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God, Science and the Bible

News from the world of science about God and the Bible.

by Mario Seiglie, Tom Robinson and Scott Ashley

Tomb of Biblical King Herod Likely Found

After 35 long years of searching (from 1972 to 2007), Israeli archaeologist Ehud Netzer thinks he has finally found his long-sought prize—the tomb of Herod the Great. If true, it sheds more light on this important biblical figure.

Back in 1983 Professor Netzer wrote: "Whether I will eventually achieve my goal is still an open question, but the search itself is instructive and enjoyable. Although I cannot, in all honesty, conceal my desire to find the tomb of the Holy Land's greatest builder, I shall nevertheless consider myself richly rewarded even if I continue to fail.

"We know that Herod was buried at Herodium because Josephus tells us so. On a matter such as this, there is no reason to doubt the accuracy of this well-known, first-century Jewish historian, who was born in Palestine about 40 years after Herod's death in 4 B.C." ("Searching for Herod's Tomb," Biblical Archaeology Review, May-June 1983, online edition).

At a news conference on May 9, 2007, Professor Netzer joyously announced, "The long search for Herod the Great's tomb has ended with the exposure of the remains of his grave, sarcophagus and mausoleum on Mount Herodium's northeastern slope" ("At Herod's Site, New Hopes and Fears," Washington Post, May 9, 2007, online edition).

Herod is called "the Great" not because of his conquests or greatness as a king—for he was a brutal ruler—but because he was a prolific and magnificent builder. Besides many great works inside and outside of Israel, he helped rebuild and greatly expand the Second Temple in Jerusalem.

The beauty of the temple so impressed Jesus Christ's disciples that one of them exclaimed, "Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!" Jesus responded, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down" (Mark 13:1-2). This prophecy was fulfilled some 40 years later when Roman armies destroyed the temple, crushing a Jewish revolt.

Read the full article at www.gnmagazine.org/issues/gn71/science71.htm

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