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Thread: Ancient city gate and shrine from Hebrew Bible uncovered

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    Ancient city gate and shrine from Hebrew Bible uncovered

    What God thinks of Idols...


    Ancient city gate and shrine from Hebrew Bible uncovered
    By Laura Geggel Senior Writer Published October 03, 2016
    http://www.foxnews.com/science/2016/...uncovered.html

    An ancient city gate and shrine that King Hezekiah ordered to be destroyed during the eighth century B.C., according to the Hebrew Bible, are seeing the light of day following an excavation in Israel, archaeologists reported.

    The so-called gate-shrine is likely evidence of actions taken by King Hezekiah, the 12th king of Judea, to abolish idols, according to the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA). Hezekiah's father, Ahaz, was known as a godless man, and as soon as Hezekiah ascended the throne, he ordered the destruction of all of the false idols (objects, other deities or animals that people worshipped) in the kingdom, according to Chabad.org, a website on Judaism.

    In the Hebrew Bible, a verse explains how "He [Hezekiah] removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles [associated with a sacred goddess]..." (II Kings 18:4), the IAA said...

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    ...The excavation was no small task, as the gate is the largest one in Israel dating back to the First Temple period, a time when the kingdom used the temple built by King Solomon, the IAA said....

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    ...Broken alters

    The Tel Lachish city gate is now exposed and preserved to a height of about 13 feet. The excavation revealed that the first chamber held benches with armrests, as well as jars, scoops that were used for loading grain, and stamped jar handles that have the name "lmlk" on them, the seal belonging to the king, the IAA said.

    These jars were likely related to the military and administrative preparations of the Kingdom of Judah in the war against Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, in the late eighth century B.C., the IAA said.

    Further excavations revealed more evidence of Hezekiah's actions.

    "Steps to the gate-shrine in the form of a staircase ascended to a large room, where there was a bench upon which offerings were placed," Ganor said. "An opening was exposed in the corner of the room that led to the holy of holies [the gate-shrine]; to our great excitement, we found two four-horned altars and scores of ceramic finds consisting of lamps, bowls and stands in this room."

    However, the horns on the alter were intentionally cut.

    "That is probably evidence of the religious reform attributed to King Hezekiah, whereby religious worship was centralized in Jerusalem and the cultic high places that were built outside the capital were destroyed," Ganor said.

    In addition, archaeologists found a stone toilet installed in the corner of the gate-shrine, perhaps as a means of desecration, the IAA said. The Bible mentions other descriptions of placing toilets in cultic areas for desecration purposes. For instance, King Jehu ordered the destruction of the cult of Ba'al in Samaria. "And they demolished the pillar of Ba'al, and demolished the house of Ba'al, and made it a latrine to this day" (II Kings 10:27), according to the IAA.

    However, this is the first time an archaeological discovery has confirmed a "latrine" passage from the Bible, the IAA said. Laboratory tests on the stone toilet suggest that it was never used and may have served a symbolic purpose before the gate-shrine was sealed and later destroyed by Sennacherib in 701 B.C., the IAA said.

    In fact, the excavation also found signs of the kingdom's defeat,...
    This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity (futility) of their mind, having the understanding darkened...
    (Ephesians 4:17-18)

    Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly...
    (Psalm 1)

  2. The Following User Says Thank You to GodismyJudge For This Useful Post:

    Colonel (10-04-2016)

  3. #2
    This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity (futility) of their mind, having the understanding darkened...
    (Ephesians 4:17-18)

    Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly...
    (Psalm 1)

  4. The Following User Says Thank You to GodismyJudge For This Useful Post:

    Femme* (10-03-2016)

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