Archaeology, History, and Biblical Reliability

Question

Do archaeology and history support the Bible's claims?

Answer

So far, archaeological and historical evidence has greatly reinforced the reliability of the Bible's claims about history. Archaeological digs have produced evidence that cities really did exist when and where the Bible claims they existed. They have given us evidence that a civilization such as that attributed to Abraham really did exist in that place and time. And comparisons with other historical documents have corroborated several of the Bible's claims.

But at the same time that we take encouragement from these facts (which we should), it's important to remember that sometimes science claims to have produced evidence that attacks the Bible's authenticity on these points. So, it's important that we not hang our faith on science. Our primary commitment needs to be to the God of Scripture and to the Word he has give us, no matter what science tells us today or tomorrow. If our faith lies ultimately in science, then fallible and even unbelieving human scientists will have too great an influence over what we believe; our faith will be only as strong as the most recent scientific evidence.