King David

Critics had long questioned several historical Bible records that had never been confirmed by contemporary extrabiblical documents.

For example, with no archaeological confirmation of his existence, King David was regarded as just one of many mythological figures.

But in July 1993, at the site of Tel Dan in northern Israel, an excavation directed by Israeli archaeologist Avraham Biran discovered a fragment of a stone monument, or stela, commemorating the victory of an Aramean king over the “king of Israel” and the “king of the House of David” (Judah). The New York Times came off the press on August 6, 1993, with an article titled, “From Israeli Site, News of House of David.” It reported that biblical scholars described the discovery as “phenomenal,” “stunning,” and “sensational.” In November 2016, the Biblical Archaeology Society stressed that “the stela’s fragmented inscription . . . proved that King David from the Bible was a genuine historical figure and not simply the fantastic literary creation of later Biblical writers and editors. Perhaps more important, the stela, set up by one of ancient Israel’s fiercest enemies more than a century after David’s death, still recognized David as the founder of the kingdom of Judah.”12 This raises a crucial question: Should we trust extrabiblical sources more than the Bible account itself? Or should it be the other way around? If we believe the Bible to be just another ancient religious-cultural expression, then we should expect outside confirmation of its historical accounts. But if we accept the Bible’s own claim of being the infallible Word of God (2 Peter 1:19–21; Revelation 22:18, 19), then we should accept its historical records without question. Only in the Bible do we find “a history of our race unsullied by human pride or prejudice.” Only there “the curtain is drawn aside, and we behold, behind, above, and through all the play and counterplay of human interests and power and passions, the agencies of the all-merciful One, silently, patiently working out the counsels of His own will.”13 Unconditional acceptance of God’s Word will strengthen our faith and transform our lives.