Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Gabriel Stone Revealed At The Israel Museum

A very interesting archaeological find went on display recently at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.

The Detroit News: Jerusalem unveils mysterious Hebrew stone

An ancient stone with mysterious Hebrew writing and featuring the archangel Gabriel is going on display in Jerusalem as scholars debate the inscription's meaning. The so-called Gabriel Stone, said to have been found 13 years ago in Jordan, features an unknown prophetic text from the time of the Second Jewish Temple.

The inscription, also referred to as the Jeselsohn Stone, contains previously unknown collection of prophecies and dates to the Second Temple Period.

Also interestingly, the stone is controversial as even as it dates to decades before the birth of Jesus it seems to refer to a prior messiah figure that was killed by the Romans and commanded by the angel Gabriel that "In three days, you shall live" - this has quite a resonance.

One scholar identifies this prior messianic figure as Simon son of Joseph, a leader of a crushed rebellion against Herod and the Romans that took place in the area of what is now Jordan where the stone was found.

An important archaeological find with some very interesting theological significance.

1 comment:

ProudHillbilly said...

I find it interesting that it's ink, not carving. And while only 40% of it can be read, the fact that even that much remains after millenia is amazing.