Ancient Evidence, Living Faith: Exhibit 2 – Hezekiah’s Tunnel

Jerusalem was threatened with a siege during King Hezekiah’s reign. To prepare, Hezekiah ordered the construction of a tunnel to secretly bring water into the city.

One of his greatest accomplishments was rerouting water from the Gihon Spring on Jerusalem’s east side to the west, into a protected pool – an effort recorded in 2 Kings 20:20 (also in 2 Chronicles 32:2-4, 30). As 2 Chronicles 32:30 (NKJV) explains:
“This same Hezekiah also stopped the water outlet of Upper Gihon, and brought the water by tunnel to the west side of the City of David.”

In the 1800s, archaeologists rediscovered this remarkable tunnel – about 1,750 feet long and carved through solid rock. Inside, they found the Siloam Inscription, which describes how two teams of workers dug from opposite ends and met in the middle.

In 2007, more inscriptions found near the Gihon Spring were deciphered, adding further evidence of Hezekiah’s work.

This tunnel – still intact today – is not a legend. It’s a real, stone witness to both Hezekiah’s faith and his action. He didn’t just trust God; he obeyed Him. Faith and obedience went hand in hand.

Hezekiah’s Tunnel stands as powerful archaeological confirmation of the Bible’s historical reliability and a lasting example of faithful preparation in the face of danger. We are called to do the same – not just to believe, but to act with reliance on God.

Ancient Evidence, Living Faith: Exhibit 1 – The Dead Sea Scrolls

In this series, we’re reviewing some of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the past 100 years. These support the record of the Bible as the most well-documented and reliable writing of ancient history.

In 1947, a young Bedouin shepherd stumbled upon something extraordinary in the caves near Qumran by the Dead Sea – numerous very old clay jars. Inside these jars were ancient scrolls that had been untouched for nearly 2,000 years. Among them were parts of nearly every book of the Old Testament – written hundreds of years before the birth of Christ.

The Dead Sea Scrolls are one of the greatest archaeological discoveries ever made. They contain some of the oldest copies of Scripture in existence. These include a complete copy of Isaiah, showing that the text we have today has been faithfully transmitted for many centuries. This confirms what those who believe the Bible already know: God’s Word endures.

As Psalm 119:89 (NKJV) declares, “Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven.”

These scrolls put to rest the false claim that Scripture had been fabricated, altered or embellished. They validate the accuracy of the Bible we read today.

God has not only spoken – He has preserved His Word. And that’s something to treasure.

Additional resources:

The Dead Sea Scrolls webpage at the Israeli Museum, Jerusalem.

“Treasures of Qumran: The Dead Sea Scrolls” video from WVBS Online.