My sons Wilson  and Hunter  went to California and visited Yosemite National Park with our friend Sherwood Haisty Jr. (Sherwood on left) March 21-27. Here you can see all the snow they had to deal with.

Dr Price, who directs excavations at the Qumran plateau in Israel, the site of the community that produced the dead sea scrolls some 2,000 years ago, expertly guides you through the latest archaeological finds that have changed the way we understand the world of the bible. (Part 5 of 6 in the film series The Stones Cry Out).

The Bible and Archaeology – Is the Bible from God? (Kyle Butt 42 min)

You want some evidence that indicates that the Bible is true? Here is a good place to start and that is taking a closer look at the archaeology of the Old Testament times. Is the Bible historically accurate? Here are some of the posts I have done in the past on the subject: 1. The Babylonian Chronicle, of Nebuchadnezzars Siege of Jerusalem, 2. Hezekiah’s Siloam Tunnel Inscription. 3. Taylor Prism (Sennacherib Hexagonal Prism), 4. Biblical Cities Attested Archaeologically. 5. The Discovery of the Hittites, 6.Shishak Smiting His Captives, 7. Moabite Stone, 8. Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III, 9A Verification of places in Gospel of John and Book of Acts., 9B Discovery of Ebla Tablets. 10. Cyrus Cylinder, 11. Puru “The lot of Yahali” 9th Century B.C.E., 12. The Uzziah Tablet Inscription, 13. The Pilate Inscription, 14. Caiaphas Ossuary, 14 B Pontius Pilate Part 2, 14c. Three greatest American Archaeologists moved to accept Bible’s accuracy through archaeology., 

From time to time you will read articles in the Arkansas press by  such writers as  John Brummett, Max Brantley and Gene Lyons that poke fun at those that actually believe the Bible is historically accurate when in fact the Bible is backed up by many archaeological facts. The Book of Mormon is blindly accepted even though archaeology has disproven many of the facts that are claimed by it. For instance, swine did not exist in North America when they said they did.

The Book of Mormon suggests that swine existed and were domesticated among the Jaredites.^[56] There have not been any remains, references, artwork, tools, or any other evidence suggesting that swine were ever present in the pre-entrada New World.

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Puru “The lot of Yahali” 9th Century B.C.E.
This cube is inscribed with the name and titles of Yahali and a prayer: “In his year assigned to him by lot (puru) may the harvest of the land of Assyria prosper and thrive, in front of the gods Assur and Adad may his lot (puru) fall.” It dates from the reign of Salmaneser III (858-824 B.C.E.) and was used in the ceremonies appointing Yahali eponym, i.e. naming the Assyrian year after him (833 and 825 B.C.). It provides a prototype (the only one ever recovered) for the lots (purim) cast by Haman to fix a date for the destruction of the Jews of the Persian Empire, ostensibly in the fifth century B.C.E. (Esther 3:7; cf. 9:26).

Literature: W.W. Hallo, “The first Purim,” Biblical Archaeologist
46/1(Winter 1983) 19-29.
Museum number: YBC 7058.
Place of publication: YOS 9:73.

Free-lance columnist Rex Nelson is the president of Arkansas’ Independent Colleges and Universities. He’s also the author of the Southern Fried blog at rexnelsonsouthernfried. com.

Rex Nelson wrote in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on April 2, 2011 a great article called “Arkansas Bucket List.” The readers of his blog http://www.rexnelsonsouthernfried.com came up with a list of things you must do at least once in your life to be considered a well-rounded Arkansan. Nelson asked others to add their suggestions at his website. I am going through the list slowly.

1.Float the Buffalo River. (I have done that many times and loved it every time. It has been several years since I did it though. I remember when I first did it with my father, when I was in 9th grade, on a father and son church trip with Bellevue Baptist from Memphis. During the share time, I said that my father taking the time to spend with me meant the world to me. Later my my mother told me that my father almost lost it right there with emotion.)
2.Dig for diamonds at Crater of
Diamonds State Park
near Murfreesboro.  (I have never done that but I need to. Some of my kids have.)

3.Eat an entire hubcap cheeseburger at the original Cotham’s in Scott. (I have never been brave enough to do it. I have eaten at the Cotham’s in Little Rock and had their wonderful hamburgers, but never have I taken on the “hubcap cheeseburger.”