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A Canadian archaeologist has unexpectedly felt the scorn of Liberal theologians. He wasn't looking to cause trouble; all he was looking for was evidence of copper production in the early Iron and Bronze Age.
Russell Adams, a professor at the McMaster University in Hamilton, was part of team exploring a copper mine at Khirbat en Nahas in Jordan. According to a report in the British journal Antiquities, when the group did some high-tech radio-carbon dating at the site, the results were in their words "spectacular."
They found clear evidence that the site was not only occupied in the 11th century BC, but a massive fortress existed in the 10th century.
Their announcement shook up the ideology of the Liberal theologians who for years have treated the Old Testament at best a collection of fragmentary stories and at worse a total fabrication.
The Liberals routinely stated that the formation of states did not occur until two century later in the 8th century BC, putting the full Biblical record in dispute. In the 10the century, King David and Solomon were little more than nomadic tribal chiefs and certainly not full fledged kingdoms as the Bible portrayed them. Edom, they argue, did not show up until two centuries later.
According to the Biblical record, the nation of Edom was formed from the descendants Esau, the estranged brother of Jacob (from which came the Israelites) and proved a continual thorn in the side of Israel for centuries.
When the Israelites arrived in the Promised Land, the Edomites were already firmly entrenched in the area and would not let the Israelites pass through their territory.
Later when the Israelites complained to the prophet Samuel they did not have a King like the Edomites, it portrays Edom as a well-established nation with capital cities and fortresses.
Then under King David, Israel and Edom had a major battle which resulted in the death of 18,000 Edomites. After the victory, King David established garrisons throughout Edom territory to maintain control. However, according to the Liberal theologians since Edom did not exist until two centuries later, these Bible accounts were complete fabrication.
However, Adam's announcement throws crow on these theories. The nation of Edom existed as early as the 11th century and by the 10th had constructed significant fortress. It validates the Biblical record which said the two nations were involved in a number of major conflicts, which required the construction of fortifications for protection.
Adam's discovery puts the Edomites at precisely the time and place the Bible says they should be. And with this piece of Bible history confirmed, it throws water on the Liberal parade.
Source: Archeologist unearths Biblical controversy (The Globe and Mail, January 25, 2005)
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