INTRODUCTION
OIL LAMP
You are looking at a very valuable oil lamp. While travelling from Beersheba to Jerusalem I stopped beside the road and bought it from two Bedouin women.
Scholars tell me it dates from the time of David about a 1000 BC. I was very excited when I heard it.
I asked the oil lamp if he lighted up the palace of David, but he would not tell me.
At the conclusion of this lecture I want to share some encouraging news about this discovery. It may change your entire outlook on life.
MY TRAVELS IN THE BIBLE LANDS
For the past four decades I had the privilege of visiting the Middle East on a yearly basis. And every time I walk through the ruins of these once populous cities and making new discoveries, I realize how little I know and how much there is to discover.
I took this picture of my friend Walter at a place in Syria, called Ebla. Why did we visit these strange out the way places?
At Aleppo we followed in the foot steps of the Hittites and enjoyed looking at their very strange writing.
After much effort we found the site of Jarablus. In Bible times it was called Carchemish. Why did we visit here?
Because it was on this very spot soil that Nebuchadnezzar gained a military victory over Pharaoh Necco of Egypt.
Andre Brink, our camera man recorded my commentary of the gripping story of this interesting Bible character. Archaeology confirms the authenticity of the Bible in a most dramatic way.
We are looking at the ruins of ancient Tyre on the Lebanese coastline. In 587 BC. The prophet Ezekiel predicted that this mighty city would disappear in the sea.
Walter is pointing to the amazing fulfilment of this prophecy. During the course of our series you will discover how Alexander the Great and Nebuchadnezzar fulfilled this prophecy.
Another fascinating site I visited was ancient Babylon in Iraq. As you approach the site, you are greeting by a huge painting of Saddam Hussein.
Please don’t miss this coming lecture when I will tell you more about the symbolism of Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus the great. It’s amazing, its shocking.
You are looking at the restoration of the banquet hall where 1000 officials enjoyed their very last feast. A bloodless hand wrote the words mene mene tekel ufarsin in the palace wall.
Walter is going to tell you more about the fall of Babylon in a later lecture.
I asked my daughter and her friend to stand at the very spot where Daniel stood when he decoded a strange dream of Nebuchadnezzar.
You are looking at the original mosaic of the Babylonian throne room. In order to appreciate the metaphoric Babylon of the book of Revelation that Walter will present, you need to know something about the character of ancient Babylon.
In the course of this series we are going to give you a very important key to help you understand the book of Revelation more clearly. It is called typology.
Let me illustrate: You are looking at the tomb of Cyrus the Great at Pasargadae in Iran. The prophet Isaiah calls him the anointed, the shepherd and the redeemer.
Here at Persian city of Persepolis I explained to my daughter something spiritual. Cyrus the great is a type of the antitypical Christ who is the ultimate Anointed, the ultimate Shepherd and the ultimate Redeemer. The manner in which Cyrus delivered the exiles from Babylon, illustrates how Christ delivers exiles from the Babylon of guilt and sin. And eventually He is going to deliver us from this planet of pain and misery.
15. Here at Tanis Joseph went through trying times. He too, typifies Christ. Eventually he saved the ancient world from starvation. During this series on the history of ancient Bible characters, you are going to discover amazing new dimensions of God’s love for you.
16. Walter and I will endeavour to give you a new appreciation for the authenticity of the Bible. Our prayer is that you will appreciate the Author of this book in a more meaningful way.
CONCLUSION
17. Taking a camel ride in the Middle East is a must. So is the proper understanding of the science of archaeology.
18. With a passion to excavate and redeem the lost treasures the archaeologist digs deeper and deeper into the soil of the Tel.
19. Here at Hasor I watched them piecing together broken pieces of pottery. For uninitiated eye they seem so worthless.
20. But when all the pieces are glued together the broken jar takes becomes more valuable than in its former unbroken condition.
People from all over the world come and look at the recovery from long ago. They marvel at the story of its destruction and restoration.
21. Our message during this series concerns you and me, broken pieces of pottery and Jesus the Great Archaeologist.
He wants to remove the sands of guilt and self reproach which covers our brokenness.
Jesus is seeking for people who have been discarded as useless by their fellow human beings. He is seeking for people who lie beneath the soil of rejection.
And when He finds our broken pieces, He glues them together with His glue of forgiveness, love and care.
One of these days He is going to display us in His prestigious museum of grace for the entire universe to marvel at. Through His work of restoration we will be worth more than ever before.