Booty from Ashes

Booty from Ashes
By Wendy Wippel

The love of this scientist’s heart? Molecular biology. But I have to admit, archaeology as a close second. I also have to admit that it’s really my fault that –having every one of the “Bones” books on my bookshelf– my daughter will be finishing up her degree in Archaeology this summer by finding and studying ball mummy burials in the Andes mountains in Peru.

I think it’s because Archaeology is he gift that keeps on giving.

There is always more stuff to find. Unfortunately, however, courtesy of ISIS-a not so welcome “gift” has has come to my attention. If you have been paying attention over the last several years you know that Isis has been looting the ancient sites in Middle east for booty with which to add to their coffers. One site desecrated and pilfered was the tomb of Jonah.

Blown up by the Islamic State group (also during its occupation of Nineveh starting in June 2014.

Tunnels were dug under Jonah’s resting place (well, where his bones appear to rest, anyway, –I am pretty sure Jonah is resting elsewhere) in order to identify and confiscate anything thing valuable left behind. Which they did. In spades.

They discovered a whole palace underneath Jonah’s tomb. Containing lots of Gold. But one inscription in that palace was ultimately worth more-to those who love God’s word– than all the gold and silver to be found in such palaces to those who love God’s word.

One inscription, translated, identified the Ruler who ruled in the palace discovered : “The palace of Esarhaddon, strong king, king of the world, king of Assyria, governor of Babylon, king of Sumer and Akkad, king of the kings of lower Egypt, upper Egypt and Kush.

The inscription was written on the back of a statue that apparently represented His Highness Esharddon, in deity form. 2700 years later, now we know. The dating of the inscriptions fall within the reign of King Sennacherib (who turns out to be Esarhaddon’s dad, and announce that the King Esarhaddon was responsible for having the inner wall and outer wall of Nineveh rebuilt ” and “raised as high as mountains.”

Other inscriptions and clay tablets record Esarhaddon’s military conquests in Turkey. Which were brutal. And substantial. My point? I read through the Bible every year or so, write weekly a Bible column, and fancy myself sort of a a Bible scholar, but don’t remember ever hearing of anybody called Esarhaddon. And he was right there in Ezraa, Isaiah, and Second Kings all the time.

Apparently it’s time to step up my game. But you gotta love it when archaeologists are pulling figures as obscure as Esarhaddon out of the dirt-a a totally obscure guy who got much more press from Assyrian media ( way after the Bible wrote about him) than from Biblical chroniclers. Which just shows how reliable the Scriptures are. And that down to the most obscure, rarely documented details. And you take every detail to the bank. Every time.

God is not a man that he should lie., and his words are truth.

God himself wrote that.

Amen!