Items Posted In December, 2019

King Hezekiah’s stamp was found in an archaeological excavation and has been confirmed to belong to the ancient Jewish king.  It is a clay seal otherwise known as a “bulla” that was discovered in the Ophel excavation at the southern wall of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The bulla itself is tiny, measuring only about a centimeter in diameter, bearing a seal impression showing a two-winged sun disk blanked by symbols including an Egyptian ankh.  The bulla bears the Hebrew inscription translated as “Belonging to Hezekiah, (son of) Ahaz, king of Judah.” In the ancient world, bullae were used to… Read More »

The seal of Prophet Isaiah shows the historicity of one of the most important prophets in the Hebrew Bible.  He foretold Christ’s birth and many aspects of his ministry. One of the most exciting archaeological discoveries in recent years concerns the recovery of an 8th century BC seal impression discovered in the First Temple remains near Jerusalem’s Temple Mount.  Hebrew University archaeologist Dr. Eilat Mazar notes, We appear to have discovered a seal impression, which may belong to the prophet Isaiah, in a scientific, archaeological excavation. The discovery was made at an excavation site called the “Ophel” which is located… Read More »

The Pontius Pilate Stone The historicity of Pontius Pilate had been doubted until the actual finding of the Pontius Pilate Stone.  Pontius Pilate is one of the most hated villains in Scripture – he was the Roman government official who sentenced Christ to death.  This stone adds further credence to his historicity along with other findings such as the Pontius Pilate ring and the unearthing of a street that he had built in Jerusalem. The advance of archaeology has brought further recognition of the historicity of many Biblical characters. Pontius Pilate was one of the most pivotal figures in the… Read More »