(Biblical Archaeology): Expulsion of Hyksos

The Expulsion of the Hyksos

Tel Habuwa excavations reveal the conquest of Tjaru by Ahmose I

Noah Wiener   •  02/11/2014

“After the conclusion of the treaty they left with their families and chattels, not fewer than two hundred and forty thousand people, and crossed the desert into Syria. Fearing the Assyrians, who dominated over Asia at that time, they built a city in the country which we now call Judea. It was large enough to contain this great number of men and was called Jerusalem.”

 –Josephus, Against Apion 1.73.7, quoting Manetho’s Aegyptiaca

Excavations at Tel Habuwa, thought to be ancient Tjaru, reveal evidence of the expulsion of the Hyksos by Ahmose I at the end of the Second Intermediate Period.

In the Second Intermediate Period (18th-16th centuries B.C.E.), towards the end of the Middle Bronze Age, the West Asian (Canaanite) Hyksos controlled Lower (Northern) Egypt. In the 16th century, Ahmose I overthrew the Hyksos and initiated the XVIII dynasty and the New Kingdom of Egypt.

Recent archaeological discoveries at Tel Habuwa (also known as Tell el-Habua or Tell-Huba), a site associated with ancient Tjaru (Tharo), shed new light on Ahmose’s campaign. A daybook entry in the famous Rhind Mathematical Papyrus notes that Ahmose seized control of Tjaru before laying siege the Hyksos at their capital in Avaris.
 

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Josephus identifies the Israelite Exodus with the expulsion of the Hyksos “shepherd kings.” Read more about archaeological evidence for the Israelites in Egypt and new scholarship on the Exodus in our FREE eBook Ancient Israel in Egypt and the Exodus

For the rest, see:
http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/the-expulsion-of-the-hyksos/

Reformation Day 2013: Desultory Musings on the Fall (Genesis 3)

The Fall:  Genesis 3

Reformation Day 2013 when the doctrine of the Fall was readjusted to Biblical parameters. It was unquestionably Augustinian from Luther to Calvin to old Thomas in Canterbury. A few musings.

The Fall: Genesis 3

Desultory notes and musings.

A few chief questions for musings and review: (1) What happens pastorally and liturgically when the doctrine of the fall and total depravity is adjusted, mitigated? This much and to its credit, the old Book of Common Prayer in the daily offices and Holy Communion kept the ship “in the channel,” indubitably. The Great Reformation Confessions and catechisms helped to keep the ship "in the channel." (2) If readjusted however, what other doctrines suffer? Scripture, God, anthropology, Christology, soteriology, ecclesiology and eschatology? We believe that if you go awry here, inescapably, one ends up with a "works-salvation" doctrine, a false Gospel, be it Arminian, American evangelical, high Tractarian sacerdotalism (ex opera operato), Romanism, and more. Rome's Gospel, despite having devout people and even, despite the doctrine, justified people, is a false Gospel, but we digress. Back to desultory connections.

Some notes:

1. Romans: all are under guilt and the power of sin. It is the reign of sin and exposes all humans to divine wrath. Rom 1.18, 19; 3.9, 19; 5. 17, 21

2. Putting the law aside (an instrument to expose the sinfulness of sin) and thinking of natural revelation alone (e.g. Rom. 1.18ff, inter alia, e.g. notably the Old Testament prophets), a word from Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) Cornelius “Uncle Cornie” Van Til: "We may say that men ought to have concluded [from natural revelation] that the outcome of his failure to recognize the God whom he should serve would be his condemnation in eternal punishment. If they ought to know God as their Creator and ought to know him as the one from whom they had revolted, they ought also to conclude that this creator would put sinners out of his presence forever." Old "Uncle Cornie" was often difficult to understand (his books), but when he preached (without notes), he was as clear as could be; he was perspicuously clear and was one of those men who knew the Bible by heart, nearly, verse by verse, reminiscent of that old and godly Bishop, Dr. Theophilus Herter, the only man I'll call Bishop these days. Maybe RC Sproul as a friend and mentor. But, old "Uncle Cornie" was clear in his preaching. He was always predictable too; he'd start in Genesis and end up in Revelation, over and over, sermon by sermon. God has been good to me...to give me men like this along the way. Back on track.

3. Paul interprets Genesis and traces sin back to the common ancestor, Adam. The lapse or fall away from God and godliness involves sin, guilt, and judgment.

4. There are two Headmen, the First and Second Adams. The first Headman, or covenantal Headman, Adam: his fall and sin involves all The Second Headman, the covenantal Headman, the Second Adam, brings the fruits and benefits to His people. These terms: Headman, federal head, First and Second Adams, need to have greater frequency in use. For readers reading in other FB pages or blogs, we recommend using these terms as "probing points."

5. The first Adam was in a state of happiness, peace, and communion with God. This was promised to him and posterity upon a lawful condition: fidelity, steadfastness, duty, loyalty, decency and unbroken honor to God, His Word…standing and abiding honor and belief in His Highest Majesty in all His glory, dignity, and sovereignty. In essence, God hath said and thus we shall live.

6. Adam broke rank--a buck private, as it were and if we may, before a General--as a puny creature and was beguiled by his wife, Eve, and the serpent (Satan disguised as a serpent, 2 Cor. 11.3ff.; Rev. 12.9). His entire nature was involved and corrupted: mind, will, affections and body. In consequence, as the early chapters of Genesis unfold, we learn of an anti-God, self-serving, self-idolizing, self-assertive, lawless, disordered, refractory, rebellious, alienating, blinded, corrupt, murderous, and lying lifestyle, mindset, and worldview. It cannot be over-stated. Adam’s descendents become gripped and totally enslaved by guilt, pollution and desperate moral nakedness before the infinitely Holy and Just God. On Reformation Day 2013, it would be warranted to pull Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) Martin Luther's Bondage of the Will off the shelf. Laymen should indeed read this ever-accessible, ever-readable, ever-theological and ever-pastoral Luther. If you don't have it and haven't read it, you--if you wish to be discerning--must read. He's available at extremely low prices at: http://www.amazon.com/Bondage-Will-The-J-Packer/dp/0800753429/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1383242742&sr=8-2&keywords=martin+luther+bondage+of+the+will

7. But, God is rich in mercy, kindness, grace, and voluntary condescension to the rebels. We recommend a few volumes: Westminster Confession of Faith (chaps 5-19), Witsius on the Economy of the Divine Covenants, Hengstenberg's History of the Kingdom Under the Old Testament, De Graaf's very accessible Promise and Deliverance as well as this FB and blog page, ever-devoted to these matters. But, back on track. The divine promise to save, redeem and reverse the serpentine curse is issued (Gen. 3.15, loc. cit.). God is truly and exclusively Adam’s one and only Redeemer. And, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, Three-in-One, speak the word of rescue, hope, and promise. There is none of this Romanist and Tractarian nonsense of invoking other mediators; Tractarians have resuscitated paganism within Anglicanism.

8. Adam is linked to Noah, Abraham, the patriarchs, the elect in Israel, to Christ Himself (see geneaologies, Mt. 1.1-18; Lk. 3.23-38), and the elect amongst the nations of the world (Eph.1.4ff; Rom. 9-11, inter alia.) God is not willing that a single one of His elect shall perish; His Majesty will, as it were, hold off on the Second Advent until the very last one is redeemed (2 Pet. 3.9, a text so routinely abused by these rebellious, refractory and self-assertive Arminians). Throughout the Old Testament, all are shown to be sinners: think of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob for example. Everyone dies too; see the careful records of Gen. 50.22-26; even old Benny Hinn and Paul Grouch Sr., faith healers and false prophets, will die despite their lies. “In Adam all die” (1 Cor. 15.22).

9. In short, after the Fall, the continuing narrative is one of sin and rebellious lawlessness; in tandem with that record, the narrative is also that of God’s grace, redemption and promise. “Promise and Deliverance.”

Now, what are the consequences--on a very wide front--of altering these instructions?

Happy Reformation Day 2013.

Genesis: Introductory Notes

GENESIS

Varied notes:

1. Anonymous, but “part of a unified Pentateuch.” Choke, choke from liberals.

2. It's quite arbitrary and dismissive, as comfortable presuppositions allow, to exclude the New Testament testimony to Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch in the 15th century B.C. “Moses gave you circumcision” (Jn. 7.22; Acts 15) which is uniquely given in Genesis 17. There are more.

3. The history provides a masterful foundation for the Law.

4. It establishes amongst the patriarchs Israel’s unique covenantal relationship to Jehovah (Dt. 9.5). God elects Israel to this relationship as a source to bless the world. A special people for a unique purpose and exclusively God's.

5. Creation stories are basic to ancient worldviews. It was natural that Moses included such in Genesis 1-11. There are stories amongst Africans, Chinese, Nords, and Ancient Near Eastern contexts.

A. Mesopotamia—Enuma Elish
B. A flood account in Atrahasis Epic
C. 11th tablet of Gilgamesh Epic
D. Elba texts, 24th century B.C.
E. Mari texts, 18th century B.C.
F. There are others.

6. David’s crafts Psalm 8 with Genesis 1-2 as the canonical basis. The story is less about how and when and more about why and who.

7. The documentary theory of J, E, D, P has been set forth, but few believe it is of any use these days. More to follow on this now-dead theory once called the "assured results of scholarship" by 19th and 20th century liberals.

8. There are 10 parts identified by “this is the genealogy [history] of…”

A. The first 3 are pre-Flood

B. The last 7 are post-Flood

C. There is the “redemptive” and “electing” line through Seth and Shem: genealogies 2 and 5. Oh no, not election please. We "elect" God dontcha know?

D. The “epochal covenant transactions” are between Noah and Abraham: genealogies 3 and 6. The recovery in the Reformation of reading the Bible covenantally, notably Calvin, is sage.

E. Election occurs in/across and is narrower than "visible" covenant lines: (1) Isaac versus Ishmael. (2) Jacob versus Esau. Conflict and separation. It’s Article 17 of the 39 (now buried), denied by Pelagians and Semi-Pelagians in all their forms, ancient and modern. Romans 9 rules the school. End of discussion for Greeks, Romanists, Tractarians, Charismatics, many evangelicals, and most of the modern American Anglicans. Also, “election” cuts across covenant lines. Or, one may wear the sign and not have the reality. Or, one can be baptized as an infant and be a “child of the first Adam,” guilty, dead in his sins and trespasses and a “child of wrath.” Head-for-head-regeneration in baptism is a fiction. The Gorham decision in 1850 of the Church of England adopts this as the official teaching (until other corruptions spread).

F. Total depravity.

i. Token religion, murder-fratricide, and vengeance—Cain (Gen. 4)

ii. Tyranny, sexual disorders, harems, bondages and continuous wickedness of thinking (Pre-Flood culture and kings, Gen. 6).

iii. Erecting anti-kingdoms of God in the service of the anti-God or anti-Christ spirit, replete with hubris, bragging, narcissism, and corrupted minds, wills, and feelings—Nimrod’s infamous Tower (Gen. 10/11).

iv. The verdict: “Man’s heart is evil from his youth” (Gen. 6.5)

v. The patriarchs--none of them--are saints either. Abraham and Joseph might be leaders of the lot, but Jacob leaves much to be desired.

G. God: Spirit, Creator, Infinite, Holy, Just, Omniscient, Omnipotent, Gracious and the Redeemer (variously). Christ was the “Lamb slain before the foundation of the world” and the “election” of God is before the foundation of the world. Jacob was chosen before the world began (Rom. 9). More needs to be developed here.

H. God’s electing and covenantal purposes

i. God elects the seed of the woman to be the Redeemer to crush the serpent and the curse: or, to crush the Anti-Christ. The ultimate “seed” promised to Adam, Eve, and Old Testament believers (and New Testament ones) is “Christ is the seed” (Gal. 3. 16). Can you hear the Arminian teeth grinding?

ii. Election and blessing of Abraham—promised an eternal seed (church), land (new heavens and new earth), and King (Christ).

iii. The ultimate offspring of Abraham are the elect and justified (Gen.12.1-3; Gal. 3.16) who believe the same Gospel as Abraham (Gal. 3.6-9) and who, as believers, possess the reality of circumcision and baptism, Christ’s redemption (Gal. 3.26-29).

I. Abraham trusts God’s promises for the birth of the child Isaac, his return from death by resurrection if sacrificed (see Hebrews 11.19), and an innumerable progeny. He was justified by faith alone apart from works (Romans 4). We can hear the Romanists, Greeks and Tractarians choke here.

J. Joseph lives from the divine Word of God, trusting securely in the covenant promises and God’s over-ruling goodness to bring good out of evil, murderousness, hatred, anger, and slave-trading. Joseph forgives his criminal and lawless brothers. Joseph saves them from recrimination while “Confessing” his Protestant and Reformed faith (tsk! tsk!), justified by faith alone.

K. Lovely transition with noteworthy connection between Joseph in Genesis 50.24-25 to Exodus 1.

L. The genealogies of Genesis 5, advanced in Genesis 11 (and others), are completed by the birth of His Majesty, the seed of Eve, our Redeemer, two natures in one Person (Mt. 1.1-18; Lk. 3.23-27).

Wonders of Ancient Mesopotamia: Exhibtion in Toronto

The Wonders of Ancient Mesopotamia, will explore an era of extraordinary invention and innovation, the impact of which is still shaping our lives thousands of years later.This exhibition focuses on three of the great centres of ancient civilisation -- Sumer, Assyria and Babylon. Melbourne Museum.Australia. 3rd of May 2012. Pictures by JOE ARMAO edited by Tim Young.for The Age newspaper , The Age ipad and The Age online

http://historyoftheancientworld.com/2012/10/massive-mesopotamia-exhibition-coming-to-toronto/

Massive Mesopotamia exhibition coming to Toronto

By

History of the Ancient World

– October 17, 2012

By Owen Jarus

A major international exhibit on ancient Mesopotamia will be coming to Toronto’s Royal Ontario Museum next year. The exhibit, called “The Wonders of Ancient Mesopotamia” will feature artifacts now in the British Museum and will run from June 22, 2013 – January 5, 2014.


Centred in modern day Iraq and spreading into Syria, Turkey and Iran, Mesopotamian civilization saw the rise of the world’s earliest cities and the development of a system of cuneiform writing more than 5,000 years ago.

“More than 3000 years of ancient Mesopotamian history and achievements can be illustrated chronologically through a wide range of spectacular artefacts from the collections of the Middle East Department of the British Museum. The innovations, beliefs, artistic craftsmanship, power and legacy of Mesopotamia can be explored through these objects many of which result from famous excavations of legendary ancient cities such as Ur, Nineveh and Babylon,” the British Museum said in a statement on their website.

Among the pieces that will be brought to Toronto is a statue of Ashurnasirpal II, an Assyrian king who expanded his resurgent empire northward to the Mediterranean coast more than 2,800 years ago. A number of treasures from his capital Nimrud (Kalhu) will be shown and can now be seen on the British Museum’s website.

Click here to visit Owen Jarus’ website

Genesis 1. TBN, Pentecostals, Arminians, Emergents, Church Growthers, Liberals

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=15992&post=94590&uid=308173344359#post94590

1. Genesis 1. TBN, Pentecostals, Arminians, Emergents, Church Growthers, Liberals and some miscellaneous observations on Genesis 1 with Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown’s “A Commentary” (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1978), 1-9.

2. This is not a commentary on Genesis 1, but a miscellany of after-thoughts in application to the battle lines.

3. The name Elohim in the glorious Godhead is put before us and that raises all the names of God that arise in the Bible. We cannot expound that, but would commend our readers to any number of excellent works on this. This much, reverence, respect, fear, caution, humility, willingness to listen to God, love and fidelity arise from these investigations. This is a reason I am a Prayer Book Anglican in worship. This is a reason why the enthusiasts’ worship does not reflect the depth of the majesty revealed in this chapter.

4. This book was penned by Moses and was the death-blow against all idolatry and for the primary instruction of Israelites in their formation as a covenanted nation to Elohim-Jehovah. This nation was called to a knowledge of God in the world with laws, promises, institutions and with the charge to a jealous and loving discharge to believe, assert, defend, preserve and advance the faith. Moses was informing, teaching and providing His Majesty before Whom all the faithful back to Adam bowed. Before Whom all Israel was to bow, believe and remain steadfast. Do you see this?

5. Without going into exegetical details, we read of galaxies, stars, vegetation, and man’s creation as distinct from creation, yet made in God’s image.

6. The Divine mind, power, and omnipotent will in its vast reaches of the heavens down to molecules are before us.

7. This much, reverence, respect, fear, caution, humility, willingness to listen to God, love and fidelity arise from these investigations. Where is this presented, asserted, defended and advanced with TBN or all the hothouse Pentecostalists? Where is this with Rick Warren or Joel Osteen? Or liberal Protestants? Or in broad, non-confessional evangelicalism? Or in this praise and chorus stuff at my mission work, a mission work in the Anglican Mission of America? Where is the fear of the LORD? Or, as this chapter puts before us, the name Elohim, the plenipotentiary who is Self-Existent and Eternal? This chapter demands kneeling and listening, like Samuel of old or all the great prophets of old.

While we "confess" our faith with the Confessions, it would be an huge mistake for new learners to think we have no Biblical or exegetical basis for our faith. Here's chapter three of the Westminster Confession. Let new learners learn. Every word and phrase is and has been very carefully considered in the light of and with a basis in the Sovereign and Sure Word of God.

http://www.reformed.org/documents/wcf_with_proofs/

I. It pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for the manifestation of the glory of His eternal power, wisdom, and goodness, in the beginning, to create, or make of nothing, the world, and all things therein whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days; and all very good.

II. After God had made all other creatures, He created man, male and female, with reasonable and immortal souls, endued with knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, after His own image; having the law of God written in their hearts, and power to fulfil it; and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject unto change. Beside this law written in their hearts, they received a command, not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; which while they kept, they were happy in their communion with God, and had dominion over the creatures.

This chapter rebukes the cavalier presumption of the day. May we have ears to hear, affections that are malleable and reformable, and minds to receive and trust. His Majesty shall do all His good pleasure.