Important Archaeological Discovery

According to Professor R. K. Harrison a team of Italian archaeologists working on a site in Syria some thirty mites south of Aleppo has discovered the remains of an ancient city-state which goes back to 2,500 B.C. Early soundings have uncovered a large collection of inscribed clay tablets amounting to about 15,000 in number. An early examination of these has revealed such names as Abraham, Esau, Eber and Israel. Places so far identified in the tablets include Meggido, Hazor and Jerusalem. The latter is of particular interest to scholars because it is the earliest known mention of this famous site, probably a thousand years older than any other surviving literary reference.

In the collection there are accounts of the creation of the world and its subsequent destruction by a great deluge. These correspond very closely to the Genesis narrative. It is expected that from these records more information may be gleaned about peoples and conditions in the Canaanite empire of 4,500 years ago.

In reporting this discovery Professor Harrison writes that some scholars already consider that these sources will open up an entirely new chapter in the history of the Near East. He concludes, "What can also be said is that this material is probably the most significant of its kind ever to be recovered, and that its effect on Old Testament study will be noticeable for many years to come".

Time and again during the past century or so archaeologists have uncovered secrets hidden for thousands of years in the soil of Bible lands. We await with much interest further information about these more recent important discoveries.

The state of the Nation

Two years ago on this page we commented: "Mounting anxiety over Britain's internal affairs is reflected daily in gloomy headlines in the secular Press. The plight of the economy, the breakdown of law and order, reports of corruption in high places and other disturbing elements in the body politic, all point to impending crisis. At present there seems to be no sign of an upturn and we are given frequent warnings of worse to come... The nation is divided and the public bewildered".

Much water has passed 'under the bridges' since that comment was made. In retrospect the past two years have followed much the same pattern, and the forebodings of 'worse to come' have proved to be only too true. The crisis deepens and there is general agreement that Britain is 'at the end of the road'. At the time of writing drastic measures are being taken to restore confidence and to arrest the rapid decline of the economy.

Two questions remain to be resolved. First, Will the measures taken to surmount the crisis be severe enough?; second, Can the government count on the nation to accept the inevitable fall in living standards these measures will bring? Upon the answers to these questions may well hang the continuance of democratic government in the United Kingdom. Such questions would never have arisen so recently as a decade ago; that they are being posed now indicates the scale of the present crisis.

One of the most distressing features of the economic slump is the growing number of unemployed. This problem increases in gravity. It touches all sections of the community, including school-leavers and students, many of whom have spent years training for professions which are unable at present to absorb their skills. In some respects conditions today bear no comparison with those of 'the hungry thirties', nevertheless, inability to obtain suitable employment brings disillusionment and frustration. These are deplorable by-products of the present crisis.

We conclude this brief review of Britain's economic plight with the comment made here two years ago, "That material prosperity is the 'be all and end all' of human endeavour is one of the great delusions of the century. Of far, far greater importance is the moral and spiritual condition of the nation. If the present crisis serves to shift the emphasis then it will be a great blessing. We suggest once more that this should be the focus of our prayers for mankind in these perilous days".

"Righteousness exalteth a nation:

But sin is a reproach to any people" (Prov. 14:34).

unknown | Nov 1976
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