Can we trust the New Testament as a historical document?

Archaeological Evidence verifying biblical cities


There is very little doubt in anyone's mind about the reality of so many of the Old and New Testament cities mentioned in the Bible. Therefore it is hardly necessary to document their existence. Nevertheless, following is a partial list of some of the cities mentioned in the Bible that have been found and excavated by archaeologists. This is simply more evidence that the Bible describes actual locations that can be verified. This means that at the very least, the Bible accurately reflects the locations and cities of ancient times.
Remember, this is only a partial list. There are hundreds of biblical cities that have been verified in archaeological digs.

Arad
Num. 21:1, "When the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming by the way of Atharim, then he fought against Israel, and took some of them captive."
Num. 33:40, "Now the Canaanite, the king of Arad who lived in the Negev in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the sons of Israel."
"Arad 30 km NE of Beersheba, excavated from 1962 to 1974 by Y. Aharoni and R. B. K. Amiran." (The New Bible Dictionary, (Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.; 1962.)
"The site consists of an upper mound or acropolis, where excavation has revealed an Iron Age (post thirteenth century b.c." (Achtemeier, Paul J., Th.D., Harper’s Bible Dictionary, (San Francisco: Harper and Row, Publishers, Inc.) 1985.
The remains of a Hebrew temple were uncovered at Arad, (Horn, Siegfried H., Biblical Archaeology: a Generation of Discovery; Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan; 1985. p.45-46.)
Bethel
Amos 7:12-13, "Then Amaziah said to Amos, "Go, you seer, flee away to the land of Judah, and there eat bread and there do your prophesying! 13 "But no longer prophesy at Bethel, for it is a sanctuary of the king and a royal residence."
"W. F. Albright made a trial excavation at Bethel in 1927. Albright then mounted a full excavation in 1934. His assistant that year, J. L. Kelso, continued the excavation in 1954, 1957, and 1960." (Achtemeier, Paul J., Th.D., Harper’s Bible Dictionary, (San Francisco: Harper and Row, Publishers, Inc.; 1985.)
Capernaum
Matt. 17:24, "And when they had come to Capernaum, those who collected the two-drachma tax came to Peter, and said, "Does your teacher not pay the two-drachma tax?"
"Identified since 1856 with Tell Hum, Capernaum has been sporadically excavated for the past 130 years." (Achtemeier, Paul J., Th.D., Harper’s Bible Dictionary, (San Francisco: Harper and Row, Publishers, Inc.; 1985.)
Chorazin
Matt. 11:21, "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes."
"Excavations of the now deserted town indicate that it once covered an area of twelve acres and was built on a series of terraces with the basalt stone local to this mountainous region." (Achtemeier, Paul J., Th.D., Harper’s Bible Dictionary, (San Francisco: Harper and Row, Publishers, Inc.; 1985.)
Dan
Judges 18:29, "And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father who was born in Israel; however, the name of the city formerly was Laish."
"The excavation of Dan began in 1966 under the direction fo Avraham Biran." (Horn, Siegfried H., Biblical Archaeology: a Generation of Discovery; Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan; 1985. p. 42)
"Formerly called Laish, it is mentioned in the execration texts, the eighteenth-century b.c. Mari tablets, and the records of the Egyptian pharaoh Thutmose III. It is identified with Tel Dan (modern Tell el-Qadi) covering about 50 acres in the center of a fertile valley near one of the principal springs feeding the Jordan River...Tel Dan has been excavated by A. Biran since 1966. The earliest occupation, probably the full extent of the tell, goes back to about the middle of the third millennium b.c." (Achtemeier, Paul J., Th.D., Harper’s Bible Dictionary; San Francisco: Harper and Row, Publishers, Inc.; 1985.)
Ephesus
Eph. 1:1, "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and who are faithful in Christ Jesus."
"Austrian archaeologists in this century [2oth] have excavated the 24,000-seat theater and the commercial agora, as well as many other public buildings and streets of the first and second centuries a.d., so that the modern visitor can gain some impression of the city as known by Paul. (Achtemeier, Paul J., Th.D., Harper’s Bible Dictionary, (San Francisco: Harper and Row, Publishers, Inc.; 1985.)
Gaza
Acts 8:26, "But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, "Arise and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza."
Gaza was was excavated by W. J. Phythian-Adams in 1922. (Achtemeier, Paul J., Th.D., Harper’s Bible Dictionary, (San Francisco: Harper and Row, Publishers, Inc.; 1985.)
Gezer
Joshua 16:10, "But they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer..."
R.A.S. MacAlister "directed the Palestine Exploration Fund for many years and conducted extensive excavations at Gezer (1902–1909). (Douglas, J. D., Comfort, Philip W. & Mitchell, Donald, Editors, Who’s Who in Christian History, (Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.; 1992.)
Hazor
Joshua 11:1, "Then it came about, when Jabin king of Hazor heard of it, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon and to the king of Shimron and to the king of Achshaph."
Jer. 49:48, "Concerning Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated. Thus says the Lord, "Arise, go up to Kedar and devastate the men of the east."
"This large Canaanite and Israelite city in upper Galilee was excavated under Yigael Yadin's direction from 1955 to 1958 and from 1968 to 1970." (Horn, Siegfried H., Biblical Archaeology: a Generation of Discovery; Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan; 1985. p. 40.)
Hesbon
Josh. 12:2, "Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon..."
Excavations were undertaken by Andrews University from 1968 to 1976. (Achtemeier, Paul J., Th.D., Harper’s Bible Dictionary, (San Francisco: Harper and Row, Publishers, Inc.; 1985.)
Jericho
Num. 22:1, "Then the sons of Israel journeyed, and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan opposite Jericho."
"Jericho was the oldest inhabited and fortified city ever excavated." (Horn, Siegfried H., Biblical Archaeology: a Generation of Discovery; Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan; 1985. p. 37)
"The city of OT times is represented today by a mound 70 feet high and 10 acres in area...The ancient city was excavated by C. Warren (1867), E. Sellin and C. Watzinger (1907-09), J. Garstang (1930-36), and K. Kenyon (1952-58)." (Achtemeier, Paul J., Th.D., Harper’s Bible Dictionary; San Francisco: Harper and Row, Publishers, Inc.; 1985.)
"The first scientific excavation there (1907-9) was by Sellin and Watzinger (Jericho, 1913)." (The New Bible Dictionary; Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.; 1962.).
Joppa
Acts 9:38, "And since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, entreating him, "Do not delay to come to us."
"During excavations of the site of ancient Joppa a thirteenth-century b.c. citadel gate was uncovered..." (Achtemeier, Paul J., Th.D., Harper’s Bible Dictionary, (San Francisco: Harper and Row, Publishers, Inc.; 1985.)
Nineveh
2 Kings 19:36, "So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and returned home, and lived at Nineveh."
Jonah 1:1-2, "The word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, 2 "Arise, go to Nineveh the great city, and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me."
Excavated in from 1845 to 1857 by Austen H. Layard. (Douglas, J. D., Comfort, Philip W. & Mitchell, Donald, Editors, Who’s Who in Christian History, (Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.; 1992.)
Shechem
Gen. 12:6, "And Abram passed through the land as far as the site of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. Now the Canaanite was then in the land."
Gen. 33:18, "Now Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan-aram, and camped before the city."
"Excavations were carried out at Shechem, first by Austrian-German expeditions in 1913 and 1914, and again from 1926 to 1934, under several directors, and then by an American expedition from 1956 to 1972....Excavation of the sacred area revealed a courtyard sanctuary and a later fortress temple dedicated to El-berith "the god of the covenant." This temple, which was destroyed by Abimelech, the son of the judge Gideon (Judges 9) has provided us with a date of the judges period." (Horn, Siegfried H., Biblical Archaeology: a Generation of Discovery; Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan; 1985. p. 40)
Most recently a structure identified as an Israelite altar has been excavated on the northeastern slope of Mt. Ebal. Dating to the 13th to 12th centuries B.C., considered to be the time of Joshua, the altar suggest the possibility that it may be the altar built by Joshua and described in Deuteronomy 27, 28." (Horn, Siegfried H., Biblical Archaeology: a Generation of Discovery; Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan; 1985. p. 40)
Susa
Neh. 1:1, "The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in Susa the capitol,

Esther 1:2, "Now it took place in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces, 2 in those days as King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne which was in Susa the capital,

Escavations were conducted by Marcel Dieulafoy from 1884 to 1886 (Douglas, J. D., Comfort, Philip W. & Mitchell, Donald, Editors, Who’s Who in Christian History, (Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.; 1992.)

The New Testament? Heck, the entire Book, OT and NT, is suspect as an historical document.

Not

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Most people who dont believe the word is true still have there eyes blinded like Saul before he saw Gods glory an was knocked off his horse on the road to Damascus.God said to him,Saul,why odes thou persecute my people?For some people they want beleive until they get supernatural revelation like Saul.But the bible says greater are those who simply beleive by faith than they who beleive because they have seen.

Yes! Deny it and you deny Christ. "For I am the word and no man..."

It is your OPINION that it is not suspect as an HISTORICAL document.

Where is your original author?

It's hearsay that was recorded long ago. A truly historical document could be traced to the original author(s), or at least to the original period in time. What we have now is a serious of stories that were voted on by men to be included in a Canon. There's no tracing to any originating author of those stories.

The Bible can be used as a guide for living a spiritual life (if one discounts the extreme violence and hatred within it). It can be used as a guide to finding more about the history of the region. But it, in and of itself, is not an historical document.

Its not my opinion,i have so much supernatural revelation you wouldnt beleive it.But God didnt give me these gifts because im special,but because he makes the tail the head an uses the foolish to confound the wise an the least like David an Gideon.So I dont expect you to beleive it.And Your arguement cant compare to my experiences.Besides you have not because you have asked not.

Anyone who can possibly believe the earth is a few thousand years old might as well believe it is flat and that the sun revolves around the earth.

For the record, there is hard physical evidence of civilizations dating back more than 40,000 years and the earth is more than 4 billion years old.

(the earth is not flat and the earth revolves around the sun too)

Google Dr. Carl Baugh,for creation evidence.

My eternal destination depends on that it is! The Lord is The Word, and I believe in The Lord, For it is impossible for the Lord to lie.

Therefore, I place my eternal destination into the hands of my Lord and Savior..Jesus Christ.

I could'nt care less what any mere mortal has to say about this matter. As for me and my house...we shall serve the Lord!

What the heck has that got to do with the OP's question?

Amen!The world can have their arguements an debates.Ill just keep my testimony an gifts of the holy spirit thank you.

Good on you. Glad to hear it. You get special messages. Wonderful.

It still doesn't change what I said.

Psalm 68 'I will be a father to the fatherless...'

FatherLovesJacksonville.com


A Father to the Fatherless




My family and I just returned from a trip to Jacksonville, Florida where we spent some time meeting with key city leaders and Bill & Deborah Fisher. We were encouraged to see what the Lord is already doing in the hearts of many leaders in the Jacksonville area regarding Bill & Deborah's "Father Loves Jacksonville " initiative.

We had the privilege to meet with worship leaders, youth pastors, church pastors, ministry leaders, media organizations & city officials with the single purpose: to cast vision as to what it could look like if God the Father's love blanketed the entire Jacksonville and First Coast Region. To visit Bill & Deborah's website go to www.FatherLovesJacksonville.com.

We also met a prominent local Christian psychiatrist & author, Dr. Herbert Wagemaker, who has written a book addressing the anger issues that boys are struggling with in our culture entitled "Taming Oedipus". I had the opportunity to read his book while I was away and it further solidified my belief that many of the social problems in our society today are a direct result of a fatherless generation. You can visit Dr. Wagemaker's website at www.mentaldisorders.com.

In the Jacksonville area, 73% of all marriages end up in divorce. That means the children of 3 out of 4 families are ending up living in a single parent home. In many of these cases, the primary parent is the mother. When moms have to take on both mother and father roles for their children in addition to holding down a job to support the family, you can see how severe love deficits can occur. The absence of a loving father figure can be devastating.

In statistics that we have been able to access on the Internet, children without the influence of a loving father figure in the home are...
5 times more likely to commit suicide
9 times more likely to drop out of school
10 times more likely to abuse chemicals
20 times more likely to end up in prison

It is obvious in our society that the absence of loving fathers is contributing greatly to many of the social ills of our day. In a 1996 Gallup Poll in the United States, 79% of those surveyed agreed that "the most significant family, or social problem facing America is the physical absence of the father from the home."

If fatherlessness is one of the key issues facing our society, what is the solution? Will all the divorced families reunite? Will all the hurting fathers receive healing? Will all the fathers who have abandoned their children come home? While we can always hope and pray that these things will happen, we know that this is not the real solution.

God is a Father to the Fatherless
I believe that there is a more permanent solution to our core love needs that has the potential to radically change the landscape of our society. In Psalm 68, God says that HE will be a father to the fatherless, that HE will put the lonely in families.

Psalm 68:5-6
A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families... (NIV)

And in Psalm 27, David makes the declaration that even though his mother and father may forsake him, the Lord will always receive him!

Psalm 27:10
Though my father and my mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me. (NIV)

What would happen to our homes if each member of the family began to receive a revelation of the Father's love? What would happen when neighborhoods would begin to embrace the Father's love? Local churches? Perhaps even cities? What would happen to the crime rates if every one of the 'fatherless ones' began to be grounded in knowing that they do have a Heavenly Dad who is on their side? What would happen to drug abuse? Family violence? School systems?

I may be idealistic, but I believe that the message of God the Father's love as demonstrated through His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, has the power to change our lives, our churches, our cities and even our nations. This is why I believe that the 'Father Loves Our City" strategies that are beginning to take hold are so significant. I dream of the day when entire cities will have a life-changing transformation that will impact every area of that city's life... their churches, their business community, their families, and even their local government.

The world is crying out for a Father's love and the Body of Christ has the answer. But we can only give away what we have first received. 1 John 4:19 states "We love because He first loved us". There are many believers in the Church who have had life changing encounters with Jesus Christ and with the person of the Holy Spirit, who have yet to really encounter the radical realization that they are completely and unconditionally loved by a God who wants to be their Father. This revelation has the potential to revolutionize every aspect of our society, however, I believe that this revelation can only be received one person at a time.

Before our families, our churches, our neighborhoods and our cities can receive the Father's love message for themselves, we must know it for ourselves. I would encourage you to ask God the Father for a fresh revelation of His intimate love for you. The only way we can relate to God as Father is, as if we come as a little child. (Matthew 18:1-5) Are you willing to humble yourself as a little boy or little girl and admit your need for a Father's love? For it is in the receiving of His love, that we will be changed forever...and so will our families...our neighborhoods...our churches...our cities...and even the nations.

For more information on our "Father Loves Our City" strategies, visit www.FatherLovesTheWorld.com.

In Father's love,
Barry Adams
The following is a vision Barry Adams had of the Jacksonville area while he was here in April and May. We thought this was something all should read. In addition to this vision, we have included another man's insight, into this area, that he shared with Barry before Barry came to Jacksonville. We believe this information will be a blessing to you and we ask that you join us in prayer for the people of Jacksonville and the First Coast.
As I walked along the beach, I was watching three rows of waves crashing into the beach non stop all day. I felt like the Lord was saying that is what He is doing to Jacksonville and the First Coast regions with waves upon waves of His love. As one wave goes out, another wave crashes in.
I also watched the little sandpiper birds feeding on the shoreline. Whenever a new wave would hit the shore, they would run away from the wave and would return to the shoreline when the wave receded. They would then run away again when the next wave came. I felt like the Lord was saying that these birds are like some of his people, who are avoiding the waves of His love. They get ever so close to the wave, but refuse to let the wave overtake them.

I also was thinking about the significance of Jacksonville and the First Coast region being the foundation of the citywide strategies. I felt like the Lord affirmed in my heart that this is very significant in His plans and purposes for citywide strategies around the world.

I heard from someone from Holland today asking to start a "Father Loves Maastricht" which just happens to be the oldest city in Holland--just like St. Augustine is the oldest city in the USA!

LOL Good on you,Glad to hear it.You get special messages.Wonderful.It still doesnt change what I said.
Like I said,you can keep your argument that the NT word isnt true word of God.And Ill keep my testimony.
John 1- In the beginning ws the Word,and the word was with god,and the word was God....11 He came unto his own,and his own received him not.Nut as many as recieved him,to them he gave power to become the sons of god,evento them who believe on his name...14 and the word was made flesh(in Jesus through the virgin Mary)and dwelt among us,and we beheld his glory(Ive seen his glory riding on the glory clouds caught up in the spirit realm in an open vision.I testify it.)the glory of the only begotten son of the Father,full of grace and truth....

Anyone who calls on the name of Jesus,he will answer.

.