Who is Ishtar in the Bible? [A Comprehensive Study]

Representation of the goddess Ishtar

Who Ishtar is NOT! In Christian circles it is believed that Easter was named after Ishtar and that the celebration with bunnies and eggs is all about the cult worship of her as a fertility goddess. However, this is false. Ishtar has nothing to do with bunnies or eggs. To read more on this issue … Read more

What Is The Epistle of Barnabas?

Saint Barnabas cropped

Overview of the Epistle of Barnabas ABOUT: The Epistle of Barnabas was an early Greek text that purports to be written by Paul’s traveling and ministry companion, Barnabas. However, there are others in the early church, with the same name, that were large figures in the early church. One whom attribution has been given was … Read more

Top 10 Discoveries of Old Testament Biblical Archaeology

Cyrus Cylinder Display

10. THE CYRUS CYLINDER Date of Artifact: 6th century BCE Location of Creation: Persia Date of Finding: 1879 Location Found: Iraq Biblical passages related: Isaiah 44:28 | Ezra 1:1-4 | 2 Chronicles | 36:22-23 | Ezra 6:4-5 | Daniel 10:1 | Daniel 6:28 The Cyrus Cylinder dates from the 6th century BCE and was discovered … Read more

Origins of Easter [Where does Easter really come from?]

happy-easter-jesus-resurrection

    If you ever wondered what bunnies and eggs have to do with Easter then you are not alone. Many have tried to connect Easter to various spring time celebrations and fertility festivals that have appeared in various cultures. The most popular Easter myth is that it stems from the festival dedicated to the … Read more

Ancient Egyptian Parallels to the Ark of the Covenant

Ark of Anubis side

Within the last few years, some fascinating research has been done concerning the Ark of the Covenant, the sacred box described in the Hebrew Bible. One significant individual in this field of study is Raanan Eichler, a credentialed scholar who has argued that some important clues about the physical form of the Ark of the Covenant could be found in ancient Egypt. In one article, Eichler submits that … Read more

Biblical Archaeology: The Banquet Stela of Ashurnasirpal II

Ashurnasirpal II

Who is Ashurnasirpal II? Ashurnasirpal II was an Assyrian king who reigned from 883-859 BCE. He succeeded his father, Tukulti-Ninurta II, in 883 BCE. Ashurnasirpal was known as a great builder and is well known for rebuilding post-war cities and the new capital city, Kalhu. He made gigantic reliefs and carvings in all the new palaces and buildings … Read more