The IAA Exhibit at the Museum of the Bible

Above is a painting of what the Temple Mount would have looked like in Jesus’ day.

The IAA, or Israeli Antiquities Authority, has in its possession (and also on display in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, thousands upon thousands of antiquities from the Biblical period. This exhibit is temporary, but nonetheless well worth seeing up on the sixth floor of the Museum of the Bible.

For example, for my money getting to see the small horned altar from Lachish was in itself worth the visit.

This almost perfectly preserved altar from the Bronze Age shows that not all altars were huge. This one of course would not be used for sacrificing lambs or other large animals, but rather for grain offerings, or perhaps also the offering of small birds, the offering of poor persons, like Mary and Joseph in Lk. 2.24.

One other shot for this post is worth commenting on of objects found in Lachish.

No, those are not: 1) large marbles, 2) small bowling balls, 3) kidney stones; 4) shot put balls. These are sling stones of considerable size. The sort David would have thrown at Goliath. Take that image of a small sling shot out of your mind. These stones are heavy, and would have requires a considerable piece of leather or cloth to hurl it at someone, never mind the issue of accuracy. You would need considerable arm strength as well. So do not picture a pebble felling Goliath, picture one of these stones.