if you do not -know the pressure upon her of her enemies and friends at that particular -period?” - -A long distance back in our mental vacuum a dim light began to glow, and -we never were caught that way again! When the teacher said French -history, we read everything else! When she said German history, we -specialized on the surrounding countries. One day as we were thinking -over this helpful technique of understanding, the idea began to grow -that if this was the proper way to study secular history, _it ought to -apply to Bible study as well_! - -There is an illumination that brightens the meaning of the Sacred Text -when read in the light of collateral events that can come no other way. -As an instance of this, we will remind the reader of the background of -Isaiah. When this prophet first began to write, there was trouble -between Israel, the northern confederation, and Judah, the southern -kingdom. The king of Israel at this time was Pekah, the son of Remaliah, -and although his people were numerically superior to Judah, he was -fearful that he might not be strong enough to overcome the southern -kingdom in the threatened war. Therefore, he made a close alliance with -Rezin, the king of Syria, promising him all the spoils of the battle, if -he would aid with his army and strength. The Syrian king hastened to -accept this offer, and signed the required covenant. When this alliance -became known in Judah, a natural alarm spread throughout the tiny -kingdom. Realizing that they were incapable of resisting the strong -forces of Israel and Syria which had combined against them, the princes -of Judah desired outside help. The only apparent source of such -assistance was Egypt. So in the court of Ahaz, the king of Judah, a -strong party began agitating for a military alliance with Egypt. That -being the only apparent aid within any reasonable distance, it seemed -natural to turn to them for a military alliance. - -The prophet Isaiah, who was a strong force and exercised a vital -influence in the policies of Judah, began to object most strenuously. In -the light of this background, we can understand such outbursts of Isaiah -as are found in the thirtieth chapter of his prophecy, verses one to -three: - - “Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, - but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my Spirit, - that they may add sin to sin: - - “That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to - strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the - shadow of Egypt! - - “Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust - in the shadow of Egypt your confusion.” - -His protest seems to reach a climax in the thirty-first chapter in that -magnificently written plea for faith in God which we find in these -graphic words: - - “Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and - trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because - they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, - neither seek the Lord! - - “Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his - words: but will arise against the house of the evil doers, and against - the help of them that work iniquity. - - “Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and - not spirit. When the Lord shall stretch out his hand, both he that - helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they - all shall fail together.” - -All through this period of prophecy, Isaiah’s voice is aggressively -raised against the folly of trusting Egypt. His protest is, “Since God -redeemed us once from bondage in that land, why put ourselves back again -under their yoke?” - -The princes replied in some such terms as this: “The objection is o. k. -_in principle_; as a basic thesis we will admit that it is safe to trust -in God. But right now we need real help and we need it in a hurry.” - -The prophet cried out in response, “God will send the help that you -need!” - -The natural question was “Whence? Syria and Egypt are the only two -powers near us. One is arrayed against us and the help of the other you -forbid us to seek. Whence then is the aid that God will send?” - -The prophet’s reply was short and terse, “God will send aid from very -far off.” - -The reluctant court agreed to take a chance on Isaiah’s insistence, and -so to trust their cause to the God of Israel. Quickly, then, upon the -heels of this decision, as we learn from the records of archeology, -there came one of the earlier battles that were fought at Charchemish. - -The rising power of Assyria first made itself felt in that engagement. -As a result, Syria was shattered and Israel made captive. The help that -God had promised did come, and now the definite prophecy of Isaiah, in -chapters seven and eight, may be correlated into this simple summary; -and against this background we can understand the vehemence of Isaiah in -crying out against an alliance with Egypt. - -It is not too much to say, as we shall later show in detail, that in our -present possession there is sufficient knowledge derived from the -monuments and records of antiquity to authenticate every prophecy that -Isaiah made concerning Egypt, Israel, Syria, and Assyria. Thus the text -of the Old Testament is illumined, and a floodlight of understanding -thrown upon its prophetic utterance by the findings in this field. - -Even more striking is the contribution of archeology in the second -field, that of evidence in defense of the accepted text. The museums, -monuments, and libraries of the world are teeming with such evidences, -and it shall be the purpose of this volume to condense, epitomize, and -present much of that evidence in a simple and readable form, divorced -from technical obscurities. Right here, however, we offer just one -simple illustration under each of the subdivisions suggested in the -paragraph above. - -To demonstrate the evidence of the Bible’s historicity, we shall offer -the illustration made famous by the late Dr. Robert Dick Wilson, as to -the record of the forty-seven kings of antiquity. It is probably known -to the reader that the historical sections of the Old Testament contain -the names of forty-seven kings, aside from the rulers of Israel and -Judah. These foreign, or Gentile kings, have been known by name for many -centuries to every reader of the Old Testament. - -The odd thing is that until comparatively recent times, these names had -been dropped out of secular history. Mighty as these men had each been -in his day, they were completely forgotten by posterity and for some -twenty-three hundred years their names were unknown to the scholars of -secular events. For this reason the learned leaders of “higher -criticism” relegated these forty-seven monarchs to the columns of -mythology. They were grouped among “the fables and folklore of the Old -Testament” which this deluded school mistakenly taught was one of the -basic weaknesses of the text. Then one after another these disputed -monarchs began to rise from the dead in an archeological resurrection. -In some cases a burial mound was uncovered; in others, an annalistic -tablet, a boundary marker, or a great building inscribed with the -monarch’s name. Now, all forty-seven of these presumably fabulous -characters have been transferred from the columns of “mythology” to the -accepted records of established history. - -In forty-seven specific instances, as these kings rose from the dead -past, they were recognized, as their names were not strange to true -historians. Each was remembered from his appearance in the page of the -Old Testament which had preserved his memory with accuracy. Thus, in -this simple instance there are forty-seven definite and specific -evidences of the complete historicity of the text. - -To stress this point, the accuracy of the record, we shall cite a -semi-humorous illustration. The great Greek historian, Herodotus, who is -supposed to be the “Father of History,” wrote some more or less accurate -observations concerning the land of Egypt. Among other things, he said -that the Egyptians grew no grapes and drank no wine. - -There was another ancient who preceded this historian by many centuries, -who also wrote voluminously about Egypt and her customs. This was the -man Moses, who being reared in the bosom of the royal family as the -crown prince and heir apparent, might be presumed to know considerably -more about Egyptian customs than any casual visitor. Moses stated that -the Egyptians _did_ grow grapes and that they _did_ drink wine. In fact, -he recounts that Joseph was in jail with the chief cupbearer of Pharaoh, -the butler whose business was the purveying of wine to the royal table. -It may be remembered that in the butler’s dream he saw himself _standing -by the vine, squeezing the grapes into the cup_. - -This brought these two authorities into sharp opposition. Since -Herodotus was supposed to be the final authority on matters of -antiquity, the critics fell upon this discrepancy with considerable -glee. The argument might still be going on, if it were not for the -discovery of an unquestionable bit of evidence among the frescoes that -decorate the tombs of Egyptian antiquity. These frescoes showed the -Egyptians engaged in the art of viticulture. In some of these pictures -they were dressing and pruning the vines, cultivating and tending their -crop. In others of the pictures they were seen to be gathering the -grapes and conveying them to the press. The ingenious method of -extracting the juice was clearly portrayed in these illuminating -frescoes, which showed the juice being stored in stone jugs, clay pots, -and skin bottles for future use. Since the ancients called any fruit -juice that was used for drinking purposes by the name of wine, whether -it was fresh or sweet, it is highly probable that some of this juice was -drunk in an unfermented condition. - -However, one of the murals depicted an Egyptian party gathered around -the banquet board, making merry with the juice of the grape (See -Plate 1). The incidental evidences show very clearly that the juice was -fermented. Off in the corner, the picture depicts a noble lady who is -portrayed with her slave holding a silver bowl, while she gave up the -excess fluids that had evidently disagreed with the more commendable -parts of the banquet! Another of these murals showed the morning light -coming into such a banqueting hall, as the slaves were all carrying -their masters home; with the exception of one inebriate who had slid -under the table and had evidently been overlooked in the excitement! - -Did the Egyptians grow grapes and drink wine? - -Herodotus said “No.” - -Moses said “Yes.” - -The critics, to their later embarrassment, lined up solidly with -Herodotus. - -But since archeology has accredited the accuracy of Moses, this argument -is no longer heard in the halls of learning. - -When we come to the question of authenticity, we shall later give many -evidences that none of the records of the Bible, either the Old -Testament or the New, are, in any sense of the word, forgeries. They are -uniformly authentic in that they were written by the men whose names -they bear. - -A classical illustration of this is found in the fact that Sir William -Ramsay, one of the greatest archeologists of our generation, began his -work in his early days under the bias of the critical position that Luke -was not the author of either the Gospel that bears his name or the book -of the Acts of the Apostles. After forty years of research in Asia -Minor, Sir William Ramsay himself discovered the evidence that converted -him personally to the orthodox and historical view, and demonstrated -conclusively that Luke unquestionably wrote the two books that are -accredited to him. As we shall deal with this matter more extensively in -the fifth volume of this series, we pass on to the present cause of -modern controversy, namely, the inspiration of the text. - -The fact of inspiration is stated so often by the writers of the -Scripture that we must accept their explanation of the origin of these -pages, or else classify them as the most consistent liars that humanity -has ever produced. They claim a supernatural guidance by the Holy Ghost -which has kept their records free from error or discrepancy. For one who -has examined and analyzed the Scripture in the unprejudiced light of -archeology, this claim is vindicated at every turn of the spade. - -A simple illustration of the manner in which our science does show the -inspiration of the Scripture, may be found from the prophetic sections -of the Old Testament. In the days of Isaiah and his fellow prophets, the -capital of Egypt was the city of No. It is also called Amon, and -sometimes, No-Amon. It was a populous city of wealth and culture, being -the center of learning, as well as the seat of government. In a day when -Egypt dominated the world and No-Amon was the mistress of antiquity, -obscure Hebrew prophets raised their voices in denunciation of No in -such arbitrary and extreme statements as are found in the thirtieth -chapter of Ezekiel. Denouncing the sin of Egypt and their repeated -betrayals of Israel, Ezekiel warns Egypt that her land shall be overrun -with fire and sword, and that No-Amon shall be desolate and forsaken. - -There must have been a strong element of humor in all of this outcry to -the proud mind of the Egyptian of that day! No-Amon, also called Thebes, -spreading out on both banks of the Nile, in complacent, serene command -of the ancient world, apparently had nothing to fear from the bitter -cries of a prophet of Israel. Yet today the visitor to the site of -Thebes, or No-Amon, to use the more ancient name, is faced with a scene -of desolation that is utterly devoid of any human habitation. - -Since it is impossible for the human mind to pick up the curtain of time -and peer ahead into future events, prophecy can derive only from the -Holy Spirit. The work of archeologists in identifying the bleak and -barren site of No-Amon portrays the inspiration of the Scripture. The -proud city is forgotten except for its inscriptions on records of -antiquity and the denunciations to be found in the Word of God. Thus we -have simply illustrated how this dignified and sober science is bringing -to us illumination of the text, together with the evidences of the -HISTORICITY, ACCURACY, AUTHENTICITY, and INSPIRATION of the Bible. - -This is eminently fitting, since this peculiar science is most -intimately concerned with the problem of the credibility of the Bible. -The unique and heavenly nature of the Book is in itself a divisive -factor. Multitudes of men and women love it and would die for its -preservation. Indeed, it is no exaggeration of fact to say that -multitudes _have_ died in its defense. There are others who hate the -Book and would go to any length to discredit it, except the extreme -length of martyrdom. It is very natural for men to die for what they -believe, but few men will surrender their lives for what they -disbelieve! - -This division is decidedly fitting and proper. Men and women who are -saved by the grace of God recognize the supernatural nature of the Book -that is the means of their redemption. Men and women who are lost, -resent the honesty of that Book in that it condemns their sin and -iniquity. - -In our day and age, infidelity has, under the guise of an attempted -scientific refutation, directed its chief argument against the integrity -of the Scripture. Living in an age of science, when all things are again -evaluated in the light of man’s technical knowledge, it is inevitable -that the Bible should come in for this type of investigation. No -exponent of Scripture would wish it otherwise. If the Bible is honestly -examined without prejudice, under any system of truth, it will maintain -its integrity and establish its own supernatural character. - -The so-called scientific investigation of the Scripture, however, has -not been made on the basis of credible science. Rather, the prejudiced -enemies have sought to gather from pseudo-scientific claims such help -and hope for their opinions as would bolster their failing school. We -frankly admit that the text of the Bible _does_ refute the fallacies of -men of science. There is a great deal of theoretical speculation -indulged in by men who call themselves scientists, and who march under -the banner of technical learning. In every age, when such fallacious -theories are current, the Bible is necessarily repudiated by the -exponents of those false ideas. Few such men, however, know the Bible, -and their opposition has no lasting effect. This Book does not stand in -_any_ age by human consent, but has been able to maintain itself in -_every_ age by the inherent power of its supernatural character. - -The science of archeology has played a great and leading role in -demolishing these fallacies of a pseudo-scientific generation. - -As an instance of this, we may note that the theory of organic evolution -is unquestionably incompatible with the record of the Scripture. In the -“dark ages” of biology which began to draw to a close at the beginning -of this present decade, the thoughts of men were so darkened by the -general acceptance of the baseless and unscientific theory of man’s -animal origin, as sadly to handicap capable research and frustrate the -pursuit of real knowledge. We see again, however, that truth, though -crushed to the earth, will rise again. For certainly no one who is -within ten years of being up to date in the facts of biology and the -discoveries of archeology, will contend any longer for the animal origin -of the human species. - -The theory cannot be harmonized with the record of the Scripture. -Therefore, in the days of blindness, when this particular theory -possessed the imagination of men, it was used as an argument against the -integrity of the text of the Word of God. This whole problem simmers -down to a simple illustration. In dealing with the origin of man, there -are two horses. The problem of every man is to decide which one he shall -ride. One horse is known by the name of “specific creation,” and the -other is called “organic evolution.” - -It is impossible to ride them both at once. In riding two horses at one -time, it is necessary to keep them close together and both going _in the -same direction_. There is no record of anyone who successfully rode two -horses simultaneously when they were headed in _opposite_ directions! - -These two premises are irreconcilable. The first is that man was created -in perfection. In the moment of his fiat origin, he was formed by the -hand of God, gifted with all the arts and cultures by a process of -involution. The word “involution” simply means “to come down into.” That -is to say, all of the graces and abilities possessed by man _were -imparted by creation_. - -The second theory is that “man has himself consummated a gradual ascent -from a brutish state to our present high and civilized condition.” (If -there were room in such a work as this for sarcasm, we might say that -this is another way of noting that we have left the arrow and the club -for heavy artillery, poison gas and aerial bomb. If one were to wax -facetious, one might be tempted to suggest that if the present condition -of international hatred, mass murder, violated treaties, forgotten -honor, and civilian extermination in the holy name of war, are the best -that evolution can accomplish, we should hand the whole mess back to the -monkeys and ask them to stir up another batch!) - -But to remain upon the sober grounds of scientific inquiry, it is not -too much to say that the archeologist speaks upon this problem with -absolute finality. There is nothing theoretical about archeology. _What -you dig up with your own hands, you are inclined to believe._ - -Some years ago we had a college lad on one of our expeditions who was -strongly addicted to the theory of organic evolution. At the beginning -of the work the lad showed some disposition to argue, and was somewhat -disappointed that we refused to enter into debate with him upon our -differing theories. As day followed day, however, and we got into the -rich contents of burial mounds containing a fabulous amount of ossi, -this lad became deeply concerned with the discrepancies between his -textbook learning and what he saw in his own personal recoveries of -ancient skeletons. - -Every time he came to us with some bone that did not fit in with his -classroom theories, we would laugh and say, “Don’t bother us. _You_ dug -that up. This poor bone never read your textbook and it doesn’t know how -you want it to be. Now, which are you going to believe? The schematized -drawing in a textbook written by some professor who never saw a burial -mound, or this evidence that you yourself have acquired by your own -labor?” - -At the end of that one summer, this student returned to the campus an -ardent and bitter anti-evolutionist, denouncing the false teachings -which had misled him by means of the printed page. - -In a word, other sciences may speculate, theorize and deduce, but -archeology delves and demonstrates. Some of these demonstrations will be -seen in the contents of the following pages. We say _some_: for if all -the evidence from the realm of archeology were massed into one great -volume, no derrick ever built by man could lift its tremendous bulk and -weight. In such a work as this one we are handicapped and embarrassed, -not by the paucity of evidence, but rather by its over-abundance. - - - Plate 1 - - [Illustration: Egyptians at a wine orgy] - - [Illustration: Crude hieroglyphics on an ancient statue. Depicting - the early development of art and writing] - -It shall be the purpose of the following pages to cull and summarize -some of the striking facts of archeology, which demonstrate beyond -question that the Book which men call the Bible is historically -credible, scientifically accurate, and has been derived by inspiration -from the Spirit of God. - - - - - CHAPTER II - The Tides of Culture - - -In almost every branch of this fascinating science, archeology has been -the handmaid of revelation. Even more, it has acted as a beacon to -illuminate the pathway to God, which men call the Bible. The problem of -the antiquity and culture of man was the battleground of infidelity -which the skeptical chose to demonstrate the fallacy of the Bible’s -claims to supernatural origin. - -If it can be proved by the aid of science that the human race is older -than is implied by the Genesis account of creation, and if it can be -shown that man has ascended from a dim and brutish ancestry, instead of -being created perfect by the hand of God, the foundation would -admittedly be swept from beneath the Scripture, and the entire structure -of revelation collapses. However, this unwarranted attempt to confuse -the issue and refute the Scripture, is manifestly unfair to science. It -is not too much to say that this is a debasing of the highest labors of -human mentality. Research, in the exact sense of the word, cannot be -used legitimately to establish a pet theory to which the advocate clings -without regard to evidence in the case. The attempt to demonstrate the -organic evolution of man belongs in the realm of philosophy and not of -science. The work of science is the correlation of facts. The sphere of -philosophy is the interpretation of facts. In all of this controversy, -we are not debating the facts of humanity, but are at odds concerning -the application of those facts. The real issue then is not the -_antiquity_ of man, but the _origin_ of man! - -In the hope of obscuring the manner of origin, the enemy of our faith -has sought to raise the dust storm of antiquity. It is here more than -anywhere else, that archeology has been such a tremendous aid to the -establishment of the truth. This science has demonstrated the premise of -the Scripture, namely, the fixity and origin of our species. As far back -as the spade has been able to thrust the history of humanity, we find -the same types and varieties of the human family that exist upon the -earth today. Since we are covering this problem of antiquity and origin -in the sixth volume of this series, we will hasten on with this brief -statement of the issue involved. We will later show that all of the -statements made in the text of the Scripture concerning the degeneration -and moral collapse of humanity have been abundantly demonstrated in the -realm of archeology. Further, the claims that we make as to the -historicity of the Bible can be demonstrated satisfactorily in one -single field; namely, the recording of the story of man and the care -used by the Scripture writers in the exactness of their statements. In -this display of historical accuracy, the writers of the Bible have -incidentally repudiated the entire philosophy of organic evolution. It -is not too much to say that no single evidence derived in the entire -realm and history of archeology has sustained the theory of organic -evolution. Remember that we are dealing specifically with evidence. If -the evidence is rightly interpreted and honestly implied, item by item -and in the aggregate mass, it refutes the entire fallacy of this weird -philosophy. - -Since it deals with the realm of human history, archeology is the final -voice as to the antiquity and culture of man. No race of man has ever -lived upon the face of this earth and failed to leave some relics or -evidences of its existence and culture. - -The science of anthropology postulates the beginning of the human family -somewhere in Mesopotamia. The Bible is a little more specific, in that -it states that it was in that portion of Mesopotamia which lies between -the two rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates. The oldest relics of man, -however, are not found in Mesopotamia. This is due to the climatic -conditions in certain parts of that ancient land. The rainfall is heavy. -We have ourselves suffered great inconvenience, delay, and loss by being -isolated from our objective in Mesopotamia by floods that filled the -wadies and gullies and made travel impossible. Also, the outlying -country is underlaid to a great extent by water. When excavators dig but -a short way into the strata of that land, they are handicapped and -hindered by seepage. Because of this excess moisture, some of the oldest -relics of our race have been destroyed by the ravages of time and the -power of the elements. - -The situation in Egypt, however, is quite the opposite. In most of that -land there is no rain and in no part of that bleak country do we -experience frost. The climate is dry to the utmost extreme, and the soil -is largely sand. Due to this natural condition, the oldest records of -the human race are found in Egypt. The oldest records of man and the -most complete records so far recovered of his early existence have been -preserved for us by this combination of climate and soil. Since the -Egyptians buried in sand or in stone tombs, the deposits being protected -from the elements, man was the only destroyer. Even though there has -been a sad record of vandalism, as ruthless hands of the ignorant have -despoiled magnificent tombs of priceless records and information, there -is much that remained undisturbed. The people of Egypt built for -endurance. The mighty pyramids, from Sakkara to the Great Pyramid; the -Colossi at Luxor and the awe-inspiring ruins of Karnak, are present -evidences of the durability of their labors. (See plates 2, 3 and 4.) -Because of the strange beliefs concerning the life after death, these -people also buried for eternity. We shall later consider, in the light -of their customs and religious practices, the tremendous value that -modern civilization has derived from this ancient fact. We have -mentioned this fact now merely to note that the greatest treasure trove -of preserved antiquity is found in the land of Egypt. - - - Plate 2 - - [Illustration: Magnificent example of embellished statue, conveying - the name, hopes, and some of the record of an early ruler] - - [Illustration: Colossi at Luxor] - - [Illustration: The Sheltered Wife] - -Strangely, in view of the consistent demands of the evolutionary school, -we find no evidence of human evolution in the land of Egypt. More than -this, the doctrine that man began with a brutish intellect and gradually -developed his high and peculiar culture, is refuted by the evidences -from this country. In fact, the contrary is strikingly the case. Instead -of proving a process of evolution, the history of man as found in the -archeology of Egypt is a consistent record of degeneration. - -The eminent Sayce, one of the ablest archeologists in the whole history -of that great science, expressed his wonder and amazement at the high -stage of culture met with in the very earliest records of the Egyptian -people. Other authorities, such as Baikie, have written voluminously -upon this subject. It had been hoped that when excavators finally -reached undisturbed tombs of the first dynasty, they would find -themselves in the dawn of Egyptian culture. It was our fortunate -privilege to be at Sakkara a year ago when the first complete and -unmolested tombs of the first dynasty were uncovered. It was our -privilege to keep a close check and watch upon all that was done at that -time, and the conclusions and postulations of hopeful theorists were -utterly shattered in such discoveries as were made. - -Indeed, we can no longer start Egyptian culture with the beginning of -the dynastic ages. Through the first tombs, we peer back into an older -preceding culture that dazzles and amazes the human understanding. -Instead of finding the dawn of a developing humanity, we see mankind -already in the high noon of cultural accomplishments. Instead of nomadic -dwellers in shaggy tents, we look upon works of enduring stone. Instead -of brutish, Egyptian ancestral artifacts, we find a pottery culture that -is really superb. It almost seems that the farther back we go into -Egyptian antiquity, the more perfect was their culture and learning. The -art of writing was the common possession of the Egyptian in the -pre-dynastic period. - -It is true that there was a so-called stone age in Egypt, which preceded -the first dynasty. We are showing here, however, a photograph of one of -the most ancient open burials ever discovered in Egypt. This is -accompanied by various heads of mummies, to show the state of -preservation. (See Plate 5.) Before the art of embalming was invented -and the dead were mummified, they were buried by intrusion in the dry -sands. You will note the perfection of the culture of this people as -depicted by the pottery undisturbed in this grave. In contrast to this -type of burial, the mummies shown in this same plate are no better -preserved than the earlier burial. Indeed, there is no evidence to show -that these cultures were consecutive rather than contemporary. In -various sections of Egypt it is quite probable that different burial -customs prevailed simultaneously, and it is a pure speculation to say -that the more primitive type of burial is ages older than the advanced -style. - -There are many anomalies and mysteries in this so-called stone age in -Egypt. In the museum at Cairo there will be found some of the most -remarkable specimens of stone flaking to be seen on the face of this -earth. Others may be seen in the British Museum, in the various exhibits -of Egyptian culture. One of these knives is equipped with two points, -and all of them are equally sharpened on both edges. In the author’s own -gatherings from the various stone cultures of mankind, there are -something over 25,000 artifacts. We have seen every important collection -of stone implements in the present world, but these specimens from -ancient Egypt are unquestionably the most magnificent types of stone -culture we have ever been privileged to observe. - -The significant and startling fact is that these stone knives have -handles of beaten gold. At once we are impressed with the anomalous fact -that the stone age was thus synonymous with an age of metal. -Furthermore, it was an artistic age. The golden handles on these stone -weapons are engraved with scenes common to the life of the people. On -one side of the stone dagger with the double points, there is a sailing -vessel typical of the pleasure craft that were common to all ages of -Egyptian life. On the raised deck of this boat, dancing maidens were -entertaining the circle of spectators. This work was not crude and -brutish, but showed a high development of the engraver’s art. The -reverse side of the handle was even more interesting in that it -contained, in beautifully incised characters, the cult sign of the -owner. - -Here is, indeed, a weird super-imposition of ages and cultures. The body -of the weapon is of a stone age; the handle of the weapon is of an age -of metal; the engravings upon that metal show an age of art and the -possession of written characters. There is no comfort for the -evolutionary hypothesis in the antiquity of Egypt. The contrary rather -is the case. There is a strange tide sweeping through the record, -portraying an ebb and flow of culture that is fascinating to observe. - -The culture of Egypt starts on a magnificently high level and is later -reduced to a tremendous degree by a consistent record of degeneration. -It might be said that by the end of the fourth dynasty, the people had -reached the high peak of Egyptian art and learning. But after the sixth -dynasty had well begun, a definite decline and retrogression had set in. -We find ourselves then groping in a dark age wherein were no arts and no -written history. No great monuments come from that period, and no great -buildings were begun, repaired, or finished. Writing became extremely -scarce and in many sections of the land the art seems to have been -completely forgotten. As in the dark ages of medieval Europe, learning -was in eclipse and the mental life of man degenerated. Just when the -renaissance began, it is impossible to say, but in the eleventh dynasty -we are suddenly back into the light again. - -Egypt emerges from those dark ages, ruled by powerful feudal lords, with -the pharaohs appearing to be mere figure-heads. These great barons left -voluminous records, which depict their conquests and their powers, and -tell of their own individual greatness. They constructed magnificent -tombs for their eternal rest, and the land blossomed culturally under -their dominion. - -These conditions prevailed until the coming of the Hyksos dynasty. These -conquering kings were of Semitic origin and they seem to have come from -the region of Ur. After this conquest, Egypt suddenly became an -unlimited monarchy. The great lords became landless, stripped of their -power and robbed of all authority. The people literally passed into the -possession of the crown, and Egypt became a nation of slaves who owed -their very existence to the royal head of the government. The reason for -this change will be made manifest later in this present work. We are now -interested only in presenting these strange cycles of culture as shown -by archeology. - -It would take many volumes to give a detailed picture of the early -golden age in Egypt. As an illustration of the art and development of -that culture, we refer the reader to the tomb of a court official at the -dawn of the sixth dynasty. Buried with this minor official were certain -small wooden effigies depicting customs, trades, and tools of his day. -There were porters laden with their heavy burdens. There were scribes -bearing stylus and plaque. Certain tradesmen were found in these -brilliant statuettes, each man’s craft being shown by the tools that he -carried in his hand. Priests appeared clad in their pontifical robes. -Perhaps the most interesting of all were the statuettes of candy -vendors, each man equipped with his tray of sweets, and a horsehair tail -wherewith to fan the flies. Some of these statues were so perfect in -their execution that the eminent Phidias might well have envied their -perfection. When we compare this art and culture with the so-called -pictures of brutish cave-dwellers, we have one more failure in the -collapsing chain of evidences that was supposed to show man’s constantly -advancing culture. - -We might also give, by way of illustration, the magnificent statue of -Kephren. This memorial was exquisitely carved from stone so hard that it -would blunt most modern tools. Kephren constructed one of the pyramids -at Giza. This latter work was notable in that there were evidences that -some of the stones had been cut with what appeared to be tubular drills. -Since this is possible in our modern culture with the use of -diamond-pointed instruments, there is food for considerable thought and -speculation as to the culture and learning of Kephren’s age! As a -general statement, it is not too much to say that the farther back we go -into Egyptian antiquity, the more perfect the arts and culture in -general seem to be. - -When we compare, for instance, the brilliant workmanship of the -priceless pectoral of the daughter of Usertesen (or Usertsen) with the -crude and amateurish workmanship of the jewelry of the later queen -Abhotep, it is evident that the centuries brought retrogression. The -reign of Usertesen may be correlated with the early period of the -patriarchal age, which fact has an important bearing upon our study. The -hopeful critics of the Book of Genesis have postulated for the age of -Abraham a barbaric lack of culture comparable to the nomadic tribes of -Arabia in the Middle Ages. We now see, however, that the entire age of -the patriarchs was a period of exquisite culture and high learning. To -refer again to Usertsen, he seems to have been a capable strategist, and -his system of working out his plan of battle was something like the game -of chess. His artists had made for him models of the various kinds of -soldiers that made up his variegated corps. The bowmen were armed with -exquisite miniature weapons that had, to our delight and wonder, been -preserved against all the passing centuries. The black troops that he -used, of whatever origin, were carved from a wood like our ebony, and -the tiny features were negroid in faithful representation of the -difference between the races of men employed in his army. These model -soldiers could be moved about a board which depicted the terrain of -battle, and his strategy thus wrought out. Our present point, however, -is the artistic perfection of the models of the soldiers that he used. -The art of his age was as nearly perfect as one could wish. - -Then there came another cycle of retrogression and decay which climaxed -in a period of cultural darkness that reigned too long over that ancient -people. It is highly significant, for instance, that the best glass of -Egypt is dug from the more ancient sites. There came a time when the art -of making glass was forgotten by the people of Egypt and had later to be -rediscovered by other races. - -If there is one voice that can be heard in archeology, and one lesson -that can be specifically learned, it is the certainty of the fallacy of -the theory of evolution. Egypt, as elsewhere, shows us no dim, brutish -beginning, but a startling emergence of this people in a high degree of -culture. No gradual ascent up the ladder of learning, but cycles of -retrogression and advancement, followed by decay: then a new dawning of -art and science. The entire record of archeology is thus a complete -vindication of the premise and basic contention of the inspired record -of God’s Word. No greater voice may be heard in our day than this -definite, adamant cry from Egypt, which depicts cycles of culture that -begin with a crest of learning. It must not be presumed that this -condition is unique in Egypt, or peculiar to any one race or country. -The same queer discrepancy between the fallacious theories of the -philosophy of organic evolution and the facts of human history is -observed wherever archeology has been able to hold the torch of -discovery over a given area. - -We have illustrated, for instance, in Plates Number 6 and 7, one of the -most interesting of the exhibits in the British Museum. This is a stone -weapon from the archaic ages of the Chaldeans. It consists of a mace -head, made of limestone. Incidentally, this was a very common type of -weapon among those people in their warlike culture. The particular one -that is illustrated is typical of its time. Note that it is a STONE AGE -WEAPON. - -A note of wonder is caused in our inquiring minds by the odd and utterly -incompatible fact that it is engraved clearly in high relief, thus -testifying to the fact that in the archaic stone age of Babylon, men who -wrought in a time when the evolutionary advocates demand a dim and -brutish stage of development were already gifted in the art of -sculpture! - -To complicate the case still further, they were possessed as well with a -highly developed written language! Their stone implements are in some -instances crude, as they did not spend time polishing and decorating -rude tools that were used for a base purpose. Others of their artifacts, -like this stone mace head, are not only covered with finely sculptured -figures but are also inscribed with written characters that are clear -and well executed. A “stone age” with a written culture, scholars, and -books, is an anomaly, indeed! - -Where, then, in the light of these archeological facts, is the evidence -of the slow development of the human mentality and the emergence of -primitive man from his “brutish” state? Unfortunately for the -high-priests of the dying sect of organic evolution, the science which -delineates the true condition of ancient races offers them no help or -proof whatever. The opposite is the case in archeology, as _all_ the -evidence that has come to us from the honest attempt to see man as he -was, and not as he was reported to have been, has proved conclusively -that organic evolution is a false religion. It is inevitable that this -fact should some day come to light; for although it may be that science -moves with leaden feet, when it does finally overtake error, it smites -with an iron fist! - -Thus the false theory that man has struggled upward from a valley of -brutish darkness is refuted by archeology, and the premise of specific -creation, as set forth in the Bible, is established by the discoveries -in the realm of this science. In every land that man has occupied for a -long period of time, the tide of culture has ebbed and flowed from that -hour to this present moment of writing. Just as the night follows the -day, and the next day dawns only to be succeeded by the darkness in -turn, so the learning and progress of man has been a cycle, rather than -a steady climb up a ladder of learning, from level to level, until the -heights of present civilization were reached. The old error must now be -abandoned, or else we must close our eyes to the entire record of -archeological discovery, and frankly confess that we are not interested -in facts which refute erroneous, but accepted theories. - - - - - CHAPTER III - Converging Streams - - -In a systematic presentation of the evidences in the field of Christian -apologetics, it is necessary to review the Egyptian and Chaldean records -as they bear upon the text of the Scripture, and illumine its meaning. -For it is here that the streams of History and Revelation converge, to -continue their flow in mingled harmony throughout all the centuries -which follow this original conjunction. - -In the very nature of the case we would not expect direct archeological -confirmation of a great deal of the earlier portions of the Old -Testament. The record of creation which was handed down from Adam to -each generation delineated an event which was not witnessed by any human -being. As has been very clearly shown in the illuminating book, “New -Discoveries in Babylonia about Genesis,” by P. J. Wiseman, this record -was undoubtedly preserved in a written form from the very time of Adam -himself. - - [Illustration: Khnum and Thoth in Creation Tradition.] - -The events of the Garden of Eden and the subsequent history are not such -as would leave archeological material for the exact enlightenment of -later generations. There is, however, a manner in which the study of -antiquity can bring a tremendous light to shine upon the dark problem of -the credibility of these records. It is generally conceded by -ethnologists that when races of people hold a strongly developed idea or -belief, in common, there must have been an historical incident as the -basis of that universal tradition. Thus, among the very earliest -traditions of ancient Egypt, there is a record of the creation of man -that bears a valuable relationship to the account in Genesis. - -The Mosaic record states that God stooped and created the body of man -out of the dust of the earth. Life was imparted to that body by the very -breath of God. - -The earliest Egyptian record recounts how the god Khnum took a slab of -mud, and placing it upon his potter’s wheel, moulded it into the -physical form of the first man. The illustration facing this page shows -the entire process, with Thoth standing behind Khnum, and marking the -span of man’s years upon a notched branch. Here then is a coincidence of -traditional belief in the manner of creation of man that is of -tremendous significance. - -We also note that the earliest records of Sumeria have this same -incidental bearing upon certain portions of the Old Testament text. - -_All_ of the records of antiquity begin the history of man in a garden. -This is of considerable significance in view of the account of Eden that -is so prominently given in the record of Genesis. - -Among the seals to which we shall occasionally refer and which are shown -in Plate 8, there is one from an early period in Sumeria from which we -have derived considerable understanding of Sumerian beliefs. This seal -shows Adam and Eve on opposite sides of the tree of the knowledge of -good and evil, and can be nothing less than a direct reference to the -event that is recorded in the Book of Genesis. - -One of the most constantly cited documents of antiquity, is the -so-called Gilgamesh epic. The high antiquity of the original form in -which this occurs may be seen from the fact that many of the seals that -go as far back as the year 3,000 B. C. are made of illustrations of the -various episodes that are contained in this valuable document. The -original home of Gilgamesh seems to have been at Erech. The city was -evidently besieged by an army led by Gilgamesh, who, after a three-year -war, became the king of the city. So harsh was the despotic rule of the -conquering monarch that the people petitioned the goddess Aruru to -create a being strong enough to overthrow Gilgamesh and release them -from his sway. - -Some of the gods joined in with this prayer and as a result a mythical -being, partly divine, partly human, and partly animal, was created and -dispatched to Erech for the destruction of Gilgamesh. This composite -hero bears a great many different names, but the earliest accepted form -in the Babylonian account was Enkedu. Gilgamesh, learning that an enemy -had been created for his destruction, exercised craft and lured Enkedu -to the city of Erech. The two became fast friends and set out finally to -do battle with a mighty giant named Khumbaba. When they arrived at his -castle, they besieged and captured the stronghold of the giant, whom -they slew. They carried off his head as a trophy and returned to Erech -to celebrate their victory. - -The plan of the gods being thus frustrated, the goddess Ishtar besought -her father Anu to create a mighty bull to destroy Gilgamesh. The bull -being formed and dispatched upon its duty, also failed of its purpose -when Enkedu and Gilgamesh vanquished the animal after a tremendous -battle. And so on, the story goes with episode after episode, -culminating with a crisis in the account of the deluge. - -In this climax, in a notable and fascinating manner, we see again the -coincidence of tradition with a record of the Scripture. In the -Babylonian account of the deluge, every major premise of the Mosaic -record is sustained in its entirety. The Gilgamesh account tells of the -heavenly warning, it depicts the gathering of material and the building -of an ark. In the ark was safely carried the hero, his wife and his -family with certain beasts of the earth for seed. The ark of the -Gilgamesh episode was made water tight with bitumen exactly as was the -ark of Noah in the record in the Book of Genesis. Entering this ark, the -Babylonian account tells how the boat came under the direct supervision -of the gods. On the same night a mighty torrent fell out of the skies. -The cloudburst continued for six days and nights, until the tops of the -mountains were covered. The sea arose out of its banks and helped to -overflow the land. After the seventh day, the storm abated and the sea -decreased. By that time, however, the whole human race had been -destroyed with the exception of the little company who had been within -the Babylonian ark. - -The ark of Babylon grounded in that portion of the ancient world known -as Armenia, the Hebrew name of which is Ararat. Seven days after the -landing of the ark, the imprisoned remnant sent forth a dove. When she -found no place to light and rest, the dove returned to the ship. They -waited a short while and then sent forth a swallow. The swallow also -returned, wearied from a long flight, and several more days were allowed -to elapse. The next attempt to discover the condition of the earth by -the imprisoned remnant resulted in the sending forth of a raven. The -bird returned and approached the ark, but refused to re-enter the ship. -The remnant knew then that the flood was ended. They accordingly went -forth with all the redeemed life, and celebrated their preservation by -offering up sacrifices to the gods upon the mountains. - -The goddess Ishtar was so pleased with the sacrifice of the godly -remnant that she hung in the heavens a great bow, which Anu, the father -of the gods, had made for the occasion. She swore by the sacred -ornaments that hung about her neck that mankind should not again be -destroyed by a flood, and this heavenly bow was the sign of that -covenant. - -The incidental details which are found in this hoary manuscript coincide -too closely with the record of Genesis to admit of coincidence. -Archeology has brought no stronger testimony to the historicity of the -Mosaic record of the deluge than this great account in the Gilgamesh -epic, although interspersed with mythological characters and deviating -from the simplicity of the Genesis account. - -One of the most valuable publications of the British Museum is their -monograph on the Gilgamesh legend, which contains a fine and scholarly -translation of the deluge tablet in an unabridged form. Our own copy of -this publication has been of great value to many students who have -sought its aid in their detailed studies of the Old Testament. - -Another one of the disputed portions of the Old Testament text which -brought great comfort to the habitually hopeful among the destructive -critics, is that section of Genesis which deals with the record of -Nimrod and the tower of Babel. - -Modern archeology not only has failed to bring any aid to the critics in -this particular incident, but has robbed them of all their carefully -erected structure of argument which was predicated upon the assumption -that the tower of Babel was entirely mythological. Among the recent -excavations in Mesopotamia was the work in the region which bore the -oriental name of Birs-nimroud. When the excavators had finished their -enormous task, they had laid bare a magnificent ziggurat of tremendous -antiquity which was the largest so far discovered. At the time these -ruins were first seen, this enormous tower covered an area of 1,444,000 -square feet. It towered to the height of a bit more than 700 feet. Time -has, of course, ravished this monument to some extent, but enough of its -grandeur and glory remains to show it forth as the most ancient as well -as the most magnificent of the Babylonian ziggurats. - -According to the description given by Herodotus, in the middle of the -fifth century, B. C., the structure then consisted of a series of eight -ascending towers, each one recessed in the modern fashion of -cutting-back that is used in certain types of sky-scraper architecture. -The famous Step Pyramid at Sakkara is another ancient example of this -type of structure, each successive and higher tower being smaller than -the one upon which it rests. A spiral roadway, according to Herodotus, -went around the entire ziggurat, mounting rapidly from level to level. -He states that at each level a resting place was provided in this spiral -roadway. At the top of the structure was a magnificent temple in which -the religious exercises of the day were observed. - -That this was the tower of Nimrod is generally accepted by the -authorities of our present day. The name of Nimrod which in the Sumerian -ideographs is read “Ni-mir-rud” is found on a number of artifacts and -records of high antiquity, and reference is made as well to the great -monument that he built. - -So as we _read_ our way through the episodes which constitute the -earlier records of Genesis, we also _dig_ our way into the older strata -of humanity and find ourselves walking hand in hand with the twins of -revelation and scientific vindication! They coincide in all their -utterances, teaching us that all that the Word of God has to say to men -may be accepted without question or doubt. - -The late Melvin Grove Kyle has written extensively of his own researches -at Sodom and Gomorrah, so that it is unnecessary to recapitulate the -results of his lifetime of labor. The sulphurous overburden and the -startling confirmation of the Book of Genesis derived from the work of -Dr. Kyle and his associates would vindicate the Scriptural claims to -historical accuracy even if they stood by themselves. - -In the general argument and discussion that long has clustered about the -record of Abraham, the starting point of critical refutation has -generally been the fourteenth chapter of Genesis. It is stated that the -battle of the kings that occurred in this disputed portion of Holy Writ, -was in the days of Amraphel, king of Shinar. Since a contemporary is -named as Ched-or-la-o-mer, a storm of argument has swept over and about -that one opening verse of this important chapter. The allies of -Ched-or-la-o-mer are well known from his own records, and Amraphel was -not to be found among them. It was a tremendous blow to criticism when -the discovery was made that Amraphel is the Hebrew name of the Sumerian -form, Khammurabi. - - - Plate 3 - - [Illustration: Colossi of Karnak] - - [Illustration: Colossi of Luxor] - - - Plate 4 - - [Illustration: Colossi of Amen-Hetep III guarding Valley of the - Kings] - - [Illustration: At tomb of Tutanhkamen, in the Valley of Kings] - -The brilliant ability of this mighty ruler is one of the high points of -far antiquity. The king-lists of antiquity, derived from many sources, -were compiled by order of several of the kings of Assyria and constitute -another of the many valuable records to be found in the British Museum. -A recent publication of the Museum entitled “The Annals of the Kings of -Assyria” is well worth many times the price of one pound sterling which -is demanded for the volume. This scholarly and brilliant piece of work -contains the original Assyrian text transliterated and translated with -historical data that the careful scholar cannot be without. It settles -the question of Khammurabi. This Khammurabi, whom we shall now call by -his Hebrew name Amraphel, has left us a long series of tablets, -monuments, letters, and a code of laws which stands engraved upon a -great monument preserved also in the British Museum. - -It is a long way back to that twentieth century before Christ, but -neither time nor distance prevents our hearing the clamoring voices of -men long dead, who shout to us their vindication of the nature, -character, and integrity of these testimonies which are the Word of God! - -It is a matter of common knowledge in our day that the word, or name, -pharaoh, may be applied either to a person or to an office. Exactly as -our modern word “president” may be applied to the function of the -office, or to the possessor of it in person, so the ruler of Egypt could -be known simply as The Pharaoh, or shorter still, as Pharaoh. As every -president, emperor or king, however, has his own proper name, so each -pharaoh also is designated by his personal name. Fortunately for our -purpose, many pharaohs are mentioned in the pages of Holy Writ under the -clear identification of their proper names. Many of them, however, are -not identified by their personal name but are referred to only by the -title of their kingly office. Thus, for instance, the pharaoh of the -Exodus is not named personally in the text. Such attempts at -identification of this pharaoh as are made, must be made from external -sources. However, there can be no question of the identity of the rulers -of Egypt, who are specifically named in the Word of God. Such men as the -Pharaoh Shishak, the Pharaoh Zera and the Pharaoh So, are identified -beyond any possibility of question. - -It is a happy circumstance for the student of apologetics that each of -the pharaohs who is so named in person by the writers of the Bible, has -been discovered and identified in the records of archeology. No more -emphatic voice as to the credibility and the infallible nature of the -historical sections of the Scripture can be heard than that which is -formed by the chorus of these pharaohs. - -To note the background of this record, may we remind the reader that in -early times, Egypt was a divided kingdom. It was known as Upper Egypt -and Lower Egypt, and a separate monarch reigned over each section. It -happens that in the period of the divided kingdom, there were fourteen -dynasties in each section of the land. The Egyptian, like all Eastern -people, highly prized ancestral antiquity. The farther back into -antiquity a man’s family could be traced in his genealogy, the more the -honour that accrued to him. We are not without modern counterparts, even -in our present democracy. - -Therefore, when the two kingdoms were united, the first kings of the -united kingdom added together the fourteen dynasties of Upper and Lower -Egypt, making them consecutive instead of contiguous. Thus they built a -spurious antiquity of twenty-eight dynasties to enhance their greatness. - -The earlier archeologists fell into this trap, and consequently erected -an antiquity phantom which obscured the problem of chronology for some -considerable time. When it was discovered that these dynasties were -concurrent, a great deal of the fallacious antiquity of Egypt was -abandoned. This fictional antiquity, which doubled the factor of time -for that period, had been used to discredit the text of the Bible by the -critical scholars, so-called. Now, in the light of our present learning, -we find no discrepancy between the antiquity of Egypt, properly -understood, and the chronology of the Scripture, when it is divorced -from the errors of Ussher. Incidentally, the chronology and antiquity -demands of both archeology and revelation coincide beautifully with the -demands of sane anthropology. - -To delineate this background so necessary to the proper understanding of -the record of the pharaohs, it is necessary to introduce the first -occasion of the coincidence of the text of the Scripture with the land -and the people of Egypt, as it is here that the streams of revelation -and history begin to converge. This beginning is made, of course, in the -flight of Abraham into Egypt at the time of a disastrous famine. -Overlooking for the moment the reprehensible conduct of Abraham -concerning the denial of his wife Sarah, and the consequent -embarrassment of the pharaoh, we digress to make a brief survey of the -incidents that lead up to the kindness of Pharaoh to Abraham. - -There had been previous Semitic invasions of Egypt. The first reason for -these forays, of course, was famine. Due to the unfailing inundation by -the river Nile, the fertile land of Egypt was a natural storehouse. The -land of Egypt is fertile, the sun is benevolent, and wherever water -reaches the land, amazingly prodigious crops are the inevitable result. -So in the ancient days, whenever there was drought in the desert -countries surrounding Egypt, the hungry hordes looked on the food -supplies of their neighboring country, and, naturally, moved in that -direction. Thus the pressure of want was the primary reason for these -early Semitic invasions. - -The secondary cause was conquest. These people of antiquity were brutal -pragmatists, as are certain nations in our present Twentieth Century. -The theme song of antiquity undoubtedly was, “I came, I saw, I -conquered.” The motive for living in those stern days seems to have -been, “He takes who can, and keeps who may.” - -The activating motive of much past history is simply _spoils_. Here now -is a case in point. A family of kings ruled in Syria, who counted their -wealth by flocks and herds. Driven by a combination of circumstances, -they descended upon Egypt. They were pressed by the lack of forage in -their own land, due to the drought, and they also lusted after the -treasure and wealth of the neighboring country. So, without need for any -other excuse, they descended with their armed hordes and conquered -Egypt. There they ruled, established a dynasty and possessed the land -for themselves. Since their principal possessions were their flocks and -herds, they were known as the Shepherd Kings. They have come down in -history as the Hyksos Dynasty. They unified Syria and Egypt, and it is -intriguing to study the development of this unification as that process -is seen in the pottery of that period. The work of Egyptian artisans -began to take on certain characteristics of Syrian culture until, -finally, the characteristic Egyptian line and decoration disappeared and -the pottery became purely Syrian. The Shepherd Kings established -commerce between the two halves of their empire and prosperity followed -their conquest. These kings imported artists from their native Syria, -together with musicians and dancers innumerable. - -This intrusion of a foreign culture so changed the standards of Egypt -that for generations the ideal of beauty was a Syrian ideal. Later, when -the Syrian kings were expelled by Tahutmas the 2nd, the situation was -reversed and Egypt, now governed by an Egyptian, kept Syria as her share -of the spoils. - -Four hundred years later another Semitic invasion swept over the land -from Ur. It is quite probable that these conquerors were Sumerians. They -established the sixteenth dynasty and brought with them also their -treasure in the form of livestock. Thus, when Abraham entered Egypt, he -found that it was ruled by his relatives! Thus we have an explanation of -the cordial welcome that a Sumerian from Ur received from a pharaoh in -Egypt. This contact is well established through the arts of that day, by -pottery, by frescoes, and by means of the records of ancient customs. We -know these things to be facts. - -So when we read of the record of Abraham, we have at our disposal a vast -and overwhelming source of evidence as to the credibility of this -section of the record. The statements that are made in Genesis could -have been written only by one who was intimately familiar with the Egypt -of that day and time. - -The second contact of Egypt and the Genesis record is found in the -experience of Joseph. Although harsh and unkind, the action of the -brothers in selling the youngest into slavery was perfectly legal under -the code of that day. The younger brethren were all subject to the -elders, and the law of primogeniture gave to the elder almost unlimited -power over the life of the younger. The brutality and envy of this act -are far from unparalleled in the secular records of that day. Nor was -Joseph’s phenomenal rise to power unusual in the strange culture of that -day and time. We must remember that Joseph was a Semite at a Semitic -court. There is an unconscious introduction of a collateral fact in the -simple statement of Genesis, chapter thirty-nine, verse one. After being -told that Joseph was sold to a man named Potiphar, the statement is made -that Potiphar was an Egyptian. - -At first thought it would seem to be expected that a trusted officer in -the court of a pharaoh would naturally be an Egyptian. The contrary is -the case here, however. The pharaoh himself being an invader, he had -surrounded himself with trusted men of his own race and family. As far -as may now be ascertained, Potiphar was the only Egyptian who had -preserved his life and kept his place at the court. He seems to have -been the chief officer of the bodyguard of Pharaoh, and as such was -entrusted with the dubious honor of executing the Pharaoh’s personal -enemies. This, then, is a simple and passing statement that gives us an -unexpected means of checking the scrupulous accuracy of the Genesis -record. - -Joseph was comely, attractive, and faithful. With an optimistic -acceptance of his unfortunate circumstances, which seem much harder to -us in our enlightened generation than would actually be the case to one -accustomed to such vicissitudes of fortune, he set himself to serve with -fidelity and industry. But above all this, the blessing of God rested -upon him and upon all that he did. Since he was in the line of the -promised Seed, and was under the direct blessing of that promise, it was -inevitable that he should prosper. - -There is a flood of illumination that shines upon this period from the -frescoed tombs, the ancient papyri, and the records crudely inscribed -upon walls and pillars. Particularly is this true of the entire section -of Genesis that begins with the fortieth chapter and continues to the -end of that Book. - - - Plate 5 - - [Illustration: {open burial}] - - [Illustration: {open burial}] - - [Illustration: {open burial}] - - [Illustration: Open burial lower left] - - [Illustration: Another mural from an ancient tomb: butchers at work] - - [Illustration: The god Hapi drawing the Two Kingdoms into one] - -Among the quaint frescoes of antiquity, there is one that has no word of -explanation. There are many such murals in Egyptian tombs, and the -cattle also figure often in the pictures on the papyri. (See Plate 9.) -This fresco, however, was quite unique. Across the scene there parade -fourteen cattle. The first seven are round, fat and in fine condition. -They are followed by seven of the skinniest cows that ever ambled on -four legs! No word of explanation is needed to clarify this scene for -those who are familiar with the history of that time. - -There is another mural showing the chief baker of Pharaoh, followed by -his servants and porters. In his hand he holds a receipt for the one -hundred thousand loaves that were daily delivered to the palace of -Pharaoh. These “loaves” were in the nature of large buns. - -The multiplicity of these paintings would require a volume to delineate -carefully, but there is information here that cannot be passed over in -silence. They bring to us the solution of one of those mysteries of -Egyptian history, which is found in the collapse of the feudal system -and the consequent complete possession of the land by the crown. We can -now read from the secular evidences thus derived, that in a time of -plenty a trusted lieutenant of the king built granaries to store the -surplus left over from the time of plenty. Of course, to our enlightened -times or in the culture of this generation, that is the height of -ignorance. The proper thing to do in a time plenty is to _destroy_ the -surplus and plow under the excess. We sometimes wonder what would have -happened in Egypt if our modern culture had prevailed in the seven years -of plenty, in the light of the famine that followed! - -We now find that when the whole land hungered, the lords ceded their -real estate to the crown for grain to keep themselves and their families -alive. The people sold themselves to Pharaoh and became slaves, on -condition that he feed them as he would his cattle. When this time of -famine was ended, Egypt was so absolute a monarchy that Pharaoh owned -even the bodies of those who had been his subjects. - -As an illuminating collateral incident, we now learn that a Sumerian -name was given to Joseph, the trusted lieutenant. To him was accorded -the title “Zaph-nath-pa-a-ne-ah.” The Sumerian meaning is “Master of -hidden learning,” and was a title of honour and distinction which was -conferred because of his wisdom and forethought in providing for the -future. To him also was accorded the royal honour. He was to be preceded -by a herald who called upon the people to bow down as Joseph passed by. -Herein there comes the explanation of a slight philological difficulty -in the text of Genesis. They have tried to make this title of honour to -mean “Little Father.” This difficulty, however, disappears when we -understand that it is not a Hebrew word that is found in the text, but -an ancient Egyptian phrase. The common form of the word is “Ah-brak” and -literally it means “bending the knee.” The Babylonian form of the word -is “Abarakhu.” In some parts of the ancient world the term “Ah-brak” is -still used by cameliers to make their beasts of burden kneel to receive -their load. Thus when Joseph, the master of the hidden learning, went -abroad throughout the land the herald preceded him crying, “Bend the -knee,” and all the populace bowed in homage to him in acknowledgment of -his distinguished accomplishments. - -Against this background of understanding, we now turn our thoughts to -one of the most stirring dramas in all human history. Again there was a -famine in the entire land of Sumeria, and the people turned, as was -customary, to the land of Egypt for succor and relief. Had this epic -been invented by some literary genius of antiquity, the arrival of the -brothers of Joseph to buy grain for their starving clan would be deemed -one of the most melodramatic episodes ever conceived by the human mind. -Therein we see again how God overruled the evil deed of the brethren, -and by that very deed saved the guilty. In a time of world oppression -and bitter famine, the family of Abraham was reunited in the shelter of -Egypt. - -As the story unfolds, we see the significance of Joseph’s instructions -to his brethren. These Semitic kings were shepherds who highly prized -their flocks and herds. The Egyptians, however, despised husbandry, and -thus the monarchs were in great distress because of the want of capable -herdsmen. The brethren of Joseph were distantly related to the reigning -pharaoh. They were of the same race of people, and their father Abraham -had been a prince in that land of Sumeria. So when the pharaoh asked -them what their occupation was, recognizing them as distant relatives, -they were canny enough to reply, “We be shepherds; to sojourn in the -land are we come.” With great delight, the pharaoh employed them to be -the personal overseers of his treasured animals. - -Goshen, which consisted of two hundred square miles of fertility, and -was the finest province and the juiciest plum in Egypt, was turned over -to them for a pasture! They entered into a life of comparative ease, of -absolute security, and of importance in the court of their day. - -So there came into Egypt that group which was to constitute the spring -that gave rise to the historic stream of the Hebrew people. The tribes -were there in the persons of their founders, and the long contact of -Israel and Egypt began through the pressure and want occasioned by a -time of famine. - -One further interesting and collateral evidence of the accuracy of these -records is found in the various texts and sections of the Books of the -Dead, and in the records of the customs and practices of the ancient art -of embalming. In Egypt the general rule was to allow seventy days for -the embalming of a dead body, the burial, and the mourning for the dead. -But the fiftieth chapter of Genesis dealing with the death and burial of -Joseph tells us, in the third verse, “And _forty_ days were fulfilled -for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those _which are embalmed_: -and the Egyptians _mourned_ for him _threescore and ten days_.” - -These statements could be true only in the days of a Hyksos or Sumerian -dynasty. The manner of embalming introduced by these Syrian conquerors, -required forty days for the complete process and the burial. Seventy -days was their custom for mourning, thus making a total of one hundred -ten days. Only in these exact periods of Egyptian history could this -record of Genesis be thus established and accredited. - -It is a fascinating experience for the student of archeology to wend his -way through the mass of evidence derived from these generations and now -in the possession of the great museums of our earth. A pilgrimage begun -in the British Museum, at London, continuing through the Egyptian Museum -at Cairo, passing by way of Sakkara to culminate at Karnak, will enable -the fascinated student to read this entire book of Genesis from the -sources of antiquity. Thus in the very beginning of the convergence of -the two streams, Revelation and History, we see that dead men _indeed_ -tell tales; and their stories vindicate the record of the Word of God! - -Much of this evidence is, in the very nature of the case, inductive, and -is valuable largely because of the light it sheds on dark places in the -text of the Scripture. The customs of the people of antiquity were in -many ways so different from those of our day, we have lost the -comprehension of their conduct that is dependent upon mutual experience. -There are thus certain obscurities in the pages of the Bible that have -baffled modern man for a long time, but which are now clearly understood -in the light of fresh understanding of the beliefs and practices of the -times that are dealt with in the Scriptures. This is by no means the -least of the benefits of archeological investigation. - -One such field will be found in the record of the exodus of the Hebrews -from Egypt, and the manner in which God shook the power of the -conquering pharaoh and devastated Egypt for the relief of the oppressed. -The entire record has been repudiated point by point by the various -critics and the varying schools of criticism, until their limited -opinions leave no grounds for belief in the very fact of the event -itself. These objections, when analyzed carefully, are all predicated -upon the personal ignorance of the individual critic concerning some -phase of the proceedings that climaxed with the departure of Israel from -servitude. - -One of the commonest objections to the credibility of the Old Testament -history was the oft-repeated assertion that though the children of -Israel were in bondage for a long period in Egypt and left that land in -the most dramatic exodus antiquity had known, there is no record from -Egyptian sources of the people or history of Israel. Such is not now the -case, but had it been so this would not necessarily have diminished the -value of the historical statements to be found in the record of the book -of Exodus. - -Very few of the races of antiquity recorded in detail their defeats! -Certainly no nation that prided itself upon its greatness and power ever -suffered a more complete overthrow than did Egypt in the redemption of -Israel. It is only natural to presume that they would make very little -reference to the crushing blow that they suffered at that time. There is -even today a strong tendency on the part of the Egyptians to hush up all -evidence of this event as far as it is possible to do so. In the great -Egyptian Museum at Cairo, for instance, we find a record of one of these -texts that does refer to the Israelites. - -Exhibit 599 in this aforesaid Museum is a large stele in dark gray -granite, which is beautifully engraved on both sides. On one side there -is an extensive inscription in which Amenophis the Third gives a -categorical list of his gifts and offerings for the temple of Amon. The -other side of the stele has been appropriated by Amenpthah. He gives a -highly dramatic account of his battles and victories over the Libyans, -and then alludes to the assault of Ascalon, of Gezer, and of Yanoem in -Palestine. In the course of this later record, the inscription reads, -“Israel is crushed. It has no more seed.” - -In the Egyptian Museum this exhibit is accompanied by the following -ingenious statement: “This is the sole mention of the Israelites in the -Egyptian texts known up to the present day.” - -This is not exactly the truth. The Egyptian Museum itself at Cairo has a -number of the tablets containing the correspondence between the Egyptian -court and the kings and governors who were vassals to Egypt in Palestine -and Syria. These communications make urgent demands upon the crown of -Egypt for military help against the invasion of an armed horde who are -called in the text, Hebiru. The word “Hebiru” is commonly identified -with the modern term Hebrew. - -Again, the late Director General of the Department of Antiquity of Egypt -and the great founder of the Cairo Museum, Maspero, has left us an -interesting note of this monument of Menepthah. Maspero points to the -fact that in comparison to Egypt, Chaldea and Assyria, Israel was a very -insignificant race. If this was true when the nation was ruled by her -greatest and most glorious dynasty, that of David and Solomon, it would -be more so when the nation consisted of a slave company lodged in a -corner of the delta. - -The later ravages undergone by the temples of Egypt, when they suffered -incalculable harm through the vandalism of the darker ages, makes it -indeed extraordinary that _any_ record of those earlier times has -remained. - -In the very nature of the case, these details could not have been -comprehended by the scholars of the past generation, as they dealt with -customs and ideas that were lost to our age. The insatiable curiosity of -the archeologist, combined with the care with which the Egyptians -preserved their records, can be credited with the recovery of this lost -information, the possession of which so wonderfully establishes our -faith in this more enlightened age. - - - - - CHAPTER IV - The Ten Plagues - - -The prosecutors of the old charge of “folklore and mythology” so -constantly directed against the faith of those who hold to the -credibility of our present Scripture text, found some of their keenest -shafts in the Biblical account of the exodus from Egypt. Scrutinizing -the record of that notable event under the microscope of prejudice, the -critics claimed to have found many outstanding weaknesses in the text. -Particularly was this so in that section of the story which dealt with -the plagues with which Almighty God smote the land and broke down the -resistance of Pharaoh. - -There is, therefore, a manifestation of a sardonic humor in the present -situation. After denying for generations that these plagues ever -occurred, the critics now seek to rob the account of any value by their -new technique of acquiescence. The really modern method of discrediting -the Scripture is to admit that there is some truth in the record and -then subtly twist the meaning of the text out of all harmony with the -general plan of revelation. As a noteworthy example of this modern -technique of criticism, we submit a leading article which appeared in -the _London Express_ of Sunday, September 6, 1936. - -Professing to accept the historical record of the ten plagues, the -writer of this article then craftily proceeds to offer a peculiarly -human and mechanistic theory to account for the disaster. In reading -this news item, we are at once struck by the fact that every element of -a supernatural nature is deleted from the strange series of events, and -the credit for the entire victory of Israel is ascribed to the human -genius of the man Moses. This news item appeared in the following form: - - THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT - SHOW THAT MOSES ANTICIPATED BY 3,000 YEARS THE GREATEST FEAR OF MODERN - SCIENCE - - Science has been inquiring into one of the greatest catastrophes that - befell a nation—the ten plagues of Egypt. - - They have found that modern theories are in accord with the Bible - story. - - The plagues were brought upon the Egyptians by Moses in the days of - Israel’s captivity. Dr. Charles J. Brim, a New York authority on - public health, says that Moses must have anticipated by 3,000 years - modern science’s greatest fear—the use of disease germs, water - pollution and other attacks on sanitation as war weapons—in short, - bacteriological warfare. - - Moses, states Dr. Brim, in addition to being the founder of the - science of hygiene, showed that germ warfare could annihilate man and - beast more effectively than arms and man power. With it he bent the - mighty Egyptians to his will and thus brought about the Exodus, the - release of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery. With it he so - undermined their man power and morale that it became impossible for - them to face the hardships of war. - - The ten plagues, in their order, were: - - Changing the water into blood; - The frogs; - The lice; - The flies; - The murrain of cattle; - The boils on the Egyptians; - Hail; - The locusts; - The darkness; - The death of the first-born. - - “The first step in this carefully planned attack,” says Dr. Brim in a - newly published book, “Medicine in the Bible,” “was the pollution of - Egypt’s water supply.” - - This had two results: First, it attacked the god of Egypt—the Nile; - secondly, it sapped the very fountain of the country. - - Egyptian legend said that the Nile sprang from the blood of the god - Osiris. Hence, “the waters of the Nile were turned into blood.” - - Egypt depended on the Nile for its drinking water, on its yearly - inundations for the irrigation of the fields. - - A polluted Nile was a smashing blow at the water supply and at the - crops and cattle. Nobody could wash or drink. - - The fish—one of the staple foods—died. Frogs were forced to leave - their natural haunts in the river banks and invaded the streets, - fields and houses in their millions. - - Swarms of frogs, with no water or food, died and rotted over the - countryside. Cartloads were burned, but not before the germs of - pollution had time to multiply. - - The air became filled with the disease germs bred in this ideal - forcing-ground. People and animals became infected. - - Flies descended in swarms greater than people had ever seen, bringing - more germs with them. Cattle died in their thousands. - - Dust, in a naturally dusty country, became infected, spreading more - disease and death. Nature took a turn. A terrific hailstorm shrieked - over Egypt. The few crops that were left standing were flattened and - destroyed. Animals were killed by the force of the hailstones. Next - came the locusts, dropping in their millions on the fields, eating - everything the hail had left. - - When they passed, a dust storm, caused probably by the hot, electrical - wind known as the hamsin, blew up and darkened the sky for days on - end, as sandstorms still do in that part of the world. The tenth and - last plague, the death of the first-born, was a natural consequence of - all that had happened since the day the water became polluted. - - The Bible does not say explicitly that only the first-born died in - this plague. - - What it does say is: - - And it came to pass that at midnight the Lord smote all the first-born - in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his - throne to the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon. - -The epidemic killed many others, but in the death of the first-born lay -the greatest calamity, for the first-born son was chief in every -Egyptian household. - -Dr. Brim does not explain how the first plague was brought about, but if -Moses did pollute the Nile it must have been done when the water was -low. - -It is certain that Moses was a medical genius, as his laws of health -prove, and knew the certain effects of water pollution. - -Neither does the doctor explain how Moses foresaw the hail, but it is -possible he could judge atmospheric conditions with precision.—V. B. - -It is perhaps an inaccuracy to talk about “modern” attempts to thwart -and deny the Word of God! There is nothing modern about this entire -propaganda, popular as it may be in our own day. The error is ancient, -as is the attitude of mind that would set aside the element of the -supernatural in Holy Writ, and oppose the time-honored revelation of -God’s will by the modern self-satisfaction with human learning. Indeed, -this common and basic sin of our generation is so far from being modern, -that the very first recorded case of denial of God’s Word comes from the -Garden of Eden, man’s first and original home. - -Even before sin had reared its ugly head, to shatter the sweet communion -and spoil the fair harmony that was the basis of man’s fellowship with -his Creator, this error appeared. It was Satan who, encroaching upon the -beauty of Eden’s fair content, first said, “Hath God said?” The denial -of the truth of God’s spoken word originated with the enemy of man: and -it would behoove us all to remember that any man who has questioned His -written word from that hour to this, is also an enemy, and an emissary -of the original foe of mankind! Do we owe Satan so great a debt of -gratitude for the deep and dark pit of woe into which he has lured our -race, that we must lend slavish attention to the same old error when he -sponsors it today? - -For this “modern” attempt to discredit the Scripture is but a -recrudescence of his ancient and simple strategy for the hurt of -mankind. Well does he know that if he can but shake the faith of our -generation in the integrity of the Bible, faith in God must soon be lost -as well. Once more pedantic scoffers, professors of this and of that, -arise solemnly to refute the truth of the only “map” that can ever guide -men back to the Paradise we lost when the first man rejected God’s -revelation. - -It is interesting to see that this old error is in no new guise, in the -article referred to above. This is nothing new, it is just an original -approach to the same old mess of Satanic whispering. Indeed, Paul warned -us of the possibility of this very article and method in II Timothy 3:8, -when he said: - - Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the - truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. - -He introduces the very age of Egyptian history, and the events connected -with the Exodus in speaking thus of the false teachers of the apostate -days that should precede the time of our Lord’s return. And lo! the -event transpires in this year of grace, as the press of the twentieth -century casts doubt upon the Ten Plagues in this subtle manner. - -It _is_ subtle. Also dishonest to the nth degree. Professing to accept -the historicity of the events, the article then proceeds to demolish the -credibility of the record, by ascribing all the plagues to natural -forces, directed by the genius of a human being, namely, Moses. God is -ruled out, the supernatural denied, and common sense prostituted to -infidelity in a manner that the shallowest thinker could not -countenance. For a man of medicine, or a scholar in any realm of -science, to foster such a contemptible evasion of plain fact, passes -understanding. - -A few years ago it was customary for criticism to deny that these -plagues ever happened. Classifying them among the reputed folklore of -the Hebrews, and relegating them to the realm of the purely -mythological, the critic calmly and boldly denied that they ever -occurred at all. But these past years of research and study have so -established the historicity of the record, that this procedure is no -longer possible; so the new attack is made, on the basis of naturalism. - -It is plainly stated that Moses himself brought about these plagues upon -the Egyptians, and that he did so by the use of his own superior -knowledge. In a word, he was a bacteriologist, three and a half thousand -years before Pasteur! That in itself is a greater miracle than the -plagues could ever have been! No microscope, no instruments of research, -yet he not only anticipated the discoveries of Lister and Pasteur, but -he also applied _germ warfare_ to the redemption of Israel, and “bent -the Egyptians to _his_ will.” - -More marvelous than all this, he did it by simply polluting the Nile -River, the source of the life of Egypt. This of course was a simple -task! The Nile is a mighty river. If we follow its course just from the -First Cataract at Assuan to the mouth, it is over five hundred miles as -the river twists and bends round and about. - -Now all Moses had to do was to impregnate those five hundred miles of -winding river with some deadly form of disease germs, that would affect -the Egyptians _but not the Israelites_! Any nice germ would do! Of -course, he had also to _keep_ those five hundred miles of flowing stream -polluted, in spite of the rushing current that swept fresh water down -day by day! Let us not forget, _that he did all this while Pharaoh was -looking on_: and that for seven days the condition continued, then to -end as suddenly as it had begun. We should like to know something of his -technique! - -Then, after the river had cleared its waters, Moses boldly announced -that the Lord would overrun the land with frogs! This was done, not as a -result of a polluted river, but rather after the river was clear. -Pollution with disease germs might have driven the frogs out of the -river: but how did Moses get them to go _back_, as Pharaoh entreated him -to do? - -Most conveniently, the author of the above cited article does not -mention how the lice were spread over the land by Moses! Did he -personally catch them and spread them all around, or had he been -breeding and storing them for years in advance? The flies may have -increased in the rotting piles of frogs, but what kept this pest of -flies out of the small section of Egypt called the Land of Goshen, where -the children of Israel were? Given the conditions that caused the flies -to breed, why did they refrain from the particular portion of the land -where Moses and his people were camping? - -So also for the murrain on the cattle, and the boils on the Egyptians. -None of Israel were affected by these disasters. Did Moses have some -kind of salve or prophylactic serum that he used, he being the great -medical genius that this article makes him to be? Even that will not -account for the fact that when the hail came, it, also, avoided the camp -of Moses and his three and a half million compatriots! - -But even a great medical genius and an accomplished meteorologist could -not have foreseen the coming of the locusts that darkened the sky and -the land as well. Nor could this great medical genius, even had he also -been an able entomologist, have seen to it that the locusts ate only -Egyptian vegetation, as Goshen greenery would have been just as -acceptable to _hungry_ locusts! And who ever saw any other kind? - -Passing over the supernatural darkness with the simple observation that -it was _not_ an ordinary phenomenon such as a sandstorm (which left the -houses of the Israelites unaffected), we will hasten to the conclusion -of the matter, the death of the first-born. The article we are quoting -makes a terribly strained attempt to prove that others died as well as -the first-born, but the text of the Scripture does not so state or -imply. Indeed, the text very clearly sets forth the fact that it was -only the first-born who died. They died dramatically; all at the same -hour. - -At midnight, simultaneously, death smote a certain restricted class. - -The prince in the palace, and the felon in the dungeon; the cattle as -well. - - _But the first-born of Israel did not die! - They were all under the blood!_ - -Quaint epidemic, was it not? It came as a result of disease germs in the -river Nile, it killed all its victims out of just one class, the -first-born, and it passed over any home that had lamb’s blood on the -door posts! - -Is it necessary for a man to believe such arrant nonsense, and accept -such utterances of folly before he can qualify as an educated man, or a -scientist? - -Most fortunately, it is not! - -To show the truth of this matter, we can indeed study these ten plagues -in the light of modern science. Not by the flickering rays of the lamp -of human speculation can understanding be achieved. Only in the full -illumination of the sunshine of historical fact can the truth be -discerned. So, we will turn to the great and truly modern science of -archeology to study the Ten Plagues of Egypt, and see what the truth of -the matter really is. - -In the first place, thanks to the vast amount of research in the -archeology of Egypt, we now know that these ten plagues were a contest -between the Lord God of the Israelites, and the pantheon of Egypt. - -The genesis of the contest is given in Exodus 3:18. Here Moses is -instructed by God to ask Pharaoh for a three-day furlough for the entire -company of the Twelve Tribes, that they might go three days’ journey -into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Jehovah. This initial request was -to be the first step in a campaign that would result in the redemption -of Israel from their long bondage, and the apparently reasonable request -was made with the certainty that it would be refused. Indeed, the -request was such that Pharaoh _could not grant it_! - -As we shall later see, the Egyptians were the most polytheistic nation -that ever lived. In their pantheon of deities there were more than -twenty-two hundred gods and goddesses, and each of them had a particular -theophany. That is to say, these gods and goddesses had certain animals -that were sacred to them, and in which animal form the particular god or -goddess occasionally manifested a personal presence. So very often the -deities of Egypt are depicted in stone and painting as having a human -body, but an animal head. Thus Thoth might be seen with the head of an -ibis, while Hathor sometimes has a human head, but more often she is -portrayed with the head of a cow. - -So there was no animal that the Hebrews could sacrifice to their God, -Jehovah, that would not be sacred to some Egyptian deity. This sacrifice -would constitute blasphemy in the eyes of the Egyptian masters, and -trouble would eventuate immediately! Indeed, when Pharaoh, worn out by -the troubles brought upon him by the plagues, suggested to Moses that -the people sacrifice to Jehovah without going to the wilderness, Moses -simply replied in the language that is recorded in Exodus 8:26: - - “What shall we sacrifice, that will not be an abomination in the eyes - of the Egyptians? Will they not stone the people if they sacrifice in - the land?” - -The justice of the reply was so self-apparent that the ruler did not -press his suggestion, as the text shows. Thus God forced the issue and -provoked the conflict that not only freed His people from slavery and -eventually established them in the land that He had promised them -through Abraham, but also showed His supremacy over the gods of Egypt. -Even more than that, in the resultant series of events, the Lord God -brought such glory to His own Name, and showed such omnipotence that the -world has never forgotten this drama, even to our own day and time. -Witness the very article that is the subject of this present comment! - -The clear statement of God’s attitude toward the conflict is seen in -Exodus 4:23, 24. The figure of speech used there is a divine choice, -therefore we use it just as God Himself expressed His own mind to Moses. -The “first-born” was the chief object of interest in every Egyptian -household, for two reasons. The law of primogeniture ruled in that day -and land, even as it does in England and other countries today. Also, -the first-born of every species, animal or human, was dedicated to the -gods, and was a sacred object, in a very strong sense of that word. So -later, we hear the law of Israel as set forth by God, that the -first-born of man or beast in the land is to be sacred to Jehovah: _not_ -to the gods of Egypt. - -Now then, as Moses was sent to Pharaoh, to carry the demands of God for -the release of the people, he was instructed to tell the ruler that -Israel was, in God’s sight, as prized and beloved a group as the -“first-born” was in an Egyptian household. In a figure of speech that -Egypt as a whole could most clearly grasp, God said: “Israel is _My_ -son, _My first-born_: And I have said unto thee, Let my son go that he -may serve me; and thou hast refused to let him go; behold, I will slay -_thy_ son, _thy_ first-born.” - -With this introduction, we can see clearly the genesis of the conflict. -It is most clearly stated in Exodus 5:1-3. When Moses said to Pharaoh, -“Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may -hold a feast unto Me in the _wilderness_:” the ruler of the land said, -in just so many words, “Who is Jehovah? I never heard of him!” Not only -did the mighty king reject the word and the commands of God, but he also -denied Him in no uncertain terms. This upstart Jehovah, who was _He_ to -give orders to Pharaoh the mighty? He was the god of an humbled and -captive people, therefore the king reasoned that his own gods must be -far mightier! So the proud and haughty monarch said, “I’ll stick by the -gods of Egypt; I know not this Jehovah, and I will not obey His words.” - -Moses left with the clearly expressed warning that the king might not -then know Jehovah, but that he was certainly destined to find out about -Him! The call to arms, the challenge to combat, and the prophecy of -God’s victory are all expressed in the single verse in Exodus the -seventh chapter, where God tells Moses that “the Egyptians shall know -that I am Jehovah, when I stretch out my hand upon Egypt....” This, -then, was the primary reason for the ten plagues. God would teach the -Egyptians a lesson through _judgments_ that the land would never forget! -When he finished with them, none were ever again able to say, “And who -is this Jehovah? The gods of Egypt are stronger.” - -Thus we see that the contest was primarily between the monotheism of -Israel and polytheism of Egypt. We would emphasize the fact that the -Egyptians were perhaps the most polytheistic race the world has so far -known. It is impossible to say just how many deities existed to the -Egyptian mind, but “their name was legion”! Two hundred separate deities -are named in the Pyramid Text, and four hundred and eighty more are -named in the Theban Recension of the Book of the Dead. Altogether, -archeologists have recovered the names of over two thousand two hundred -different gods and goddesses that were worshipped by the Egyptians! Is -it any wonder that Jehovah must start His laws to His people with the -commandment: “Thou shalt have no other _gods_ before me!”? - -A word about these objects of Egyptian worship will be necessary to -clear up the necessary later references to the practices and the beliefs -of the Egyptians. While these ancient folks never had the idea of an -immanent, pervasive God, in the monotheistic sense, they still had a dim -conception of a super-god principle, behind and over the various -individual gods and goddesses. There was first of all the grouping of -gods into triads, which was a widely accepted custom. Since each triad -consisted of a god, a wife, and a son, this grouping is less a -degeneration of the principle of the Trinity than might seem to be -suggested at first thought. Rather, it was a glorification of the -_family_ principle. - -Thus we see that at Thebes, the principal triad of deities consists of -Amon-Ra, the king of all the gods, Mut, his Wife, and Khons, their son. - -Ba-neb-Ded, with his wife Het-mehit, and their son Harpakhrad (whom the -Greeks later called Harpokrates) constituted the triad at Mendes. In -like manner, the Memphis triad was composed of Ptah, Sekhmet, and -Imhotep. Sometimes the greater gods were grouped into a company of nine, -called the Ennead. There was also the grouping of the major deities into -the “Three Companies,” being the gods of the heaven, the earth, and the -Other or Under World. - -All the gods had human bodies, but some of them had animal heads. -Sometimes a god who customarily had a human head would appear wearing -the animal head of his theophany, as in the case of Hathor, cited above. -Thus when Hathor appears with a cow’s head upon a human body, she -appears with the solar disk between her horns; and when she appears with -the human head, she wears as a headdress the bonnet of the goddess Mut, -the wife of Amon-Ra, the horns of the cow, the solar disk which shows -her relationship to Horus, and the feather of the goddess Maat. - -We have previously asserted that each plague was a direct blow at one of -these celestial beings, and it might be profitable to demonstrate this -fact with a few concrete illustrations. - - [Illustration: Hapi] - -The First Plague was a direct and definite blow at a numerous company of -these objects of worship. In the first place, the River Nile was itself -an object of worship. It was reputed to flow from the celestial stream -called Nu, and was heavenly in its origin. It brought life to the entire -land of Egypt, and was worshipped with appropriate and very exact -ritual. There were hymns to the Nile, prayers and offerings to and for -the Nile, and the river possessed in itself a very real personality. The -River is pictured in the form of a man wearing a cluster of water plants -upon his head, and the idea of fertility is conveyed by giving him the -heavy pendant breasts of a nursing mother! In the British Museum may be -seen a remarkable papyrus, containing the Hymn to the Nile. To show the -reverence felt for the power of the great River, we quote just a -sentence or two from this Hymn: - - ... Thou art the Lord of the poor and needy. If thou wert overthrown - in the heavens, the gods would fall upon their faces, and men would - perish.... - -This deified river, then, the source of life and blessing in Egypt, was -smitten by God, and its waters turned to blood. Frantically the -Egyptians sought to dig shallow wells by the banks of the stream, as -their water supply failed them for the first time in the memory of man! -Truly, Jehovah was greater than the Nile! And not only greater than the -River itself, there was more than this involved. There were many issues -involved, and many deities suffered “loss of face” that day! - - [Illustration: Osiris] - -There was the mighty Osiris, who was himself the cause and source of the -resurrection and of everlasting life. Greatest of all the gods of the -underworld, he has an important part in the text of the Book of the -Dead. The Nile was supposed to be his bloodstream! When God smote the -Nile, he laid the mighty Osiris low in the dust! With him fell Hapi—who -was the Nile-god, and also Satet, the wife of Khnemu, the goddess of the -annual inundation. Her divine sister, Anqet, bit the dust that day, as -she was the personification of the Nile waters, which turned into an -offense and a stench when Moses stretched out his staff. Time will not -permit the presentation of the characters of Isis-Sothis, Isis-Hathor, -Ament, Menat, Renpit and at least two score more, all of whom met defeat -in the First Plague. None of them could sustain their prestige and power -in the face of the action of Jehovah, and He emerged victorious in the -first trial of strength. - - [Illustration: Khnum] - -The Second Plague was likewise a contest between the Lord of the heavens -and the earth, and certain specific ideas of the Egyptian system of -worship. The plague of frogs that covered the land, making life a burden -to the people, was a blow struck at Heqt, the wife of the great Khnum, -whose theophany was a frog. Indeed, she was called the “frog-goddess,” -and this lowly creature was sacred to her. The frog was the symbol of -the resurrection, and the emblem of fertility. It was reverenced by the -people, and to have one around the dwelling place was a sign of good -fortune and was supposed to ensure a fertile year for farm and family -alike. - -They got enough of this quaint object of reverence when God flooded -their land with myriads of the beastly things! They were in the -bread-trough, and got tangled up in the dough, thus adding a rather -quaint flavor to the bread! The bread could not be baked, however, as -the baking ovens crawled with frogs, and the fires could not be lighted. -They hopped all over the master of the house, and when he sought his bed -in disgust they were there before him. - -Like a blanket of filth the slimy, wet monstrosities covered the land, -until men sickened at the continued squashing crunch of the ghastly -pavement they were forced to walk upon. If a man’s feet slipped on the -greasy mass of their crushed bodies, he fell into an indescribably -offensive mass of putrid uncleanness, and when he sought water to -cleanse himself, the water was so solid with frogs, he got no cleansing -there. In sheer desperation the mighty king was forced to beg, “Call off -your frogs, and I will let the people go!” Read Exodus 8:1-15. - -And with that cry, the prestige of Heqt and Khnum was gone forever, -drowned out in the tidal wave of disgust that rolled up in protest at -_too much_ of her theophany! - -It is a bit difficult to imagine that generation of Egyptians ever -worshipping the Frog again. - -Plagues Three and Four are a bit more difficult to deal with at the -present writing, because of the personal ignorance of the writer. By -that he means to say that more light is required here as he does not -know definitely the exact god that was meant to suffer in the estimation -of the people, with the plague of lice. There can be no question, -however, that the people themselves were hard hit, as any veteran of the -A. E. F. will be only too glad to testify! This unclean parasite must -have been a source of misery that was well-nigh insuperable, when it -became as numerous as the very dust of the ground! It must have made the -Egyptians somewhat envious to see the Israelites basking in peace and -bodily comfort, while they, the lords of the land, itched and scratched -and suffered the misery of this vicious pest! How much better to trust -the God Jehovah who demonstrated His ability to keep His followers free -from even such a plague as this. - -As for the flies, there is this suggestion, at least: one of them was -sacred to the name of Uatchit. What variety of fly is intended in the -text we cannot definitely say, as there are numerous species of flies. -But the _ichneumon_ fly is a symbol of this god, and their figures in -tiny statues and on papyri are well known to the modern archeologist. -They are a brilliant and beautiful insect, somewhat prized by the -entomologists of our day as specimens, but they can be a pest when they -come in too numerous companies! - -Some years ago we were encamped in Mexico, with a company who were -digging for archeological treasure. The site was pleasant, the camp was -near a clear, meandering stream, and the shade trees were enjoyable. -There was just “one fly in the ointment” and that fly was the ichneumon. -Every time food was placed upon the camp table, this gorgeous insect -responded with enthusiasm and delight. They came in regiments and -companies, bringing all their relatives and friends with them! So we -could say from experience, that anyone who had to fight with a swarm of -ichneumon flies for his own share of the lunch, would soon come to -revile the god to whom this symbol was sacred! Not only Jehovah, but -_any_ god would seem preferable to Uatchit after an invasion of his -particular pets. Or should we turn this last word around and make it -pest, instead? - - [Illustration: Hathor] - -When we come to the Fifth Plague, we are again on solid and assured -territory. Once more firm archeological ground supports the theme of -this chapter. When God smote the cattle of Egypt, He dealt most -definitely and drastically with Egyptian polytheism. There were many of -the supreme objects of Egyptian worship that met their Waterloo in the -murrain on the cattle. - -Chief of these is the mighty and venerated Hathor. She was the -“cow-goddess” that was universally worshipped in all the land, and was -to the human race of that day the “mother” principle of deity. Her most -common name in the Egyptian language is Het-Hert, which literally means -“the House of Horus.” The House of Horus is that portion of the sky -where Horus lives and is daily born, namely, the east. Hathor is -depicted in antiquity in many forms. Always she appears with a human -body, and may sometimes have a human head as well. But more often she -has a cow’s head on a human body, as the cow was her symbol. She often -walked the land in the theophany of a cow, and one could tell when a -calf was born, whether Hathor had come to earth, or not. - -When this great goddess is pictured with a human head, she wears an -impressive headdress. This is composed of the spreading horns of a cow, -between which are seen the bonnet of Mut, the divine wife of Amon-Ra, -the king of the gods. Above this is seen the solar disk, as Hathor was -of “The Great Company” and was associated with all the beneficence of -the glorious and life-giving sun. The Book of the Dead teaches that -Hathor provides nourishment for the soul in the other-world, and as such -a provider she excels all the minor gods. So in all the forms in which -she is carved or drawn, she wears the sacred uraeus, to show her exalted -power. - -When God smote the cattle, her especial symbol, He struck a mighty blow -at the tottering system for which Pharaoh had confidently expressed his -preference. The other forays were but skirmishes: this was a real and -decisive battle! This shrewd and telling victory was the beginning of -the end of the conflict. If the divine Hathor could not protect her -faithful following from the power of Jehovah, who could? - -For not only Hathor was thus challenged and defeated, but other -important members of the Heavenly Company met defeat and disgrace in the -plague that smote the cattle. A common object in the Egypt of that day -was the sacred bull, Apis, whose power was vast indeed. His temples -dotted the land, and the priests of his cult were many and their power -was impressive in the extreme. On the forehead of Apis appears the -sacred triangle of eternity, and on his back is always seen the sacred -scarab, with spread wings. - -Apis was the theophany of the god whose name was Ptah-Seker-Asar, and he -also was one of the triune resurrection gods. The living worshipped him -that they might live again in the world to come, and the dead, of -course, all worshipped him because he had made them to live again. Now, -alas, for those who trusted in him against Jehovah! He could not even -defend his own earth-form from the blight that his new enemy, Jehovah, -had sent on all that represented the great and powerful Ptah-Seker-Asar. -Thus God humbled the sacred Apis in the same stroke that crushed the -cult of Hathor. - -To this record must also be added the name of Nut, the goddess of the -sky, and the wife of Geb. She it was who produced the egg out of which -the sun hatched, so in reality she preceded Horus and even Amon-Ra, even -though they ascended to a higher power and authority later. She is -depicted with a female human body, and the head of a cow. However, she -does not wear the solar disk, nor the headdress of Hathor, as she was a -little lower in the social company of the weird organization of nonsense -and mysticism that was the religion of Egypt. - -The simple summary of the whole record is just this: all the gods of -Egypt were not able to defend the cattle, when the Lord God Jehovah -stretched out His hand to smite them! This the people of Egypt were -forced to concede, as their cattle died by the thousand before their -bewildered eyes, while not one of the herds of Israel lost so much as -one head of cattle by the murrain. - - [Illustration: Reshpu] - -The Sixth and Seventh Plagues are simple to deal with, as the record of -Egypt gives valuable aid to the unprejudiced student here. Imhotep was -the god of medicine, and the guardian of all the healing sciences. -Prayers were made to him for protection as well as for cures, and he was -greatly revered. In like manner, Reshpu and Qetesh were the gods of -storm and of battle, and they controlled all the natural elements except -the light. So the noisome and painful boils struck the devotees of -Imhotep and left him powerless to aid his praying following, and their -plight was pitiful indeed. How little it helped to see that the -followers of the god Jehovah, at whom Pharaoh had sneered with ridicule, -were comfortable, and with unblemished skins! No suppurating sores -advertised the pain of the Hebrews; the good hand of their God was upon -them, to protect them from the very disaster that came upon all the -Egyptians for Israel’s sake! - -The medical man of the twentieth century, whose article we are now -considering, attributes all this painful consequence to the -bacteriological pollution of the Nile, which was accomplished by the -skill and wisdom of Moses. The present writer of this refutation is not -utterly ignorant of the science of bacteriology, but he humbly confesses -that he does not know of any pathogenic micro-organism that would bite -everybody except a Hebrew! We would like to know the name and the nature -of such a bacterium or bacillus! The Hebrews were exposed to the same -flies, the same germs, the same stench of the dead frogs, the same -epidemic that was consequent upon this chain of events, unless Moses -vaccinated or inoculated them all, some three and a half millions in -number. Truly the natural explanations of the supernatural cause reason -to totter on her throne! - - [Illustration: Sebek] - -But if God was at war with Imhotep, Reshpu and the gods of healing, and -desired to scatter their following and to open their eyes to the folly -of idol worship, we can see how He might protect His own, while smiting -the followers of the false religion. In that case also, Moses would not -need to be the only man in antiquity who could call up a devastating -hail storm at the dictate of his own will. Moses could leave it to God -to shame Reshpu and the other gods of the elements in the eyes of their -devotees. - -The Eighth Plague, that of the locusts, is the easiest of all to -comprehend. This was a direct blow at the Egyptian conception of -Providence, and a sweeping victory over all that was holy in the eyes of -this idolatrous people. These ancient people ascribed the fertility of -their fields and the abundance of the harvests to certain specific -deities. The modern scholar establishes this fact by studying the hymns -of praise and the votive records of the Egyptians. But after the hail -had hammered their lovely ripening crops flat on the ground, and even -while they mourned their loss, swarms of locusts descended like a cloud, -and swept the land as clean of vegetation as a forest fire could have -done. - -To see God’s purpose in this act, we need only consider the prophecy of -Joel. With a fidelity to detail that arouses the admiration of the -modern entomologist, this prophet of Israel portrays the devastation of -the land by a swarm of locusts, as a judgment from God upon His own -people. When famine and want stare men in the face, and they are beyond -the hope of other aid, then they turn back to God in sorrow and in -repentance. For where can men turn except to God, when the land lies -barren and devastated, and famine stalks the earth? - -Thus in Egypt, when God would teach an unforgettable lesson to the proud -and haughty king whose impertinent comment had been, “Who is this -Jehovah?”, He punctuated His answer to Pharaoh’s question with a swarm -of locusts. It is reasonable to conclude that long after the starving -Egyptians had forgotten the pangs of hunger that came inevitably on the -heels of that visitation of consuming insects, the lesson of that -visitation remained. - -All these disasters, following one after the other, had struck telling -blows at the very foundation of Egypt’s religion. But a worse was to -follow. - -The Ninth Plague struck at the very apex and head of all the Great -Company of the pantheon. The most essential thing in all the physical -realm is light, and the Egyptians seemed to realize this fact. The -darkness of the ninth plague was a supernatural darkness. This much is -evident from the record, which says that it covered the land so grossly, -the people sought refuge in bed! Evidently artificial light would not -penetrate that fearful gloom; _but the children of Israel had light in -their dwellings!_ - -Of course they had it! - -They are the people who later sang: “Jehovah is my light and my -salvation.” - -But the songs of the Egyptians were directed to different gods entirely. -Here, then, was a golden opportunity to test the might of these -conflicting ideas of deity. Is Jehovah able to maintain His superiority -over the hosts of the Egyptian gods? They were indeed mighty in the -hearts of the people, and the contest was long and grim. - -First of all to consider, there was the incomparable Thoth who had -worked out the system of placing all the stars, the sun and the moon in -the heavens. He had arranged also the seasons, as they had been decreed -by Ra. Although inferior to Ra and to Horus, nevertheless Thoth gave -light by night, and on those days that the sun was not visible. He also -gave Isis the power needed to raise the dead, and to offend him was to -suffer eternal loss. Remembering that the Hebrews had lived under this -culture and psychology for generations, and considering that they all -must have been tinctured somewhat with these beliefs, many of them must -have trembled indeed when Jehovah calmly engaged in battle with Thoth! -So the Lord God not only smote the god of Egypt in this part of the -conflict, but He also established His personal superiority in the minds -of His own despairing people. Certainly, when this plague ended, the -Hebrews hastened to follow His next commands without hesitancy, even -though those commands laid them in danger of the death penalty under -Egyptian law. - - [Illustration: Sekhmet] - -A lesser deity, but also a powerful one who suffered grievously in loss -of prestige while the darkness reigned, was the fire-goddess Sekhmet. -She was the divinity of fire, and thus also of artificial light. This -darkness that covered the land during this plague was called “thick” -darkness, and it was so impenetrable that for three days and nights, the -Egyptians stayed in bed! They saw the face of no man in those dark days -and dense nights, and it is evident that artificial light was useless. -Only in the houses of Israel did any light shine, but in each dwelling -in Goshen the light was undimmed. So it was demonstrated in the case of -Sekhmet, the lioness-headed goddess of artificial light, that she was -powerless when Jehovah invaded her realm. - -With what delight did Moses remember all this, when later he wrote the -words of the First Chapter of Genesis. How his heart must have thrilled -as he spoke of God commanding the light to shine on the first day of -creation, and recorded the obedience of the light to the spoken word of -Israel’s God. He had seen that when God commanded darkness all the gods -of Egypt were powerless before Jehovah, and that it was therefore simple -for God to reverse the process, and bring light to alleviate the -darkness of the chaos. - -The section of the pantheon that crumbled in the regard of the devoted -Egyptians that hour was a broad and numerous company. No divinity of all -the polytheistic company was very much more reverenced than Horus, the -hawk-headed. He was called “the eye of Ra,” and was the god of the -noontime sun. When the flaming heat of Ra was just overhead at the hour -of midday, and when its light and heat were the most intense, Horus was -in the ascendancy. When the deep darkness of the ninth plague hit the -land, the hearts of the people were sick with fright. Believing that the -sun was born anew every morning, and having an intense and -well-thought-out system of deities connected with this rite, they must -have thought that there had been wholesale slaughter and failure among -the heavenly beings. But there still would smoulder in their deepest -thinking, the dim hope that at noon the incomparable Horus would glow, -as Ra was the omnipotent, and his _eye_ could not be dimmed. But not -only did the noon pass in the same awful darkness, but two more noons -followed each other in slow succession, and the feebleness of the -once-revered Horus could no longer be doubted. So when they said, “Who -is mightier than Horus?” the children of Israel could reply with -grateful hearts, “Jehovah is; see, we have light in _our_ dwellings!” - -But like many other heathen and idolatrous people, the chief object of -Egyptian worship was the sun itself. The natural mind can comprehend -this, and there is a little of the Parsee in most modern men. So to the -ancients the sun was a personification of beneficence and providence. -The worship of the sun took many forms in Egypt, but the oldest and most -general form of that worship was in the person of the god Ra, who -appears in ancient records in many guises, and under many names. Perhaps -the most common of these names is Amon-Ra. He was unquestionably the -chief form of deity to the Egypt of Moses’ generation. - - [Illustration: Taueret] - -As far as it can be said that the Egyptians conceived of a -god-principle, this was expressed in the person of Ra. He was the -creator of earth and of heaven, and of all things therein. All other -gods were parts of his person, and members of his body and substance. -The pantheon was headed by Ra, and after him came the gods and goddesses -who were parts of his body. One was his eye, another his ear, while -still another was his foot. This quaint conception was carried out for -every known section of the anatomy, which the Egyptians seemed to have -known fairly well. - -Seeing, then, that Ra was immanent, pervasive, and the principle back of -all deities, he was the chief object of Jehovah’s enmity, and the real -subject of the contest and conflict. In all the other plagues the -_parts_ of Ra were defeated, and now at last the two ideas are locked in -the final struggle. It was preposterous to the Egyptians that any god or -power could be superior to Ra, as the sun is the source and seat of all -power. But the plague of darkness left him shorn of power and greatness, -and prostrated him before the feet of _Jehovah_ forever. Three -theophanies had Ra, and God desecrated every one of them! - -Ra appeared in the form of the sun: so that was blotted out of the sky -for three days. Sometimes he walked the earth in the form of the -first-born of a cow, if that first-born was a bull. So the first-born of -all the cattle died, and Ra was covered with shame. Occasionally he was -supposed to visit men in the form of a ram. The first-born were all -sacred to him and dedicated to him from birth: yet when all the -first-born of Egypt died, the babes of Israel, with their cattle and -flocks were all safe, because they were under the shed blood of what was -Ra’s chief theophany, next to the sun! The application of the blood to -the lintel and the doorpost was an act of blasphemy against Ra, yet in -that very defiance the Hebrews were acknowledging at last that _Jehovah_ -should be their God forever, in that He had proved His power. - - [Illustration: Amon-Ra] - -The Tenth Plague intrudes into the sphere of the ninth. The death of the -first-born was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back, as far -as the Egyptian resistance to Jehovah was concerned. This is still aimed -primarily at Ra, although there were notable deities other than he that -suffered defeat in this last and awful skirmish. When the Children of -Israel left Egypt, bribed to depart by a people who were prostrated with -grief, the mourning Egyptians pressed upon them the cattle and the -flocks, the gold and the jewels requested. Anything to get rid of the -devotees of the awful Being who left every home in Egypt bowed in -sorrow, and who had slain, as well, every particle of faith the people -had in the once-powerful gods of the land of captivity! - -To name many of these gods would be to weary the reader. But we cannot -refrain from naming Meskhemit, who was the goddess of birth. She was -also the companion of Hathor, and overshadowed the first-born of the -land. To what avail, when _all_ died who were under her divine -protection! And even stronger than she, was the mighty Min, the god of -virility and generation. Closely related to Amon-Ra, being the means of -extending the power of Ra to those who worshipped him, he too, fell with -a resounding crash, when the hand of The-Only-God-That-There-Is swept -all the idols of Egypt off their pedestals, in what might be called the -greatest “ten rounds” ever fought! Not only did _Jehovah_ win the battle -and the crown, He also won every round! The victory was complete and -crushing. - - [Illustration: Set] - -Many centuries later, Paul the Apostle recalled all that is implied and -stated here, when he wrote the ninth chapter of Romans and the -seventeenth verse. Here it is stated that God dealt so with Pharaoh, -that the name of God should be advertised throughout all the earth. - -Is it so advertised? - -Witness this article, cited above! Thirty-five hundred years have come -and gone since these things transpired, but the mind of man has not been -able to escape from the demonstration of God’s power that He gave in -that far-off day. And all we can say about this latest attempt to -explain the victory of God in the land of Egypt by attributing it all to -the smartness and genius of a learned man, is, it just will not stand -up! For the God who smashed the pantheon of Egypt evidently knew that -this attempt was due, and He raised from the dead, in an archeological -resurrection, the witnesses to the facts at issue. And we have done -nothing in this simple reply but review _their_ evidence! But in so -doing, we note again that modern science, whenever her voice may be -heard, establishes the Scripture and vindicates its claim, that “holy -men of old spake as they were moved by the spirit of God.” - - - - - CHAPTER V - Sources - - -One of the many questions that are frequently asked of the archeologist, -and one that is most difficult to answer in a few brief words, concerns -the source of his material. There is a sort of mystery that hovers over -this modern calling which intrigues the fancy of the average layman. -When an archeologist begins to dig in some barren waste of sand and -comes upon a buried city that has been missing from the history of men -for multiplied centuries, it impresses the casual observer as magic of -the blackest kind. There is, however, nothing supernatural or uncommon -about these discoveries, although the element of chance does enter in to -a minor extent. Some of the greatest and most prolific fields we -personally have investigated were brought to our attention when the plow -of a farmer cast up a human skull and focussed attention upon that -particular field. Generally, however, the sources of archeology are -uncovered by hard, patient, painstaking labor. - -When an able prospector starts out in his search for gold, he is guided -by certain known factors that have been derived from the experience of -generations. Panning his way up a stream-bed, the keen-eyed hunter of -fortune tests every spot that previous experience had taught him might -be profitable. He may labor at one thousand barren sites before he -strikes gold. If he is in a mountainous country and the placer deposits -are not rich enough to pay him to tarry on the spot where the first -discovery was made, he will work his way on up the stream, testing site -after site for increasing values. If the show of color in his pan -suddenly ceases, he knows that he has passed the sources of these -wandering fragments. He then goes back to the last point where he found -traces of gold and then begins to search the side canyons and branch -streams that lead into the main channel. In this way he traces his path -step by step to the ledge from which the gold originally came. After -laboring weary months, or even years, with heart-breaking disappointment -and grim, hard work, if he is fortunate he announces a discovery. The -thoughtless immediately credit his good fortune to the goddess of luck -and wonder why they also could not be blessed that way. - -This illustration is an exact picture of the manner in which -archeologists go about their business. There are certain sites that -experience has taught us should be profitable to investigate. The region -is carefully combed for surface indications. These may be such things as -shards of pottery, arrowheads, fragmentary bones, or any of the ordinary -debris that indicates a site of human habitation or burial. When the -surface indications suggest the probability of a real find, then the -digging commences. Most of our great discoveries are made only after -months, and even years, of painstaking survey. These surveys must be -made by men who are expert in the interpretation of surface indications -and fragmentary evidences. Thus it is at once apparent that there is -really nothing supernatural or magical about this sober craft; it is -scientific in its procedure. There is no “doodle-bug” for archeology -such as is sometimes used by those who are found around the fringe of -geology. - -It must be remembered that the orientals differed greatly in their -building methods from the occidentals. It is customary among us to -excavate to bed rock before we lay the foundation for a building. The -orientals, however, began to build right on the surface of any site that -suited their fancy. For instance, a wandering tribe of nomads desiring -to settle either temporarily or permanently, would pick out a hill that -was more easily defended than a level site would be. Upon its crest, -they built their houses and generally fenced the scene for the purposes -of defense. Within these fortifying walls they dwelt in more or less -security until they became rich enough to be robbed. It would not be -long, however, under the brutal law of might that prevailed in those -ancient days, before some marauding band would overrun that site with -fire and sword. The walls would be breached or cast down and the -inhabitants put to sword or carried away into slavery. Usually fire -would sweep the homes of this once contented people and their memory -would soon be forgotten. - -To one who has seen the sand storms of the East, the rest of the story -is self-evident. Even in our own times and in our own land, we have seen -what can happen when drought and wind begin to move the surface of a -country and make the efforts of man fruitless and unavailing. When men -lived in these sites of antiquity and kept the encroaching sands swept -and shoveled out, they were able to maintain their position of security. -As soon, however, as the site was deserted, the sand would begin to -drift over the deserted ruins. In a very few years the remains of the -ruined city would be lost from the sight of men. Perhaps a century or -two would pass by, during which this abandoned region would be devoid of -habitation. - - - Plate 6 - - [Illustration: Mace-head in British Museum] - - - Plate 7 - - [Illustration: Note cuneiform writing and sculpture on stone weapon] - -Then another company of people looking for a permanent dwelling place -would chance upon this hill. Finding it suited to their requirements -they would immediately start building upon the surface. With no -knowledge whatever that a previous group of people had made this hill -their habitation, the new dwellings and walls would rise high upon the -covered ruins of the earlier period. Within a comparatively short time -they also would be the victims of some wandering conqueror, and once -again the wrecked habitations of men would be repossessed by the -drifting sands of the desert. It is not uncommon that in the course of a -thousand years such an experience would be repeated from three or four -to a dozen times upon the same site. - -When the archeologist finds such a mound or hill, he has a treasure -indeed. By excavating this deposit one stratum at a time, he builds up a -stratographical record which is highly important in reconstructing a -consecutive history of this region. The date factors of the various -strata are generally established by the contents of each horizon of -dwelling, in turn. If the archeologist depends upon facts instead of his -imagination, a credible chronology for the entire region can thus be -constructed. - -In such a recovery the common life of the people of antiquity is -revealed in amazing detail. We learn their customs of living, something -of their arts and crafts and their manner of labor. Their knowledge of -architecture is clearly portrayed through such ruins as remain, and the -general picture of the incidental events that made up their living is -clearly developed as the work proceeds. - -Since the destruction of such a city was usually catastrophic, the -record suddenly breaks off at the point of the tragedy. The abruptness -wherewith the life and activity ceased, leaves all of the valuable -material undisturbed _in situ_. This circumstance, though unfortunate -for the ancients, is a happy one for the archeologist who thus is -enabled to rebuild their times and lives. - -These sites yield many types of material. In establishing chronology, -the most important of all of these is probably the pottery. There is no -age of men so ancient that it does not yield proof of human ability in -the ceramic art. Without aluminum cooking utensils or iron skillets, the -folk of antiquity depended upon clay for the vessels of their -habitation. Dishes, pots, jars, and utensils of a thousand usages were -all made of this common substance. Before the invention of paper, clay -was also the common material for preserving written records. As each -race of people had its own peculiarities in the use of clay, the pottery -that is found on a given site is one of the finest indications of a date -factor that the site can contain. - -Even after the invention of papyrus or parchment, these types of writing -material were too costly for the average person to use. Requiring some -cheap, common, readily accessible material upon which to write, the poor -of antiquity laid hold upon the one source of supply that was never -wanting. This consisted of shards of pottery. By the side of every -dwelling in ancient times might be found a small heap of broken utensils -of clay. The ingenuity of man suggested a method of writing on these -fragments. In every home there was a pen made of a reed and a pot of -homemade ink. With these crude tools, the common people corresponded and -made notes on pieces of clay vessels. When a fragment of pottery was -thus inscribed, it was called an ostracon. - -These ostraca are among the most priceless discoveries of antiquity. -They were written in the vernacular and dealt with the common daily -affairs that made up the lives of the humble. They shed a flood of light -upon the customs and beliefs of the mass of the people. Some of the wall -inscriptions of great conquerors, if taken by themselves, would give an -impression of grandeur and splendor to their entire era, if we believed -such record implicitly. But for every king or conqueror there were -multiplied thousands of poor. These were the folks who made up the mass -of humanity and whose customs and lives paint the true picture of -ancient times. Therefore, these ostraca, being derived from the common -people, are the greatest aid in the reconstruction of the life and times -wherewith the Bible deals. - -Another source of evidence is found in tools and artifacts which show -the culture of any given time and region. Knowing how the people worked -and what they wrought, has been of priceless value to the Biblical -archeologist. Since the critics made so great a case out of the alleged -culture of the people in every age, it is eminently fitting that the -refutation of their error should come from the people themselves. - -Still another source of archeological material is to be found in the art -of antiquity. It seems that from the time of Adam to the present hour -the desire to express our feelings and emotions in the permanent form of -illustration has been common to man. The sites of antiquity testify to -this fact in unmistakable terms. - -In the art of the days of long ago many subjects were covered. Much of -the painting and sculpture had to do with the religion of the time. Thus -we can reconstruct the Pantheon of Egypt very largely from the -illustrations that come to us from monuments and papyri. - -Another large section of ancient art dealt with the history of the time -in which the artists lived and wrought. Since the work of such artists -was generally intended to flatter and please the reigning monarch, most -of this illustrated history is military in nature. Thus we are able to -confirm much of the Old Testament history through the recovery of -ancient art. - -Other artists, in turn, dealt with the human anatomy, the style of dress -and the industries of old. When we gather together all of this -illuminating material, it is safe to say that ancient artists have -brought to us a source of material which is not the least of the -treasures of antiquity. - -A final source of material is found upon the walls that made up the -actual dwellings of old. This business of scribbling names and dates -upon public buildings or objects of interest is not unique to modern -men. Deplorable as the custom may be, this ancient vulgarity has, -nevertheless, proved a great boon to the archeologist of our day. For -instance, many of the scribes and officials of antiquity, traveling -about the country upon the business of their lords, would visit one of -the tombs of a former age. Prompted by curiosity and interest in the -grandeur of antiquity, they came to stare and to learn. Their emotions -being aroused they desired some expression. This desire they sometimes -satisfied by inscribing upon the wall of a certain tomb or temple their -names and the fact that at such a date they visited and saw this wonder. -Since they generally dated their visit by the reign of the king under -whom they lived and served, a chronology may be builded for antiquity -from this source of material alone. - -It has been more or less customary in our era for the itinerant gentry -to leave valuable information for fellows of their fraternity who come -along after them. This custom also is a survival of an ancient day. A -man journeying from one region to another would stop by the side of a -blank wall and inscribe road directions for any who might follow after -him. Sometimes he would add his name and the year of the reign of a -given monarch. It was not unusual also for such an amateur historian to -make some caustic and pertinent comments upon the country, the -officials, or the people. These spontaneous records are priceless. They -are the free expression of an honest opinion and are not constructed -with the idea of deluding posterity with a false standard of the -grandeur of some conquering king. - -It is rather amusing now to look back to the long battle that was fought -between criticism and orthodoxy in this very field. With a dogmatic -certainty which was characteristic of the assumptions of the school of -higher criticism, these mistaken authorities assured us that the age of -Moses was an age of illiteracy. In fact, the extreme scholars of this -school asserted that writing was not invented until five hundred years -after the age of Moses. We have ourselves debated that question with -living men. - -One such occasion occurred recently, when we were delivering a series of -lectures at Grand Rapids, Michigan. The subject had to deal with -archeology and the Bible, and the men in attendance seemed to appreciate -the opening lecture extremely. Therefore, we were the more surprised -when a gentleman, clad in clerical garb, came forward and in the most -abrupt and disagreeable manner demanded, - -“By what authority do you state that Moses wrote the Pentateuch? Your -dogmatic assertion is utterly baseless!” - -In some surprise we replied, “I am sorry to sound dogmatic, as I try -never to dogmatize. All that I mean to imply is that I am absolutely -certain that he _did_ write it!” - -Our humor, which was intended as oil on troubled waters, turned out to -be more like gasoline on raging fires! The exasperated gentleman -exclaimed with considerable more heat than he had previously manifested, -“You can’t _prove_ that Moses wrote the Pentateuch!” - -“I don’t have to,” I replied, “as the boot is on the other foot! May I -quote to you a section from Greenleaf on Evidence? Here is the citation: -‘When documents purporting to come from antiquity, and bearing upon -their face no evident marks of forgery, are found in the proper -repository, the law presumes such documents to be authentic and genuine, -and _the burden of proof to the contrary devolves upon the objector_.’ -Now, my dear brother, these documents _do_ come from antiquity. They -bear no evidence of forgery, and have thus been accepted and accredited -in all of the ages that make up three millenniums of time. You face a -problem if you are going to repudiate all the evidence and tradition of -their credibility. Just how are you going to prove that Moses _did not_ -write these books ascribed to him?” - -“That is easy,” the scholarly brother retorted. “Moses could not have -written the first five books of the Bible, because writing was not -invented until five hundred years after Moses died!” - -In great amazement I asked him, “Is it possible that you never heard of -the Tel el Armana tablets?” - -He never had! - -So we took time to tell him of the amazing discovery of this great -deposit of written records from the library of Amenhetep the Third, and -their bearing upon the great controversy. Then we told him also of the -older records of Ur, that go all the way back to the days of the queen -Shub Ab, and manifest a vast acquaintance with the art of writing as far -back of Abraham as this patriarch in turn preceded the Lord Jesus -Christ! He frankly confessed his total ignorance of this entire body of -accumulated knowledge, and then closed the debate by stating, - - - Plate 8 - - [Illustration: Ancient seals, depicting historic events.] - - [Illustration: Seal] - - [Illustration: Seal] - - [Illustration: Seal] - - [Illustration: Section of a funerary papyrus, showing the progress - of the soul on its journey in the Other World] - -“Well, it may be that every one else in antiquity could write, _but -Moses couldn’t...!_” - -And such an one would accuse another of dogmatism! Because we stand upon -the certainty of the approved and orthodox conception of the credibility -of the Scriptures, and maintain our case with the most exact evidence, -we are not “scholarly.” Yet here is a reputedly religious leader, -utterly ignorant of an enormous body of knowledge derived from a -generation of research, who misleads those who are unfortunate enough to -be under his ministry, and offers them the fallacious, repudiated, and -utterly baseless conclusions of higher criticism, in the place of the -living bread which God has provided for His children! This is but to be -expected when we think the matter through. The bread of life is to be -found only in the pages of God’s Book. Therefore, if the source of this -bread is rejected and derided, the bread cannot be available! - -The great pity of the matter is seen in the fact that this attitude is -entirely untenable, in the light of our present knowledge. Although our -science has demonstrated a remarkable culture for the very age of the -patriarchs, we are faced with religious leaders who are so far behind -the advanced learning of our day that they still teach the outmoded -nonsense of criticism, and claim that Moses could not write! - -It is rather amusing in the light of this dogmatic assurance of critical -authorities to journey back through the hallways of time and find that -writing was a common custom a thousand years before Moses, or even a -thousand years before that! Throughout Egypt especially, the art of -writing was a universal possession among all classes of the populace. -The toilet articles used by the beauties of Ancient Egypt were highly -engraved with charms, and with prayers to the goddess of beauty. As an -Egyptian damsel prepared herself for the evening’s engagement, she would -read these prayers and charms which were supposed to give her divine aid -in impressing the ladies with her outstanding beauty! Poems of love and -lyrics of passion were engraved upon her toilet articles and were -incised upon the walls of her apartment as well. - -In addition to this, most of the ancients wore amulets to guard them -against the evil eye and every sort of disaster. - -Some wore engraved pectorals that showed the high development of the art -of writing to a great antiquity. - -Businessmen of various kinds, minor officials and even the common people -carried upon their persons seals wherewith to sign the documents and -contracts of their casual business affairs. - -From this common source there is a kaleidoscopic view of ancient life -that thrills the observer with its ever-changing magnitude. It is almost -impossible to limit the value of such discoveries as to the integrity of -the Scriptures. In all this enormous mass of authoritative data not one -single fact has ever been derived which argued against the credibility -of any statement in the Bible. - -An even more important source of historical evidence is found among the -papyri of old. This valuable material was invented in Egypt at a very -early age. In Upper Egypt the Nile was bordered, and in some places -overgrown, with a prolific reed which is scientifically called “cyperus -papyrus.” It is from this name that the paper manufactured from this -substance derives its identification. The manufacture of papyrus was a -simple procedure which nevertheless required time. Briefly stated, -strips of the papyrus reed, cut to a uniform length and saturated with -water, were laid down side by side. Another layer of strips was laid -across them transversely, and usually a third layer was superimposed -upon the second layer. These layers of reed, being laid in alternate -directions, were then pounded with a flat paddle and smashed into a -pulp. When the mass dried, it was a sheet of rough paper, somewhat -comparable to the paper towels that are used in our generation. The -edges were trimmed smoothly and the surface of the paper was smoothed -off with a shell or rubbed with sand. This finished side of the paper -was called the obverse and was the side upon which writing was -customarily inscribed. So expensive was this substance, however, that -frequently both sides would be covered with writing. In that case the -rough side was always known as the reverse. Many of these papyri not -only were inscribed with a written text but were highly illustrated with -scenes depicting the life and customs of the people. These illumined -papyri, some of which go back to a very remote age, are of tremendous -value to the student of the Scriptures. - -We have, for instance, papyri from Egypt at the time of Moses, showing -the fowlers engaged in capturing quail. (See Plate 10.) These birds -being tired by their long flight in their annual African migration, fell -easy victims to the men who smote them to the earth or captured them in -hand nets. Incidentally, the author has frequently been offered such -quail upon the streets of Cairo by vendors who earned a precarious -living by peddling such game. Many Scriptural events are attested in -this manner by these illustrated manuscripts. - -Since there was a high content of starch in the finished papyrus, it was -possible to make them any length desired. By moistening the edges of two -sheets and pressing or pounding them together, the result would be a -single sheet when the joint had dried. This process could be continued -indefinitely. As a method of comparison let us note that the entire -Gospel of John could be written on a papyrus of the usual width, if it -was eighteen feet in length. Such a long sheet would be rolled to form a -complete volume. The longest papyrus we have ever seen is in the British -Museum and is exhibit No. 9999. This single sheet is 135 feet long. - -Another papyrus of unusual length is that which shows the funery -experiences of the scribe Ani. This is a highly illumined specimen and -contains many illustrations of the soul of Ani, as he goes through the -intricate process of achieving eternal life in the realm of Osiris. This -papyrus is 78 feet long and is one foot, three inches wide. The average -sheet of papyrus, however, is about six by nine inches. - -These papyrus records are divided into many kinds and types. Some of -them are funery, and deal with the events of the decease and -resurrection of the individual. Most noteworthy among the papyri of this -type are the various texts of the “Book of the Dead.” These are -illuminated with scenes of religious beliefs. They depict the experience -of the soul on its pilgrimage into the hereafter. They tell of the -conditions of life in the other world and the manner of entering into a -blessed state after death. - -There are also papyri that deal with pure literature. Almost every -subject common to modern literature is found in the ancient records of -this type. For instance, fiction was a common field for the scribe of -antiquity. The British Museum contains many of these prized papyri, as -does the Egyptian Museum at Cairo. - -It might surprise the modern reader to know that the Egyptian people of -old highly prized stories of mystery and imagination. Some of their -greater manuscripts bear a strong resemblance to portions of the Arabian -Nights, and they may indeed have been the original basis of that later -production. - -In the British Museum a papyrus, No. 10183, is a fine example of this -common theme. This is entitled, “The Tale of the Two Brothers.” In the -introductory section, the life of a humble farmer in ancient Egypt is -given in detail. The familiar triangle develops between the elder -brother, his wife and the younger brother. The plot develops when the -wicked wife made herself sick by rancid grease, and, bruising herself -with a stick, lay moaning on the floor when her husband returned. -Accusing the younger brother of attempted assault, she aroused her -husband’s anger to the point where he grabbed an edged weapon and set -out to kill the suspected villain. The oxen, however, told the younger -brother of the ambush that was set for him and he fled the home. -Marvelous miracles occurred during this flight, which opened the eyes of -the elder brother to the injustice that he had been about to perpetrate. -Whereupon he returned home, and satisfied the demands of the stern -justice of his day by slaying his wife and feeding her body to his pet -dogs. The rest of the story is taken up with the wanderings and -adventures of the younger brother. This record goes back to the -thirteenth century B. C., and is a perfect specimen of the fiction of -that time. - -Limited space will not permit the introduction of other notable classics -of fiction such as the story of the shipwrecked sailor; the story of the -doomed prince; the story of the possessed princess; the story of the -eloquent peasant, and any number of other records, nor is their -presentation essential to the development of our thesis. Their value, -however, is seen in the fact that not only do they depict the literary -tastes of antiquity, but they delineate many of the common details and -incidents of the daily life of those ages. - -There are also any number of poems which have a high historical value. -We shall refer later to the famed poem of Pentauer, which immortalizes -the victories of Ramses the Second, which this great conqueror achieved -over Egypt’s ancient enemies the Hittites. The discovery of this record -was the first appearance of the Hittites in archeology and caused a -sensation in the ranks of Biblical criticism. - -Among the more sober types of literature will be found narratives of -pure history. Such would be the lists of the kings, giving the -chronology of the dynasty of each. Records of conquest, lists of -tribute, and the names of captive races form the bulk of this type of -material. - -There are also books of maxims teaching the higher morality of the age -in which the papyrus was written. In a word, the literature preserved in -the papyri of Egypt deals with religious aims, books of magic, records -of travel, and the science of that day. From the latter we learn their -beliefs and technique in the realm of astronomy. Their system of -mathematics is preserved for us in such prize records as the Rhind -Papyrus which deals with the geometry of that age. This papyrus is in -the British Museum and is numbered 10,057. In the Museum at Cairo is a -papyrus illustrating the geography and cartography of antiquity. This -famous map shows the religious divisions of that province, which is now -called the Fayyum. Others of these papyri deal with medicine as it was -practiced in that ancient day. There are, of course, biographical papyri -that are almost innumerable, all of which reconstruct for us the lives -and times of these people who are so long dead, but far from forgotten. - -Among the most important of all the varieties of papyri are those which -preserve for us the embalming technique practiced at various stages in -the development of this art in Egypt. Since the Egyptians believed that -the resurrection of the body and its eternal life depended upon the -preservation of the physical form, they took great pains in their -preparations for the burial of their dead. The most graphic description -of the method used is given by Herodotus and is thus familiar to all -students of history. This noted writer states that three general methods -were used by the Egyptians and the cost of each was graduated to the -thoroughness of the method. - -The most expensive means of embalming was an elaborate process indeed. -The abdominal cavity was opened and the viscera were removed from the -body. These were carefully washed in palm wine, thoroughly dried and -sprinkled with certain aromatic spices. The brains were withdrawn from -the head and treated in this same fashion. These cavities were then -dried and filled with a combination of bitumen, myrrh, cassia and -various other expensive and astringent spices. The openings were then -sewed up. A tank was prepared which was filled with a solution of soda, -and the body was steeped in it for seventy days. After removal from this -pickling solution the body was thoroughly dried in the hot sun and -anointed with spicy compounds which had the two-fold purpose of -imparting a fragrant odor to the mummy and of further preserving its -structure. The process was completed when the body was wound with the -strips of linen with which all students of Egyptology are so familiar. - -The cost of this type of embalming varied, of course, in each dynasty, -but as a general average it would be in the neighborhood of $1500 in our -modern currency. When we consider the disparity between our standard of -money value and that of ancient Egypt, it can be seen that such a -preparation was enormously expensive. - -A cheaper method of embalming consisted of dissolving the viscera by -means of oil of cedar. The flesh also was dissolved with a caustic soda -solution, and the skin shrunk tightly to the bones. This dessicated form -was then wrapped in the traditional linen bandages. The cost of this -process was in the neighborhood of $300 in the currency of our day. - -For the very poor, however, a cheaper form of preparation was used. The -body was dumped into the tank of soda, where it was alternately -saturated and dried for a period of seventy days. The pickled body was -then handed over to the relatives, who wrapped it according to their own -ability and means and arranged for burial at any convenient site. This -process would cost in the neighborhood of $1.50 in our present standard -of currency. - -It will be noted that the customary period of embalming was seventy -days. A discrepancy has been fancied here between this ordinary custom -and the embalming of Israel, as it is recorded in the fiftieth chapter -of Genesis. The third verse of that chapter states, “And forty days were -fulfilled for him, for so are fulfilled the days of those which are -embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him three score and ten days.” -The discrepancy, however, has been cleared up by the discovery of the -fact that under the Hyksos Dynasties the period of the embalming was -forty days instead of seventy, and the mourning of the dead was more -important than the time used in preserving the body. - -In the Egyptian Museum at Cairo, exhibit No. 1270, is a magnificent -anthropoid sarcophagus from the time of Psammetichus the Second. The -inscription on this sarcophagus confirms the statement that the -embalming process lasted seventy days and is a testimony of the honesty -of the undertaker in that he did not shorten the time for the extra -profit involved. - -It is to the reverence for their dead that was manifested by all in -Egypt that we owe our present wealth of archeological material. The most -voluminous evidences for the accuracy of the Bible come to us from -burial sources. Very often the coverings of the corpse were inscribed -with verbose descriptions of the life, morals, and piety of the dead -individual. - -A further source of material is found on the cartonnage. When the body -had been encased in bandages a type of coffin was made that is called -mummiform or, more commonly, anthropoid. (See Frontispiece.) This first -covering was made of some plastic material, which was moulded to the -form of the individual to be buried. In the earlier days this cartonnage -was made of strips of linen cloth pasted together and covered with a -type of shellac. While still plastic, this material was moulded to the -contour of the head and shoulders of the occupant until it took on a -rough resemblance to the individual. This may have been the origin of -the death-mask custom which continues in some regions even to the -present time. In later times this first covering was gilded, and, in the -case of the very rich, might be decorated also with eyes of obsidian or -lapis lazuli. - -In later periods, the cartonnage was made of outmoded papyri. These were -dampened and moulded into a mulch like the method of using papier-mache -in our generation. In so doing, however, the writing was not demolished. -Some of the greatest discoveries of antiquity have come to us when a -cartonnage made of papyrus has been carefully separated into its -original sheets and the writing thereof recovered. - -When the mummy was enclosed in its cartonnage, a wooden coffin was then -prepared, which quite frequently was also anthropoid in shape. (See -Plate 11.) Not only did it maintain the form of the human body, but very -often it had also a painted portrait of the dead person to identify the -deceased. This wooden coffin was painted and inscribed on the inside and -the outside with a record and history of the individual, to which were -added scenes and texts from the Book of the Dead. (See Plate 12.) This -second coffin was not always made of wood, however. In the case of -Tut-ankh-amen, the coffin was of solid gold, and constituted a -tremendous treasure in itself. This was possible only to a monarch or a -noble of enormous wealth. - -The final covering was the sarcophagus, a great rectangular box -sometimes made of wood, but often formed of stone. In this box the -anthropoid coffin was carefully placed and the lid was tightly sealed. -In preparing the sarcophagus, every inch of the inside would be engraved -with a record of the history of the individual as well as of the times -in which he lived. On the inside of this box, the bottom, both ends, and -the two sides would be covered with writing as closely as the characters -could be engraved. Not content with this, the industrious scribe of -antiquity also covered the outside of the sarcophagus, both ends, both -sides, and the top with further writings. We have illustrated this -custom clearly in Plate 13. - -To make the case complete, the noble, the wealthy, and the great of -antiquity were buried in tombs, the walls of which were illuminated with -frescoes, murals, and texts in written script that covered every square -inch of space on the ceiling, as well as on the four walls. All of the -visitors to the Valley of the Kings in Upper Egypt have wondered over -these remarkable and complete records. They are, however, more than just -a curious sight to satisfy the interest of the tourists. They are one of -the priceless sources of valuable information concerning the coincidence -of ancient history with the text of the Scripture! (See Plate 14.) - -Still another source of material and information is found in the -innumerable stelae which covered the ancient world. The word “stele” is -a Greek word meaning “an upright stone.” - -Archeologically it applies to slabs of stone which were erected over a -burial site in the fashion of a headstone in our modern custom. Some -were square, some rectangular, and some were artistically rounded at the -top. In the case of a burial stele, the name of the man so honored, -together with a record of his life and conduct, was carved in high -relief upon the stone. Thereon were named the king and the dynasty under -which the dead man had lived, and sometimes the important historical -events of that reign. Always such a stele contained the episodes of -history to which the given individual had personally contributed. They -are a large source of historical information. These stelae were -sometimes erected in public places as memorials of great events. (See -Plate 15.) - -When Ramses the Second won his great campaign against the Hittites, he -ended a five hundred year period of warfare in which the Egyptians had -been consistently defeated. To celebrate his victory, a voluminous -account of his valor and skill was carved upon a large number of stelae -and erected in prominent centers throughout his kingdom. So also -Amenhetep the Third set up a stele to record his conquest of the country -of Abhat. This beautifully preserved record may be seen in the British -Museum. It is exhibit No. 657 in Bay 6. - -In the Egyptian Museum at Cairo there is a stele originally erected by -Amenhetep the Third. We shall refer to this one again because his -successor Menepthah appropriated this stele, and because it contains his -record of the Israelites, who are thus acknowledged by the monarchs of -Egypt to have been a people of importance in the annals of their empire. - -The most stupendous source of material is found in monuments. The larger -and most important type of monument is of course the buildings of -antiquity. To the Egyptologist the most entrancing and magnificent -spectacle on the face of the earth is the ruined temple at Karnak. The -general public is so familiar with the magnitude and extent of these -stupendous ruins, it is not necessary to make more than a brief -reference to them in this paragraph. Any standard encyclopedia, such as -the current Britannica, carries a more or less lengthy article on this -subject, and the number of interested observers who have studied these -ruins is almost beyond estimating. - -The present city of Luxor, in Upper Egypt, was once known as Thebes, and -was the center of government in times long past. Three very important -sources of study are found in that vicinity. There is the great Valley -of the Kings, where so many of the dead great of Egypt were buried. Then -also there is the great temple at Luxor, which is still in the process -of recovery. It is to be regretted that excavations there have been -halted for some time, due to the fanaticism of the Moslems, who refuse -to permit a mosque to be moved from the top of the remaining mound, -under which the balance of this great temple still lies buried. - -Last, but far from least, there is the great temple, called Karnak. The -evidences that have been recovered from this site carry us as far back -as the early stages of the Old Kingdom, and may indeed be pre-dynastic. -There are a number of temples that have been erected upon this site, -which contribute to the glory of its past history. The earliest relics -found are flint instruments, and there are a number of recoveries from -the Middle Kingdom also. While the famed archeologist Legrain was in -charge of the work of recovery here, he opened one great pit from which -an unbelievable amount of material was recovered. In this one find, -seven hundred and fifty large statues were dug up, and more than twenty -thousand smaller objects were recovered from this same pit. This was -largely a Middle Kingdom deposit. It may be said that the entire history -of the land is seen here, from the archaic age to the end of the -Ptolemaic period. - -There are three major ruins that make up the vast monument of Karnak, -which, with the avenue of ram-headed sphinxes, is almost a mile in -length. Each of these three enclosures has its own story to tell. The -smallest one is the most northerly, and was built by Amenhetep the -Third. Ramses the Second added to its structure, and the imposing gate -was built by Ptolemy Euergetes the First. This magnificent gate is -practically all of the original structure that remains today. The -outline of the foundation of the original temple may be traced, but its -material, with the exception of the gate, has long since disappeared. - -The south enclosure contained the temple built to the glory of the -goddess Mut by Amenhetep the Third, of which also very little of the -original structure remains. Behind this temple, however, is a sacred -lake, shaped like a horseshoe, upon which tradition says the barge of -the sacred lady used to appear. Indeed, there are fellahin in Egypt -today who maintain that at certain times when the moon is just right, -this notable barge may still be seen if one is fortunate enough to be on -the spot at the right time. (We regret to say that the times that we -were there were never the right ones!) - -There were small temples and shrines inside both of these enclosures -where various kings honoured other deities in the lengthy pantheon. Some -traces of these may still be seen here and there, and much more may yet -be brought to light by the excavations now being conducted there by the -Department of Antiquities. - -It is the third enclosure which is the great one, and the really -thrilling monument. It is about 1,500 feet square, so that it is at once -apparent that it is immense. Undoubtedly it is the largest temple ever -constructed by man. Two million, two hundred and fifty thousand feet of -floor space make quite a place of worship in any day and age! - -The original sanctuary was probably begun by Usertesen the First, who -dedicated it to Amon-Ra. Having done so, the king then used the walls, -pillars, beams, and all other available space to carve a record of his -own reign and greatness; not forgetting, of course, to give Amon-Ra due -credit here and there for such divine aid as the Pharaoh may have needed -from time to time! The drawings, paintings, and carvings of this monarch -are a fine source of information concerning his times and peoples. - -This seems to have established a precedent at Karnak, for the original -temple was added to by Thothmes the First, who faithfully followed the -example of his predecessor, and told what a mighty man he also turned -out to be! Then Seti the First followed him, to be in turn replaced by -Thothmes the Third, and neither neglected to carve the tale of his power -and successes on the additions to the original temple that Usertesen had -started. - -The next builder was Amenhetep the Third, and after him the three -successive Ramses all built extensive votive shrines and temples. The -amount of carving, painting, and hieroglyphics that covers all this -mighty pile of stone work is almost unbelievable, and leaves the -beholder amazed and somewhat awed. - -The most noteworthy section of the standing ruins is the great -hypo-style hall, which is one of the architectural wonders of the world. -This hall is 171 feet deep and 338 feet in breadth. The roof was -supported by 134 mighty columns, set in 16 rows, of which the two -central rows were by far the highest. The roof of this great hall was 78 -feet above the floor, and the entire structure was covered with reliefs -and painted scenes from the conquests and lives of the builders. - -Here are to be found the most gratifying evidences of the integrity and -accuracy of the Scripture that the most ardent devotee of the Bible -could desire. The Pharaohs who appear in the text of Holy Writ are there -on Karnak’s walls as well, and this testimony of ancient heathen -monarchs is conclusive and final. - -As the kings of antiquity consistently carved upon the walls, the -pillars, and the beams of Karnak the proud record of their conquests, it -is inevitable that this source of material should be drawn upon heavily -by the exponent of the Scripture. In a later chapter we shall return to -Karnak again and again to read these treasured accounts. - -There are many other temples of antiquity that are of almost equal -value, such as the great temple at Luxor. Students have long been -familiar with the nature of the great pyramids which have also a great -contribution to make to our sources of evidence. It is to be noted, -however, that only an honest and honorable evaluation of these evidences -is of any aid to the faithful student of the Scripture. - -One of the greatest but most nonsensical heresies of our generation is -the false teaching that parades under the name of “British-Israelism.” -This ridiculous fantasy is predicated upon the false premise that the -Great Pyramid is a prophecy erected under divine leading. By a weird -interpretation of its mathematical proportions, it is presumed to -portray a prophetic record of coming events. It is the source of more -fantasy than has ever been derived from any other misapplication of -coincidence! - -The advocates of British-Israel heresy claim that the pyramids were -never used as burial sites. This is, of course, arrant nonsense. They -were nothing but stupendous graves. - -We have ourselves been in the burial chambers of the Great Pyramid and -have seen the sarcophagi. - -We have had the pleasure of examining the great stone casket that was -taken out of the pyramid, containing the mummy of the buried king, as -well as the replica thereof which was put back into this burial chamber -to satisfy the interest of visiting tourists. - -We have been in the burial chamber of the queen and the royal children -as well. - -We have seen these mummies that came out of the Great Pyramid, have -poked our way into the treasure room and have seen some of these -recoveries which were made when the pyramid was entered. - -To show something of the interest the kings of antiquity had in their -resting places, it is recorded on credible ancient authority that the -building of this Great Pyramid occupied twenty years, and that three -hundred thousand men were employed in the building. Ten years were -occupied in the one task of quarrying the stone. Another decade passed -by in the erection of the monument. Herodotus states that the men worked -in groups of ten thousand, laboring three months at a shift. The records -of Herodotus contain a description of the construction of earthen ramps -up which the stones were skidded by means of wooden machines. - -The Cairo Museum contains a number of very valuable exhibits from this -greatest of all burial mounds. So also has the second pyramid of Gheza, -in turn, yielded its mummies, as have the others which have since been -breached. - -We cannot ignore the great evidence given by the type of monument -composed of the obelisks, the erection of which delighted the ancient -conquerors. These consisted of enormous stone shafts that towered into -the air sometimes to a distance of seventy feet. These great spires were -engraved with the name of the monarch, a description of his greatness, -and some of the more important records of his reign. - -In closing, we must not neglect to mention also the boundary markers -that were so common in the Assyrian culture. These engraved stones, -often illustrated with sculptured figures in high relief, are of unique -importance not only because of their written records but also because of -their ubiquity. Throughout all of the ancient world of Mesopotamia they -seem to have been in general use. Since they were an important factor in -deciding the title of a section of land, they were carefully made and -preserved. The date factor is generally a certain year of the reign of a -given king, and the historical information derived from monuments of -this type is practically unlimited. (See Plate 16.) - -Also, since the ancients had no hinges, it was customary in constructing -a door to have it turn upon a pivot. Beneath the door sill was a -hollowed stone customarily called an ouch. This acted as a bearing which -supported the weight of the door and enabled one man easily to swing a -very heavy structure. These ouches were generally engraved with the name -of the building, the purpose of the building and, perhaps, the cost and -record of the construction. (See Plate 17.) - -From all these scattered sources, then, we gather together the unified -testimony of multiplied thousands of men once dead who speak from the -long silence of their forgotten era. Their united testimony is an -unbroken chorus of assurance for those who are concerned over the -integrity of the text of the Scripture. - -In the bewildering mass of all this evidence which together would weigh -so many tons that the figure, if computed, would appear fabulous, there -is not one word, one testimony, or one fact that has contradicted or -disproved a single line of the Holy Bible. - - - Plate 9 - - [Illustration: Herds of cattle, such as the Hyksos kings possessed] - - - Plate 10 - - [Illustration: Ancient mural of the slaughter of cattle] - - [Illustration: Papyrus showing the capture of quail] - - - - - CHAPTER VI - Fragments - - -“Rome was not built in a day,” is a self-evident truth: but it is -equally true that it was not _excavated_ in a day, either! In fact, as -all visitors to Italy can testify, the Department of Antiquities is -still working on some of the more ancient sites, and certain of the most -extensive ruins are just beginning to emerge for the delight of our -generation. Archeology is a very fine exposition of the truth inherent -in the old proverb of science: “Research is the examination of the tenth -decimal place.” - -There are many stupendous monuments that have been uncovered with -surprising speed, but the majority of our most valuable evidence has -been derived from long and patient digging, and is often composed of -innumerable fragments from here and there. Standing alone, any one of -the many items that appear to be inconsequential would arouse no -interest in the average observer, and would be passed over without -comment. Such evidence is similar in its accumulative force to the -action of water. A drop, or any number of single drops of water, -attracts very little attention, but when enough of them combine to form -a flood, great cities and whole nations sit up in alarm and pay strict -attention to the course of the flow. - -So it is today with the flood of facts that make up the great stream of -discovery, and constitute so forceful a demonstration of the value and -accuracy of the Bible. A few facts from Egypt suddenly fit into the -pattern of certain other events that occurred in Assyria, and these in -turn naturally correlate themselves with a record inscribed upon a stone -by some king of Moab. Like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, these isolated -and apparently unrelated facts make a complete picture when they are -intelligently assembled, but careless or ignorant handling can never -show the marvelous pattern in its complete beauty. - -In this chapter we will offer a group of these fragments from here and -there, and show their value to the student who seeks evidence on the -question of the authority of the Holy Word. Their accumulated force is -irresistible, and their final authority cannot be refuted. Just as -grains of sand make up a mighty mound when they are assembled into one -great heap or deposit, these fragmentary facts have an imposing -authority when they are taken together. In support of this statement, we -shall cite the problem of chronology. - -One of the greatest difficulties that has always faced the students of -antiquity was the construction of an accurate and detailed chronology. -The early Egyptians paid no attention whatever to chronological -sequence, but dated the episodes and events which they recorded by the -year of the contemporary monarch. Among the Chaldeans and the Sumerians, -however, lists of eponyms were carefully kept. In the Assyrian meaning -of this word an eponym was an official whose name was used in a -chronological system to designate a certain year of office. From these -consecutive records of the eponyms, king-lists of unusual and detailed -accuracy were compiled. A great deal of the difficulty in harmonizing -the chronological factors in the study of antiquity has recently been -solved by a close study of these canons, which studies were first begun -by Sir Henry Rawlinson. As an instance, we note that one such -consecutive list gives all of the eponyms from B. C. 893 to 666. - -Another magnificent aid to the Biblical chronologist is found in the -astronomical data which were so carefully kept at the same historical -period. Through these credible records we have the material to check the -accuracy of the king-lists that adds to their tremendous value. For -instance, a tablet has come to us stating that in the eponym of one -Pur-sagali, there was an eclipse of the sun which took place in the -month Sivan. Since Sivan would be composed, according to our calendar, -of the last two weeks of May and the first two weeks of June, it is easy -to make an astronomical calculation to fix this date. We are delighted -to find that there was an eclipse of the sun which would have been -visible at Nineveh on June 15, 763 B. C. With this factor fixed, we can -now date all of the events of that period of antiquity from these -king-lists to the time of the beginning of the reign of Assur-bani-pal. - -Another such tablet, which came from Babylon, gives us an opportunity to -check back the other way. This tablet merely states, “In the seventh -year of the reign of Cambyses, between the 16th and 17th of the month -Phemenoth, at one hour before midnight, the moon was obscured in the -vicinity of Babylon by one-half of her diameter on the north.” We then -turn to our modern astronomical sources and learn from them that there -_was_ just such an eclipse of the moon which would have been visible in -Babylon in the year 522 B. C. Since this was the seventh year of -Cambyses, it follows that he must have ascended in the year 529. - -This is exactly what is demanded by the Biblical chronology accepted at -our present time. Incidentally, by correlating the prophecies and -history of the Old Testament to the proved chronological points in these -records, archeology has vindicated the historical and traditional -acceptance of those dates which criticism unsuccessfully disputed. The -kings of Israel and Judah, with the writing prophets of each monarch’s -reign, may now be correlated into this accredited system of chronology. -When this is done, the traditional and accepted dates for the prophecies -of the Old Testament which orthodox scholarship has always maintained, -are established beyond reasonable doubt. - -In the confused condition of the Egyptian chronology it is difficult to -dogmatize concerning the exact identification of certain pharaohs whose -records are contained in the Sacred Text, but who are not identified by -their prenomen in Holy Writ. - -A good deal of this confusion, however, is being dissipated with -surprising rapidity due to the recovery of some hitherto unknown -sources. The tendency of our present day is to concede that the Pharaoh -Thotmes, whose name is more commonly given as Tuthmosis, was the pharaoh -of the Oppression. There is a great deal of reliable authority for -adopting this view. This mighty sovereign, whose history we have partly -covered in connection with his sister, wife and domineering queen, -Hatshepsut, in the portion dealing with the times of Moses, according to -the best chronologist, reigned fifty-one years. He died in 1447 B. C., -and was succeeded by Amenhetep the Second. This fact would make it -practically certain that the latter monarch was the pharaoh of the -Exodus. - -There is a great deal of gratifying demonstration in the new chronology -which, being purged from the gross errors that naturally resulted from -chronological differences inevitable to pioneers in Egyptology, has -brought great comfort and aid to the orthodox believer in the Old -Testament. There were almost as many different dates given by the -critics for the Exodus from Egypt as there were critics. It may be noted -in passing that one of the major difficulties of criticism and one of -its foundational weaknesses is to be seen in the fact that each -individual critic is his own highest authority. The only finality that -criticism recognizes is the dogmatic decision of a particular individual -to believe one way or the other. - -So it is rather hard to say that criticism in general held to any -certain thing. The consensus of opinion, as far as such can be gathered -from criticism, however, would make the date of the Exodus not any -earlier than 1220 B. C. - - - Plate 11 - - [Illustration: Cartonnage in the anthropoid sarcophagus] - - - Plate 12 - - [Illustration: Showing both outside and inside writings and - decorations on anthropoid sarcophagus] - -The _new_ chronology, derived from archeological research, has utterly -and finally upset these critical conclusions. The Exodus can be credibly -dated now to within a span of ten years. The earlier probability is 1447 -B. C. and the latest possible time would be 1437. It may be said that if -we consider the archeological sources alone, there is a possible spread -of thirty years, but no more. Even if we make the most liberal -concessions, the Exodus must be fitted into the record between 1447 and -1417 B. C. Allowing then for the years of wandering in the wilderness, -the fall of Jericho occurred with a possible spread of ten years, -between 1407 and 1397. The earlier date is now accepted as by far the -most credible. We may state almost with finality that Jericho was -destroyed in 1407 B. C., and remain secure in that conclusion. - -Therefore, if Tuthmosis died in 1447, the reign of Amenhetep the Second -would have ended in 1421. These perplexing seals of Amenhetep, if they -have not been derived by intrusion, would thus have had a sufficient -time to reach Jericho in connection with some official business of the -kingdom in the forty years elapsing between the Exodus and the assault -on the Canaanite city. - -It will be remembered that Josephus makes a passing reference to the -statement of the Egyptian historian, Manetho, that the pharaoh of the -Exodus was Amenophis. Amenophis is another form of the name Amenhetep, -which would add a great deal of authority to our present conclusions. -Josephus is not willing to acknowledge the dependability of Manetho, due -to the fact that Manetho came so long after the event. But since the -Egyptian historian preceded Josephus by some three hundred years, the -older authority would seem to be at least as dependable as Josephus! -Incidentally, this fact, if accepted, would be a confirmation of the -accepted date for the Tel-el-amarna tablets with the reign of Amenhetep. - -The final word as to the date, based upon authoritative evidence derived -from the pottery culture as given by Dr. Garstang, makes the destruction -of Jericho to have been not later than 1400 B. C. Thus the pendulum of -opinion and discussion has now swung back to the point where we can -authoritatively stand upon the earlier conclusions of the Book of Joshua -and accept its credibility without the slightest question. - -Most of us can remember how recently it was the fashion for the -opponents of the Bible to laugh at those who believed in the historicity -of Joshua’s strange conquest of the Canaanite city of Jericho. The -collapse of the walls of that ancient city has long been a source of -mystery to the scientific student, and of hilarity to the unbeliever. -The faith of the intelligent is vindicated, however, and the laughter of -the unbeliever is stilled, by the exhaustive work that archeology has -done in the vicinity of Jericho. - -The site has been explored a number of times, but the most comprehensive -and conclusive work was done by the 1933 expedition that was headed by -Dr. Garstang. The walls of Jericho were mighty, and as long as they -stood the city was impregnable to the armed forces of antiquity. The -unusual structure of Jericho’s walls was manifested when they were -uncovered from the dirt and debris of centuries. The word “walls” is -properly given in its plural form as there were outer and inner walls -that entirely encircled the city. There was, first of all, surrounding -the city completely, an outer wall, which seemed to have been held up as -much by faith as by gravity! - -Ever since we had the first opportunity of personally examining the -geology of Jericho and noting the insecure structure upon which those -walls were builded, our own private wonder has not been that the walls -fell down; rather we have been bewildered by speculating as to what in -the name of physics ever held them up! Perhaps it was the binding of the -buildings that anchored the outer wall to the inner wall, and made a -sort of tripod structure of the whole, which accounted for this -phenomenon. Some fourteen feet back from the outer wall and roughly -paralleling the convolutions of the former, there was an inner wall of -the same height as the outer one. Across these two walls great beams had -been laid, and dwellings constructed upon this unique foundation. The -outer wall was pierced by the one gate, in exact accordance with the -description in the Book of Joshua. - -There is no natural explanation to account for the unique evidence of -the collapse of these walls. They were not undermined by military -engineers, for they all seem to have collapsed around the entire -circumference of the city at one and the same time. They were not shaken -down by an earthquake. This would have resulted in a haphazard piling of -the wall material in a number of different directions. It seems as -though a mighty blast had been set off in the center of the city, -thrusting the walls outward, in what might roughly be described as a -circle. This collapse of the walls naturally resulted in the wrecking of -the houses builded thereon. When the preliminary clearance had been made -and the excavators came down to these great ruins, every demand of the -Book of Joshua was satisfactorily met by the conditions there uncovered. - -In the remnants of the houses found in Jericho there was overwhelming -evidence of a systematic destruction by fires that were set to sweep the -entire ruin. Among the most interesting and significant of the charred -evidences were the great stores of burned grain which showed that even -the food of Jericho had been dedicated to the fire, as Joshua had -commanded. - -When the discoveries of Jericho were first publicized, Dr. Garstang -could find only one apparent contradiction between the record of Joshua -and the evidences in the city. That was in the time factor, or -chronology, that was involved. In the cemetery of Jericho upon its -excavation, there were found two seals of the Pharaoh Amenhetep the -Third. Since this monarch reigned probably at least a hundred years -after the time of Joshua, it was difficult to reconcile the apparent -discrepancy. The apparent difficulty, however, dissolves when we -consider the possibility of later intrusion. - -Before the excavations at Jericho could begin, it was necessary for the -workers to clear away the remains of a fortress of Ramses, the monarch -who headed the nineteenth dynasty, which in turn followed that of the -dynasty of Amenhetep the Third. Since this site had been temporarily -used by the Egyptians two hundred years after its destruction, it is -highly probable that it might also have been temporarily visited by them -the century immediately following its destruction. If the presence of -two seals of Amenhetep are to be taken as a date factor in view of the -fact that burials at that site were by intrusion, then a great case -could be made for a later date by the ruined fortress of Ramses. - -The pharaoh who ruled in the day when Joshua led the conquest of Canaan -was most probably Tuthmosis the Third, who reigned contemporarily with -the Queen Hatshepsut until he was sufficiently entrenched to overthrow -her dominion. This queen, as all the evidence most clearly suggests, was -most probably the one who drew Moses out of the Nile. The contemporary -and collateral evidence is fairly conclusive, so that this fact is -generally accepted. Relegating the one anomalous discovery, then, to the -probability of intrusion, we find that Jericho, perhaps more than any -other site in antiquity, has vindicated the record of the Old Testament -text. - -In this very connection, it is interesting to note how the queen -Hatshepsut came into the record, and first interested the student of -apologetics. The eminent archeologist, Flinders Petrie, found a tablet -on the slope of Mt. Sinai which was written in an archaic script that -baffled every attempt to decipher its mystery for nearly thirty years. -But at long last Professor Hubert Grimme, who held the chair of Semitic -languages at the University of Munster, made out two words. One of these -was the ancient Hebrew name for God, which in this form of writing -appeared as “JAHUA.” The other word that Dr. Grimme succeeded in reading -was “HATSHEPSUT,” who was known from her monuments and obelisk. - -With this key, the table was quickly deciphered, and was ascribed to -Moses. The text as it appeared follows: - - “I am the son of Hatshepsut - overseer of the mine workers of sin - chief of the temple of Mana Jahua of Sinai - thou oh Hatshepsut - wast kind to me and drew me out - of the waters of the Nile - hast placed me in the temple (or palace).” - -On the reverse were directions for locating the place where the writer -reported he had buried certain tablets of stone, which he had broken in -his anger. Since all the landmarks the writer used to identify the place -of burial have disappeared, nothing has so far come from the search that -resulted when this tablet was at last read. - -Incidentally, this queen Hatshepsut left her mark upon the age in which -she lived, as she was one of the most persistently determined women who -ever appeared upon the pages of ancient history. There is a remarkably -complete record of her history and her imperial reign which may be read -today in the relics of her times and in the ruins of the great works -which she caused to be constructed. - -Her important place illustrates one of the difficulties of chronology, -which we have previously mentioned. Her background is clear and -undisputed. When Tuthmosis the First died, his son and heir Tuthmosis -the Second succeeded to the throne. He was a physical and mental -weakling, and very little is known of him from the monuments of old. But -he married his half-sister Hatshepsut, and started a train of events -that had surprising consequences. Incidentally, it was the custom for -Egyptians to marry in the closest family ties, and brother and sister -more often wed than not. In view of this famous lady’s character and -later conduct, it is highly probable that the king had no choice in -marrying his sister, but was led to the slaughter whether he would or -not! At any rate, he died very soon after the wedding, and the widow -Hatshepsut declared herself queen. To make her position secure, she -married her young stepson and half-brother, Tuthmosis the Third, who was -the legal and rightful heir to the throne. During his boyhood the queen -reigned in undisputed power, and developed the country in a surprising -manner. - -She was a feminist with a vengeance, and called herself KING Hatshepsut, -and stated that she was a god and as such was entitled to worship and -obedience. What is more, she made it stick! Since she could not lead her -armies in person, she pursued the ways of peace, and the troubled land -had rest and prospered. Some of the greatest building operations of the -ancient world were begun and finished under her direction and patronage. - - - Plate 13 - - [Illustration: Detailed study of outside and inside of anthropoid - coffin. Note voluminous record] - - [Illustration: inside] - - [Illustration: Outside, or rectangular coffin also covered with - writing and records] - - [Illustration: records] - - - Plate 14 - - [Illustration: Murals and frescoes from tomb walls] - - [Illustration: murals and frescoes] - - [Illustration: murals and frescoes] - - [Illustration: murals and frescoes] - -When her husband-brother-consort became of age, he naturally rebelled -against her usurpation. He gathered a company of adventurous nobles -about him and forced the queen to abdicate, after which she disappeared -under circumstances which would have interested Scotland Yard, if that -noted institution had been in existence in that day and place! The -ambitious young king took the name of Tuthmosis the Third, and left a -brilliant record as a conqueror and builder. Counting the twenty-one -years he lived as co-regent with Hatshepsut, he ruled the land -fifty-three years, which was an enviable span for those warlike days. - -If the present accepted chronology is right, he came to the throne in -1501 B. C. and died in the year 1447. This would have made him the -Pharaoh of the Oppression! In which case, the queen Hatshepsut would -have unconsciously offended him in elevating Moses to a place of -prominence and power, which might explain why Moses felt it necessary to -flee from Egypt when he was in trouble. At any rate, out of this tangled -skein of human conduct and ambition, some present help is offered to the -learning of our day by the known facts that have been clearly -established from the relics of this embattled couple. The name of the -queen Hatshepsut was abhorrent to her brother-husband-regent-successor; -and he tried to obliterate it wherever it appeared. But she had built so -many great works and had left such ample records that his actions in -this matter came to nought, and she lives today to shed the assurance of -probability upon the record of Moses. - -We have seen her obelisks, her records and some of the ruins of her -great works, and the entire pattern is of a piece with the demands, both -chronological and ethnological, of the text of the Scripture. It is -apparent that not only dead _men_, but also dead _women_, may tell -tales, if their voices are heeded and the ears of the listener are not -stopped with the wax of infidelity and disbelief. - -The amazing and scrupulous accuracy which is maintained by the Old -Testament in its historical statements is once again demonstrated by the -record of Ahaz as it is given in the Old Testament and found on the -monuments in Assyria. We read in II Kings and the sixteenth chapter, -these words: - - In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, Ahaz the son of - Jotham king of Judah began to reign. - - Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen - years in Jerusalem, and did not that which was right in the sight of - the Lord his God, like David his father. - - But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son - to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the - heathen, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel. - - And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the - hills, and under every green tree. - - Then Rezin king of Syria, and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel, - came up to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Ahaz, but could not - overcome him. - - At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and dwelt - there unto this day. - - So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria saying, I - am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of - the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which - rise up against me. - - And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the - Lord, and in the treasures of the king’s house, and sent it for a - present to the king of Assyria. - - And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him: for the king of Assyria - went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried the people of it - captive to Kir, and slew Rezin. - -The visit of Ahaz which closes this record was made in 732 B. C. -Tiglath-pileser has left his own story of these stirring events and has -called Ahaz by name upon his monument. The unfortunate action of Ahaz in -calling for Assyrian aid against his enemies Pekah king of Israel and -Rezin king of Syria, resulted, according to Tiglath-pileser’s account, -in his invasion of both Syria and Palestine. From thence he carried away -into captivity the two tribes of Reuben and Gath, and the half tribe of -Manasseh. The distress of Israel was not ended until Hoshea, shortly -afterward, became the new king of Israel. As a matter of policy he -formally accepted the yoke of Assyria and became the vassal of -Tiglath-pileser. - -In the Assyrian Room of the British Museum, Wall Cases 14 to 18 contain -a valuable collection of inscribed bowls, ostraca, and fragments of -records which extend from the days of Assur-resh-shi, down to the end of -the Assyrian dynasty. Among them are fragmentary inscriptions from the -reign of Tiglath-pileser the Third. He is known in the Scriptures also -by his Babylonian name of Pul. In I Chronicles 5:26 both names are found -in the one verse, as though the scribe were anxious that the -identification should be complete: - - And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, - and the spirit of Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and he carried them - away, even the Reubenites and the Gadites, and the half tribe of - Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the - river Gozan, unto this day. - -Tiglath-pileser again appears under the name of Pul in II Kings 15:19: - - And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and Menahem gave - Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to - confirm the kingdom in his hand. - -In the twenty-ninth verse of this chapter, however, his Assyrian name is -given alone, as is done in the sixteenth chapter. - -In the above cited wall cases, exhibit K 2751, is an inscription of -Tiglath-pileser’s setting forth some of his conquests, and an account of -certain of his building operations. Among the tributary kings who -accepted his yoke, he _specifically mentions Ahaz king of Judah_. - -Modern man is so used to the phenomena that make up the miracle of our -modern living that such fascinating possessions as this are not -generally appreciated and properly valued. Here, however, we hear again -the voice of a man who died in the year 727 B. C. The phenomenon is seen -in the fact that in spite of the indescribable vandalism and wreckage -wrought by those intervening ages, a fragment of clay persisted, and -remained in existence until it could be uncovered from the dust heaps of -antiquity by _the one generation that desperately needed its testimony -and was able to interpret and prize its record_! - -Here indeed is a dead man who tells tales, and who tells them with such -authority and accuracy that the mouth of criticism is stopped and the -Word of God completely vindicated. Incidentally, Tiglath-pileser’s -record corroborates the prophecy of Isaiah, concerning the destruction -of both Israel and Syria, because they had joined their forces to make -war upon Judah. - -This prophecy is given at length in the seventh chapter of Isaiah and -was the instance of introducing the greater prophecy of the final -redemption of the people with the coming of Messiah. He was to be -identified, according to Isaiah, by means of the miracle of the virgin -birth. - -When Omri, the general of the armies of Israel, was elevated by popular -acclaim to the throne of dominion, he climaxed an astonishing career -that left a deep impression upon antiquity. At the beginning of his -reign the nation was divided in its allegiance and this division -resulted in a civil war that was bitter, though brief. The power and -might of Omri quickly pacified and subdued the land, which accepted his -dominion, and for twelve years his hand guided the helm of the ship of -state. One of his earlier acts was to buy the hill of Samaria for a sum -that is given as two talents of silver, which would be in the -neighborhood of $4,000 in our reckoning. So impressive was his -personality that from his day on to the end of the kingdom, the land of -Israel was generally known among the Assyrian peoples as the Land of -Omri. - -On the black monolith for instance, which was set up by Shalmaneser the -king of Assyria, there are many sculptured pictures which illustrate the -text of this priceless historical record. One of the scenes shows that -among the conquered rulers, one is entitled “Jehu the son of Omri.” A -record is made of the silver, gold, lead, vessels of gold, and of other -materials that Jehu brought in tribute to Shalmaneser. (See Plate 18.) -This black obelisk may be seen in the Nimrud Central Saloon of the -British Museum in London. That this was a general is seen from the fact -that on the nine-sided prism which gives the record of Sargon concerning -his conquests in Palestine, the great Assyrian lists the people of -Israel whom he calls “Bit-Khu-um-ri-a” (Omri-land), among other subdued -races. Omri was succeeded on the throne by Ahab, who was a young man -when he came to the throne. He left an unenviable record of apostasy and -idolatry, but was none-the-less a courageous and able administrator -whose work strengthened the realm greatly. In the twenty-two years of -his reign the Word of God was ignored and unbelief swept over the land. -In his day the first persecution of God’s people, which was directed -against their ministry, began when his wife Jezebel caused the slaughter -of the prophets. - -The entire career of Ahab occupies considerable space in the records of -the Old Testament and is almost as prominent in the monuments of -antiquity. One of the most outstanding and notable of his early acts was -the famous overthrow of Benhadad, the king of Syria. The invasions of -Israel by Benhadad are fully covered in the historical texts of the Old -Testament, so they need no recapitulation here. When the Syrian king -suffered an overwhelming and crushing defeat at the hands of Ahab, he -submitted himself to the king of Israel with a humble plea for mercy. In -spite of the denunciation of the prophet, who warned that Benhadad would -bring disaster upon the realm, Ahab restored him to his Syrian dominion -and made a covenant of brotherhood with him. Later on, Ahab and Benhadad -united in a rebellion against their Assyrian overlord in one of the most -disastrous acts of his career. The battle that decided the campaign was -fought at Karkar. - -In the British Museum, the Nimrud Central Saloon exhibits a stele of -Shalmaneser the Third which bears the identifying number of 88. The -inscription sets forth the names, titles, and ancestry of the king and -gives a complete account of several of his military adventures. He -states that in the sixth year of his reign, he battled against certain -allies who had rebelled against his authority. Among them he lists “Ahab -of the land of Israel.” Shalmaneser tells how he defeated this coalition -and slew fourteen thousand of the Syrian warriors in one great battle. - - - Plate 15 - - [Illustration: Commemorative stele] - - - Plate 16 - - [Illustration: Ancient boundary markers] - - [Illustration: boundary marker] - - [Illustration: boundary marker] - - [Illustration: boundary marker] - -On the monolith of Shalmaneser the record begun on this stele is further -continued. This battle, according to Shalmaneser’s chronology, would be -about 854 B. C. This Benhadad is known on the Assyrian monuments -variously by the names of Hadad-ezer and Hadad-idri. He is authenticated -by the finest type of historical proof that the most carping critic -could demand. Incidentally, Benhadad is one of the forty-seven kings -mentioned in our preliminary remarks, who were supposed to be legendary -characters, until archeology called them forth from the dead to testify -in their own behalf. - -Ahab was one of the most industrious builders who ever occupied the -throne of Israel. Although he lacked the resources of Solomon, there are -a number of records in the Scripture that shed light upon his -architectural interests. In I Kings 22:39 all of this activity is -summarized in their brief epitome: - - Now the rest of the acts of Ahab and all that he did, and the ivory - house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not - written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel. - -The hill of Samaria, which Omri had purchased, passed by inheritance to -Ahab. The ivory palace that is mentioned in I Kings 22:39 was built on -this site. Solomon may have had his throne of ivory, but Ahab improved -upon that idea, as this text seems to imply. This summer palace which he -built for himself and Jezebel on the crest of the hill of Samaria has -been the scene of recent expeditions. A great deal of archeological -industry has been expended in reconstructing the beauty and marvel of -this palace of Ahab. It has been discovered that the walls were -decorated with ivory carvings, and that much of the furniture was inlaid -with ivory. This valuable substance was used with a profligate hand to -construct one of the most splendid edifices of all antiquity. - -Some of the most skilled craftsmen of human history were employed by -this enterprise. To show something of the ability of these ancient -artists, we present a photograph of the figure of an ivory lion which -came from the site of Ahab’s palace. The illustration is magnified four -times, but tiny as this priceless relic is, the lines and perfection of -the carving cannot be excelled by any craftsman today. - -The Harvard expedition under Dr. Reisner, and the joint expedition of -1931, both made delighted comment on the unprecedented perfection of the -structure of this great palace. It covered an area between seven and -eight acres in extent; the masonry of the building was no less than -marvelous in the perfection of its structure and joining. Concerning -these ivory miniatures, inlays, and friezes, the leader of the -expedition said, “These ivories are the most charming example of -miniature art ever found on an Israelite site.” By referring to the -ivory lion in Plate 19 the reader can see that this is indeed the fact. - -The excavations at Samaria have been going on since the Harvard -expedition began in 1908. Among the valuable finds from the ivory palace -of Ahab must be listed a group of seventy-five ostraca. These ancient -fragments of pottery, inscribed and engraved with the homely affairs of -the daily life of Ahab’s time, contain the same script as is found on -the Moabite stone. - -This great relic of antiquity has had a fascinating but unfortunate -history in itself. It will always be a matter of sincere regret that the -first discoverer of the Moabite stone did not make a copy of its -complete text. The Moabite stone states that Ahab reigned forty years. -The Scripture record, however, makes his reign to be twenty-two years. -According to the credible chronology of II Kings, upon the death of -Ahab, his son, Jehoram, ascended to the throne and reigned twelve years. -Mesha, who had accepted the lordship of the able Ahab, rebelled against -the weaker son. - -At some time during this reign, Mesha, a minor king of Moab, tired of -paying to Israel the annual tribute of one hundred thousand lambs, plus -one hundred thousand rams, with the wool thereof. He rebelled against -the overlord of Israel and successfully threw off the yoke. On an -enormous stele which was erected at Dhiban by the successful king we -find these words: - - “I Mesha, son of Chemosh-melech, king of Moab, the Dibonite. My father - reigned over Moab 30 years and I reigned after my father. I have made - this monument for Chemosh at Qorhah, a monument of salvation for he - saved me from all invaders and let me see my desire upon all my - enemies. Omri was king of Israel, and he oppressed Moab many days, for - Chemosh was angry with his land. His son, Ahab followed him and he - also said: I will oppress Moab. In my days Chemosh said: I will see my - desire on him and his house and Israel surely shall perish forever. - Omri took the land of Medeba and dwelt in it during his days and half - the days of his son, altogether 40 years. But Chemosh gave it back in - my days. I built Baal-Meon and made therein the ditches; I built - Kirjathaim. The men of God dwelt in the land of Ataroth from of old, - and the king of Israel built there the city of Ataroth; but I made war - against the city and took it. And I slew all the people of the city, - for the pleasure of Chemosh and of Moab and I brought back from the - Arel of Dodah and bore him before Chemosh in Qerioth. And I placed - therein the men of Sharon and the men of Mehereth. And Chemosh said - unto me: Go, seize Nebo of Israel and I went in the night and fought - against it from the break of dawn till noon; and I took it, slew all - of them, 7,000 men and boys, women and girls and female slaves, for to - Ashtar-Chemosh I devoted them. And I took from thence the Arels of - Yahwah and bore them before Chemosh. Now the king of Israel had built - Jahaz and he dwelt in it while he waged war against me, but Chemosh - drove him out from before me....” - -When this great monument was first discovered in 1868, its value was of -course not appreciated and no copy of the text was made. The Museum of -Berlin heard of it and moved for its purchase. An employe of the French -Consulate heard of the negotiations, and offered a large bribe for the -possession of the stone. The Turkish officials then interfered. The -superstitious Arabs, believing that the monument must have some magical -value, broke it into a number of fragments and distributed the pieces as -amulets, or charms. A French agent, however, industriously pursued these -fragments and with the help of a squeeze which he had made, -reconstructed the major portion of the writings. The ancient name of -Jehovah occurring on this text was an additional delight to these -students of antiquity. - -Certain small cities that Israel had wrested from Moab were returned to -Mesha at the time of this rebellion. Jehoram, and Jehoshaphat, the kings -of Judah, later battled against the increasing power of Moab and -administered a crushing defeat to the Moabites sometime after the -successful uprising that is recorded here in this text. - -Among the ostraca excavated at Samaria, were some that mentioned many of -the historical personages of the Old Testament, which also enhanced -their value in the eyes of archeologists. - -The later expedition to Samaria which was working in 1931, apparently -reached the foundations of the first buildings of Omri. They have left a -record stating, “No remains earlier than the building of Omri are to be -found upon this site.” This being so, we cannot question the statement -of the text that Omri was the original builder on the crest of the hill -of Samaria, which fact is in itself of considerable importance to the -subject of our present study. The question has been raised as to what -the effect would have been on the problem of the integrity of the text -of the Scripture if this site had proved to have been like the other -regions excavated, and was occupied by many older and underlying ruins! -The simple answer is that such a discovery was _not_ made; and the -evidence that has been derived is of such nature that this portion of -the sacred Book _must_ be accepted by the intelligent and informed -scholar. - -These fragmentary events and references are of as much value as are the -individual bricks that make up the mass of a wall or a building. One or -two standing alone would be relatively unimportant, but when scores of -such evidences are gathered into a composite unit, they offer a -formidable and impressive structure of evidence that is extremely -difficult to refute. Although it has been the custom to construct the -critical argument against the integrity of God’s Word from imagined -_minor_ errors in the text, so intrenched is critical dogmatism that -nothing but a _major_ rebuttal will be heeded. Happily, a major -structure may be erected from minor materials: and thus these -_fragments_ serve their destined purpose. - - - Plate 17 - - [Illustration: Stone ouches, or door-sockets] - - [Illustration: door-sockets] - - - Plate 18 - - [Illustration: The famed Black Obelisk, which confirmed the record - of Jehu] - - [Illustration: Hamath Inscription] - - - - - CHAPTER VII - The Rebirth of an Empire - - -Among the ancient races that are catalogued in the lists which appear in -the pages of the Old Testament, the most important one in the -presentation of this thesis is the Hittite race. In the heyday of their -brief popularity the higher critics indulged in an orgy of refutation -concerning these sections of the Scripture. Since the Hittites are -mentioned forty-eight times in the pages of the Bible, if it could be -proved that these people were fictitious in character, the critical case -against the Old Testament would be demonstrated beyond question. It -would almost seem as though the writers of the ancient word had invited -this contest with deliberate intention. It is impossible to justify the -manifold appearances of the Hittites in the Sacred Word, if they were -not an actual people. - -In addition to the many other references, in the various lists of races -given as occupying different portions of the ancient world, the Bible -mentions the Hittite peoples twenty-one separate and distinct times. The -eminent dean of higher criticism, the late Canon Driver, ascribes these -historical catalogs of peoples to imagination and fiction, and refers to -them in such words as these, “The Hittites are also regularly mentioned -in the rhetorical lists.” Canon Driver is careful to note that these -lists of peoples are found in that section of the Scripture which he -calls the “Elohistic Manuscript.” It is not hard to understand that one -who starts with the assumption of incredibility, would have trouble -believing in the reality of the statements in a document so treated. - -The writers of the Scripture, in their dealings with the subject of this -forgotten people, sketch an amazing picture indeed. They portray a -warlike, powerful, well organized race whose genius at colonization and -military ability combined to win for them a veritable world empire. The -center of their dominion was Syria, but from thence they reached out to -lay their yoke upon Egypt, to overrun Palestine, and to force the early -Assyrians to pay tribute to their might and power. - -It seems almost inconceivable that in the voluminous records of -antiquity there should have been no single word concerning this mighty -race. For until the closing decades of the nineteenth century, the -Hittites had no place in secular history. They were preserved to the -memory of man, simply and only because of the forty-eight Old Testament -references which we have previously mentioned. The scholarly critics -argued that it would be impossible for a world empire to disappear from -history without leaving a single trace. They insisted that if a race of -men had ever lived who dominated the world of their day, common sense -would incline us to the conclusion that they could not suddenly fade -away from the memory of man and leave no evidence of their existence. - -But they did! From the very beginning of this argument, it should have -been apparent that there were two ways to approach the problem. One way -was the method which was adopted by the higher critics, namely, to -assume that the Old Testament is fallible. Adopting as the grounds of -investigation the pre-conceived conclusion that the records of the Old -Testament are fallacious and incredible, the critics then proceeded to -search for proof of this basic assumption. By dogmatically asserting -that the Old Testament was not historical, but that much of its contents -consisted of folklore and myth, inductive conclusions were offered as -proof of this presumption. - -It did not seem to occur to the higher critical scholars that a better -way to study the Word would have been to concede the historicity of the -text until it was disproved by evidence. This, of course, has ever been -the method used by the orthodox student of the Word. We might say in -passing that this is not only the intelligent technique but is also the -safer process. To say the very least, it saves the embarrassment that -inevitably comes to him who arrays himself against the integrity of the -Word of God! - -The first appearance of the Hittites in the Bible is in the fifteenth -chapter of the Book of Genesis, verse twenty: - - “And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims.” - -This is perhaps the very earliest coincidence of archeology with the -records of the Scripture. In the various lists of races who were to be -displaced by Israel, according to the covenant God made with Abraham, -the Hittites are frequently named. Without any reservation or -qualification whatever, this text which we have just cited states that -the Hittites were Canaanites. According to Genesis 10:15, the -Canaanitish people came through the line of Sidon and Heth. It is -apparent also from Genesis 10:6, where Canaan the son of Ham first comes -into the record, that these Hittites, if they had existed, would have -been akin to the early population of Chaldea and Babylon. It is an -interesting fact to note that the monuments of antiquity which have -restored these Hittites to their proper place in secular history, show -them to have had a mixture of Semitic and Mongolian characteristics. - -In the various appearances of these people in the Old Testament records, -it is to be noted that several characters married Hittite wives. -Bathsheba, who was the mother of Solomon, and thus infused a Gentile -strain into the genealogy of Mary, who was the mother of our Lord, was a -Hittite woman. In I Kings 11:1, it is also stated that Solomon, among -his many political marriages, had taken to himself wives from among the -Hittites. - -These people, although unknown in the orderly annals of human history, -might have been recognized had the scholarly ability of earlier -generations been able correctly to interpret obsolete systems of -writings. The Assyrians called them the “Khatti.” In the Egyptian -inscriptions they are known as the “Kheta.” The fact that these names -referred to the Hittites was not known until the Hittite inscriptions -themselves were read and interpreted and the fact of their reality -established. It is to be regretted that in a work as short as this one -we have not room to recapitulate their long and fascinating history. The -romance of their recovery of their rightful place in the annals of human -conduct is all that we can present in this chapter. They were thrust by -human ignorance into the outer darkness of forgotten things, but we can -trace the hand of God in bringing them back into the light of -remembrance and establishing them in their proper place of glory and -prominence among the empires of antiquity. - -Without hesitation we would offer this as the perfect demonstration of -the manner in which Almighty God cares for His Word. When His Book is -assailed and discredited, He will, if need be, raise the dead to -establish the integrity of the Inspired Record. It might be noted in -passing that secular history is now often corrected by archeology. The -misunderstandings and errors which were alleged to appear in the Bible, -and which are common to the production of a purely human document, are -being done away with as we read them again in the light of the -monuments. Wherever such correction has been made, it has had the effect -of bringing secular history into complete harmony with the Bible. So in -restoring the empire of the Hittites to the staid columns of accredited -history, the Divine Record is again confirmed. - -It is inevitable that these Hittites should appear in the Ancient Word, -as they largely parallel the history of the Hebrew kingdom in point of -time. From the days of Abraham to the end of the kingdom of Israel, the -Hittites and the Hebrews walked side by side and hand in hand. During -that time Hittites and Israelites alike are the enemies of Egypt. Alike -they battled against Babylon and Assyria, they intermarried, had -treaties and covenants each with the other, and had a well developed -system of commerce between the nations. - - - Plate 19 - - [Illustration: Small ivory lion from Ahab’s palace - Author’s collection (Photo by Dworshak)] - - - Plate 20 - - [Illustration: Fragmentary frieze showing ancient chariots (Museum - of the University of Pennsylvania)] - -King Solomon, the merchant prince, had developed business relations with -all of the many chieftains and kings of the Hittite peoples, and had a -well developed trade in the horses and chariots for which the Hittites -were famous in their day. (See Plate 20.) This coincidence of affairs -began when Abraham consummated the first commercial transaction that is -mentioned in human history. Before Abraham left Ur of the Chaldees to -begin his strange pilgrimage, the Hittites were already established in -Canaan. It must not be thought that Abraham at that time was the ancient -prototype of our modern hobo, wandering from point to point with no -estate! The pastoral pursuits of Abraham had built up for him flocks and -herds that made him enormously wealthy. He was an able strategist, and -his military skill, combined with his personal valor, had elevated him -to a high position of power and influence. - -In the land of Canaan he was treated with honor and admiration as -befitted his station and position. His armed retainers constituted a -formidable army for that day, and this trained manpower compelled -respect for Abraham, the wandering prince. When Sarah died, the Hittites -were in possession of the land and Abraham recognized the validity of -their title when he opened the negotiations for a burial plot for Sarah, -by defining himself as a stranger and a sojourner in their land. With -typical oriental courtesy in bargaining, the Hittites replied to his -request for a burying place for his dead wife by saying, “Hear us, my -lord, thou art a mighty prince among us,” and they offered him freely -and without price the choice of a plot for a sepulchre. Abraham -designated the cave of Machpelah as his choice and offered to pay the -full value of the site. This courtesy, of course, was expected of him. -Though it had been offered as a free gift, it would have been a breach -of manners of the worst type, according to the customs of that day, for -him to have accepted the gift. - -It will be noted in this account in Genesis that when Abraham weighed -out the requested price of four hundred shekels of silver, the statement -was made that it was the shekel which was the current money with the -merchants. The sum was equivalent to about $300 in our present system of -values. This is the first reference made to coinage, and it fits in -beautifully with the archeological indications that the Hittites were -the inventors of the principle of coining both gold and silver as a -medium of exchange. - -From this first moment of their contact with Abraham there is no period -of Hebrew history, up to the time of the fall of Samaria, where the -people of Israel lost contact with the nation of the Hittites. Their -mercenary soldiers became captains in the army of David and Solomon, and -they were occasionally allied in important battles in which the people -of Israel fought side by side with them. It is amazing that the critics, -in the face of the tremendous emphasis laid upon the Hittite empire by -the writers of the Scripture, did not exercise some discretion in their -repudiation of the historicity of this people. Even while the tongues of -the unbelieving were clamoring with loud denunciations of the text of -the Word of God, Libya, Syria, and Asia Minor in general exhibited -magnificent sculpture, incised stones, and monuments written in a -strange system of hieroglyphics that none had been able to read. These -proved later to be the records of the Hittite peoples as they themselves -had cut them with their own hands. - -We shall later refer to the great work of Dr. A. H. Sayce in deciphering -these hieroglyphics. His achievement in that instance was, in the annals -of human history, one of the greatest triumphs of pure reason. Before -this was done, however, the Hittites had begun to stretch themselves and -stir in the tomb of oblivion. Their long sleep was ended and they began -to rise from the dead, when experts in Egyptology read the record of -Ramses the Second. It is not too much to say that these early -discoveries threw the camp of higher criticism into utter confusion. - -Ramses the Second successfully ended a period of warfare with the -Hittites which had vexed and distressed Egypt for more than five hundred -years. So great was the power of the Hittite empire that no previous -conqueror or king in Egypt had been able to shake off their yoke -completely. Indeed, Ramses the Second succeeded in so doing only by -contracting an important political marriage with a Hittite princess. - -The center of the Hittite empire was Charchemish. On the site of -Megiddo, which was so often the scene of battles in successive years, -the forces of Ramses fought with the armed forces of the Hittites. There -the Egyptian monarch successfully defeated the Hittites in one of the -most stirring battles preserved to us in ancient records. The Hittites -at this time were governed by a number of kings who had a close -confederation in all affairs pertaining to the empire. In the day of -Ramses the confederation was headed by the king of Kadesh. According to -Ramses’ record, which is preserved for us on the walls of Karnak, all -“the kings and peoples from the water of Egypt to the river-land of -Mesopotamia obeyed this chief.” - -This army of the confederation massed itself on the bloody field of -Megiddo in a battle which lasted six hours. Ramses tells in detail how -he marched and maneuvered his forces to gain strategic advantages. - -It was a coincidence that the battle began on the morning of the -twenty-fifth anniversary of the ascension of Ramses the Second. He -celebrated the anniversary of his crowning by throwing off the yoke of -the Hittites. A complete victory was denied Ramses, due to the fact that -when the Hittite force broke and fled before him, his army failed to -take advantage of the rout. Falling upon the rich plunder, they fought -among themselves over the spoils so long that the Hittites were able to -enter their fortified city and barricade it against the Egyptians. An -element of humor enters into the final statement. Ramses recounts that -he besieged the city for a number of days, but since “Megiddo had the -might of a thousand cities, the king graciously pardoned the foreign -princes.” In the list of the spoil that the Egyptians gathered from this -battle, there occurred the names of one hundred nineteen towns and -cities which henceforth paid tribute to Egypt. The next important item -was the capture of nine hundred twenty-four chariots, including the -personal chariot of the Hittite king which was plated and armored with -gold. (See Plate 20.) - -Although Ramses boasted that he had “completely overthrown the might and -power of the Hittites,” the future history of this Pharaoh depicts -campaign after campaign lasting until the end of his life. At least nine -campaigns are recorded on the walls of Karnak, in each of which the -Hittites were singularly exterminated, completely overthrown, and -defeated for all time hereafter. The only trouble seems to have been -that the Hittites didn’t realize how completely they were defeated, so -that they came back again and again! The nearest to peace that Ramses -ever achieved, in his dealings with this race, was when upon his -marriage with a Hittite princess, a great treaty was signed. In the -records of his battles, Ramses refers to the Hittite king as “the -miserable lord of the despised Hittites.” When he records the treaty -that he made at the time of his marriage, he refers to the same man as -“his noble and magnificent brother, a fellow to sit with the god of the -sun by the side of Ramses himself.” It is evident, then, that some of -Ramses’ records must be taken with a grain of salt. We noticed recently, -as we were studying and photographing the battle scene of Megiddo which -is portrayed on the north side of the great temple at Karnak, that -Ramses is shown as having thrown to the ground all the Hittites and as -having slain their king. Seven years later, however, the king is still -alive to give his daughter in marriage to Ramses! - -Since the Hittites were at this time the central power of the ancient -world, peace with them meant peace with all the other enemies of Egypt. -Perhaps, for this reason, Ramses’ boasting of his great victory might be -pardoned. - -This great battle is also immortalized by a contemporary poet. The -papyrus copy of this poem is now in the possession of the British -Museum. Many stanzas from this notable work, however, are to be seen in -connection with the magnificent battle pictures at Karnak. Some of these -are also repeated in the temple at Luxor, as well as on the great -monument at Abydos. - -Professor Wright refers to this poem as “the earliest specimen of -special war correspondence.” This work is known as the poem of Pentauer. -Pentauer is the name of a Theban poet who wrote his dramatic ode two -years after the battle between Ramses the Second and the Hittite horde. -The boastful extravagance of his language becomes a bit wearisome as he -sings the praises of Ramses and chants of the impossible feats of the -monarch. An example of hyperbole is offered in this verse: - - “King Pharaoh was young and bold. His arms were strong, his heart - courageous. He seized his weapons, and a hundred thousand sunk before - his glance. He armed his people and his chariots. As he marched - towards the land of the Hittites, the whole earth trembled. His - warriors passed by the path of the desert, and went along the roads of - the north.” - -The “miserable and deceitful king of the Hittites,” however, had -prepared an ambush. When the Hittites sprang their trap with their king -in their midst, Pharaoh called on his mighty men to follow him. Leaping -into his chariot, he assaulted the numberless horsemen and the armored -footmen of the horde of the Hittites, and plunged into the midst of -their ablest and bravest warriors. As he fought his way into the press -of these noble horses, Ramses looked around to see how his force was -getting along. To his surprise he found that they had not followed him; -and he was hemmed in by two thousand five hundred chariots which were -manned by the mightiest of the Hittite champions. Deserted by his entire -army, Pharaoh saw that he had to rely upon his own ability, so “shouting -for joy, with the aid of the god Amon, he hurled darts with his right -hand and thrust with the sword in his left hand!” He “slew two thousand -five hundred horses which were dashed to pieces!” He “laid dead the -noble Hittite knights until their limbs dissolved with fear and they had -no courage to thrust!” He swept them into the river Orontes and slew as -long as it was his pleasure. - -It is quite evident that Pentauer relied largely upon his imagination -for the details of this great battle. However exaggerated this poem may -be, nevertheless it has some historical value. Especially is this so -since the poem of Pentauer and the Karnak record of Ramses the Second -are in virtual agreement as to the essential details of this battle. - - - Plate 21 - - [Illustration: {hieroglyphs}] - - divinity - king - country - plurality - supremacy - e, i. - u, o. - dimes, di - tu, to - kus - ku - khat, khattu - si - es - tar - sis - sar - tarku, tarkus - kue, mesi - seal, inscription - “to speak” - sun-god: “behold” - - [Illustration: From such funerary papyri much valuable information - regarding Egyptian beliefs and customs is derived] - -Incidentally, the walls of Karnak yielded from the records of other -kings the historic evidence of an actual Hittite empire. Tuthmosis the -Third immortalized the Hittites on the walls of Karnak when he gave a -list of towns in the land of the Hittites over which he was victorious. -Unquestionably this list contains the first and oldest authentic account -of ancient cities, which are frequently afterwards mentioned in the -Assyrian records as well. This record is found in the splendid temple -which is called the “Hall of Pillars” and which was erected by this -notable pharaoh. It has been said that in this work the art of Egypt -reached its highest point. Certainly the walls and pillars are literally -covered with the beautifully engraved pictures and names of the races -and cities which the pharaoh had conquered. - -When the Department of Antiquities was working upon the wall of a lower -section, a catalog of one hundred nineteen conquered places came to -light. This record showed that, more than three hundred years before the -Israelites entered the land of Canaan, the Hittites were established in -a powerful dominion over that lovely land. There are seven separate -records of the contacts of this pharaoh with the people who were the -Hittites. - -Ramses the First has also left a record of the treaty of peace that he -made with the Hittite king Seplal at the end of the war that he -unsuccessfully fought to throw off the yoke of this people. On the north -wall of the temple at Karnak, he gives the route of his march and tells -of the victories that he won. He did not, however, delineate his final -capitulation. This conflict resulted in a treaty of peace which is -recorded in this account. - -The successor of Ramses the First was Seti the First, and in his day the -treaty was broken. According to Seti, it was the Hittites who offended -against the covenant, and he also engraved on the walls at Karnak an -account of the consequent battle with its result. To bring just a short -line from his voluminous record, he acknowledges his own greatness in -such an inscription as the following: - - “Seti has struck down the Asiatics; he has thrown to the ground the - Kheta. He has slain their princes.” - -Telling them how he concluded a treaty with the Hittites, to the -enhancement of his own glory, Seti’s record concludes with these words: - - “He returns home in triumph. He has annihilated the people. He has - struck to the ground the Kheta. He has made an end of his adversaries. - The enmity of all people is turned into friendship.” - -With just this brief reference to the voluminous records to be found in -Egyptian archeology, we would be able to establish the triumph of the -Bible in the realm of historical accuracy, had we no other sources. The -fact of the matter, however, is that the Assyrian and Babylonian -accounts of the Hittites are at least as numerous as are the Egyptian. - -It may be noted in passing that, although filled with consternation at -these marvelous discoveries in Egyptology, the critics were by no means -silenced. It would have been better for their later reputation had they -graciously accepted their defeat and acknowledged that they were in -error. Instead, they rushed into vociferous refutation of the newly -discovered Egyptian records. Unfortunately, their denunciations and -renewed claims were given wide publicity by being included in the then -current edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica. It is to be regretted -that this great encyclopedia has often been a tremendous aid to -criticism in spreading its errors and fallacies. This in large measure -is due to the fact that there is a common reverence for this great work -in the mind of the average human. There is a certain class of readers -who hold this notable reference work in such great reverence that its -authority to them is greater than that of the Word of God. It must be -remembered, however, that the encyclopedia of each generation represents -only the current thought of that brief period of human experience. -Anything that is written by man is subject to later revision or -repudiation, as human knowledge increases. So in this great compendium -of human wisdom it is unfortunate that much space was given to the famed -critic, the Rev. T. K. Cheyne. - -This eminent authority was a Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford. In the -above cited article, he treated the statements of the Bible as -unhistorical and classified them as pure folklore. Concerning the -Biblical references to the Hittites, he used these exact words, “They -cannot be taken as of equal authority with the Egyptian and Assyrian -inscriptions!” In dealing with Abraham’s purchase of the burial plot for -Sarah, he had a great deal to say in refutation of the possibility of -any accuracy in the record. At the conclusion of his criticism he -stated, “How meager the tradition respecting the Hittites was in the -time of the great Elohistic narrator, is shown by the picture of Hittite -life in this reference.” - -Dr. Cheyne fell into the great error of claiming that the Hittites were -only warriors. Because they are thus shown on the walls of Karnak, he -concluded that they were mercenary troops who never entered into -business transactions. In his article on the Canaanites in this above -cited encyclopedia, he goes so far as to say, “The Hittites seem to have -been included among the Canaanites by mistake. Historical evidence -proves convincingly that they dwelt beyond the borders of Canaan.” These -conclusions were also advocated by his great colleague and collaborator, -Prof. W. H. Newman. - -Dr. Newman was also a Fellow of Balliol College at Oxford and is the -author of the once famous “History of the Hebrew Monarchy.” In all of -this work he maintained that the Hittite references in the Old Testament -were unqualifiedly unhistorical. They prove beyond question, according -to the author, that the writers of the Old Testament were totally -unacquainted with the times of which they wrote. His conclusion was that -the Old Testament was written many centuries after the events which it -purports to depict. He stated with finality, along with Dr. Cheyne, that -the Hittite people were limited to Syria and had no place in Palestine. -Thus the story of Abraham buying territory from them at Hebron is -unquestionably mythological. - -These ardent advocates of a collapsing theory should have waited! It was -not long after these utterances were printed that Prof. Sayce deciphered -certain of the Assyrian records of Tiglath-pileser. These showed that in -the reign of this monarch, as late as 1130 B. C., _the Hittites were -still in command of all the territory from the Euphrates to Lebanon_! - -Again the Word of God was vindicated, when the monuments, as they were -deciphered, yielded the interesting information that the Hittites were -notable colonizers. They also covered all the ancient world as -merchants, and their caravans and trade-routes were the earliest to be -established. They are in Assyrian annals depicted as artisans and -artists. Although all of them could fight when war was inevitable, they -had a standing army for the casual and necessary protection of the -realm. Dr. Newman was unfortunate also in choosing the time in which he -charged the Bible with error. At a most unfortunate period for criticism -in the history of archeology he questioned the details of Hittite -prowess in the incidental references of the Scripture. As though the -scientists of that day were in league with the Lord, they laid bare in -site after site a refutation of all the critics maintained! - -It will be remembered that in connection with the siege of Samaria, as -the story is given in II Kings, the seventh chapter, there is a peculiar -but important reference to the Hittites and their known power. The -people of Israel who were commanded by Jehoram were distressed by the -siege of their capital when Benhadad of Damascus had pressed them to the -limit of their resistance. Famine and disease had swept Samaria, so that -the remnant faced the choice of surrendering or perishing. Elisha had -prophesied a deliverance, and in verses six and seven in the seventh -chapter of II Kings, the fulfillment of God’s promise is given in this -way: - - “For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of - chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and - they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us - the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come - upon us. - - “Wherefore, they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, - and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled - for their life.” - -Professor Newman found a great deal of grounds for hilarity in what he -called this “childish narrative.” He says, “The unhistorical tone is too -manifest to allow of our easy belief in it.” He admits that there may -have been some unusual deliverance of Samaria, because of collateral -records of dangerous night panics among various hordes of antiquity. He -adds, however, in reference to the Bible account, “The particular ground -of alarm attributed to them does not exhibit the writer’s acquaintance -with the times in a very favorable light. No Hittite kings can have -compared in power with the king of Judah, the real and near ally, who is -not named at all. Nor is there a single mark of acquaintance with the -facts of contemporaneous history.” - -Two sources of information, however, have since been derived that flatly -refute the learned Professor and vindicate the accuracy of the record of -God’s Word. The Assyrian sources show conclusively, upon the examination -of their records, that the Hittites at that time were the greatest power -with which the monarchs of Chaldea had to deal. In the records of -Assur-Nasir-pal a long and powerful tribute is paid to the military -might of the Hittites. So in that day they were still a strong and -warlike people. They were especially dreaded by the armies of antiquity -because of the unique distinction of their chariots. It is to this fact -that the writer of II Kings refers when he speaks of “the noise of -chariots.” - -The walls of Karnak give us a clear and illuminating description of -these ancient weapons of battle. Each chariot was drawn by two horses, -armored and shod with spikes. Three warriors rode in each chariot. One -of these handled the reins, while the other two plied arrow, javelin, -sword, and dart, working untold havoc in the closely packed ranks of -ancient infantry. (See Plate 20.) - - - Plate 22 - - [Illustration: Monuments of Petra, showing extent of the ruins in - one direction] - - - Plate 23 - - [Illustration: Looking the opposite way from Plate 22] - -It is also noted that Assur-Nasir-pal has given a detailed account of -the treasures that he derived from the defeated Hittites. Among them he -lists with great delight “swift chariots with horses therefor.” Whenever -this monarch won a victory over the Hittites, he refers again and again -to their chariots. One such reference is seen in this statement: “The -chariots and warlike engines of the general of Charchemis I laid up in -my magazines.” - -We have already noted that Solomon was engaged in trade with the people -called Hittites, taking chariots and horses in exchange for his -merchandise. - -Ramses the Second states that the Hittite chiefs were distinguished -among the nations “for their swift chariots and horses and their engines -of war.” - -It would seem indeed that the writer of II Kings was better acquainted -with the times of which he wrote than was the later critic who disdains -the authority of the ancient scribe! - -Shalmaneser made five references to the Hittites, in every one of which -he refers to their chariots. In the monument of Shalmaneser, which is -now found in the British Museum, the inscription represents the Hittites -at Charchemish with various of their allies fighting against -Shalmaneser. He concludes this record by saying, “With them I fought; -their corpses like chaff through the country I scattered. Multitudes of -chariots and horses trained to the yoke I seized.” - -Sargon also tells of his overthrow of the Hittite kingdom, and mentions -the chariots that were so formidable an aid to their military campaigns. - -It may be noted in passing that Dr. Cheyne, like the eminent Dr. Sayce, -was later converted to faith in the integrity of the Word of God. This -might be called one of the later victories of the Hittite empire. Its -people have risen from the dead to fight for the faith and for the Book -which alike were delivered unto the saints by the Spirit of God. Some of -the later writings of Dr. Cheyne constitute a frank repudiation of his -earlier position. His lectures and sermons, after his discovery of the -integrity of the Bible, still linger in the memory of those who were -privileged to hear them. - -The summary of the matter presents a complete victory for the orthodox -school. First, as to the extent of their empire, the Egyptian and -Israelite inscriptions give three hundred geographical names in -connection with the domain and rule of the Hittites. These cover almost -every section of the ancient civilized world. These same inscriptions -also present a long list of the allies and the dependencies which paid -tribute to the Hittite kings. Lists of the satraps who reigned as -vassals to the Hittites have also been recovered. - -Secondly, the Hittite inscriptions themselves have now yielded their -secrets to the earnest student. The earliest note of Hittite writings -comes from a traveler, who in 1812 discovered some incised stones and -engraved mounds which were covered with unknown hieroglyphics. These -finds were made at Hamath, a small city in Syria. In the light of the -archeological interest of our generation it seems incredible that these -inscriptions were then ignored completely for threescore years. Then Dr. -William Wright, a Protestant missionary in Damascus, was enabled, by the -authority he wielded through his friendship with high government -officials, to procure these stones and to remove them. Some of these -relics had been built into the houses of Hamath and were part of the -walls of occupied domiciles. One at least was so heavy that it took -eight hours for four oxen to move it one mile. The romance and adventure -of his indomitable pursuit of these stones is covered in Dr. Wright’s -own memoirs and writings. - -At this time, Dr. A. H. Sayce, one of the greatest archeologists of the -nineteenth and twentieth centuries, began the tedious task of -deciphering these hieroglyphics. With no aid, such as the Egyptologists -received from the Rosetta Stone, Dr. Sayce started out on a cold trail. -His ultimate victory constitutes one of the greatest triumphs of pure -reason in the long record of human endeavor. To show something of the -difficulty that Dr. Sayce faced, we have portrayed on page 194 one of -these Hittite inscriptions written in the hieroglyphics of their time. -We have also shown in plate 21 the key that was worked out by Dr. Sayce. -Dr. William Wright, working independently, arrived at practically the -same conclusions. - -When these records were publicized as Hittite inscriptions a storm of -protest came from the critics of the Scripture, who utterly rejected the -findings of both Sayce and Wright. They attempted to minimize any -historical value that might be derived from the translation of these -inscriptions. Having built their case against the integrity of the Bible -so strongly upon the error presumed to be found in the Hittite -references, they could not give up their demonstration without a -struggle. - -At this time there came to light a reference to a silver disk that had -previously been offered to the British Museum. This consisted of a -convex silver plate. It had every resemblance to the ordinary boss which -is found on the top of the handle of a dagger when such instruments are -decorated. This boss, or plate, had in its center a picture of a warrior -standing upright. He was dressed in the typical garb of a Hittite -soldier. Around this warrior were two rows of hieroglyphics, one on -either side. These hieroglyphics were enclosed in a circle. Outside the -circle was an inscription in the cuneiform script. When this boss was -offered to the British Museum, they kept it a while for study and -rejected it on the grounds that it was probably spurious. Fortunately, -however, they had made an electrotype copy of this article. - -When the conclusions of Sayce and Wright were rejected by the critics, -Dr. Sayce heard of this exhibit. Thinking that it might be a way to the -Hittite inscriptions, he prosecuted his search for the original. It had -disappeared, but he fortunately recovered the copy that was in the -British Museum. This copy then became paramount evidence. At a glance, -Dr. Sayce identified the hieroglyphics as being Hittite in origin. Using -the key that he had worked out for the translation of the hieroglyphics, -he translated the boss to be the possession of one Tarkondemos. Having -read this in the Hittite hieroglyphics, he then translated the cuneiform -text and found the two to be identical. - -This vindication of the accuracy of this earlier work won the confidence -of the scholarly world in the Hittite inscriptions. This was the -deciding voice. The Hittites became _historical_ to the modern scholar -from the records of Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon. They become _real_ to -us from their own inscriptions. - -Nowhere in all the records of human research and endeavour is it -possible to find a greater and more complete assembling of the -vindication of the integrity of the Word of God. Even though the hand of -the Almighty must shake the very foundations of ancient history, He has -sworn that His Word shall be maintained. Thus He has called from the -limbo of forgotten races an entire nation in an archeological -resurrection, that they, though dead, may tell their tale of the -credibility of the Word of God. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII - The Resurrection of Edom - - -From the staggering mass of archeological material and evidence which is -at the disposal of the twentieth century scholar, it is very difficult -to choose the most perfect illustrations of our theme. If the case of -the Hittites offers a complete refutation of the critical theories -concerning the origin and veracity of the Old Testament, the -resurrection of Edom is no less dramatic and valuable. - -The word “Edom,” together with its various derivates such as “Edomite,” -occurs more than fourscore times in the text of the Old Testament. As -the history of this region and its various inhabitants unfolds in the -Old Testament story, there is a complete, remarkable and stirring record -of this land and its people that covers many centuries of time. The word -Edom first occurs in the twenty-fifth chapter of Genesis, thirtieth -verse: - - “And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red - pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.” - -In this first instance the word appears in connection with the eldest -son of Isaac, whose name was changed from Esau to Edom because of the -strange incident of the sale of his birthright. The pottage that his -younger brother, Jacob, had cooked was made from a lentil which gave a -red hue that was characteristic of any food in which this particular -lentil was used. So, because Esau exchanged his priceless rights of -inheritance for a pot of red mush, his name was thereafter called Edom. - -In the thirty-sixth chapter of Genesis, verses one, eight, and nineteen, -this same definite statement is carried out: - - “Now these are the generations of _Esau, who is Edom_.” - “Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: _Esau is Edom_.” - “These are the sons of _Esau, who is Edom_, and these are their - dukes.” - -Here we read that the dwelling place of Esau and his people was in mount -Seir, and that Esau is Edom. Hence the name of Edom was also applied to -the people who descended from Esau, as well as to the country wherein -they dwelt. - -This region of the ancient world was also known as mount Seir. It was so -named because of the progenitor of the Horites who originally dwelt in -that section. We are told that this people derived their name from Hori, -who was the son of Seir. This ancient people habitually dwelt in caves. -Therefore, by transition, their name came to mean cave dwellers, as it -was descriptive of their type of habitation. - -If one should journey from Jerusalem to the center of Edom today, the -most convenient route would lie through the modern city of Amman, which -is at the present writing the seat of government of Iraq. On the -outskirts of this city, and all through this region, the limestone caves -are today occupied by families of people. They, with their folks, their -horses and cattle, and all of their possessions, dwell in these -ancestral caves in contentment as their fathers have always done before -them. These caves are furnished as our modern homes are equipped, with -rugs, tapestries, and all the treasures that go to make a human -habitation into a home! - -To summarize the Old Testament record of Edom and Edomites, we must -begin by noting that although Esau _sold_ his birthright, his brother -Jacob actually _stole_ the blessing. We are all familiar with this -fascinating drama of the deception wrought by Jacob at his mother’s -insistence, when he impersonated his brother to deceive his dying -father. This account constitutes one of the implacably honest records -characteristic of the Bible. No other book known to man is so frank in -the delineation of the weaknesses of its leading characters, as God can -deal honestly with sin and failure, since He knows how to overrule such, -and effect a cure! When Esau learned that the blessing of his father had -been stolen by his younger brother, he took a solemn oath that as soon -as the days of mourning for his father were ended, he would slay Jacob, -the deceiver. His vengeance was frustrated, however, as Isaac and -Rebekah sent Jacob to Padan-aram. Here Jacob met a shrewd bargainer more -ruthless than himself; and dwelt in Padan-aram for twenty years, during -which he prospered enormously. - -On his way home from his long sojourn, the account tells how he met -Esau. Two chapters of Genesis, namely, the thirty-second and the -thirty-third, are occupied with this dramatic and human document. Still -burdened by the guilt of his dishonest conduct in the matter of the -blessing, and perhaps feeling also that he had been less than honorable -in buying the birthright, Jacob prepared an enticing bribe to soften the -wrath of Esau. Word had been brought to him that Esau was coming to meet -him with four hundred retainers, and Jacob believed that the hour of -reckoning had come. The score of years, however, had softened the wrath -of Esau, and he greeted his younger brother with love and affection. -Refusing to accept any bribe or present at his hand, he made him welcome -to his possession. The record distinctly states that at that time Esau -was dwelling in Seir. - -It is evident that he must have prospered there, as the genealogical -tables in the thirty-sixth chapter of Genesis list his progeny. All of -his grandsons appear in the record as dukes. Verses one, eight and nine -of this chapter identify the Edomites as descendants of Esau. They -further identify the land of their dwelling with the ancient site of -Seir. To clarify this point, we here reproduce these three verses: - - “Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom.” - “Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom.” - “And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in - mount Seir.” - -Verse twenty begins the list of the previous inhabitants of Seir, who -are called the Horites. These people are listed in Genesis 14:6 as among -the races that were smitten by Chedorlaomer in the days of Abraham in -the notable Battle of the Kings. It seems evident, then, that Esau was -powerful enough to overcome the Horites and to impose his dominion upon -them. The two companies intermarried and became the Edomites of the -later record. - -The next important point in their development is introduced in the -twentieth chapter of Numbers. As the children of Israel were making -their notable journey from Egypt to the land of Canaan, Moses sent a -courteous request to the king of Edom asking permission to make a -peaceful passage across that land. The salutation of Moses was brotherly -and affectionate. He reminded the king of Edom that Israel and the -Edomites were brethren. He asserted his peaceful purpose, and gave a -pledge not to harm the fields or the crops with the passage of his -flocks. - -The king of Edom summarily refused this courteous request in the most -graceless manner. He threatened the company of Israel and forbade them -to pass over his domain. The answer of Moses was a renewal of the -request for peaceful passage. This time, Moses stated that they would -stay to the high and rocky way where no harm could come to the land from -their herds. He even covenanted to pay for such water as the flocks -might drink. The result was a renewal of the threat to oppose the -passage with the edge of the sword. Consequently the people of Israel -were forced to make a circuit of Edom, and they passed around its border -by way of mount Hor. - -From this time on, there was implacable enmity between the two great -branches of these Semitic people. The subsequent history is a constant -record of battle and hatred on both sides. - -Saul fought against them in the days of his might, and records with -delight his various successes against them. - -When David occupied the throne warfare was renewed. So great a nuisance -did the Edomites prove to the people of Israel in David’s day, that this -great warrior king finally directed a complete campaign against them. In -the notable battle that was fought in the salt valley, he slew eighteen -thousand of the Edomite army and pressed on to capture their cities. In -their conquered strongholds, he placed capable garrisons. Under Joab -these garrisons patrolled the land for more than six months. At this -time Benhadad, to whom we shall again refer, escaped to Egypt to become -a later source of distress to Israel. - -In all of their history, the Edomites were consistently allied against -Israel. They never missed a chance to vex their kinsmen. No matter who -the enemy of Israel might be, the Edomites hastened to form an alliance -with that foe and gladly accepted the occasion to battle against Israel. -This bad blood that existed between these races, who should have been -allied by the ties of consanguinity, resulted in the prophecies that -foretold the final overthrow of Edom and the destruction of the people. -Such a prophecy is written in Jeremiah 49, verses seventeen and twenty: - - “Also Edom shall be a desolation: every one that goeth by it shall be - astonished, and shall hiss at all the plagues thereof.” - - “Therefore hear the counsel of the Lord, that he hath taken against - Edom; and his purposes that he hath taken against Edom; and his - purposes that he hath purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: - Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out; surely he shall - make their habitations desolate with them.” - -When Nebuchadnezzar finally took the people of Israel away into their -great captivity, the Edomites rejoiced without restraint. Their -happiness was utterly unbounded and they celebrated with every means at -their disposal. They overran the southern regions of Judah and took much -of that land for themselves during the days of the captivity. - -Jeremiah, in the Book of Lamentations, reproves their unnatural -jubilation and warns Edom that the same fate that overtook Israel will -come upon them. - -So also the prophet Ezekiel speaks from his refuge and warns Edom. In -the twenty-fifth chapter of Ezekiel, we read in verses twelve to -fourteen, this following warning: - - “Thus saith the Lord God; Because that Edom hath dealt against the - house of Judah by taking vengeance, and hath greatly offended, and - revenged himself upon them; - - “Therefore thus saith the Lord God; I will also stretch out mine hand - upon Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it; and I will make it - desolate from Teman; and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword. - - “And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people - Israel: and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and - according to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord - God.” - -Joel adds his voice in a characteristic reference such as we find in the -third chapter and nineteenth verse of his prophecy: - - “Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, - for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed - innocent blood in their land.” - -So also Amos, in chapter one and verse eleven utters this fateful -sentence: - - “Thus saith the Lord: For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, - I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his - brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did - tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath forever.” - -Thus the prophet is moved of God to list the continued transgressions of -Edom, and the consequent and subsequent judgment. - -So literally were these words of the prophets fulfilled that Edom was -not only overthrown and its people vanquished, but for a great deal more -than a thousand years the very name of their city and people dropped out -of the memory of men. Here is one more case where a great people -catastrophically disappeared from the stage of history, leaving no -secular record of the part that they had played in the drama of human -life. - -Needless to say, this was the critics’ _great_ occasion! With a -vociferous unanimity they argued and wrote that there had been no city -called Edom, and no people called Edomites. Since the word “Edom” -literally means “red,” the critics erected a fanciful demonstration -purporting to show that the Edomites would be any people with a red -complexion. According to their fanciful theory, any race or group of -people whose skin or hair was red would be poetically called Edomites. - -When the defenders of the text pointed to the denunciations in the -prophets, the critics laughed them out of the picture. These utterances -were listed as pure, poetic fancy and figurative diatribes. The critics -pointed out that all such outbursts were found _in the prophecies_! As a -stated principle of higher criticism, all prophecies are repudiated. -They are held to be purely fanciful, and any fulfillment is entirely -coincidental. This attitude is the proper one for criticism to assume. -The supernatural fulfillment of prophecy is one of the strongest -evidences of the Divine origin of the Scriptures. Such demonstrations -cannot be reconciled with the critical basis of humanism. Therefore, it -is only logical that it be ignored or denied in a critical approach to -the text. - -The enemies of orthodoxy had one strong argument that in the early day -seemed to be unanswerable. Their constant cry was “Where is Edom?” -Admittedly, this was a question that the orthodox believer could not -answer. The city had disappeared, the people were forgotten, and no -relic nor remnant of this race remained. It was not until the nineteenth -century of the Christian era that the resurrection of Edom began. - -The first and earliest archeological reference to Edom which was -discovered, was a statement from the record of Ramses the Third, who -proudly boasted that in his great campaign he smote the people of Seir. -The next discovery came when the record of Tiglath-pileser was read. In -his story he told of the campaign against Rezin, king of Syria. He -recounted that among other vassals who yielded to his yoke, he received -homage from Quaus-Malaka of Edom. This Rezin, with whom we shall later -deal in Tiglath-pileser’s voluminous records, is the king of Syria who -is warned in the seventh chapter of Isaiah as allied with Israel against -Judah. - -Following this, we have the monument of Esar-haddon. He also tells how -among his Assyrian conquests he overthrew the Edomites and forced their -king to render homage and allegiance to his power. Again, the records of -Nebuchadnezzar tell us that in his final battle with Judah, the Edomites -were among his allied forces. - -Gradually, as this people began to rise from the silence and obscurity -of forgotten antiquity, something of their customs and beliefs began to -be recovered. At least three of their deities are known today. These are -Hadad, Quaus and Kozé. About 300 B. C., Edom fell into the hands of a -people who were called the Nabataeans. Their inscription claims that -they captured Edom, exterminated its then numerous population and -occupied its capital, _which was Petra_. - -Here, then, is the final vindication of the text of Scripture. This -city, Petra, is variously mentioned in the Old Testament text as the -center of Edomite dominion. It is sometimes called “Sela” in the -historical and prophetical references, and twice is referred to by the -name of “Rock.” Obadiah calls the city “the rock,” the Greek form of -which would be “_he Petra_.” It is thus evident that it was known -peculiarly for its structure. This fact appeared to be of no -significance until archeology had brought it to the prominence of our -present comprehension. The issue of the National Geographic Magazine for -May, 1907, made Petra so well known to the English speaking world that -there remains little to be said of an historical nature to establish the -actuality and certainty of this great discovery. - -With the collapse of the Roman empire, Petra disappeared from the -knowledge of mankind and became shrouded in mystery and darkness. It -began to emerge into the light again when a young Swiss traveler first -visited its site in 1812. The record of his discovery was not published, -however, until ten years later. - -The next notice of the site of Petra was taken when two British naval -officers visited the splendid remains in 1818, and published their -observations seven years later. After this it became the custom for -adventurous travelers to take a brief look at the stupendous beauty of -this forgotten city and make some passing mention. The real exploration -of Petra, however, began some thirty years ago when certain German -scholars made a scientific investigation of the site. The results of -their labors were printed only in German, and filled a surprising number -of lengthy volumes. A large literature on Petra is now in the possession -of the English speaking world, but surprisingly little of a definite -nature is known about its earlier inhabitants. - -The monuments of Petra, which we here illustrate in plates numbered -Plate 22 and Plate 23, were not built by the later inhabitants, who were -called Nabataeans. These monumental structures were carved out of the -living rock. Some of them were temples, and others were tombs. To -illustrate the extent of these works, we may note that the great -open-air theatre at Petra would comfortably seat a crowd of three -thousand spectators. - -Just a word of explanation is necessary before we proceed to the -application of this discovery. Petra, the capital of Edom and the -principal city of the Edomites, is found in the most rugged region of -that part of the earth. The land is thrown up into abrupt ranges, which -are deeply incised with canyons and gorges until they form one of the -wildest and most entrancing geographical spectacles to be seen in the -Eastern world. In some regions the underlying structure is limestone. -The walls of the canyon, however, are largely porphyry and sandstone. -The sandstone is brilliantly colored with hues which run from brown -through red, to a definite purple. Some of the strata, grotesquely -twisted and torn and laid bare by erosion, are among the loveliest and -most entrancing geological studies in that region. - -In approaching the site of Petra, it is necessary to journey up a narrow -canyon called in the Arabic, a siq. This approach is so narrow that -almost all of the way it is scarcely possible for two horsemen to ride -abreast. This might have been an important factor in deciding the site -of the city in antiquity. A dozen men could have successfully defended -the approaches to Petra against an entire army of invaders. - -Plate 24 will give some conception of the ruggedness of the country and -the difficulty of approach. In place of a truck, such as would have been -used in flat country, we have the familiar donkey carrying the camera -and supplies. This resting place is in one of the wider sections of the -canyon. Plate 25 is the first glimpse of one of the amazing monuments of -Petra. This great structure bears the Arabic name of El Khazne. A full -view of this temple is given in plate 26. - -Petra was not built after the fashion in which cities are constructed -today. Every structure was hewn out of the living sandstone. The city -has been called “The Rose Red City, half as old as time,” and this -description is perfect. When the sunlight strikes the ruins of Petra, it -is as red as blood. Edom, indeed, and Edomites, might well be applied by -the ancients to the color and beauty of this old site, as well as to its -inhabitants! In plate 27 we have illustrated this manner of carving a -dwelling from the living stone in the great structure which the Arabians -call El Deir. (See Plate 28.) Observing this photograph, you will note -that the rock wall has been hewn away into the shape of columns, -pillars, and decorated facade in the similitude of a building that has -been put together by the orthodox style of masonry. Such, however, is -not the case. Plate 29 shows some of the detail of one of these notable -monuments. It will be observed that the workers began from the top and -carved their way down. In the upper left corner of the picture a series -of holes will be seen. These were chiseled for the foothold of the -workers who started the process. - -Their manner of labor was unique. The architect laid out the size, -shape, and site of the building, and the workmen began to cut away the -stone about the top of their designated area until they had a recessed -trough some ten feet deep into the face of the cliff, on the top and -both sides. Then, beginning with the top of the structure, they carved -that slab in the similitude of a building. As they worked their way -down, they shaped the pillars, carved these brilliant decorations and -recessed the cliff on both sides to make their monuments stand forth. -Plate 28 shows the result of this type of labor, looking from the bottom -upward. Reaching the bottom of their carved columns, these artisans -would then chisel away between and behind the posts that they had formed -of the face of the cliff until they had a great square entry way. The -face of this entry way would be further beautified by carving the -semblance of a doorway. A short tunnel would then be run back into the -cliff to serve as a hall, and rooms hollowed out on the inside into a -series of apartments or caves. “Cave-dwellers,” indeed, is the proper -name for these people! - - - Plate 24 - - [Illustration: The rough approach to Petra (Photo by Matson)] - - - Plate 25 - - [Illustration: Approaching Petra by way of the main siq the first - sight of the ruins] - -The extent of their operations may be dimly understood from plates -numbered plate 22 and plate 23. Some of these tombs that are here -depicted, were never finished. A few of them have suffered from the -ravages of time, but the general state of preservation of these -priceless monuments of Petra is fascinating. In plate 30 we have -depicted the approach to the garden tomb. By the side of this tomb there -is the ascent to the “high place” for the sacrifices of their idolatrous -religion. In plate 31 we have shown the altar and the “high place.” - -These high places of antiquity should be the subject for a volume in -themselves. They are mentioned one hundred two times in the Old -Testament. Being the altars of heathen sacrifices, they were the subject -of constant denunciation on the part of the Lord God and were a source -of trouble and distress to Israel during all her periods of apostasy. -The _groves_ to which the prophets refer and which the godly kings cut -down, were the places where Ashtoreth was worshipped. Very few systems -of degenerate religion in antiquity were more lecherous and vile than -the cult of this unclean goddess. The high places, however, were the -altars where sacrifice was made to the gods of the heathen nations. As -these sacrifices were very often human, and as it was not uncommon for -the ancients to dedicate their children to the fierce and abominable -worship of their false religion, the people of Israel were sternly -forbidden to have any contact with such idolatrous practices. So when -godly kings occupied the throne, they destroyed the “high places.” In a -time of apostasy the high places were builded and dedicated again. Some -of the most stirring denunciations of the prophetic sections of the Old -Testament are in the words that God directs against the high places of -Israel and in the announcing of His final and complete victory over -them. - -This high place shown in plate 31 is characteristic, then, of the -ancient custom. It shows that the Hittites had forsaken whatever -knowledge they may have derived from their earlier Hebrew origin and -were wholly dedicated to the practices of idolatry. Incidentally, the -worship of God is still practiced by Israel, but the “high places” of -Edom and all other heathen centers are merely curiosities today! - -As far as artistry and ability are concerned, antiquity knew no greater -or more capable people. The monument that they have left to mark their -mysterious disappearance is a lasting testimony to their culture and -power. - -But more than that, it is a living, resurrected testimony to the truth -and credibility of the Word of God! - -There is no scene of desolation and ruin that amazes the spirit of man -as much as the desolation of Edom. Forsaken of human occupants, the -wonderful Rose Red City is today a curiosity to be viewed by the hardy -adventurer who would study the antiquities of the Eastern world. - -Just what hands constructed these noble temples and tombs it is not at -this time possible to say. The Nabataeans were incapable of producing -this kind of work, nor would they have invested the time. The bodies of -the departed were spread upon the field as fertilizer or buried in the -most indescribably filthy pits of their day and time. The Semitic -peoples who preceded them, however, have left this record in stone as a -testimony to their reverence for the dead. What the future will yield in -the hoped-for excavations of Petra, no one is able to say. If, however, -a spade is never sunk into soil and no more appears to the gaze of man -than is seen by the casual traveler today, we have sufficient to call -forth a doxology from the hearts of those who love and reverence the -Word of God. We cannot refrain from commenting again and again upon the -marvelous manner in which the Author of this Great Book has cared for -His own case. - -The consternation and defeat of the critics have been complete in this -instance. What a quaint conceit it is in our generation to note that God -is so firm in His promised defense of His Book, that He will move to -crush the enemies of the Word even if it is necessary to smite their -fallacious fancy with a carved mountain of stone! - - - - - CHAPTER IX - The Brazen Shields of Rehoboam - - -In the logical presentation of this subject, we now come to that period -of history in which the pharaohs, who are named by name in the -Scriptures and are thus identified beyond question, make their -contribution to the evidence which sustains the record of the Bible. - -Laying aside controversial discussions as to the identity of the various -pharaohs who preceded, we note that the first of Egypt’s many monarchs -to appear under his personal name in the Word of God is Shishak the 1st. -His name appears on the monuments of Egypt as Shashanq the 1st, but his -own records identify him as the “Shishak” of I Kings 14, and II -Chronicles 12. The outstanding accomplishments of his entire reign seem -to have been the invasion of Palestine and the capture of Jerusalem. In -the account which this monarch left in the priceless writings at Karnak, -the most noteworthy is the story told on the second pylon of the main -temple, where the conqueror has given a list of all the towns and -villages which he overthrew in Palestine. To this he added a record of -the gold and silver ornaments that he carried away from Jerusalem. He -specifically noted the bucklers and shields of Solomon and also the -golden quivers which Solomon’s father had captured from the king of -Zobah. - -Once again we listen to some collateral gossip from far antiquity to see -the background of this strange invasion of Jerusalem. Weaving together -records of forgotten campaigns, homely events of family affairs, the -conduct of pragmatic generations, the history preserved in the books of -the Old Testament, together with the voices of monuments and ruins, we -gradually achieve a basis of understanding. The Pharaoh Siamen, whose -capital was at Zoan, appears to have been an ally of Edom. In the days -when secular historical records begin to coincide with the record of the -text, Edom was ruled by a regent. King Hadad was a lad of tender years, -and though he nominally was vested with the crown, his able and powerful -mother ruled in his name. The queen regent, incidentally, was an aunt of -Solomon. Holding that thought in temporary abeyance, we will continue to -investigate this quaint family alliance. David and Jonathan made a -successful assault upon Edom, which resulted in the capture of the city. -Such rights and powers as a conquering monarch has always abrogated to -himself, then devolved upon David in respect to Edom. When it became -apparent that the city would fall, the queen regent took her young son -and fled to Egypt for safety. In view of the fact that Edom and Egypt -were at that time allies, the royal party was well received and, with -the prodigal hospitality of that day, became guests at the court for the -balance of their lives. - - - Plate 26 - - [Illustration: “El Kahzne” (The Temple of the Urn)] - - - Plate 27 - - [Illustration: Showing the manner in which these buildings are - carved from the living stone] - -In the course of the passing years, Siamen was gathered to his fathers, -and Psabekhanu the 2nd reigned in his stead. The wise mother of Hadad, -knowing that alliances do not always outlast the persons who made them -and, desiring to protect Hadad’s interests in the country that they had -lost by force of arms, entered into a typical and common intrigue. She -brought about the marriage of her son, Hadad, with a sister of -Psabekhanu. Thus, Hadad became the brother-in-law of the reigning -monarch of Egypt and, presumably, strengthened the ties that bound the -Egyptian power to the interests of his small country. - -In the meantime, Solomon, who had succeeded his father, moved to protect -his inherited claim on Edom. This he did by marrying the daughter of -Psabekhanu. It is presumed that the relationship of a son-in-law might -be a stronger claim for alliance than that of a brother-in-law. Some -short while later the second daughter of Psabekhanu married the Prince -Shishak. Thus Solomon and the heir-apparent of the throne of Egypt, -Shishak, became brothers-in-law. By marriage, however, the queen of Edom -was their aunt. At a glance the student can see that affairs were a bit -messy, to say the very least. Hadad maintained his rights to Edom and -conducted at the Egyptian court an intrigue for his restoration. The -desires of Pharaoh were divided between his natural wish to keep the -peace and his interest in the importunities of his brother-in-law, as -weighed against the desires of his son-in-law. Through this tangled -scheme of alliances it came about that Solomon’s son would have some -legal rights of succession in Egypt. But Shishak’s son would have the -same claim to succession in Palestine. Solomon, being much older than -Shishak, died first. The story which now follows is recorded in the Word -of God, and on the pillars of antiquity, for, shortly after the death of -Solomon, Shishak invaded Judah. - -The “why” of the matter is easily understood. The first reason was loot. -The brief account that is given in I Kings 14:25-28 is here appended to -introduce our consideration of this event: - - “And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak - king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem: And he took away the - treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king’s - house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold - which Solomon had made. - - “And King Rehoboam made in their stead brazen shields, and committed - them unto the hands of the chief of the guard, which kept the door of - the king’s house. - - “And it was so, when the king went into the house of the Lord, that - the guard bare them, and brought them back into the guard chamber.” - -In that record it is noted that among the treasures of the house of the -Lord which Shishak carried away, were the shields of gold which Solomon -had made. For a description of these shields and some conception of -their value, we turn to the tenth chapter of I Kings, verses fourteen to -seventeen: - - “Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six - hundred threescore and six talents of gold, - - “Besides that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffick of the - spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors - of the country. - - “And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred - shekels of gold went to one target. - - “And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three pounds of - gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the - forest of Lebanon.” - -The wealth of Solomon has never been adequately computed. It is stated -that from the tomb of Tutanhkamen, in the most famous excavation of our -generation, treasure to the value of $14,000,000 was recovered. The -splendor and wealth of that pharaoh were insignificant compared to that -of Solomon, the Magnificent. We see, for instance, in this fourteenth -verse that Solomon’s income in gold bullion alone was almost the exact -equivalent of $20,000,000 in our day and time. We must understand, -however, that there was a vast difference between the values of the -money standards of that time and of our own. The ratio would be about 15 -to 1. For instance, a silver shekel would buy a cow; a half-shekel would -buy an ass. If we evaluate their currency by purchasing power, it would -take fifteen of our dollars to equal one of theirs. So the sum of gold, -which is the equivalent of $20,000,000 by our former gold standard -measurement, gives a conception of the annual income of Solomon, only if -it is transmuted to our present ratio of purchasing power. This figure -does not include all the tariff and income from taxes, the profit on his -merchandising and the tribute in gifts of vassal nations. He was in the -fortunate circumstance of paying income tax to himself so that his -income remained undiminished! The gold of Solomon was hoarded for a -unique and peculiar purpose. - -When David desired to build a house for the worship of God, his offer -was rejected on the ground that he was a man of blood. However, the Lord -said that his son should build the house of prayer, and David began the -hoarding of gold for the erection and beautification of that temple. The -estimates of the amount of gold that went into that temple go as high as -two and one-half billions of dollars. It is not too much to say that no -building ever erected by the hands of man could excel the beauty, the -artistic perfection, the splendor, and the intrinsic value of the temple -that Solomon built. - -In the Scriptural citation in I Kings, we have just read of the two -hundred targets or bucklers of beaten gold. Also, there are catalogued -the three hundred shields of beaten gold; three pounds of gold went into -the construction of each shield. At the present rate of gold values, -that would mean that each of these shields was worth $1680.00. There was -considerably over a half million dollars of pure gold hammered into -those shields. This glittering and entrancing treasure intrigued the -greed of every conqueror of antiquity, but no man was able to take it -from the House of God while His protection and care were upon it. It is -not to be wondered that Shishak considered the capture of that treasure -as the highest achievement of his reign. - -The second reason for Shishak’s invasion, however, was mainly political. -After the death of Solomon, the kingdom was divided. Rehoboam, -possessing the Southern kingdom, was a weakling who was, moreover, under -the influence of vicious, untrustworthy counselors. Perhaps his tendency -towards idolatry may be traced to his mother who was an Ammonite and -whose influence, undoubtedly, turned him away from monotheism. At any -rate, Bel, Ashtoreth, Moloch and Baal were worshipped throughout the -land on every high hill and under many green trees. The most unclean -practices were indulged in by the people until the judgment of God -necessarily descended upon them. Shishak’s chief concern was not over -the idolatry of the people, however, but over the effect of their -dereliction upon the development of the kingdom. In order to protect his -possible rights of succession in Palestine, he moved to make Rehoboam a -vassal, and brought him under the yoke of bondage, making him a governor -for Egypt. - -A more comprehensive account of this invasion is given in the twelfth -chapter of II Chronicles. A great many people have raised the question -as to why we have the duplication of the record in the books of Kings -and Chronicles in the Scripture. It has been argued that the same -stories told again in Chronicles are a senseless and useless repetition -of the record already written in Kings. This specific instance is -perhaps as fine an answer to that objection as can be found. It might be -said that the Books of Kings recount the _deeds_ of men and the Books of -Chronicles deal largely with their _motives_. The Books of the Kings -record history as enacted by man, while the records of Chronicles give -God’s side of the story and tell the “why” of things that would -otherwise be mysterious. - -For instance, the twelfth chapter of II Chronicles begins, “And it came -to pass when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened -himself, he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him.” Here -is a bleak, unvarnished record of apostasy. The price of a man in his -own position and standing has led him to debauch a nation spiritually -and morally. Therefore, the second verse follows as a natural -consequence: “And it came to pass, that in the fifth year of king -Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, _because they -had transgressed against the Lord_.” Here is an illuminating comment -upon the motives and principles that underlie this record. It is a -foreshadowing of the first chapter of Romans. When men give up God and -deny Him a place in their culture and practices, it is inevitable that -God will give them up to the consequences of their vile conduct. In this -case it was Shishak who brought judgment upon Jerusalem. His twelve -hundred chariots and sixty thousand cavalrymen were supported by so many -infantry that the number was never totaled. They are called -“innumerable,” which is a simple way of saying that the number was too -vast to take time counting them. - -We are then told that when Shishak had captured all the outlying cities -of Judah and was on his way to Jerusalem, the prophet Shemaiah frankly -told King Rehoboam that his trouble had come upon him because of his -apostasy. In blunt words he delivered this graphic warning: “Thus saith -the Lord, Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the -hand of Shishak.” When this message was so courageously delivered, the -princes of Israel and the godless counselors of the apostate king -together prostrated themselves before the Lord and acknowledged that His -judgment was just and His decision was righteous. The record continues -with the fact that when the Lord saw that they had repented, He promised -to save the humbled court and the threatened city. But with the promise -of deliverance from destruction there came also the grim edict that in -order that they might learn the difference between serving God and being -under the bondage of a heathen culture, they should be subject to -Shishak and serve him. - -Thus in Chronicles we do have the account repeated that was given to us -in the record of the Kings, but with additional details that illumine -and clarify the record. Shishak swept the land bare of precious metals -and took away the treasures of the temple as well. Not only did he leave -the king and the court destitute of their priceless ornaments, but he -carried away also the shields of gold which Solomon had made. - - - Plate 28 - - [Illustration: Note how top of building seems to erupt from the - hill] - - - Plate 29 - - [Illustration: Compare size of men in the doorway of “El Deir”] - -We now enter into a consideration of one of the most tragic and -humiliating spectacles in all antiquity. When the penitent and restored -king saw the effects of his apostasy, he called the people back to the -practice of their earlier faith and himself came daily to the house of -the Lord for the exercise of prayer. But as the humbled monarch knelt in -prayer, he could not keep his eyes off the vacant walls. Where the five -hundred golden objects had once hung, testifying to the wealth of that -house and the greatness of his father, there was nothing but the bare -wall. It must be remembered that those golden ornaments had not belonged -to him. They had been hung in their places to praise and glorify God by -his greater ancestor. Therefore, when an enemy came and stole them away, -it was a constant and mute reproach to him because of his own failure to -live up to the standards and greatness of a preceding generation. - -The troubled king gave orders that the targets and shields should be -replaced with copies of what had been lost. There was, however, neither -gold nor silver in the land, for Shishak had made a clean sweep of all -that was valuable. Thus, having lost the reality of their treasure, the -best they could do was to make a cheap similitude in brass. - -Needless to say, brass is a pitiful substitute for the precious metal -which we call gold. If it is kept in a shining condition, at first -glance brass may have some resemblance to the nobler metal, but it -quickly tarnishes and its glitter fades. For this reason, the targets -and shields of brass were stored in the house of the guard. At the hour -when the king came to the temple to pray, the guard polished these -ridiculous substitutes and hung them in their places so that the king -might delude himself by the glitter and shine, and thus have some balm -for his troubled spirit. There is, of course, an element of humour in -this tragic record! - -The moral lessons are almost innumerable and would provide a minister -with sermon material for days on end. We are faced with a somewhat -similar situation in Christendom today. Upon the walls of the House of -Faith, our believing fathers hung the golden shields that constitute the -doctrines of Christianity. The brilliant glory of those foundational -treasures was never threatened as long as the church was true to God. -But we in our generation, alas, have allowed an enemy to come in and rob -us of many of those golden shields. - -We cannot over-emphasize the fact that it is always an enemy who seeks -thus to despoil the House of our Faith. Though he may come in the guise -of a friend, or even of a relative, as in the case of Shishak, the man -who robs us of our golden shields is an enemy at heart and in purpose. - -May we illustrate this suggestion by saying, for instance, that our -fathers believed in the golden fact of the deity of Jesus Christ. They -held as a basic fact of Christianity that in the person of our Saviour, -Almighty God was incarnated to be the Redeemer of mankind. Satan, in the -person of many of his charming and well-mannered cohorts, has stolen -that shield from many a temple of prayer. Men speak now of the -“divinity” of Jesus instead of the “deity.” Having established this -premise, they then continue with the statement that we are _all_ divine -and have this same spark of divinity within our spirits, to a greater or -lesser extent. When the golden shield of the deity of Christ disappeared -from the walls of many churches that had once been Christian, the -worshippers made a beautiful substitute with the brazen replica of -Unitarianism. The tarnished brass of that un-Christian doctrine is a -miserable substitute indeed for the blessed assurance that is resident -in the fact of the deity of the Saviour. - -Our fathers believed also in the virgin birth of the Son of God. They -accepted literally the record that Almighty God himself had given of the -incarnation of His Son. Our fathers believed that the body of Jesus was -formed in the womb of a virgin woman because of the direct visitation of -the Holy Ghost. Thus, the birth of Jesus Christ was a biological -miracle, and He owed even His earth origin to His _heavenly_ Father -alone! This foundational fact of the Christian revelation has -disappeared from the walls and the worship of many a once-Christian -gathering. In the place of that golden fact there is the ghastly and -brazen substitute of an illegitimate child, who was probably the fruit -of a woman’s sin! And then men wonder that the old-time power and -greatness of the Christian faith seem lacking in much of our land today! - -In like manner, the golden shield of redemption through the shed blood -of Calvary has been exchanged for the brazen substitute of a “Perfect -Example.” The physical resurrection of Jesus Christ has been bartered -for a misty idea of some sort of a spiritual resurrection that has no -bearing upon the facts of the record that God has given to man. Shield -by shield, and buckler by buckler, the things that were given to us for -our defense, gleaming with the intrinsic value of a supernatural -revelation, have been stolen away by the enemy. The humanistic -substitutes that have replaced them have left us at the mercy of the -enemy who would destroy our souls. - -But great as are the moral lessons involved in this record, its -apologetical value is incalculably greater. It has been the custom in -our day to question the historical accuracy of much of the record of the -Scripture. So it is with considerable interest that we turn back to -ancient Egypt to see what can be learned from the external sources of -pure archeology concerning these sections of the Old Testament. - -The visitor to the British Museum may come away well acquainted with -this man Shishak. In the fourth Egyptian Room, in Table Case “O”, there -is a pair of gold bracelets, the exhibits being numbered 134 and 135. -These beautiful ornaments are overlaid with lapis lazuli, and a blue -substance which is similar to faience. The inside of each is inscribed -with a text written in hieroglyphics stating that the bracelets were -“Made for the Princess,” the daughter of the chief of all the bowmen, -Nemareth, whose mother was the daughter of the Prince of the land of -Reshnes. This Nemareth was the descendant in the fifth generation of -Buiu-auau, a Libyan prince who was the father of Shishak the First. - -In this same case, exhibit number 217 is a heavy gold ring set with a -scarab carved from soapstone, which is inscribed with a clearly cut -cartouche containing both the prenomen and nomen of Shishak the First. - -Looking further in this case, exhibit number 392 is a silver ring -inscribed with the titles of an official who held many important -positions under two monarchs. He was president of the granaries, also a -prophet of the fourth order, served as a scribe and at one time was -libationer in the reigns of Psammetichus and Shishak. - -The most important of all the records of Shishak, of course, is the -voluminous account that he caused to be engraved at the Temple of -Karnak. A detail is added in Shishak’s record that is not contained in -the Scriptures. According to the conqueror, to strengthen the ties of -vassalage, he gave Jeroboam one of his daughters in marriage. This -complete record of Shishak’s we photographed, studied carefully, and -found eminently satisfactory, with the single exception that the king of -Judah is not named by name in Shishak’s account of this conquest. But he -does tell of the capture of Judah, the rape of Jerusalem, and gives a -categorical list of cities and villages overthrown. He specifically -mentions the bucklers and shields of gold that he took from the temple. - -In a word, this science of archeology, upon the authority of men long -dead, but who have since been raised to testify, stamps an emphatic O. -K. upon this section of the Sacred Record.[1] - -The next king who parades these pages under the designation of his -proper name is the Pharaoh Zera, who has also been identified with -Osarkon. Shishak’s first-born son, named both Usarkon and Osarkon the -First, succeeded his father to the throne as the last of the Tanite -kings of the twenty-first dynasty. This son, in turn, was called Shishak -and became the high priest of Amon. Osarkon the First was succeeded by -Takeloth the First, who, in turn, was followed by Osarkon the Second. -Since both of these Osarkons figure in the Scriptural account, we -briefly cover their record as it occurs in antiquity. - -Being emperor of Ethiopia, as well as of Egypt, the first Osarkon, or -Zera, had a vast horde of Ethiopian allies who fought with him in his -important conquests. This entire line was of Libyan extraction. A -portion of Africa that is now temporarily possessed by the crown of -Italy seems to have given rise to this family of conquering rulers. -Undoubtedly the designation “Ethiopian” was suggested by this African -ancestry. - -The Scriptural account of this man’s ill-starred military expedition is -given in the fourteenth chapter of II Chronicles. When King Abijah died, -his son Asa succeeded to the throne. The ascension of Asa was followed -by ten years of such peace and prosperity as was almost unprecedented in -those troublous times. The reason given is that Asa was a godly man and -found favour in the sight of the Lord. He shattered the images erected -to unclean idols, cut down the groves where Ashtoreth was worshipped, -demolished the altars and the high places, and purged the land of its -apostasy. He compelled the people of Judah to return to the true faith -and to obey the Lord and His commandments. He strengthened the fortified -centers and in a masterly fashion built up his reserves. - -The ten years of prosperity and industry found the land of Judah in an -enviable condition that left it well worth robbing! Since the -opportunity to steal and loot was the only incentive required by the -grim pragmatists of antiquity, Zera, or Osarkon, gathered together an -army of a million foot soldiers, reinforced with three hundred chariots, -and journeyed toward Palestine to loot the land. The vicinity of -Mareshah was chosen as the site of the battle and Asa came out with his -pitiful little company to defend his possessions. The drama of this -record begins in the eleventh verse of the fourteenth chapter of II -Chronicles in the great prayer of Asa: - - - Plate 30 - - [Illustration: Enroute to the “High Place”] - - - Plate 31 - - [Illustration: The Altar of Sacrifice] - - “And Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing - with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: - help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go - against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God; let not man prevail - against thee.” - -The high-hearted courage and simple faith of Asa is sufficient -introduction to the very natural result, which follows in simple words: - - “So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and - the Ethiopians fled.” - -We then read a condensed account of the pursuit that Asa and his people -indulged in, chasing the horde of Egyptians all the way across their own -border. They were in such confusion that they could not recover and make -a stand, so that not even a rear-guard action was fought. The children -of Israel recaptured all of the cities that Rehoboam had lost, and with -a typical Hebraism the account concludes with the statement that “they -carried away exceeding much spoil.” Although they never recovered the -golden shields, it is to be hoped they got their equivalent in the value -of this recounted spoil. - -It was the universal custom of conquerors to record their victories and -say nothing of their defeats. Therefore, it is a bit startling to find -this record of II Chronicles borne out by the account the Egyptian -monarch has left of his own campaigns. This simple paragraph is -illuminating: - - “Seventeen campaigns I waged. In sixteen of them I was victorious. In - the seventeenth campaign I was defeated. Not by man, Heaven fought - against me.” - -So even in the record of a defeat this man can brag that his strength -and greatness were so phenomenal that only the Lord could overthrow him. -Once again, a dead man tells a tale. He also, in the illuminating -account that he has left, rises from the dead to write “o. k.” across -the pages of Holy Writ, attesting its historical fidelity and the -accuracy of its records. - - - - - CHAPTER X - Mingled Voices - - -The next definite contact between Israel and Egypt is found in the -graphic and terse statement of II Kings 17:4, - - “And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: for he had sent - messengers to So king of Egypt, and brought no present to the king of - Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria - shut him up, and bound him in prison.” - -From this point on, the records of Egypt and Palestine are so enmeshed -and tangled with the records of Babylon and Assyria that we cannot -separate them in their presentation. This king So is identified as the -Egyptian monarch Shabaka, who is also known by the names Sebichos, -Sabakon, Sabacoa, and Seve. He seems to have been a man of implacable -cruelty, if we may judge from the Greek record of his manner of -succession. He was preceded on the throne by Bakenrenef, who was one of -the wise and kindly lawgivers of Egypt. This noble ruler was one of the -first of all the Egyptian kings to come in direct contact with the -classical Greeks. The Dorian invasion had now come to an end and the -Greeks were free to trade and colonize in the Mediterranean, and in the -vigour of their advance they had pressed on to the mouth of the Nile. -They had established a close connection with Sais, and by 700 B. C. had -entrenched themselves strongly in the culture of that section of Egypt. - -The Pharaoh of our present interest, So, invaded that section of Egypt -and captured Bakenrenef in a swift and short campaign. The Greek records -relate that after treating his defeated enemy with brutality, So then -burned him alive. He then established himself as king and ruled not only -all of Egypt but Ethiopia as well. He was thus a contemporary of -Shalmaneser, Sargon, and Sennacherib, all of whom have a direct bearing -upon the records of the Old Testament. One of the interesting -discoveries made at the royal library at Nineveh was a seal bearing the -name of Shabaka, or So. The visitor to the British Museum, upon entering -the Assyrian Room, may pause before Table Case “E” and see this -fascinating exhibit of the actualities of these events. - -In about the year 700 B. C., according to the record of Holy Writ, when -Shalmaneser had dealt kindly with Hoshea, who had accepted his yoke and -agreed to pay tribute, the faithless king of Judah entered into -conspiracy with Sebakah. Since the common name, So, is the one that is -used in the Scripture, we shall refer to this pharaoh by that name from -this point on. The tribute that Hoshea should have paid to the king of -Assyria he diverted, and paid it into the hand of So for the help that -was promised him in throwing off the yoke of Assyria. There is abundant -reason to believe, from all the collateral records, that this conspiracy -was promoted by So and Hoshea. - -This action on the part of the Hebrew king was entirely unwarranted and -consisted of a breach of faith on his part. Indeed, the prophet Hosea -utters a stern and unmistakable reproof against this action in the -strong words of the first verse of his twelfth chapter: - - “Ephraim feedeth on wind and followeth after the east wind: he daily - increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the - Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt. The Lord hath also a - controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; - according to his doings will he recompense him.” - -As a result of this conspiracy, Hoshea was captured by the king of -Assyria and carried away into an imprisonment. The plan did not work out -as the faithless allies had intended. Shalmaneser invaded Palestine to -punish this rebellion. This wise and able general divided his forces, so -that a major portion of his military strength lay between Egypt and -Palestine at a part of the border that was easily defended. When So -found that the cost of reaching Hoshea with aid was to be a major battle -which would endanger his entire dominion, he simply defaulted and left -Hoshea to bear alone the brunt of the battle. The prophecy of Hosea was -thus literally fulfilled. With the faithlessness that Hoshea had -manifested toward Shalmaneser, he had been rewarded by the defection of -So from his covenant. - -It is interesting to note that So seemed to have been a little ashamed -of his conduct, for he offers a rather flimsy excuse for his failure to -stand by his contract. His statement is that Hoshea had paid only half -of the price agreed upon and for that reason he came not to his aid. - -In this invasion of Shalmaneser’s, many of the Hebrew people were taken -captive. Hoshea, after being for some time incarcerated in disgrace and -punishment, was forgiven by Shalmaneser and restored to his throne and -dominion. Shalmaneser seems to have reasoned that having once failed and -having tasted of punishment, Hoshea was now to be trusted. Thus, the -first conspiracy ended with the common people of Samaria paying the -price. Two years later the faithless and foolish Hoshea again listened -to the siren song of rebellion as it was sung by the deceitful So and -again rebelled against his over-lord and benefactor. Shalmaneser, in -great wrath, again moved against Samaria, which resisted in a bitter -struggle that lasted three years. - -Although the following details are not all mentioned in the text of II -Kings, seventeenth chapter, they are emphasized by the change of person -in the record. In this bitter conflict of three years, no help came from -Egypt. The seventh verse of the text says that the children of Israel -had sinned against the Lord, their God. They had gone again into -idolatry and had put themselves back under the yoke of Egypt, from which -God had repeatedly redeemed them. The miserable and faithless So turned -out to be a bruised reed indeed! But while this campaign was being -fought, Shalmaneser disappeared. A revolution took place in the homeland -and the common oriental disease which may be described as six inches of -steel between the ribs, quietly removed Shalmaneser from the scene. A -usurper named Sargon, who writes his own genealogy and calls himself -“the son of Nobody,” succeeded to the throne. - -Thus in the seventeenth chapter of II Kings we have many royal persons, -and in order to keep the records straight, we set them forth this way: - - Hoshea was the king of Samaria; and he reigned over Israel nine years. - - Shalmaneser the Fifth was the king of Assyria, who is mentioned in the - third verse by name. - - The fourth verse continues a record of Shalmaneser, in carrying away - Hoshea and punishing him. - - So is the pharaoh with whom we have been dealing. - - The king of Assyria who is not named in the sixth verse, is Sargon, - who succeeded to the throne after the probable murder of Shalmaneser. - -This Sargon is the second man of that name to have reigned in Assyria. -The time of his reign may be given as from 722-705 B. C. The first -Sargon reigned sometime in the twentieth century, B. C. - -Sargon the Second thus reigned for almost eighteen years. He was a -war-loving monarch, and that eighteen year reign was one continuous, -unbroken series of foreign campaigns. Combining his forces with the -small host of the Philistines, he joined battle with the Egyptians at -Raphia. Going directly to this campaign, after the termination of his -campaign against Samaria, he administered a crushing defeat to the -forces of So and had no further difficulty with this pharaoh during the -balance of his reign. - -In the British Museum, Table Case “B,” which occupies a section of the -second Northern gallery of the Assyrian Room, contains some magnificent -baked clay cylinders which are the original annals of Sargon. These -priceless records came from the ruins of a tremendous building excavated -by M. Botta at the ancient site of Khorsabad, which was later proved to -have been the palace of Sargon. Most of the sculptured objects from this -discovery are in the Museum at Paris. These written records, however, -which are of infinitely more value to the student, are fortunately on -deposit in the British Museum. - -In the Assyrian Saloon of the British Museum the interested student will -also behold an inscription bearing the identification number 12, -whereupon are recorded the names and titles of Sargon the Second, -together with a brief and epitomized account of his conquests in various -sections along the coast lands of the Mediterranean, including his -famous victory in Judah. - -A more complete record is found in the Assyrian Room. In Table Case “E,” -exhibits 11 and 12, are two nine-sided prisms containing a graphic -account of the expeditions of Sargon. All of his campaigns in Palestine -are covered and include his conquest of Israel, which he calls “Omri -land.” (These exhibits are identified by the Museum numbers 22,505 and -108,775.) - -A further record of Sargon’s bearing upon the text of the Old Testament -will be found in the Assyrian Room in wall case No. 9. Exhibits 1-11 are -fragments of an eight-sided cylinder containing part of the records of -Sargon, particularly recording the campaign against Ashdod, which is -also preserved for us by Isaiah in the twentieth chapter, verse one. The -people of Ashdod had made a league with Judah and this outburst of -Isaiah’s was a stern reproof against this procedure. The prophet -objected chiefly because the league depended upon the strength of Egypt. -To the end of his life, Isaiah never gave up his justified distrust of -that country. This, in a brief summary, presents the records of -Shalmaneser and Sargon as they authenticate the Biblical account of the -conduct of the wretched So. Sargon recounts that Azuri, who was king of -Ashdod, had refused to pay the tribute that was due to the Assyrians. -Consequently he was deposed by Sargon, who elevated his brother Akhimiti -to the place of dominion. Whereupon the people of Ashdod rebelled and -raised Yamini to the throne. They then entered into a conspiracy with -Philistea, Edom, Moab, Egypt, and Judah. Sargon recounts their defeat -and the bringing back under the sway of his yoke the cities and peoples -who joined the conspiracy. - -A graphic and significant story is contained in the brief and short -words of Sargon’s own record—“Samaria, I looked at. I captured. 27,280 -families who remained therein I carried away.” The tragic end of Hoshea -and all of his noble counselors and advisers is thus summed up in a -brief and terrible sentence. - -Sargon the Second was followed in turn by Sennacherib, of whom a great -deal is known from his monuments. Their testimony coincides with the -story of the Southern Kingdom during the reign of Hezekiah. Three years -after the ascension of Hoshea to the throne of Israel, Hezekiah began to -reign over Judah at Jerusalem. He had a long and interesting reign, -occupying the throne for twenty-five years. In the course of his reign, -Sargon the Second died, and Sennacherib inherited the throne. - -Encouraged by the success of his predecessor Sargon in foreign -campaigns, Sennacherib invaded Judah to round out his empire. Hezekiah -accepted his yoke without offering resistance, and paid him a vast -tribute. - -We are now in the eighteenth chapter of II Kings which repeats part of -the events of the tragedy in Israel as they were observed by the scribe -in Judah. The invasions of Shalmaneser and Sargon are recapitulated and -the carrying away of the people of Samaria by Sargon is again -authenticated. But the scribe is more interested in recording the events -that make so stirring a chapter in the closing days of the kingdom of -Judah. In verses thirteen to seventeen, the story of this first invasion -and the surrender of Sennacherib, is told in these words: - - “Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of - Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them. - - “And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, - saying, I have offended; return from me: that which thou puttest on me - will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of - Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. - - “And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of - the Lord, and in the treasures of the king’s house. - - “At that time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the - temple of the Lord, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah - had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.” - -Between the sixteenth and seventeenth verses of the eighteenth chapter -of II Kings, ten silent years roll by. They are voiceless as far as our -text is concerned, but they are vocal when we listen to the monuments. - -It may have been about 705 B. C. when Hezekiah accepted the yoke of -Sennacherib. In the meantime Sennacherib had strengthened his alliances -and was prepared to essay a conflict with Egypt. The nephew of So, who -is called Tirhakah in the Bible, murdered the successor of So, which was -his son, Shabataka. Having gained an empire by this ruthless spilling of -the blood of the rightful heir, Tirhakah began an ill-fated reign. He -rashly matched strength with Sennacherib, who was more than willing to -add Egypt to the nations who bore his yoke. The armies of Assyria and -Egypt joined battle at the border at the site of Libnah and a mighty -conflict resulted. Realizing the strategic importance of an enemy who -would threaten the rear of the Assyrian host, Tirhakah made overtures to -Hezekiah and invited him to join in a rebellion to throw off the yoke of -Assyria. Hezekiah being willing to save the enormous tribute that -beggared his country annually, listened to the voice of Isaiah who -advised him to join the rebellion. So Hezekiah pronounced defiance -against Sennacherib and all of the Assyrian hordes and announced the -independence of Judah. The battle of Libnah was then fought, and -Tirhakah was disgracefully defeated. The pitiful remnant of his army -fled and left Sennacherib the unchallenged conqueror of his day. - -The position of Hezekiah can well be imagined. The strength and might of -Egypt had been brushed aside by the armed power of Assyria, and tiny -Judah was put in the position of defying the greatest military power of -that era. While Sennacherib was busy in a mopping-up campaign at Libnah, -he sent three trusted generals to lay siege to Jerusalem and to demand -the surrender of Hezekiah. The blasphemous oration of one of these -generals, Rab-shakeh, is given voluminously in the eighteenth chapter of -II Kings. There was a good deal of truth in some of Rab-shakeh’s -arguments. He described Pharaoh as “a bruised reed upon which if a man -leaned, it would pierce his hand and wound him to the death.” He rightly -said that no other countries had been delivered from Sennacherib by the -power of their gods. His error was in assuming that therefore the God of -Israel would also be defeated by the power of Sennacherib. He gave the -king some short while to think over the policy of surrender, and sat -down to invest the city. Hezekiah, in his bitter dilemma, sought out -Isaiah, whose advice he had followed with such disastrous results. - -The thirty-seventh chapter of Isaiah contains the answer that Isaiah -made, and the exact words of his prophecy are also found in the -nineteenth chapter of II Kings, verses six and seven. To comfort -Hezekiah, Isaiah said to the king’s messenger: “Thus shall ye say to -your master, Thus saith the Lord, Be not afraid of the words that thou -hast heard wherewith the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed -me. Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, -and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in -his own land.” - -It is well to keep this prophecy of Isaiah’s in mind until we see how -perfectly it was fulfilled in complete detail. In the thirty-fifth verse -of II Kings, the nineteenth chapter, the “blast” occurred. The statement -is made that the angel of the Lord went out and slew 185,000 of the -flower of the Assyrian army. - -The next verse says in graphic words, “So Sennacherib king of Assyria -departed.” - -The literal translation in English of that graphic word would be, “So -Sennacherib king of Assyria ‘beat it’.” We cannot blame him for the -haste of his departure. Arising after a night of slumber to find 185,000 -of his best warriors mysteriously slain, terror must have smitten his -heart. At that exact moment word reached him of a rebellion in his own -land. This was the “rumour” of which Isaiah had prophesied. He returned -to put down this rebellion and never again invaded Judah. - -Twenty years later he was murdered. Between verses thirty-six and -thirty-seven of the nineteenth chapter of II Kings, a full score of -years passed by. After his murder, his son, Esar-haddon, came to the -throne and continued the story of conquest and intrigue. - -In the meantime, the defeated Tirhakah was unquestionably chagrined to -learn that little Judah had been delivered from the power that had -defeated him. To apologize for his own failure to support Judah, -Tirhakah claimed credit for the defeat of the Assyrian horde by claiming -that his god, Amon, had caused the camp of the Assyrians to be invaded -by millions of field mice. He claimed that these tiny rodents in one -night ate up all the bowstrings of the army and thus they were unable to -fight. His interpretation of the event is a bit sketchy, to say the -least! - -In the Assyrian Room at the British Museum, a very important exhibit -will be seen in Table Case “E”. This is a six-sided clay prism -containing an unabridged record of Sennacherib’s own account of these -stirring events. Here he has given us his story of the invasion of -Palestine and the siege of Jerusalem in the days of Hezekiah. So -important is this record that we produce here, in its entirety, the -fifth oblique (or plane) of this great prism: - - “In my third campaign I went to the land of the Hittites. I marched - against the City of Ekron and put to death the priests and chief men - who had committed the sin of rebellion and I hung up their bodies on - stakes all around the City ... but as for Hezekiah of Judah, who had - not submitted to my yoke 46 of his strong cities, together with - innumerable fortresses and small towns that depended upon them by - overthrowing the walls and open attack, by battle, engines and - battering rams I besieged I captured; I brought out of the midst of - them and counted as a spoil 200,000 persons great and small, male and - female, besides mules, camels, sheep, asses and oxen without number: - - “Hezekiah himself I shut up like a bird in a cage in Jerusalem his - strong city. I built a line of forts against him and kept back himself - from going forth out of the great gate of his city. I cut off his - cities which I had spoiled out of the midst of his land and I gave - them to Metinti, king of Ashdod, and Padi King of Ekron and Til-Baal, - King of Gaza and made his country small. In addition to their former - yearly tribute and gifts I added other tribute and homage due to my - majesty, and I laid it upon them. The fear of the greatness of my - majesty overwhelmed him, even Hezekiah, and he sent after me to - Nineveh my royal city, the Arabs and his bodyguards, whom he had - brought for the defense of his royal city Jerusalem, and had furnished - with pay along with thirty talents.... Eight hundred talents of pure - silver, carbuncles and other precious stones, a couch of ivory, - thrones of ivory, and elephants hide and elephant tusks, rare woods of - all kinds a vast treasure, as well as Unachs from his palace, and - dancing men and dancing women. And he sent his Ambassador to offer - homage.” - -This fascinating document is one of the greatest treasures that -archeology has produced for the careful student of Christian -apologetics. It is notable not only for what it tells but also for much -that is left unsaid. In the grim, brutal days of these ancient -conquerors, a defeated enemy could expect little mercy at the hands of -the victorious. The kings of Assyria ruled by fear and by the -implacable, swift certainty of punishment for rebellion. Sennacherib -here refers to a common practice of his day, that of impaling rebellious -enemies as a lesson to other vassals. In this particular document he -recounts how they hung the bodies of the rebel leaders on stakes around -their captured cities. - -The technique of this execution was simple. A heavy post was driven into -the ground until it was about as high as a tall man’s shoulder. The top -of the post was sharpened to as fine a point as the tools of that day -would permit. In some cases, the rebel was picked up by a pair of burly -executioners who swung him through the air and jammed him down with -great force upon the pointed stake. There they whirled him as a sort of -a human pinwheel until life quickly fled his shattered form. This was a -comparatively merciful way of impaling. In other cases the victim was -set upon the sharpened stick until gravity bore down his suffering body -to the point where death relieved him after hours, and even days of -misery and torment. - -But while Sennacherib recounted the successful punishment of the rebels -of the many cities who had joined in this uprising, it is to be -carefully noted that he changed the tone of the record in the case of -Hezekiah. He could not say that he impaled him or otherwise punished him -for the rebellion! All he could say was, “As for Hezekiah himself, I -shut him up like a bird in Jerusalem, his capital city.” Sennacherib can -tell of the fenced cities and small villages in the outskirts of Judah -which he despoiled from the hand of Hezekiah, but he never laid hand on -the person of the king himself, nor did he enter the sacred city. The -“blast” of Isaiah’s prophecy can alone account for the failure of -Sennacherib to crucify Hezekiah along with his other rebellious enemies. - -Also it is to be noted that by a violation of chronological accuracy, -Sennacherib “saves face,” after the ancient custom of the Eastern lands. -A conqueror of his standing and authority cannot admit that he was -defeated before the walls of Jerusalem. Therefore, at the end of this -record he gives a list of the treasure _that Hezekiah had paid before in -his original subjection_! This listing of tribute is falsely made to -appear as though it were _after_ the siege of Jerusalem. By the simple -expedient of introducing at the end of a defeat the record of a previous -payment, Sennacherib seeks to delude posterity and wipe out the memory -of his one outstanding defeat. This great prism of this Assyrian -conqueror is unquestionably one of the strongest bricks in the wall of -defense that archeology is erecting around the Sacred Word of God. - -There are many other records left by Sennacherib that are also of -tremendous importance. The British Museum has a magnificent section -which is devoted very largely to those Babylonian and Assyrian -chronicles, many of which coincide with this period of history. The -murder of Sennacherib that was prophesied by Isaiah and recorded in the -nineteenth chapter of II Kings, is accredited and substantiated by -archeological sources. - -We learn from the records of Babylon that the years between the debacle -at Jerusalem and the death of Sennacherib were occupied with wars much -nearer home. We read in those chronicles that the Elamites of Suziana, -together with certain allied peoples, again rose in rebellion. It took a -number of campaigns, which ultimately ravished the whole of Suziana, to -put down this uprising. In fact, the campaigns of subjection were not -entirely successful until Babylon was destroyed in 689 B. C. In the -interim, when not busy subduing his Elamite subjects, Sennacherib -campaigned in Cilicia, where he overcame the armed force of the Greeks, -penetrating as far as Tarsus in his victorious marches. The Babylonian -records conclude by saying that he was assassinated by his sons in the -year which by our reckoning would be known as B. C. 681. - -In the Babylonian Room of the British Museum, Table Case “E” contains an -exhibit which bears the Museum number 92,502. This consists of a clay -tablet which is an extensive chronicle written in the Babylonian -characters. It delineates a list of the principal events which occurred -in both Babylon and Assyria over an extensive period of time. - -The history begins with the third year of the reign of Nabu-Nasir, who -ascended his throne in Babylon in 744. The record continues to the first -year of Shamash-shum-ukim, with whom we shall deal in a future -reference. In the third column of this chronicle, lines thirty-four and -thirty-five state that Sennacherib was killed by his son on the -twentieth day of the month Tebet in the twenty-third year of his reign. -This murder is rather graphically described in terse, but satisfactory -terms in the record of the nineteenth chapter of II Kings. - -There is no more definite and positive example of the coincidence of -archeological discovery with the text of the Scripture than is provided -by the records of Sennacherib. Though dead for more than two and -one-half millenniums, he indeed has a tale to tell! We can condense his -record into one graphic, simple sentence which we can sign with the name -of this great king, “The historicity of the Sacred Page is -unquestionable in the light of archeology!” - -The next pharaoh of antiquity who challenges our interest with his -confirmation of the Scripture, is variously known by the name of Necho, -which is his prenomen as used in the Scripture text, and by the Egyptian -forms of Nekau and Uohemibra. He was, perhaps, the greatest of the later -conquerors who sought to extend the power of Egypt, and he was certainly -the last of that remarkable group. He expended a good deal of the -revenues of the crown in rebuilding the canal of Seti the First, which -had formed a waterway between the Nile and the Red Sea. It is difficult -at times to place absolute credence upon the numerical estimates of the -ancient chronicles of Egypt, but it is highly probable that Necho -employed more than a hundred thousand men in this work. Herodotus gives -great honour to Necho, telling us that he sent out certain ships of -Phoenicia which circumnavigated Africa. He maintained a mercenary army -of Greeks, and had one fleet in the Mediterranean, and the other in the -Red Sea. His record in the Scripture is tangled inextricably with that -of Assyria and Babylonia, and for that reason we must sketch-in the -background of this coincidence and appearance. - -Shalmaneser the Fifth began the phenomenal rise to ascendency of the -great power of Assyria. Babylon was the chief adversary and the -strongest foe that Assyria faced in the development of her world empire, -which ultimately climaxed in Sennacherib. Finding it impossible to -preserve the loyalty of the Babylonians, who were a proud and haughty -people, Sennacherib finally destroyed Babylon and carried away its -people into captivity. When Sennacherib died, according to the record of -the nineteenth chapter of II Kings, his son, Esar-haddon came to the -throne. Esar-haddon, more of a statesman than a conqueror, rebuilt -Babylon. He united Assyria and Babylon into one great domain, naming the -combined kingdom Babylonia. For the sake of administration and as a -gesture of amity, he made Babylon his capital. Thus the rebuilt city -became the seat of government and the center of the culture of -Babylonia. - -The name Esar-haddon means “victorious,” or “conqueror.” One of the -greatest of all the mighty kings of Assyria, he was a worthy successor -of Sargon, Shalmaneser, and Sennacherib. His name occurs but three times -in Holy Writ. The first occurrence is II Kings 19:37, where it speaks of -his ascent to the throne. The next occurrence is in Isaiah 37:28 where -this record of II Kings 19:37 is confirmed by the hand of the prophet, -who was an active participant in those stirring events. Later, Ezra -refers to him in the second verse of his fourth chapter. In this latter -reference, the remnant who returned from the Babylonian captivity name -him as the cause of their captivity and acknowledged that he gave them -the freedom to worship their own God in their own way. - -In the reign of Menasseh, Esar-haddon died and was succeeded by two -sons. The elder of these was the famous Assur-bani-pal, who was made -over-lord of the entire kingdom, with the section that was once called -Assyria as his particular domain. His younger brother, Shamis-shum-ukim -was given dominion over Babylon, where he reigned as vassal to his -wealthy brother. The British Museum is replete with the records and -materials from the reign of Assur-bani-pal and from the brief and tragic -rule of Shamis-shum-ukim as well. - -The fine hand of Egyptian intrigue enters into the record at this point, -again tangling up the Assyrian records in a triangular bout between -Judah, Egypt, and Babylonia. The Pharaoh Necho, alarmed by the growing -power of Babylonia, gathered together a mighty host and invaded the -territory of the great Assyrian king. As a preliminary to this invasion, -the Pharaoh Necho persuaded Shamis-shum-ukim to rebel against his older -brother and to declare his independence. Into this conspiracy Necho -succeeded in drawing Syria and Judah. The blow was struck at the -dominion of Assur-bani-pal while he was battling certain tribes near his -Eastern border. When the couriers brought him word of the revolt of his -brother, and of the coalition formed against him at the instigation of -Necho, Assur-bani-pal made a swift and remarkable march, returning to -his threatened territory. Necho hastily assembled his army, and the -major battles were fought on the terrain of Syria. Syria was quickly -reduced, Babylon pacified, and Assur-bani-pal emerged completely -victorious. - -Necho, not having had time to prepare his defenses, was overthrown, -defeated, and forced to bow in subjection to Assur-bani-pal. From the -record of the victorious king, we offer the following paragraph as a -condensed but detailed account of these tremendous events: - - “After removing the corpses of the rebels from the midst of Babylon, - Cuthra, and Sippara, and piling them in heaps, in accordance with the - prophecies I cleaned the mercy seats of their temples. I purified - their chief places of prayer I appeased their angry gods and goddesses - with supplications and penitential psalms. Their daily sacrifices - which they had discontinued, I restored and established as they had - been of old. As for the rest of them who had flown at the stroke of - slaughter, I had mercy on them. I proclaimed an amnesty upon them. I - brought them to live in Babylon. The men of the nations whom Sam ... - had led away and united in one conspiracy, I trod down to the - uttermost parts of their borders. By the command of Assur, Beltis, and - the great gods my helpers, the yoke of Assur which they had shaken off - I laid upon them. I appointed over them governors and satraps, the - work of my own hands.” - -From this account it will be seen that Assur-bani-pal slew his -rebellious brother and destroyed the principal leaders of the revolt, -with the exception of those who had pleaded for mercy. As a result of -this defeat at Charchemish, Necho was dethroned and led in chains to -Babylon. This Chaldean conqueror had a policy that was unique for his -day. It was his consistent practice to deal mercifully with the -repentant. When the Pharaoh Necho professed sorrow for his conduct, -Assur-bani-pal, following his established custom, restored him to Sais -where he was to rule Egypt as a province of Babylonia. - -At this time, Josiah of Judah also accepted the yoke of Assyria and -became a vassal of Assur-bani-pal. From what we learn of the character -of King Josiah, we would expect that he would be faithful to his pledges -and promises and, indeed, this very faithfulness was the cause of his -death. The Pharaoh Necho, smarting under his defeat and wounded deeply -in his pride, quietly gathered together a tremendous army and rebelled -against Assur-bani-pal the second time. - -In this second conflict, Charchemish was the chosen battle ground. -Although many strategic battles had been waged back and forth about this -important center, this is generally referred to as the First Battle of -Charchemish. This reference is undoubtedly predicated upon the fact that -the ultimate struggle between Assyria and Egypt, which gave the latter -power a world dominion, centered about this field. - -In order to reach the battle ground, the Pharaoh Necho marched his horde -across the terrain of Palestine. The story of what followed is familiar -to every student of the Old Testament. In the thirty-fifth chapter of II -Chronicles, beginning with the twentieth verse and ending with the -twenty-seventh, this incidental tragedy is told. Josiah, who had taken -the pledge of fidelity to Assur-bani-pal, gathered together his small -army and sought to prevent this passage of the Egyptian army across his -domain. It is recorded that Pharaoh sent his heralds to Josiah offering -to leave the land of Palestine unmolested on condition that they gave -him no opposition in his plans for battle. The pharaoh went so far as to -claim that he was on the business of God. Although King Josiah had -disguised himself in the common dress of a humble man-at-arms, he seems -to have been recognized. The sharpshooters among the archers picked him -as their target and he fell sorely wounded. He died after being taken to -Jerusalem, and all of the people of Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him. - -Jeremiah the prophet deeply loved the godly king because of his fidelity -to the law, and the fourth chapter of the Book of Lamentations contains -part of the dirge of Jeremiah concerning the death of the king. - -In the meantime, hindered by the abortive attempt of the faithful Josiah -to delay his passage, Necho swept on to the banks of the Euphrates where -a notable battle was fought. The assault of Necho found the Assyrian -monarch unprepared. The force that he had gathered at Charchemish was -inadequate to defend his borders, and Assur-bani-pal was defeated. In -the meantime, Jehoahaz had succeeded his father Josiah and was reigning -at Jerusalem. The sway of the young king was short and ended tragically -after ninety days. On his way home from his victory at Charchemish, the -Pharaoh Necho deposed Jehoahaz because of his father’s conduct and put -Eliakim on the throne. Thus the younger brother of Jehoahaz became king -over Judah in his place. - -The Pharaoh changed the name of Eliakim to Jehoiakim and once more Judah -became a vassal to the might and power of Egypt. The unfortunate -Jehoahaz, laden with chains, was carried away to Sais. There he dragged -out a miserable existence until death brought him a happy release from -captivity and degradation. The Pharaoh Necho imposed upon Palestine a -fine for their opposition which would be about the equivalent in our -modern currency of $200,000. In considering the difference in purchasing -power, however, that would be about $3,000,000 in our money. - -These incidents are either expressly stated or are referred to in many -portions of Holy Writ. We first find them in the twenty-third chapter of -II Kings. - -The twenty-sixth chapter of Jeremiah, verses twenty-one to twenty-three, -contains a bleak record of the hardship and oppression that resulted -when men of God were slain for speaking God’s Word concerning the events -of this grim and dismal affair. - -In the nineteenth chapter of Ezekiel, the third and fourth verses of -this record, the prophet sings a lamentation over the “lion’s whelp” and -sorrows that “he shall be bound in chains in the land of Egypt.” Then -from the fifth verse on, the prophet caustically berates the land -because that another of the lion’s whelps, suddenly raised to maturity, -devoured the men who had raised him and laid waste their land and -cities. - -Our present interest, however, is to be found in the records that deal -with these events in the sources of archeology. It would be -inconceivable that the mighty Necho should fail to boast of his power -and victory when he had won so notable an ascendancy over all of his -enemies. In the voluminous records of the Pharaoh Necho, the -vainglorious boasting of this long-dead monarch comes to us today as a -welcome, added voice to the rapidly swelling chorus that testifies to -the historical accuracy of the Old Testament. - -Leaving the record of Necho, however, for the present moment (as he -enters the story again in the reign of the succeeding Babylonian -monarch), we turn to the sources of Babylonian and Assyrian antiquity -for the authentication of these affairs by the mighty Assur-bani-pal. -Now, indeed, it becomes difficult to choose the most effective and -pointed evidences, as we are embarrassed with so vast a wealth of -material. It would take many days indeed for a careful student to -exhaust the possibilities in that collection of the material of -Assur-bani-pal that is found in the British Museum alone. In this -notable and incomparable deposit of priceless fact and information, -there is no more striking section than that which is derived from the -works and records of this stormy ruler. - -In about the year 666 B. C. this conqueror finished the third of his -campaigns against Egypt, and with the sack of the City of Thebes, again -established the dominion of Assyria over Egypt. The mighty king then -turned his military attentions to the northern regions of his empire and -thrust his borders out to an unprecedented extent. At the same time, -with a part of his forces he waged a long war with the Elamites on his -southeastern border and subjected that country to the yoke of Assyria. -Putting down the Elamite uprising with a stern and bloody hand, he left -a lesson in implacable cruelty that the Elamites never forgot. - -In the Nineveh Gallery of the Assyrian section of the British Museum may -be seen great sculptured slabs from the walls of Assur-bani-pal’s -palace, which are numbered 45 to 50. At our last visit they were to be -seen on the Eastern side of the gallery. These relics completely -illustrate his conquest of Elam. Exhibits 45 to 47 further show the -crushing of the Elamite forces, and the action is so dramatically -depicted that the careful student may sense the excitement which seems -to prevail. A voluminous text accompanies the pictured action so that -there is no possibility of mistaking the meaning of the illustrations. - -At this time Shamis-shum-ukim joined in the great revolt to which we -have referred in a foregoing paragraph of this chapter. There are two -accounts in the archeological records as to the end of Shamis-shum-ukim. -Although a twin brother of Assur-bani-pal, he was some hours the -younger, and thus was nominally subject to him under Assyrian law. One -account says that he was taken prisoner and that Assur-bani-pal had him -burned at the stake. The other account says that Shamis-shum-ukim, -seeing he was about to be defeated, locked himself in a small section of -the palace, which he set afire and burned himself rather than surrender. -There was at this time a revolt in the Egyptian section of the empire -which resulted in some long conflicts, which are also given in these -records. It was also at this period that Assur-bani-pal left the record -above cited, of the pacification of Babylon and the submission of -Josiah. - -The British Museum has a very large collection of letters from the -library of Assur-bani-pal at Nineveh, many of which are of high -significance in the study of these historical episodes. These letters -cover a broad scope as they include the reports, requisitions, and -communications of dignitaries. Some of these came from the crown prince, -others from local governors and still more from various military -captains. They deal in specific detail with military operations, -uprisings, rebellions, and their suppression. They tell of the dispatch -of troops to the provinces, with lists of expenses and expenditures. -Such intimate details of Assyrian science as the reports of astronomers -for regulating the calendar of the year are found there, and -illuminating comments upon the political trend of the days. There are -many references to these episodes, as would naturally be expected. - -One of the great monuments to be found in the Babylonian Room of the -British Museum, and numbered 90,864, is a stone stele with a rounded -top, that is a treasure indeed. The upright full-length figure of -Assur-bani-pal is shown in his capacity of high priest. This stele -contains a lengthy chronicle recording the names, honors, and genealogy -of the monarch and tells of his godly conduct and fidelity to his -religion. There is a note of sadness and an index to the character of -this great Assyrian in the line where Assur-bani-pal declares that he -himself had appointed his twin brother Shamis-shum-ukim “to the -sovereignty over Babylon so that the strong may not oppress the weak.” - -Passing over a great many of these sources, we come now to the Assyrian -Room where, in Table Case “E,” we find two ten-sided prisms of -Assur-bani-pal which bear the Museum numbers 91,026, and 91,086. These -lengthy records are inscribed with the outstanding incidents in the -earlier years of his busy life. Beginning with an epitomized statement -concerning his birth and education, as all good biographies should -begin, he took occasion to recognize the great prosperity of Assyria -that immediately followed his elevation to the throne. Then quickly the -warrior king launched into some graphic descriptions of his principal -military expeditions. Here he tells of the two expeditions against -Tirhakah in Egypt, to which we have referred above. Among the allies who -accompanied him to fight under his banner, who were already subject to -him, he mentions levies from Cypress, Asia Minor, Syria, and -_Palestine_. After citing the events and victories of five campaigns, -the record then introduces the sad tragedy of Shamis-shum-ukim, a -portion of which we have cited in a preceding paragraph. In all, there -are nine campaigns covered in these prisms, and the student of -historical accuracy may find great substantiation for his confidence in -the truth and fidelity of the Word of God from these fascinating -records. - -In the same case is an eight-sided clay prism of Assur-bani-pal, -numbered 93,008. This also contains a shorter reference to these same -events. To convey an adequate and detailed account of the materials -available from the time of Assur-bani-pal and his unfortunate brother -would require a large volume by itself. We have come to that point, -however, where Assur-bani-pal’s record concludes as it touches the -Scripture. So we satisfy ourselves temporarily with this brief -introduction of an epitomized section of those evidences. - -Three years after the battle of Charchemish, where Assur-bani-pal was -temporarily defeated, a new and forceful conqueror appeared in the -person of Nebuchadnezzar the Second. Assur-bani-pal was succeeded by -Nabopolassar, who will be ignored in this record because of the fact -that he is not named by name in the text of the Bible. Nabopolassar, -however, had a gifted son who succeeded him as Nebuchadnezzar the -Second, and who began his training for the crown by assuming command of -the army as the chief general under his father and with his parent’s -consent. - -The first great campaign that Nebuchadnezzar fought, brought Egypt back -under the dominion of Babylon. To see the background of this event, it -must be noted that after the death of Assur-bani-pal, the Medes invaded -Nineveh and captured that stronghold. Whereupon Nabopolassar reasserted -the independence of Babylon and conducted a number of brilliant -campaigns to secure the ascendency of his kingdom and to establish his -supremacy over the entire ancient world. - -When Nineveh fell, the Pharaoh Necho, with whom we are now dealing, -entered the story again. Necho invaded Syria and Palestine and -successfully campaigned up to the banks of the Euphrates. At Charchemish -he met the host of Nebuchadnezzar for what is known as the Second Battle -of Charchemish. Necho entered this conflict with considerable -confidence, due to his previous victory on this same field. This time, -however, a different experience awaited him. Nebuchadnezzar crushed the -Egyptians with an overwhelming defeat and drove them back to their own -border. As a result of this battle, all Palestine, with the exception of -Judah, acknowledged the authority of Nebuchadnezzar. The Babylonian -general took Jehoiakim captive and slew the Pharaoh Necho. - -All of these events are recorded by the Pharaoh Necho, by -Assur-bani-pal, and by certain humbler captains and leaders. The -Pharaoh’s record is complete up to the time of the second battle. But as -Necho did not survive this campaign, there is a dramatic break in his -record. However, what is wanting from the Egyptian sources, is happily -supplied from those of Babylon. - -It is not to be expected that the young conqueror would remain silent -concerning his early victories. His father, Nabopolassar, also recounts -with some satisfaction the military ability of his son. Through all of -his reign, however, Nebuchadnezzar was more of a builder and architect -than conqueror, although he frequently took the field in notable -military action. Most of the relics from his reign have to do with the -building of great temples and edifices. There are, however, a number of -fragmentary chronicles such as that which, in the Babylonian Room of the -British Museum in Table Case “E,” bears the number of 33,041. This -recounts a later expedition undertaken by Nebuchadnezzar in the -thirty-seventh year of his reign. This was to put down an uprising in -Egypt. - -There are innumerable tablets and records in the British Museum that -attest the order and genius of the government in the forty-two years of -Nebuchadnezzar’s reign. We will refer to this later when we come to the -closing period of his great career. We have introduced the historicity -of Nebuchadnezzar now, and the coincidence of his account which climaxes -the reign of Necho, to establish at one more point the historical -accuracy of the Old Testament text. - -The last Pharaoh who comes into the account of the Sacred Book is -positively identified as Hophra. He is called Apris by the Greeks, and -is frequently found in the hieroglyphics under the name of Psammetichus, -the Second. His name, Hophra, occurs in the Scripture only once, which -is the forty-fourth chapter of Jeremiah and the thirtieth verse. Here -the three great characters of this last drama are found conjoined in -these simple words: - - “Thus saith the Lord; Behold I will give Pharaoh-hophra king of Egypt - into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of them that seek his - life; as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar - king of Babylon, his enemy, and that sought his life.” - -Hophra was a rash, inexperienced, over-confident ruler who wasted what -small strength and wealth his kingdom possessed in useless warfare -against mighty powers which were manifestly beyond his ability to cope -with. The background of his contact with the Sacred Record begins with -his conspiracy that enmeshed Zedekiah. This entire rebellion was a -faithless and degraded example of lack of honour and responsibility to a -plighted and pledged word. This is primarily so because after the defeat -of Necho and his subsequent death, Nebuchadnezzar raised Hophra, the son -of Necho, to the throne of Egypt where he governed as a satrap. He was -to reign for Babylon, and had taken the oath of fidelity to his -over-lord and master. - -To make matters worse the conduct of Zedekiah added insult _to_ injury! -When Nebuchadnezzar dethroned Jehoiakim and carried him bound in chains -to his subsequent death in Babylon, he was followed on the throne by -Jehoiakin who reigned for a very brief period. Then Nebuchadnezzar -raised Zedekiah to a position of power and on his twenty-first birthday -elevated him to the governorship of Jerusalem. For the better part of -eleven years, he reigned more or less successfully. He seems to have -been a graceless scoundrel and utterly without honour. Completely -violating their treaties and their oaths of fidelity, Pharaoh and -Zedekiah joined in a conspiracy and rebelled against the power of -Nebuchadnezzar. It is a matter of wonder to the modern student that -these kings of Judah never learned their lesson. - -The Chaldeans besieged Jerusalem to put down this revolt, and Hophra -marched to its aid. Because the company of Chaldeans was small, as -Nebuchadnezzar had not anticipated a strong resistance, the wise -captains of this advance-guard did not join battle with Hophra, but -retired in good order rather than fight a hopeless conflict when they -were so strongly outnumbered. - -The city of Jerusalem went wild with delight and rejoicing over its -deliverance. The gloomy Jeremiah warned the leaders in vain that the -Chaldeans would return, and in overwhelming force. Refusing to listen to -the prophecies of Jeremiah, the people treated him harshly and cast him -out. While the city was rejoicing at this early victory, Jeremiah -himself gave a manifestation of confidence in the ultimate fulfillment -of his own prophecies, when he fled from the city and delivered himself -voluntarily into the hands of the Chaldeans. In the meantime, Hophra, -overcome with pride at his easy victory, boasted with blasphemy that not -even could God defeat him! The sycophantic Zedekiah acquiesced in this -boasting and blasphemy and showered the foolish Hophra with unlimited -compliments. - -With Jeremiah gone and all of Judah turning to the ways of idolatry, God -did not lack champions. Messengers and prophets were sent rapidly to -Zedekiah and to the princes of the kingdom, but they mocked the -messengers of God and despised His words. They misused His prophets, -until the wrath of the Lord rose against His people beyond remedy. -Therefore, says the thirty-sixth chapter of II Chronicles, - - “He brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young - men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no - compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for - age; he gave them all into his hand.” - -The strongest voice that was raised for God in this dark hour was that -of Ezekiel. At this time, the prophet was in Babylon and from there he -spoke the words that are found in the first sixteen verses of his -twenty-ninth chapter. This is undoubtedly one of the most comprehensive -and remarkable prophecies concerning any nation that the student of this -fascinating subject may deal with. For the sake of refreshing the mind -of the reader, we publish here this prophecy in full: - - “In the tenth year, in the tenth month, in the twelfth day of the - month, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy - face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him, and - against all Egypt: Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I - am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in - the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is mine own, and I - have made it for myself. - - “But I will put hooks in thy jaws, and I will cause the fish of thy - rivers to stick unto thy scales, and I will bring thee up out of the - midst of thy rivers, and all the fish of thy rivers shall stick unto - thy scales. - - “And I will leave thee thrown into the wilderness, thee and all the - fish of thy rivers: thou shalt fall upon the open fields; thou shalt - not be brought together, nor gathered: I have given thee for meat to - the beast of the field and to the fowls of the heaven. - - “And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the Lord, - because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel. - - “When they took hold of thee by thy hand, thou didst break, and rend - all their shoulder: and when they leaned upon thee, thou brakest, and - madest all their loins to be at a stand. Therefore thus said the Lord - God; Behold I will bring a sword upon thee, and cut off man and beast - out of thee. - - “And the land of Egypt shall be desolate and waste; and they shall - know that I am the Lord: because he hath said, The river is mine, and - I have made it. - - “Behold, therefore I am against thee, and against thy rivers, and I - will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate, from the tower - of Syene even unto the border of Ethiopia. - - “No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall pass - through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years. - - “And I will make the land of Egypt desolate in the midst of the - countries that are desolate, and her cities among the cities that are - laid waste shall be desolate forty years: and I will scatter the - Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the - countries. - - “Yet thus saith the Lord God; At the end of forty years will I gather - the Egyptians from the people whither they were scattered; - - “And I will bring again the captivity of Egypt, and will cause them to - return into the land of Pathros, into the land of their habitation; - and they shall be there a base kingdom. - - “It shall be the basest of the kingdoms; neither shall it exalt itself - any more above the nations: for I will diminish them, that they shall - no more rule over the nations. - - “And it shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel, which - bringeth their iniquity to remembrance, when they shall look after - them: but they shall know that I am the Lord God.” - -Analyzing this prophecy, we note the personal element that is introduced -when God arrayed himself against Hophra and all of the land of Egypt. -This people who, as we have seen, worshipped the Nile and counted it a -deified object, had also acquiesced in the claims of Hophra who went so -far as to state that he was the one who had made the river and caused it -to continue to flow. Adopting this figure, the prophet speaking for God, -says that Hophra shall be caught like the fish and cast into the fields -by the side of the banks. - -The sixth verse states that all the population of Egypt is to be taught -a bitter lesson. They shall know forever that God is Lord, in the -punishment they shall reap for their defections against Israel. - -Verse eight contains the information that this punishment is to take the -form of an invasion that shall leave the land desolate and waste. This -punishment was to come upon the land and the people because of their -idolatry and their sins against Israel. - -From verses ten to twelve, a bleak picture is drawn of utter desolation -which shall prevail in their land for forty years. The prophecy then -turns upon the pivot of the thirteenth verse to a time of a partial -restoration. This restoration, however, is limited in the Divine Word to -the effect that Egypt shall be the basest of the kingdoms of the earth. -It shall never be permitted to exalt itself again in the council of the -nations. It is to be eternally diminished and debased. - -The consequent history of Egypt has been a complete vindication and -fulfillment of this prophecy. Nebuchadnezzar invaded Judah and carried -away the last remnant of that graceless people into captivity in -Babylon. All those who had joined in the defection of Zedekiah, great -and small, old and young, they slew with the sword. Then the angry -Nebuchadnezzar swept on into Egypt and devastated that land, until, it -is recorded, “not a living thing, man or beast,” was left in that once -populous country. - -For forty years it lay, wasted and idle. Then the counselors of -Nebuchadnezzar advised that the land be colonized in order that it might -produce revenue for the crown. The first attempt failed because of the -climate and the unique conditions of agriculture in a country that -required constant irrigation and whose crops depended upon the sole -source of moisture the river Nile. Therefore, the counselors gathered -together such remnant of the Egyptians as remained from the captivity -and sent them back to repopulate the land. - -Every student of history will recall that Egypt _has been_ the basest of -kingdoms from that hour to this. It has been dominated in turn by the -Persians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Arabs, the Turks, the French, and -the British. - -One notable effort was made in historic time to raise Egypt to its -former grandeur and power. The reader will recall the great campaign of -Napoleon by which he thought to revive this Mistress of Antiquity and -make Egypt an adjunct of his own imperial greatness. If Napoleon had -read and believed the twenty-ninth chapter of Ezekiel, he could have -spared himself this useless and expensive campaign. We all recall that -when victory seemed to be in sight, Napoleon’s power and greatness -shattered itself upon an immovable rock. This was composed of the small -remnant of indomitable British who refused to recognize the fact of -their defeat when it stared them in the face. And that courageous and -noble refusal to give up, when they were quite evidently hopelessly -overthrown, was again vindicated in the final result. The army of -Napoleon was broken, discomfited, decimated, and defeated. Finally, it -was deserted by its discouraged leader, who probably never knew why he -had failed. He was not fighting against the allies only, nor was he -defeated entirely by British valour. Napoleon was fighting against the -Word of God and the will of Him whose hand is able to raise to power and -to cast down again. From that hour to this, and even in our present -moment of historic time, Egypt remains the basest of the kingdoms of the -earth. - -To come back to the miserable Hophra, his final end came when he was -assassinated by his own general, whose name is given by the Greeks as -Amasis and who appears on the monuments under the name of Iahmose. -Amasis occupied the throne until the final conquest by Nebuchadnezzar. - -We note again the coincidence of ancient records with the accounts that -portray these events in the books of II Chronicles, Jeremiah, and -Ezekiel. Voluminous sections of the Word of God are extended a strong -and friendly hand of historical authentication by the secular records -which have survived from that time. - -In the British Museum will be found tablets, stelae, portraits, and -sculptured remnants from Egypt which have been derived from those -unsettled times. In the Egyptian collection of the British Museum, the -exhibit numbered 1358 contains a portrait of Hophra. There are also a -number of scarabs in Table Case “B” in the Fourth Egyptian Room, and a -fragmentary sistrum in the Fifth Egyptian Room, all of which bear the -name of Hophra and authenticate his record. - -Thus we have seen in a brief but accurate recapitulation of generations -and centuries of history that dead men do tell tales! We have Hophra’s -record together with the annalistic tablet of Amasis to aid us in our -understanding of these stirring days. Added to that, the record of -Nebuchadnezzar brings additional confirmation of the thesis that is -maintained in this brief work. - -_The evidence of archeology as it bears upon the text of God’s Word is -final and complete wherever men have delved into the records of those -days._ - -It may not be exactly what was in the mind of the Lord Jesus Christ when -He uttered the words, but we can certainly apply to the generation in -which we live, His striking statement: - -“If men should hold their tongues, the very stones would cry out!” - -And if _living_ men will not speak the truth concerning the finality of -the Bible—_dead men must!_ - - - - - CHAPTER XI - Vindication of Daniel - - -Nowhere in all this long and profitable study has archeology more -perfectly and thoroughly vindicated the accuracy of the Scripture than -in those portions of the disputed record that are found in the Book of -Daniel. - -A great deal remains to be discovered at Nineveh and Babylon, and it is -highly probable that the excavations to the present hour have but -scraped the surface of the marvelous treasure that remains to be -uncovered. It is a happy circumstance, however, that in our present -incomplete but numerous sources, a great deal of information has been -brought to light in vindication of the prophet Daniel. - -In the heyday of its brief popularity, the school of higher criticism -pounced with great glee on the alleged inaccuracies and historical -errors in the Book of Daniel. The general argument against the integrity -of this writing may be summed up in a simple resumé. In the Book of -Daniel, there are supposed to be a number of outstanding philological -anachronisms. The school of higher criticism, in its weird procedure, -made great capital of the presumed cultural development of the people -with whom the record dealt. - -Daniel is pictured in the Bible as having lived and written in the last -days of the Babylonian dynasties. He was carried away from his native -land as a lad when the wrath of Nebuchadnezzar was poured out on -Jerusalem in the days of Zedekiah. He lived throughout the reign of each -of the last Babylonian kings, and was alive when Cyrus signed the decree -that enabled the remnant to return to Jerusalem. No leader of Hebrew -life and thought lived in a more stirring span of history than did -Daniel. - -The bright minds of the higher critics, which were never limited in -their flights of fancy by historical fact, concluded that the Greek -language could not have reached the courts of Babylon until after the -conquest of Alexander. In examining the Hebrew text of this book, the -self-styled scholars claimed to have found eleven Greek words in -Daniel’s manuscript. The occurrence of these words was sufficient -evidence that the Book of Daniel was not written in the days of the -Babylonian dynasty, but must have originated after the exile and in the -days of Alexander. This was the first great argument directed against -the credibility and authenticity of this prophecy. - -The second alleged fallacy in the Book of Daniel is to be found in the -predication of the entire book. The sweep and movement of Daniel’s -account begins with the adventure of certain young lads of the royal -seed who were carried away as hostages to Babylon. Daniel’s own records -state that by orders of Nebuchadnezzar these young Hebrew boys were put -in the schools of learning where they might be instructed in the wisdom -of Babylon, and taught patriotism, and affection for the conquering -power of Chaldea. To this basis of the entire narrative criticism -objected vociferously and strenuously. The argument advanced by this now -discredited school was that the brutal conquerors of that day did not -treat their hostages with such kindness and courtesy, and so the entire -record was declared to be incompatible with the known facts of history. - -The third and more serious objection of the critics was directed against -the appearance in Daniel’s manuscript of certain stories which were -alleged to consist of pure myths. Among these is the story of the three -Hebrew children in the fiery furnace. The demands of intelligence were -supposed to find this utterly unreasonable and the doubters declared -that such a miracle could not have occurred. - -Another weakness in the structure of the narrative was presumed to be -found in the preservation of Daniel in the den of lions. In fact, this -whole record was relegated to the realm of improbability, as this method -of execution was never practiced by the Babylonians. These objections -constituted the case in the dogmatic assertions of the advocates of -higher criticism. - -The strange experience of Nebuchadnezzar for the year of his madness, -when he supposed himself a beast of the field and lived without the -benefits of his civilization, added strength to this objection against -the historicity of a book that incorporates in its structure such -palpable fables. - -The final and most crushing argument, however, was the discovery of -certain alleged historical inaccuracies that permeate the text of -Daniel. - -When Nebuchadnezzar died, the kingdom seems to have fallen into a -condition that was little short of anarchy. Nebuchadnezzar the Second -reigned from 604 B. C. to 561 B. C. Upon his death, he was succeeded by -Evil-merodach who reigned for two years. This unhappy monarch passed off -the scene by violence, and his murderer, Neriglissar, succeeded him to -the throne. - -After a short reign he, in turn, was removed by Labshi-marduk who -reigned but the portion of a year. He also met a sudden and unfortunate -end and the succession was in a condition of anarchy. - -Being backed by the army, Nabonidus, who according to most accounts was -the son-in-law of Nebuchadnezzar, saved the throne and established -himself in power. Having the complete confidence and trust of the -military, he established his dominion and reigned from 555 B. C. to 538. - -But in the year 538, Cyrus the Great captured Babylon and overran the -entire kingdom. Cyrus reigned until 529 and was followed by Cambyses. In -521, Cambyses was succeeded by Darius who, in turn, gave place to -Xerxes. - -Thus we have a complete and fairly accurate record of those stirring -days that followed Nebuchadnezzar. But in all profane history there was -no record of a king by the name of Belshazzar. Yet a surprising portion -of the Book of Daniel is given over to the events and incidents in the -life and reign of this “mythical” king. According to the critics, such -historical inaccuracy was sufficient to condemn the manuscript. Upon -these and lesser grounds, therefore, criticism tore Daniel out of the -Old Testament and denied him any place in the records of credible -historians. - -Had the hopeful enemies of faith waited but a few short years, they -might have saved themselves all this work and trouble. So thoroughly has -the voice of archeology accredited the accuracy of Daniel’s writings, -that those who foolishly surrendered their faith in the historicity of -this Book, have been forced to replace the disputed record, and Daniel -has been vindicated as has no other questioned writer of antiquity. - -To bring a brief and simple refutation of this critical argument -concerning alleged discrepancies, we shall go back to the primary -argument. - -The reign of Nebuchadnezzar was characterized by a recrudescence of -architecture and busy years of building. The great king spent his -enormous revenues in the construction of public buildings, and the land -blossomed under his influence and sway. It was inevitable that the -delvings at the site of Babylon should have brought to light some of the -palaces and works of this great kingdom. It was the custom among the -Babylonian builders to mark their public buildings, even as we do in our -present culture. Upon the cornerstone of our city hall or court house, -we engrave the name and purpose of the building, with the date of its -erection. Over the doorways of our libraries and public buildings we -chisel deeply into the building stones the name of the building and a -brief dedication. It seemed to be almost providential that one of the -first great marble palaces discovered in the ruins of Babylon was -designated by the builders themselves as “The Place of Learning.” There -captive princes were taught the learning of Chaldea. - -This one discovery reopened the whole case of the credibility of Daniel. -His historicity was questioned primarily upon the grounds that _such -schools did not exist_, and captives were not so treated. The -foundational vindication of Daniel that emerged from the dust of -countless centuries, caused a re-examination of the entire structure -that criticism had reared against his integrity. The result was a -complete vindication of Daniel and his record. - -The argument of philology also turned against its producers and showed -that their case against Daniel was baseless. It has been shown that -eight of the eleven alleged Greek words in Daniel’s manuscript are -Sumerian and not Hellenistic. At one time the Sumerian language was the -universal language of ancient diplomacy. As French was the language of -international correspondence until recent times, when it has been -largely displaced by English, so most of the courts of antiquity -conducted much of their business in the Sumerian tongue. This custom, -however, was discontinued by the time of the Persian conquest. If there -is any value in the argument of philology for the dating of a -manuscript, the evidence is conclusive that Daniel could not have -written after the time of Nebuchadnezzar, for the Sumerian language was -no longer in use from that time on. - -The three bona fide Greek words that do occur in Daniel’s writings are -an evidence for his accuracy and historical fidelity, rather than a -source of criticism, as has been implied. These three words are the -names of musical instruments that were Greek in origin. The language of -music was and is universal and it did not take generations for such -words to penetrate to the courts of other nations. As an instance, the -reader may remember that the seven-stringed harp was invented by the -Greek poet Terpander. Assur-bani-pal died twenty-five years after the -invention of this harp. He shows it, however, upon his monuments, and -the statement is made that one was buried with the king. The Babylonian -records depict this harp under its Greek name. Thus we see that instead -of taking centuries for a Greek word to reach Babylon, this word had -become a household word in a few short years. So the argument of -philology turns out to be a boomerang which returns to smite the critic -who hurled it. - -The tales that are told by dead men who have no purpose in deceiving the -living, not only enhance our understanding of this disputed text, but -bring to us irrefutable evidence of its scrupulous accuracy. The case -for Daniel’s vindication is even more graphically presented when we come -to the realm of these sections of alleged folklore and fable. - -It is of course necessary that the careful scholar walk warily so as not -to over-emphasize the facts at his disposal. There is a tendency among -those who have a justified confidence in the Book of God to allow their -natural elation over the illuminating vindication wrought for the -Scripture by archeology to result in an unfortunate over-emphasis. Here -is where we face an illustration of such a tendency. - -In one of the earlier excavations at Babylon a peculiar building was -uncovered which at first sight appeared to be a firing kiln in which -bricks or pottery might be baked. It was rounded in the typical shape -common to the ancient beehive, which is preserved even among some of our -kilns of the present generation. When the inscription was deciphered -that designated the purpose of the building, however, it was startling -to read, “This is the place of burning where men who blasphemed the gods -of Chaldea died by fire.” The tremendous significance of this discovery -becomes at once apparent. The tendency would be to explain with delight, -“We have discovered the fiery furnace where Shadrach, Meshach, and -Abed-nego walked with the Son of God.” Such an application of this fact, -however, would not quite be warranted. This may or may not have been the -Scriptural site of that great miracle. We can say, however, that the -three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace can no longer be consigned to -the columns of mythology and dismissed as simple folklore. This -discovery has showed us without doubt that there _was_ such a furnace as -Daniel depicts. It was customary to punish blasphemy in this fashion, -and the Chaldean monuments and annals are replete with instances of men -being burned alive, who had angered the king or rebelled against his -sovereignty. - -So, then, the implacable, unrelenting voice of archeology penetrates the -innermost retreats of higher criticism to destroy, in this instance, -their familiar and favorite argument of folklore and mythology. - -No less dramatic and interesting was the accidental experience of the -famed excavator Dieulafoy, who fell into what at first sight would have -been called an ancient well. Being rescued by his companions from his -uncomfortable, but in nowise dangerous, situation, they proceeded with -their work to the point of identification. The well turned out to be a -pit which was used as an open cage for wild animals, and upon the curb -was found the inscription, “The place of execution where men who angered -the king died torn by wild animals.” - -Once again we must tread cautiously, for we cannot say with dogmatic -finality, “This is the place of Daniel’s experience.” We _can_ say, -however, with positive assurance that _there was such a pit of -execution_, and the only unusual feature in Daniel’s experience was that -he came out alive under the defense and protection of the God whom he -served. - -In the excavation of the palace at Shushan, an ancient record was -uncovered giving a list of four hundred eighty-four men of high degree -who thus died in a den of lions. The name of Daniel was not found among -them. This might be accepted as collateral evidence that Daniel escaped -alive from that place of execution. - -Even the strange experience of Nebuchadnezzar, who dreamed that he would -be turned into a wild beast and roam the fields like an ox, has also -been accredited. It will be remembered that the mighty monarch dreamed -of a tree that stood in the center of the earth and grew to an -unprecedented height. Its towering branches swept the heavens and from -all the ends of the earth its foliage was visible. Fruit hung upon this -tree that satisfied the needs of men, and the very beasts of the field -shadowed themselves under its spreading branches. Even the fowls of the -air dwelt safely therein, and all living things drew strength and -protection from this mighty growth. - -The dream continued to the point where a Holy One came down from heaven -and ordered the destruction of the tree. The trunk, the branches, the -leaves, and the fruit were all to be swept away, but the stump and roots -were to be undisturbed. The heart was to be changed from a man’s heart, -and the heart of an animal was to be given it until seven times should -pass over that stump. This drastic action was explained by the Holy One -as being intended to teach the high and lordly king that only the Most -High rules in the kingdom of man, and that He gives dominion to -whomsoever He will. He has the right and authority to make the basest of -men to sit in the places of highest power and to humble the most lordly. - -Upon coming to Daniel with his troubled spirit, the king sought an -interpretation of the dream. Daniel recounts that for the passing of an -hour he was so astonished and troubled in heart he could not find the -strength to speak. The king, whose kindly affection for Daniel is one of -the wonders of that day, besought him to speak frankly and not to allow -his affection and regard for Nebuchadnezzar to hinder him from telling -the complete truth to the troubled king. Daniel’s interpretation was -given in simple but graphic words: The tree which grew and reached the -heavens, whose leaves, branches, and fruits sheltered and nurtured all -flesh, was a symbol of the mighty Nebuchadnezzar. (It is true that in -the day of Nebuchadnezzar he builded a world empire, as far as the -cultured races of mankind extended.) But because of the high pride which -was natural to the human heart over such great accomplishments, the Most -High God had decreed that the king should be humbled. He should forsake -the councils and fellowship of men and sleep in the open fields, wet -with the dew of heaven; imagining himself to be one with the beasts of -the earth, Nebuchadnezzar was to learn humility. - -Daniel then pleaded with the king that by repentance and restitution he -should forsake his sins and dedicate himself to the pursuit of -righteousness. Thus by showing mercy, he might receive grace and his -iniquities be blotted out. - -Twelve months later the prophetic dream was fulfilled. As the king -strolled on the roof of his great palace, he surveyed the might of -Babylon and boasted in his heart saying, “This great Babylon have I not -myself built it; have I not erected this kingdom and this house by the -might of my own power and for the honour of my majesty.” While this -exalted boast was still echoing upon the king’s lips, there fell a voice -from heaven which said that the hour of the fulfillment of the prophecy -had come. - -Madness fell upon Nebuchadnezzar, and he fled from the presence of men. -Sleeping in the open fields and dwelling with the beasts of the earth, -his hair grew as long as an eagle’s feathers and his nails became like -the claws of a bird. During those seven years of the madness of -Nebuchadnezzar, his faithful counselors administered his kingdom, -apparently in the earnest hope that the reason of the king would be -restored. Their confidence was justified, for at the end of seven years -the king recounts that he lifted up his eyes to heaven and understanding -returned to him. Thereupon he blessed the Most High God and swore that -he would bless and honour Him that liveth forever. He confessed that the -dominion of God is an everlasting dominion and His kingdom is eternal. -His psalm of praise exalted Almighty God above the reach of men. - -When his reason had thus been restored, the king again occupied the -throne of Babylon and profited by this experience. The glory and honour -of his kingdom he henceforth attributed unto the majesty and kindness of -God. The king testified personally that the words of God are true and -His judgments righteous. He turned to monotheism, and became the -greatest convert, perhaps, that Daniel had made in all of his ministry. - -This brief account of those amazing seven years is given by Daniel in -the fourth chapter of his great prophecy. The literal words of the king -are preserved for us in that historical record. This is perhaps the most -outstanding instance of critical repudiation of the text that we have in -the Old Testament. The whole record was uncompromisingly declared to be -a fabrication of a vivid imagination. - -_It fell to the lot of the great Sir Henry Rawlinson to find the -original document wherein Nebuchadnezzar tells this episode exactly as -Daniel had given it._ - -The most dramatic and astonishing vindication of the integrity of the -text that the Book of Daniel has sustained, providentially occurred in -that field of criticism which was supposed to be the strongest evidence -that criticism possessed. This was in the realm of the historical -accuracy of the Book of Daniel. The basis of the critical contention was -right to a certain extent. Profane history possessed no record of a king -in Babylon by the name of Belshazzar. When the period of anarchy in -Babylon ended by means of the military coup that placed Nabonidus upon -the throne, it took a short while to quiet the realm and reëstablish the -authority of the crown. Nabonidus then gave himself to a period of -construction and rehabilitation. In the course of his work on the -fortifications of his capital city, Nabonidus was strengthening the -walls at certain neglected points. Delving deeply, to buttress the -foundations, he came upon the ruins of an ancient palace which had been -built centuries before by Narum-sin. - -The discovery so delighted king Nabonidus that he became a confirmed -archeologist. He reconstructed this palace of Narum-sin and turned it -into a museum of antiquity. The delight of discovery drove the energetic -Nabonidus into expeditions far and wide. The administration of the -kingdom became of secondary importance to him. He had a son whose name -appears in the ancient records as “Belt-sar-utzar,” which is given in -the record of Daniel as Bel-shazzar. Upon the thirtieth birthday of his -son, Nabonidus made him regent, and the throne of Babylon was -thenceforth occupied jointly by Nabonidus and Bel-shazzar. Because the -more common form is familiar to our readers, we will from this point on -designate him by the Biblical name of Belshazzar. - -The decrees and laws were signed, of course, by the seal of Nabonidus, -the senior monarch, but the practical administration was left in the -hands of the regent. This will explain why Belshazzar, wishing to honour -Daniel for the interpretation of the writing upon the wall, with which -we shall deal later, offered to make him the _third_ ruler of the -kingdom. This, of course, is eminently unorthodox! It was always the -custom in antiquity, if records can be trusted, to honour a man by -giving him the hand of the king’s daughter in marriage and making him -ruler over _half_ the kingdom. Belshazzar could not go so far as this. -Nabonidus, his father, was the number one ruler as long as he lived. -Belshazzar, the regent, was the second ruler of the realm. Therefore, if -Daniel became prime minister and had an office second in authority to -Belshazzar, _he would be the third ruler in the kingdom_. - -How amazing indeed is the historical accuracy of this ancient Book! -These writers were faultless in their efforts to keep the Scripture in -line with the historical facts. In this case they have been inspired -even in their choice of numerical descriptions in the honours conferred -upon their heroic characters. - -So now we peer into ancient Babylon through the telescope of archeology -and we see a quaint situation. Nabonidus, the kind and able monarch, -fascinated with the study of antiquities, has left the active control of -the kingdom to his son and heir, Belshazzar. The prince regent, however, -was not able to stand prosperity. He seems to have degenerated into a -drunken profligate who spent all of his time in the dubious pleasures of -sin. The administration of the kingdom fell on evil days during the -brief span of time that Belshazzar was in authority. As nearly as we can -build an accurate and credible chronology from the now available records -of Babylon, Belshazzar became regent in 541 B. C., and in the year 538 -B. C. the Babylonian dynasty disappeared. - -In those three years great and marvelous events were being shaped in the -womb of time. Cyrus, thereafter called the Great, had previously begun -his phenomenal rise to power. Apparently he had been born a minor prince -in an obscure tribe of the Medes, but was endowed with genius and -brilliancy from his early youth. The picture that is now painted of -Cyrus, as we see him in the treasured records, depicts this fascinating -personality engaged first of all in welding the scattered families of -the Medes into a close, binding organization that made them a power. So -rapid was his climb to dominion, there is no other explanation to -account for the phenomenon than that of Isaiah, who in his forty-fifth -chapter, states that the Lord God Almighty Himself had raised Cyrus to -the position of world dominion. This prophecy we shall refer to later; -but our present purpose is to show the conjunction of Cyrus with -Belshazzar. - -We come to a period of time when the records are fragmentary, but it is -evident now that Cyrus the Mede became naturalized as a Persian that he -might occupy that throne and combine it with his own kingdom. When the -youthful Cyrus had combined Media and Persia into one great dominion, a -new world empire was born, although it was not immediately apparent. -After a number of successful forays and campaigns that enlarged his -possessions and strengthened his position until he felt himself to be -well nigh invincible, the ambitious Cyrus turned his eyes toward -Babylon. He realized that if he possessed Babylon, he would indeed be -the master of the earth. - -Cyrus is reported to have sent an ambassador to Nabonidus saying, “Come -thou under my yoke and I will be thy protection and defense.” The modern -system of ‘muscling in’ is supposed to be a development of the -racketeers of our generation. These modern pragmatists, however, are -merely amateur performers at an old game, at which the ancients were -masters. This invitation of Cyrus, of course, could be interpreted only -one way. In the vernacular of the modern day, it was a case of -surrender, “or else.” When the Persian ambassador arrived at the court -of Babylon, Nabonidus was absent on one of his many expeditions. -Belshazzar, as usual, was in the midst of a drunken orgy and was more -concerned with the hilarity of the hour than with the future safety of -the kingdom. With that ill-guided and perverse humour which is -characteristic of the insanity of drunkenness, the Regent conceived a -brilliant jest. He caused the ambassador to be hewed into pieces and -packed into a basket which was returned to Cyrus with a note saying, -“This we will do to you and your army if you invade our empire.” - -When this insult was delivered to Cyrus, the outraged king was so wild -with indignation that he could not contain himself long enough to -assemble his army. He ordered Darius the chief of his bodyguard, who was -one of his Median counselors and companions, to assemble an advance -force and lay siege to the city. While Darius invested the city, Cyrus -was to follow with the balance of his cohort. Thus the scene was set for -the most singular episode of those stirring days. - -It occurred on the birthday of Belshazzar, which marked the beginning of -the third year of his regency. The ignoble king had gathered to himself -all the lords and ladies of his court, the thousand dissolute companions -who were the fellows-in-drunkenness of this king. Belshazzar again -conceived a drunken jest, which struck him as highly humourous. In the -midst of their debauch, he ordered that the sacred vessels, which his -grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar, had taken from the temple of God in -Jerusalem, should be brought to the table to be used as flagons for -their drinking bout. This was done, and as this godless and idolatrous -crew drank from the holy implements dedicated to the God of Israel, they -toasted the idols of Babylon and sang their praise. - -Even while they were thus engaged, according to the fifth chapter of -Daniel, a hand appeared which wrote on the wall and pronounced the doom -of the kingdom. Almost at this exact hour, Darius, the counselor, friend -and commander of the vanguard of Cyrus’ army, appeared before the walls -of Babylon! - -To the surprise of the great Median general, the gates of the city were -open. This is according to his own record. It being the birthday of -Belshazzar, the entire city was celebrating in a fashion made popular -and characteristic by the debauched ruler. Wine had been provided for -the guards that they also might share in the happy celebration of the -king’s natal day. The drunken soldiers had failed to close the city -gates with the coming of nightfall, and by the time Darius appeared -before the city, they were in a stupor of drunkenness. The able Mede, -skilled in all the arts of ancient warfare, moved swiftly, well knowing -the value of a surprise attack. His company, although few in number when -compared to the complete might of the armed forces of Cyrus, was -sufficient to hold the city, if it could be gained. - -Daring men fell upon the drunken guards and slew them. Leaving a small -company to guard the gate and keep it open, Darius’ troops swept through -the city to the very palace of Belshazzar. Slaying all whom they met -upon the way, they fell upon the royal company with a shock of complete -surprise. Scarcely had the voice of Daniel finished interpreting the -words that the hand of God had written upon the wall, when the sword of -Darius fulfilled the prophecy by slaying Belshazzar. Darius caused the -head of Belshazzar to be sent to Cyrus with a grim and brief note, -saying “The kingdom is thine. Do thou enter.” When Cyrus, therefore, -came with his mighty company, the city already had been captured by -Darius and Cyrus had only to make a triumphal entry. - -In the meantime, Nabonidus heard that his kingdom was invaded, so he -gathered a force and marched to the relief of Babylon. When he arrived, -however, he found that the city was already in the possession of Cyrus. -Acting with characteristic wisdom, he laid down his arms, surrendered to -Cyrus and cast himself upon the mercy of the great king. He was well -received, and lived as an honoured guest in the court of Cyrus until he -died a natural death several years later. - -Cyrus ruled Babylon through Darius, his counselor and friend, whose -courage and strategy were rewarded when the king made him satrap of -Babylon. Herein is found a reconciliation of the apparent contradiction -between the two statements made by Darius and Cyrus concerning the fate -of the king of Babylon. Although the critics never bothered to notice -such, archeology has its difficulties as well as has Scripture. - -Darius tersely recounts, “In the night that I captured Babylon, I slew -the king.” - -The annalistic tablet of Cyrus, however, contains this note, “In the day -that I entered Babylon, I made the king my captive.” - -The contradiction is more fancied than real. The two generals are -speaking about two different kings! Darius killed King Belshazzar; Cyrus -made King Nabonidus his captive and friend. - -Because of the insult that Belshazzar had offered to his majesty, Cyrus -caused the Regent’s name to be stricken from all the available records -and thus Belshazzar’s name passed out of history and faded from the -memory of men. _For twenty-five hundred years the only record of the -name of Belshazzar that was preserved for posterity was found in the -writings of Daniel. This very historic accuracy of Daniel was the source -of a great deal of the critical rejection of his notable writing!_ - -The first discovery in archeology that shed light upon these events was -the prayer cylinder of Nabonidus. Upon the ascension of Belshazzar to -the regency of the kingdom, Nabonidus caused to be engraved in all the -temples of Bel a prayer for the protection, praise, and prosperity of -his son, Belt-sar-utsar. In the excavations at Mukkayyar, one of the -great buildings uncovered was the temple of the moon god. In each of the -four corners of the building, Nabonidus, who had rebuilt the temple, had -caused a clay cylinder to be buried containing the record of the work. -On this cylinder, which dedicated the rebuilding of an ancient temple -which was originally constructed about seventeen centuries before the -day of Nabonidus, the kindly king engraved the prayer for his son and -heir, to which we have previously referred. - -The name of the moon god was Sin, and he was one of the chief deities of -the land of Babylon. The wording on the cylinder that particularly -interests the student of historical accuracy is found in these words: -“Oh, Sin, thou lord of the gods, thou king of the gods of heaven and of -earth, and of the gods of the gods, who dwellest in heaven, when thou -enterest with joy into this temple, may the good fortune of the temples -E-sagil, E-zida and E-gish-shirgal, the temples of thine exalted godhead -be established at thy word. And set thou the fear of thine exalted -godhead in the hearts of my people, that they sin not against thine -exalted godhead, and let them stand fast like the heavens. _And as for -me, Nabonidus, the king of Babylon, protect thou me from sinning against -thine exalted godhead and grant thou me graciously a long life and in -the heart of Belshazzar, my first born son, the offspring of my loins, -set the fear of thine exalted godhead so he may commit no sin and that -he may be satisfied with the fullness of life._” - -In the British Museum, Table Case “G” in the magnificent Babylonian Room -contains these cylinders, which are numbered 91,125 to 91,128; the -cylinders of Nabonidus are many. Some of them recount his building -operations, while others give the record of his discoveries of some of -the great monuments of antiquity in the search for which he spent so -much of his time and treasure. Perhaps no single event in the long -records of archeology so startled and delighted the careful students -whose interest was in the authority of the Word of God, as did this -discovery of the name of Belshazzar. In one magnificent demonstration -archeology thus accredited the _history_ included in the prophecies of -Daniel, and shattered the conclusions of criticism beyond the -possibility of recovery. - -Also in this same section and case of the British Museum, there is a -portion of a baked clay cylinder inscribed by Cyrus. This bears the -Museum number of 90,920 and is a priceless record. We are tempted to -believe in the providential preservation of this fragment, since the -balance of the tablet has been destroyed and is missing. In this -particular record, Cyrus describes his conquest of Babylon, following a -recital of some of the chief preliminary events in the early part of his -reign. He ascribes his good success to the god Marduk. He tells how he -had forced all nations to accept his standard until finally, under -divine command, Marduk caused him to go to Babylon. Because of the -significance of this statement and its bearing upon our foregoing -paragraphs, we reproduce this much of the words of Cyrus, “Marduk the -great lord, the protector of his people beheld his good deeds and his -righteous heart with joy. He commanded him to go to Babylon and he -caused him to set out on the road to the city and like a friend and -ally, he marched by his side; and his troops with our weapons girt about -them, marched with him in countless numbers like the waters of a flood. -Without battle and without fighting, Marduk made him enter into his city -of Babylon; he spared Babylon tribulation and Nabonidus the king who -feared him not, he delivered into his hands.” - -The Babylonian sources of the British Museum also contain an amazing -number of highly important documents which cover every year of the reign -of Cyrus in Babylon, namely, B. C. 538 to 529. These records are -concerned with commercial transactions, legal business and documents -that deal with the personal and public life of the people. Such homely -affairs as a deed recording a loan of three thousand bundles of onions -from one man to another is legally dated by the year of the ascendency -of Cyrus. The apprenticeship of slaves to various masters in the arts -and sciences, the worship of the people, the blossoming of prosperity -under the firm but kind rule of Cyrus, all make up a wonderful picture -of those days and times. Therein are included apparently unconscious -references to the historic events that are of such tremendous interest -to those who today read the Word of God in the light of this historical -illumination. - -There are, of course, also many private and public letters preserved -from this period which are found in Table Case “H” of the Babylonian -Room, where they are available to the student who cares to delve into -the minute evidences of those days and times. - -We shall have to condense a great deal of this material, however, into -the one simple statement that _the Book of Daniel is historically -accredited by these voluminous records_! Thus there is only one possible -basis whereupon criticism of Daniel may be continued today. In all -kindness, but in absolute assurance, we must say that the rejection of -the historicity of Daniel by our generation can be predicated only upon -complete ignorance of an amazing body of historical knowledge that is -available to the student. Either that, or there is a sad desire in the -heart of the critic to frustrate the purpose of the Word of God even at -the expense of the surrender of personal integrity. The original -construction of the case against Daniel did appear formidable at first. -It has turned out, however, to be a tissue of falsehood, and Daniel has -emerged from the den of liars unharmed and under the continuing -protection of God, even as he came forth in safety from the den of -lions. - -With the coming of Cyrus, the Assyrian and Babylonian dynasties ended -and Persian history began. Much of this period of the Persian sway was -contemporaneous with the times of the Maccabees, and is of tremendous -importance and interest to the student of the history of Israel. But -since that same period parallels the four hundred silent years, during -which the voice of God was not heard through the prophets, and sacred -revelation is awaiting the appearance of Jesus Christ, there is very -little of archeological value from those years that can be useful to the -establishment of our present thesis. - -The exception to this would be seen in the case of the return of the -people to rebuild Jerusalem, and to establish a Jewish culture, so that -Jesus could be born in the land of Israel, and minister to the people of -Israel, as the prophecies had foretold. The events of this return are -told in the prophecies of Ezra and Nehemiah, which are abundantly -substantiated by secular evidence, and have thus not been questioned or -disputed by criticism to any major extent. Cyrus has left an account of -this return, and the great king seemed to be vastly elated over the -opportunity thus to show kindness to the people of Israel. - -According to the record that is generally received, Cyrus the Great -signed the decree authorizing the return of the children of Israel to -rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and the temple of God, primarily because -of one of those fascinating anticipations of coming events which is the -peculiar field of prophecy. - -It is recorded that the scribe Zerubbabel entered the presence of Cyrus -and with the grandiloquent salutation of that day bowed himself and -said, “Oh king live forever! Be it known unto my lord the king that our -God hath named him by name in the prophecy of His sacred writings -generations before the king was born.” When Cyrus expressed a desire to -inquire into this wonder, there was brought into his presence the scroll -of the prophet Isaiah and to him was read the forty-fifth chapter. The -opening verses of this chapter contained this statement: - - “Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I - have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins - of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall - not be shut. - - “I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will - break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of - iron: - - “And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of - secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee - by thy name, am the God of Israel. For Jacob my servant’s sake, and - Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have - surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.” - -This is a significant prophecy indeed! Isaiah wrote these words about -the year 712 B. C. Cyrus took over the dominion of Babylon 538 B. C. So -in this ancient prophecy the conqueror is named by name some century and -a half before he was born. His conquest of all nations was clearly -delineated and the explanation was given that God had pre-named him for -the sake of the thing that he should later do for Israel. Astounded and -deeply moved by this evidence of divine favour, Cyrus wrote a notable -decree which is preserved for us in these exact words: - - “Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, the Lord God of Heaven hath given me - all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an - house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all - His people? his God be with him and let him go up to Jerusalem, which - is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel, (he is the - God,) which is in Jerusalem, and whosoever remaineth in any place - where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, - and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, besides the free-will - offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.” - -With this authority, the remnant returned to start that magnificent epic -of the history of Israel that climaxed with the coming of the Redeemer -of whom also Isaiah had written. - -There is a sense of frustration that is inevitable to any writer who -attempts to cover so vast a subject as this present work in the limits -of one small volume. The difficulty has not been in finding evidence to -support the thesis that “dead men tell tales” which vindicate the -historical infallibility of the Bible. We have been embarrassed by too -much evidence! So we have sought to present only the most striking -cases, such as can be confirmed by any reader, without the background of -years of archeological education. Unlimited tons of material have been -passed over with scarcely a mention, due to the limitation of time and -space. - -The author has hoped to achieve one purpose in this volume, namely, the -arousing of a definite interest in the average reader which will cause -that person to study the sacred page with understanding and appreciation -of its force and authority. “These Scriptures,” said the Apostle Paul, -“are able to make thee wise unto salvation.” It is imperative in the -light of this purpose, that they be able to sustain their claim to -divine origin as well. With the prayer that God will bless His Word to -the salvation of the many in these closing days, we have thus offered -you the testimony of men long dead, whose words nevertheless live on in -the records of tablets and tombs. And with those evidences, we have also -an increased assurance in the infallible character of the Bible, and are -historically justified in receiving it “as it is in truth, the Word of -God.” - - - - - BIBLIOGRAPHY - - - Baikie, James The Amarna Age - Baikie, James Lands and People of the Bible - Baikie, James A History of Egypt (Two Volumes) - Bennett, Charles W. Christian Archeology - Blackman, A. M. Luxor and Its Temple - Boscawen, W. St. Chad The Bible and the Monuments - Boulton, W. H. Egypt - Budge, E. A. Wallis From Fetish to God in Ancient Egypt - Budge, E. A. Wallis Books on Egypt and Chaldaea - Budge, E. A. Wallis The Literature of the Egyptian - Chiera They Wrote on Clay - Clay, Albert T. A Hebrew Deluge Story in Cuneiform - Clay, Albert T. Amurru, the Home of the Northern Semites - Cobern, Camden M. The New Archeological Discoveries - Deissman, Dr. Adolf Light from the Ancient East - Delitzsch, Friedrich Babel and Bible - Gadd, C. J. A Sumerian Reading Book - Gadd, C. J. History and Monuments of Ur - Gardiner, Alan H. Egyptian Grammar - Garstang, J. Burial Customs of the Ancient Egyptians - Garstang, J. The Land of the Hittites - Goodspeed, George Stephen A History of the Babylonians and - Assyrians - Grenfell, B. P. Tebtunis Papyri - A. S. Hunt - J. G. Smyly - Grenfell, B. P. Greek Papyri - Habershon, Ada R. The Bible and the British Museum - Hilprecht, Herman V. Recent Research in Bible Lands - Hilprecht, Herman V. Explorations in Bible Lands During the - 19th Century - Hogarth, D. G. Authority and Archeology, Sacred and - Profane - Huffman, Prof. J. A. Voices from Rocks and Dust Heaps of - Bible Lands - Kennedy, Sir Alexander B. W. Petra, Its History and Monuments - Kenyon, Frederic G. Our Bible and the Ancient Manuscripts - King, L. W. Assyrian Language (Vol. 5) - Koldewey, Robert The Excavations at Babylon - Kyle, Melvin Grove The Deciding Voice of the Monuments in - Biblical Criticism - Kyle, Melvin Grove Excavating Kirjathsepher’s Ten Cities - Laurie, Rev. Thomas Assyrian Echoes of the Word - Layard, Austen Henry Layard’s Discoveries at Nineveh - Lynch, W. F. Expedition to the Dead Sea and The Jordan - Marston, Sir Charles The Bible is True - Marston, Sir Charles New Bible Evidence - Martin, Percy F. Egypt—Old and New - Maspero, Gaston New Light on Ancient Egypt - Maspero, Gaston Egypt—Ancient Sites and Modern Scenes - Milligan, George Greek Papyri - Miller, H. S. General Biblical Introduction - Moulton, James Hope From Egyptian Rubbish Heaps - Murray, Margaret A. Egyptian Temples - Nelson, Byron C. The Deluge Story in Stone - Orr, James The Bible of the Old Testament - Orr, James The Bible Under Trial - Petrie, Flinders Measures and Weights - Petrie, Flinders Royal Tombs - Petrie, Flinders Researches in Sinai - Pilter, W. T. The Pentateuch. A Historical Record. - Politeyan, J. Discoveries from the Nile to the Tiber - Ramsay, Sir William St. Paul, the Traveller and the Roman - Citizen - Luke the Historian - The Trustworthiness of the New Testament - in the Light of Recent Discovery - Rawlinson, Canon Egypt and Babylonia - St. Clair, George Creation Records - Smith, George The Chaldean Account of Genesis - Smith, G. Elliott and Egyptian Mummies - Warren R. Dawson - Stadelmann, H. Cleopatra - Tischendorf, Dr. C. Codex Sinaiticus - Todd, J. A. The Banks of the Nile - Weigall, Arthur The Life and Times of Akhnaton - Weigall, Arthur E. P. A Guide to the Antiquities of Upper Egypt - Wiseman, P. J. New Discoveries in Babylonia About - Genesis - Woolley, Sir Leonard Abraham. (Recent Discoveries and Hebrew - Origins) - Woolley, Sir Leonard Ur of the Chaldees - Woolley, Sir Leonard The Sumerians - Worrell, William H. A Study of Races in the Ancient Near East - Wright, G. F. Scientific Confirmations of Old - Testament History - Wright, William The Empire of the Hittites - - -_Publications of the British Museum_: - - A Guide to the Babylonian and Assyrian Antiquities - The Babylonian Story of the Deluge and the Epic of Gilgamesh - The Babylonian Legends of the Creation and the Fight Between Bel and - the Dragon - The Book of the Dead - The Mount Sinai Manuscript of the Bible - The New Gospel Fragments - The Rosetta Stone - - -_Pamphlets_: - - The Bearing of Archeological and Historical Research Upon the New - Testament. By the Rev. Parke P. Flournoy. - The Witness of Archeology to the Bible. By A. M. Hodgkin. - Biblical History in the Light of Archeological Discovery Since A. D. - 1900. By the Rev. D. E. Hart-Davies. - The Value of the Spade. By the Rev. M. G. Kyle. - The Syriac Forms of New Testament Proper Names. By F. C. Burkitt. - - - - - FOOTNOTES - - -[1]As this book goes to press, the grave of this Shishak has just been - discovered in the famous Valley of the Kings. The first word is that - the grave is intact, unspoiled by robbers. If this proves to be so, - much material of value to the Biblical student will probably be - recovered. - - - - - Transcriber’s Notes - - -—Silently corrected a few typos. - -—Retained publication information from the printed edition: this eBook - is public-domain in the country of publication. - -—Canonically replaced “plate number” with “plate” in plate references. - -—In the text versions only, text in italics is delimited by - _underscores_. - - - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DEAD MEN TELL TALES *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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