ARCHAEOLOGICAL ACCURACY OF THE BIBLE

     The rocks and stones cry out in favor of the Bible. Modern
findings of records written on clay, stone, parchment, etc., take us
back to and even beyond the writing of the Bible. Many of the places
and persons during Bible times are verified through archaeological
findings. Once again the accuracy of God's Word is proven. Listed are
some of the discoveries of archaeology which strengthen our faith.

I. THE CODE OF HAMMURABI

    Mr. M. de Morgan discovered a mass of black diorite while making
excavations in Susa, Persia during December, 1901. On this monument (8
feet high by six feet in circumference at the bottom) are nearly 4,000
lines of inscriptions giving almost 250 laws by Hammurabi, King of
Babylon about 2000 B.C. Hammurabi is thought to be the Amraphel in
Genesis 14:1, who partook in the overthrow of Sodom and the capture of
Lot, whom Abraham later freed. These laws show a high state of
civilization in Babylon long before the king. They deal in Principles
of Legal Process; Theft, Burglary, Robbery; Rights of the Individual;
laws concerning Taverns; Family Relationships; Inheritance; Adoption;
Personal Injury; Responsibilities of Individuals; etc.
    Skeptics once claimed that Moses could not have written the first
five books of the Bible because, they said, writing did not exist in
his day. This discovery proved that not only did writing exist, but
also regulated man's dealings with his fellow man.

II. THE TELL EL-ARMARNA TABLETS

    A peasant woman (1887 A.D.) found about 300 tablets of baked clay
at Tell el-Amarna, a village about 175 miles south of Cairo, Egypt.
Each tablet is covered with cuneiform inscription in the Babylonian
language. They are a series of letters written about 1450 B.C. by
governors of Palestine, Phoenicia, Syria and Philistia and by the
kings of Babylon and Assyria.
    How loud these tablets cry out. They show that Palestine was a
province of Egypt and had been for a long time a province of Babylon.
They were written when the Hebrews were captives in Egypt and show
that Palestine was in a greatly disturbed condition at the time. These
letters discuss the Canaanites and their enemies, the Hebrews. They
mention the city of Jerusalem; yet, the name was not know to be used
at that early date until these tablets were found.

III. THE BLACK OBELISK

    A monument of black marble was cut during the reign of Shalmaneser
II, King of Assyria (about 850 B.C.). The stone is covered with
pictures showing men of many nations bringing tribute to Shalmaneser.
One shows some Jews who came from Jehu the King of Israel (2 Kings 9,
10); an inscription verifies.


IV. THE MOABITE STONE


    A large slab of black basalt, the Moabite Stone was found in
ancient Moab just east of the Dead Sea. Mesha was king of Moab (about
850 B.C.); it is a tribute to Chemosh, the Moabite deity. It describes

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