John the Baptist's cave 'found'

Source: BBC

A British archaeologist says he has found a cave used by the New Testament figure John the Baptist.

Shimon Gibson spent five years excavating the site near Jerusalem, unearthing objects apparently used in ancient purification rituals.

Images carved on the walls include that of a man with wild hair and carrying a staff, said to be reminiscent of John, whom the Bible says baptised Jesus. Biblical scholars have questioned the find, which they say is inconclusive.

Oil

The 24m (79ft) deep cave is situated on present day Kibbutz Tzuba, about 4km (2.5miles) from John's birthplace of Ein Kerem. Mr Gibson's team found quarter of a million pieces of pottery apparently from artefacts used in the immersion process.

Foot-shaped niche in cave

Worshippers are believed to have had their feet anointed here. The explorers also uncovered 28 steps leading to a chamber containing an oval stone with a foot-shaped indentation and a niche apparently through which oil would flow onto a worshipper's foot.

"John the Baptist, who was just a figure from the Gospels, now comes to life," said Mr Gibson.

A wall carving appeared to depict John, who belonged to a sect which forbade followers from cutting their hair. Another carving of a face was symbolic of a severed head: John was decapitated by Herod Antipas, who ruled the Holy Land at the time of Jesus.

"Nothing like this has been found elsewhere," Mr Gibson said. "It is the first time we have finds from the early baptismal period... It is an amazing discovery that happens to an archaeologist once in a lifetime."

But some biblical scholars are treating Mr Gibson's claim with caution. Stephen Pfann, president of the University of the Holy Land in Jerusalem, said the find was intriguing, but that more work needed to be done.

Related Links

1. Related article in Fox News
2. My previous post on Christian Archaeology

Goliath's name found in Israeli archaeological dig

Source - Reuters

RAMAT GAN, Israel, Nov 13 (Reuters) - An Israeli researcher said he has made a Goliath of a find -- the first archaeological evidence suggesting the biblical story of David slaying the Philistine giant actually took place.

A shard of pottery unearthed in a decade-old dig in southern Israel carried an inscription in early Semitic style spelling "Alwat and "Wlt", likely Philistine renderings of the name Goliath, said Aren Maeir, who directed the excavation.

"This is a groundbreaking find," he said of the rust-coloured ceramic. "Here we have very nice evidence the name Goliath appearing in the Bible in the context of the story of David and Goliath ... is not some later literary creation."

Maeir, head of the archaeology department at Bar-Ilan University near Tel Aviv, told Reuters that his excavators found the shard, possibly part of a bowl, about two metres (6.5 ft) underground at Tell es-Shafi.

The mound where the dig took place is widely believed to be the site of the ancient city of Gath, which the Bible calls Goliath's hometown.

The biblical story of the epic Philistine giant's defeat at the hands of a much smaller David, who went on to become king of Israel, has long been a popular metaphor for the triumph of good over evil against all odds.

The specimen, from about 900 BC, isn't old enough to have belonged to Goliath, himself -- believed to have lived around 1,000 BC, Maeir said.

But he added: "It is the first time in the land of Israel that we have (found) the name Goliath, or a name like Goliath".

"I haven't found Goliath's skeleton with the hole in the centre of his forehead, but it's the first archaeological evidence form a Philistine site which lends strong credibility" to the story, the U.S.-born researcher said.

The Book of Samuel I 17:4-10 spoke of "a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath", a heavily armed giant who challenged an Israelite soldier to a duel.

David, at the time a shepherd, took up Goliath's challenge and "prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone" (Samuel I 17:50).

Maeir said the shard is also the oldest Philistine inscription ever found in Israel.

"Up until now most of what we know about the Philistines is from the Bible's point of view. ... We get a very, very subjective view. They're the bad people, the barbarians, we don't get anything nice about them," he said.

"When we look at the Philistines from an archaeological point of view we get evidence of a very rich, dynamic, fascinating and advanced culture."

Maier said he spent several months verifying his find with other experts and planned to discuss it at a conference in the United States later this month.

...Whole in one

More on God and creation

A Question of faith

Who was with God in the beginning at creation of the world? Are God, Christ and the Holy Spirit one?

My answer

I believe that at the beginning God existed alone, but the situation is more complicated than that. God, being mutidimensional, cannot be understood as just a single entity or concept, but a collection of concepts. Two such concepts stand out with respect to the begining of creation - #1. The Holy Spirit and #2. The Word. Here are some verses that indicate the presence of Holy Spirit and the Word being present:

1. The Holy Spirit

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters"
(Genesis 1:1-2).

2. The Word

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
(John 1:1)

It is also my belief that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are all part of our One God. However, I haven't read enough to comment on this yet. But once I can locate certain relevant verses about the trinity, I will try and submit them.

...Whole in One

Multiplication Anointing!!

Wow…what a message. This Sunday’s message was quite strong. Continuing from last weeks theme, where Pastor Tanuja discussed our ‘Dynamic God’, this weeks message was on ‘Multiplication Anointing’.

More Faith

Once again, the simplicity of the message its greatest strength. The analogy used by the Pastor was, that, we wont have to wait for blessings in the form of 9+9+9+9+9+9+9, but now we can expect 9 * 7. The ‘Short-cut blessing’ is what she called it. The speed at which He will pour out his blessings will be a feat to watch out for.

My take from the service

The Lord is going to move at such pace in our lives, that not just we, ourselves, but also those around us will be astounded by it.

…Whole in One

Obey

The Faith Question

What does the Bible say about persons who fail to listen to Jesus? Does it matter to you what the Bible says?

My answer

Acts 3:24 states it very clearly - "Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his people". I don't know whether it is fear of excommunication or the fear of "not belonging to God" to God that makes people follow what is written in the Scriptures.

Although, very often I have a problem rationlising a lot of my past actions. Being very closely associated with the 'Hindu' culture, there were many practises that I felt were 'compatible' with my Christian beliefs. A special case has been accepting of 'Prasaad', which is the 'Hindu' offering to the deities. Although this has been clearly forbidden by the Scriptures, I am still finding it hard to come to terms with it. Here is the verse that states this:

1 Corinthians 10:27-29 - NIV

27 If some unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. 28 But if anyone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it, both for the sake of the man who told you and for conscience' sake — 29 the other man's conscience, I mean, not yours. For why should my freedom be judged by another's conscience?"

We might choose to rationalise why we want to obey the lord...wether we want to be His "treasured possession" (Exodus 19:5) or "blessings for their offspring" (Genesis 22:18)...but I like to think of as follows:

Leviticus 18:5 - NIV

"Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the LORD."

There need not be any second thoughts.

The Universe

The Faith Question

Has the world always existed? Or did it have a beginning? If it began,what is your belief about how it began?

My Answer

"Has the world always existed?" - This is the million dollar question that scientists all over the world are trying to answer. Well, Genesis 1:1 gives us the answer very clearly, but often, the simplicity of answer makes it 'beyond-comprehension'. It is my belief that the creation of the Universe and Earth happned at a finite moment, i.e. when God decreed it.

The problem arises when anyone with a scientific bent of mind, including myself, try and fit this explanation into our limited understanding of time / space and other such concepts. Forgive me for straying into this area, but this discussion has been very close to my accepting the Word, especially the facts of 'Creation' mentioned in the Bible.

When we talk about the two rival scientific theories of the creation of the universe, i.e. 'Continuity' and the 'Big Bang', I must say that I believe in the 'Big Bang'. The theory conforms to the notion of the Universe being created at a finite instant, as mentioned in the Bible. But there is also certain problems with subscribing to such a theory. (#1) The 'Big Bang' theory is only our 'latest' understanding of the creation of the universe from the scientific perspective. Although it has its route in works done as early as 1910, the theory has been refined and has gained importance only after the '60's...and has been made concrete by recent observations of space. The main postulate of this theory is that about 14 billion years ago, the universe was a densely packed 'singularity'...and over the years has been expanding. Therefore, I must mention that this theory is limited by our current scientific knowledge. (#2) Lack of theological connection. The problem with scientific theories is that they often stated in a context that excludes any Theological aspects. Who or what is this 'singularity'? What triggered this 'singularity' to start expanding?

It is my belief that this 'singlularity' is our limited understanding of the physical manifestation of God before the creation of the Universe. I have explained this is the past as the 'finger print' of God when he switched on the Universe in Genesis 1:1. But most people, Christians and non-Christians alike are amenable to such a simple explanation. However...this 'is' my belief. God's word says that He created the universe. We have Theological proof and scientific proof. But scientifically we can only percieve his 'finger print'; and we may never have the means to percieve more than that using purely a scientific frame. So the scientific and the theologic, in this case, can never be exclusive. The scientific explanation is just what we are 'capable' of seeing of the wonder of the theological aspect.

If we can just see it this way then I firmly believe that the schism between science and theology will disappear. We will never think of science as an alternative understanding, but one that makes us himble in knowing the fact that we can just about graze the surface of His is wonderous work, as per His will.

"I will sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted..." (Exodus 15:1)

God Breathed

The Faith Question

What do you think the Bible means when it claims to be "inspired" or "God-breathed" (2 Timothy 3:16)? Is this claim true?

My answer

When I first tried to attempt the question I reached an impass while trying to understand the first half of the question. Are the scriptures "inspired" or are they "God Breathed". Please bear with me on this as I find this subtle difference in the words can have huge implications.

When the prophets quote the law or speak of commandments or visions, they are speaking of there conversation with the Lord. Here, they do not add/subtract/modify content that is part of their minds. They are speaking the word that the Lord has uttered to them...and through the scriptures, to all of humanity. In such a situation, the words we read are "God breathed"...or alteast the literal translations of it.

In the case of various epistles (like those in the new testament) or prohesies or accounts mentioned in the old testament that record the history of the chosen people, or relate to conversations between the apostles/prophets with the public at large, we see working of the Lord in a person's life or the community at large. When Paul goes from claiming to be the strongest believer to accepting that he is the most lowly sinner, that is when you know that he is truly "inspired" by the word of the Lord. When Nehemiah rebuild the wall in 52 days...that is the Lord working through his people.

So it is my firmest belief that the scriptures are both "inspired" by the Lord as well as "God breathed". I hope I have understood and answered the first half of the question correctly.

The claim that the scriptures are true have been proved through the entire horizon that is spanned by both testaments. From prophesies that have been made, to their fulfilment in Jesus. Dates & events have been confirmed even by sceptics usingscientific methods. The most important aspect of this is that we believe them to be true. Unfortunately, I haven't yet read enough to refer from any specific section of the bible that talks about the truth of the word from an apologetics perspective. Once again, I am not too sure if I have understood and answered this question sufficiently.

Road Map

The Faith Question

What would you give to someone who asked you for a GUIDE (a "map") to lead him all his life? Why would you choose that guide?

My answer

If someone asked me for a guide to lead him/her, my first reaction would be one of 'surprise' (scarecly being qualified to provide such help). I would immediately ask him to read the Bible. For my non-christian friends, however, I think I would first ask them why they would want such a guide. Only after understanding their needs would I comfortable to direct them to the Bible. It's not easy to offer the water of life to those who haven't recognised their thirst.

The reason I'd choose the Bible as the definitive, comprehensive and complete guide for life is rooted in my belief that it is the word of God. There hasn't been a situation, to date, where the word has not pre-empted my problems with solutions. More importantly, it has forced me to think about actively seeking to walk with Him and not just be a passive participant.

For all the grace and life that has been promised by him, all should turn to this guide.

Faith is seeing the invisble, feeling the intangible and doing the impossible.

An extremely powerful message. With most of Mumbai under the grip of severe rainfall and deluge, I felt it would be great to mention parts of Ezekiel that talk about the promise of the Water of Life.

Ezekiel 47 - The River from the Temple

...6 He asked me, "Son of man, do you see this?" Then he led me back to the bank of the river.
7 When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river.
8 He said to me, "This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Sea. When it empties into the Sea, the water there becomes fresh.
9 Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live.
10 Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds—like the fish of the Great Sea.
11 But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt.
12 Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing."

Where the river flows, there will be plenty. All we need to pray for is this river of life.

Resources

1. Read the entire chapter - Ezekiel 47
2. Who was Ezekiel?

It's moments like this that have inspired me, more than ever, to turn to the Bible. So it is only fitting that I start with this chapters, verses of which have helped me start my life as a believer.

1 Corinthians 13 - Love

1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.
11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.
12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Just praying for this situation to pass.

Resources

1. For more passage references
2. The King James version has the last verse as '...but the greatest of these is charity'.
3. More information on the 'First Epistle to the Corinthians'.

Alms Issue

One of the more popular debate issues (especially about believers is the alms issue. In Mumbai, especially, 'begging' is a thriving industry which employs more people than one can imagine.

Do you give without judgement or do you hold back?