Scientists have discovered further evidence supporting the truth of the Bible.

Is the Bible a historical document or a collection of traditions and legends? There is still no definitive answer to this question. Some biblical stories, such as the captivity of the Jewish people and their subsequent exodus from Egypt under the leadership of Moses, lack historical evidence. However, other events from millennia ago are confirmed through excavations taking place in the Holy Land.

Illegal worship establishment

One of these "speaking" finds was a sanctuary discovered in the oldest area of Jerusalem, called the City of David. Eli Shukron, the head of the excavations conducted under the auspices of the Israel Antiquities Authority, reported that archaeologists uncovered a ritual complex consisting of eight rock-hewn chambers. It was quite large, with a total area of 220 square meters. One of the rooms contained a standing stone - a matzevah, used for ritual practices, while other rooms revealed an olive oil press and a grape press. Wine and olive oil were used in various religious ceremonies. In one of the rooms, V-shaped grooves were visible in the floor, but their purpose remains unclear. Outside the complex, there was a small cave that served as a hiding place. There, archaeologists found kitchen utensils, jars with fragments of ancient Hebrew inscriptions, weights for weaving looms, stamped seals with decorative patterns, and millstones for grinding grain. The items were dated to the 8th century BCE. After that, the sanctuary ceased to function and was abandoned.

Who was Hezekiah?

Scholars associate the decline of this religious complex with events that unfolded in the 8th century in Judah during the reign of King Hezekiah. In the Gospel of Matthew, he is mentioned as a distant great-great-grandfather of Jesus Christ on his father's side. According to the biblical narrative, Hezekiah ascended to the throne of Judah at the age of 25 and ruled for 29 years. He appears to have been a vigorous statesman. Under his reign, the population of Jerusalem grew to 25,000 people, which was "five times more than during Solomon's time." The city itself was significantly expanded, new walls and towers were erected, and a 533-meter-long Siloam Tunnel was carved into the rock, providing residents with access to underground water sources. Hezekiah withstood the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem, which, despite all efforts, failed to capture the city. Additionally, the king successfully led military campaigns against the Philistines.

Why did the chosen people fall into paganism?

However, from the perspective of the Fourth Book of Kings, Hezekiah's main achievement was the establishment of a unified religious hierarchy. He aimed to unite the people and, for this purpose, not only restored worship in the Temple built by King Solomon but also sought to make it the sole center of worship for God. To this end, Hezekiah organized a sort of nationwide pilgrimage to celebrate Passover in Jerusalem, while also deciding to abolish numerous ritual sanctuaries that operated outside the Temple throughout Judah. The fact is that during this time, the chosen people began to fall into pagan idolatry, violating their covenant with God. Specifically, some communities worshipped a bronze serpent that Moses had to create during the wanderings in the desert to instruct the people. The Bible describes that at one point, during their 40 years of wandering, the people began to lose faith and complain, leading God to punish the cowardly by sending fiery serpents among them. Many people died from their bites, but ultimately the people repented, and then Moses made a bronze serpent and lifted it on a pole. This contraption acted as an antidote: when someone bitten by a snake looked at the bronze serpent, the poison ceased to act, and the individual remained alive and well. Over time, the bronze serpent became an object of worship, causing them to forget the one true God. Other sons of Israel began to engage in the cult of Astarte - the goddess of love and power... In general, it was chaos.

Hezekiah decided to abolish all these illegal worship establishments that undermined the unity of the nation. The sanctuary discovered by archaeologists was likely one of those ritual centers that made it onto Hezekiah's "blacklist." The site of the cult's activities was buried in the earth in the 8th century CE, and it was never revived. Archaeologist Eli Shukron notes that this is the only such shrine from that historical period and serves as evidence of the religious reforms carried out by King Hezekiah. It also confirms the truth of the biblical account regarding the period of ideological confusion among the chosen people, which was suppressed by the iron hand of the pious ancestor of Jesus.