A MYSTERY OF THE DESERT


The World, the Word & You! Broadcast
Commentary by Dennis L. Finnan

FOR YEARS, THE DESERTS OF OUR WORLD HAVE HELD TIMELESS SECRETS. BUT ONE SECRET, HIDDEN AWAY THERE FOR CENTURIES, TODAY REVEALS SOME STARTLING & INTERESTING TRUTHS

I'm Dennis Finnan, host and speaker on the World, the Word & You! Broadcast and in a moment we'll uncover afresh a hidden "Mystery of the Desert"…

You know to date, there have been hundreds of books written on the subject of the evidences of divine inspiration of the Bible. In reading them, you will find that these evidences are usually based on two important factors ¾ prophecy and archaeology. Now, both of these have clearly supported the reliability and absolute truthfulness of the Bible's writings concerning its historical messages. However today I want to examine the support, archaeology gives to the reliability of the writings of Scripture, and in another moment after we pause for a second musical number, I'll open for you an amazing MYSTERY OF THE DESERT…

…Although this wasn't true hundreds of years ago, today the best friend of any archaeologists is the Bible's record of history! For years, many narrow-minded atheist scientists have laughed at the Bible's record of historical events. For many things mentioned in the Bible as historical events, places and people, were never substantiated by any actual historical findings. Thus, these skeptical archaeologists refused to believe the Bible was correct, in its reporting of history. Particularly, a case in point is the subject of today's message. For instance, according to the Bible, there was once an ancient city called Nineveh, supposedly the capital of the powerful nation of Assyria. Now Nineveh sounds familiar to you because this city was mentioned in the Old Testament Book of Jonah. Of course, the story of Jonah is one of the most beautiful illustrations of the love of God for sinful humanity. It tells us, God chose to send a Jewish prophet named Jonah to this wicked idolatrous city. Why? Well it appears God had had enough of their sinning and was about to destroy them. But God loved them as His creation, and so He sent Jonah first, to warn them that unless they repented of their idol worship and ruthless wickedness toward God's chosen people Israel ¾ God Himself, would destroy them and their great city.

Although Jonah, who had experienced the wickedness of the Ninevites, was reluctant to go, God through a series of great miracles brought Jonah to Nineveh with His message of coming judgment and offer of salvation and grace. The historical record of this in the Book of Jonah tells us much about this city of Nineveh that seemed to 19th century scientists, never really to have existed.

For instance in the Old Testament Book of Jonah, we are told that Nineveh was a great city. We read,

Jonah 3:3 (NIV) "Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh

was a very important city—a visit required three days."

In other words the Bible said this city was so large that to travel around it, would take a literal journey of three whole days! Moreover the Bible said in,

Jonah 4:11 (NIV) "But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?""

Here we are told that there were at least 120,000 people living in this single city alone. Now this report from the Bible was too much to take for many 19th century secular archaeologists. These evolutionary scientists said the Bible's account was pure fiction and unreliable, for if such a city as Nineveh did exist, it was an impossibility for its time! They said, the city couldn't be as large as reported because it would need a tremendous water supply, and no city of ancient days had pumps to supply such huge amounts of water to so many people living in close proximity. Secondly, they mockingly asserted that since not a single stone had been found exposing the city of Nineveh, it simply didn't exist. The Bible was wrong and in error!

You see, with that strong bias, the scientist's of the early 1800's had no room for anyone even considering exploring for the city of Nineveh. However, in the mid 19th century, France sent a trade representative to Iraq, the modern name for ancient Assyria. This young man whose name was Paul Emile Botta, was a student of the Bible. He believed, like every Bible believing Christian, in the validity and inerrancy of the Bible's writings not only spiritually, but historically as well. While in Mosul, Iraq, Paul Botta, believed the Bible should be the guide for any archaeological study. As he was stationed near where Nineveh should have existed, this "amateur" archaeologists set out to find the city that didn't seem to exist.

As Mosul was out of the way, Botta often traveled extensively up and down the Tigris River. Along the way approaching Mosul, he noticed what had for centuries been dark mystery mounds, in the desert region of Mesopotamia. These strange black mounds of desert soil had flat tops and steep side upwards of a hundred feet or more. Most were covered by tough camel-thorn and other dry brush, which kept most herdsmen away from them for centuries. All along the deserts of Assyria stood these strange "mystery mounds," and no one knew what caused them.

Botta using his Bible, decided that if Nineveh was mentioned in the Scriptures, it had to be there, somewhere! By his calculations, he determined that about six miles from Mosul, Iraq, the ancient site of Nineveh should be located. But alas, all that was there were these "mystery mounds" of desert sands and scrub.

Well, with confidence in God's Word, Botta began digging at one of these "mystery mounds." He worked for over a year in his spare time. It was difficult to imagine the hardships he faced. The terrible insects that carried all kinds of disease attacked him, the fierce heat, the burning desert sun baked him raw, and an Arab governor of the area, who by the way, was against his digging, often dogged his work. Yet Botta did not stop. Soon his digging paid off. In the first mound he found just bits of pottery, broken bricks and some cracked statues. He moved to other mounds, particularly one near the Tigris River and there he began to dig again. This one though, yielded results! The deeper he dug the more he found out that the "mystery mounds" of the desert were not mounds at all - they were a huge ancient city!

Through Botta's relentless digging, he found that date palms had grown around this buried city, fields grew abundantly with wheat and barely, and yet for some unknown reason, this huge city had been abandoned, and more strangely, it had been buried by strange fierce winds of the now tranquil desert. As Botta dug, he sent reports to archaeologists everywhere. At first they scoffed at this Bible-led "amateur" archaeologist, but soon his reports couldn't be ignored. They were astonishing to say the least.

The first mound Botta dug deeply in, revealed it was the summer palace for the Assyrian kings. He found beautiful alabaster covered walls. Ancient artists had skillfully carved relief images in it showing the daily life of the palace. He later discovered that this was the actual home of KINGS ASHURBANIPAL, SARGON, and… KING NEBUCHADNEZZER! All these kings are mentioned in the Bible. Yes, the more Botta dug, he found courtyards, public reception rooms, corridors, why even a zoo and magnificent flower gardens.

Yet, the greatest find was in the next huge "mystery mound" Botta dug into. Here finally after many centuries, the Bible's historical record proved as true as ever ¾ NINEVEH was found! This mystery city, the main city, was unearthed and actually did exist, as the Bible declared. Botta and succeeding archaeologists soon discovered that it was a very idolatrous city. You see the walls of the city had numerous carvings of frightening animal figures, and winged lions with human heads. More amazing was the fact that Botta found an elaborate system of eighteen canals whose express purpose was to bring, you guessed it ¾ huge amounts of water to this thriving and populous city.

To date, now it has been substantiated that King Sennacherib who lived in 700 BC built a 30 mile aqueduct to bring fresh running water into this great city. Yes indeed friends, history confirms what the Bible said, Nineveh did have enough water for a population of over 120,000 people. However, perhaps the greatest archaeological find was the huge library of King ASHURBANIPAL who lived in 650 BC It shows, he collected more than 100,000 tablets that today give us an amazing record of life in those days, especially in the city of Nineveh!

Through the cuneiform writings, we find that the library described Nineveh as the largest city of the ancient world and told of its founding by an ancient man named "Nimrod."

Now as amazing as this is do you know what? The Bible recorded this too, long before King Ashurbanipal's scribes ever wrote this down. Listen to,

Gen 10:8-11 (NIV) "Cush was the father of Nimrod, who grew to be a mighty warrior on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; that is why it is said, "Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the LORD." 10 The first centers of his kingdom were Babylon, Erech, Akkad and Calneh, in Shinar. 11 From that land he went to Assyria, where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah"

WOW! You see, the Bible said Nineveh was founded by Nimrod, the ancient rebel of God, who built these cities and established them in his wicked idolatry. Yes, Paul Emile Botta was only an amateur archeologist, but he believed the Bible when those in authority laughed at it. Indeed, the world saw no evidence of its truthfulness, but Botta believed God's Word and acted upon it.

In so doing, he discovered a lost chapter from the book of history, and solved A mystery of the desert. Those strange black mounds, were really a city that had been destroyed and buried by nature itself. However, there's more to this story.

We know from Scripture, that when Jonah went to Nineveh, he traveled the length and breath of it crying out a message of judgment ¾ that unless the people turned from their wickedness, cruelty and idolatry ¾ God was about to destroy them and their great city. However, the Good News from God's Word was, that at Jonah's preaching, everyone from the rulers to the people, believed God's Word and confessed their sins unto the God of Israel!

Yes, there was a complete revival experienced that day. Listen to what God says,

Jonah 3:10 (NIV) "When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened."

Jonah 4:11 (NIV) "But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?""

Well, God in His mercy spared this city from temporal judgment, and the people lived on with the obviously blessing of God. However, the story doesn't end well at all. For the Bible tells us God has no grandchildren. Each generation of humanity cannot rest on the commitment and faith of the past. This is why in America today, now in the 21st century, we can look back on a strong foundation of Christian heritage, but see that today this faith was not effectively communicated to the present generation. Hence, we too are slipping into the place of the peril of God's judgments too. Well Nineveh existed for a time after their repentance, approximately 200 years, but soon the sin nature in these Assyrian peoples got the best of them again.

They took God's blessings for granted, they assumed that their might was the result of their own prowess - and in turning away from God, back to idolatry - they came under God's final judgment. Zephaniah the prophet warned Nineveh of these pending judgments We read,

Zep 2:13-15 (NIV) "He will stretch out his hand against the north and destroy Assyria, leaving Nineveh utterly desolate and dry as the desert. 14 Flocks and herds will lie down there, creatures of every kind. The desert owl and the screech owl will roost on her columns. Their calls will echo through the windows, rubble will be in the doorways, the beams of cedar will be exposed. 15 This is the carefree city that lived in safety. She said to herself, "I am, and there is none besides me." What a ruin she has become, a lair for wild beasts! All who pass by her scoff and shake their fists."

Amazingly, fantastically, astoundingly ¾ how true all these predictions were as they are now fulfilled. Nineveh was destroyed as God promised, in the year 612 BC, by Naboplossar, the Cauldean. Nineveh became an utter desolation, as its palaces and temples were torn down just as prophecy especially predicted. What's more, the Mesopotamian area had previously been a most fertile region. It was filled with crops and fruited trees. But suddenly, the weather patterns changed, and the land lost its rain, and soil eroded into a desert. Strange and strong fierce winds began to blow and soon covered over this ruined city. Why even by the 4th century BC history records that the Grecian warrior XENOPHAN as he passed by the ruins of Nineveh in 401 BC, didn't even recognize it had ever been a place of habitation.

Yes friend, Nineveh was finally found, and all because one man was willing to believe the Bible.

Do you know that since this date, there has never been an archaeological find that contradicts the Bible's historical record. Moreover, every other Biblically historical record has often led archaeologists to their findings in our world today. Yes the Bible is accurate, infallible in its scientific, and historical reporting. But more important, it is absolutely infallible in its spiritual teachings too. God destroyed Nineveh and other godless cities and peoples such as Sodom, Gomorrah, which consistently lived in wicked rebellion to God's morality and law.

In fact the Word of God says,

Psa 9:17 (NIV) "The wicked return to the grave, all the nations that forget God."

Yes, history is strewn with the wreckage of nations and peoples who laughed at God, spurned His ethics and morals to live by, and likewise suffered the fate of temporal destruction. The "mystery of the desert," those strange black mounds, was solved by the Word of God, that long ago told of Nineveh's fate and warns us even to this day, that God is a just God who will by no means clear the guilty.

Say friend, I wonder where this account finds you? Are you like these ancient Assyrians - living recklessly without God as the keeper of your life and heart? Do you think you can go on living that way, without God's intervention? If so, you need to hear the Word of God concerning such lifestyles. We read in,

Acts 17:31 (NIV) "For [God] has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him [Jesus Christ] from the dead.""

Yes, God now warns not just nations, but all humanity is to personally turn to the one true and living God, the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ! Although we may go on in sin for years, even generations, with no seeming intervention, we must not think the Bible is in error. The Creator God, the Lord Jesus Christ is coming again to establish His justice and rule, and all nations and peoples who have not made peace with God through Christ - will like the ancient Ninevites, be wiped from the face of the earth, and the memory of them will forever be forgotten.

Today dear friend, believe God's Word, not only historically but spiritually too! First, that God is a God of love and wants all men to come to Him, through repentance and faith. Will you look up to heaven and right now, and ask Jesus Christ to come into your heart and life -- to take charge and change your heart and desires? The Lord is not far from anyone who truly seeks Him, and, He Jesus Christ, will come to those who earnestly call upon His Name. Right now, God is our seeking Savior through Jesus Christ, but one day He will come as our judge! May you be sure of your decision to follow after God and His Word, and may it be your ticket to heaven and eternal life, that only comes through Jesus Christ our Lord. Peter the apostle declared,

Acts 4:12 (NIV) "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.""

Ninevah was once saved, but lost to later generations. America was once blessed because of its Christian heritage. Will it be lost like this ancient city? Moreover, will its citizen's be lost for refusal to turn from their idolatry and sin? And eve more will the nations of the world be lost for the very same sin? Today friend, turn to Christ, trust Him alone for your salvation, and call upon the most worthy Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. He will save all who come to Him…

…Thankfully, "A Mystery of the Desert," was solved by Paul Emile Botta, an amateur archaeologist who believed God Word and acted upon it. In like manner God wants all men to believe His Word and act upon it, by turning to God from their sins, and confessing Jesus Christ as one's Lord and Savior. Without a doubt the Bible again warns, that a day of God's wrath is coming upon the whole world, that will organize against God. It surely pays today, to be ready by becoming a child of Heaven's King, through faith alone in Christ as Savior and Lord.

 

The World, the Word & You! Broadcast is a non-denominational ministry based on the historic fundamental evangelical interpretation of the Scriptures. A copy of our doctrinal statement is available upon request. These weekly radio commentaries are not exhaustive studies of any particular subject due to the time limit of broadcasting. Actual broadcasts can be heard in selected areas around the nation, as funding provides. Dennis Finnan has been the speaker for over 18 years, and serves as General Director.

These transcripts are available free of charge to all who desire them. Also available are actual radio cassette tapes and printed booklets of each message. A free listing of recent messages is available upon request also.

For further information, reprints, or a listing of all topics, please write to our speaker, Dennis L. Finnan(dennis@wwy.org),or visit our webpage at http://www.wwy.org/