trying to say that Aaron’s Rod and the Golden Jar of Manna were taken out of the Ark in Ashdod … and that we may still find them there.”
Murphy sat forward, his eyes wild with excitement. He looked like a little boy in a candy shop trying to decide which piece to eat first.
“The second note Methuselah left me said, ‘Thirty degrees northeast of the altar … press the king’s head.’ That must refer to some sort of secret passage or hiding place.” He looked at Isis. “What do you know about Ashdod?”
“Ashdod is the fifth largest city in Israel, founded in 1956 and located between Tel Aviv and Gaza on the coast. It’s becoming a very important seaport for Israel. Over fifteen thousand tons of cargo pass through there each year. Its population is about a quarter of a million people.”
“It’s coming back to me now. In 200-4, two suicide bombers killed ten people and injured sixteen at the Ashdod port.”
“I remember that, Michael.”
“As I recall, two eighteen-year-old Palestinians hid themselves in a container that was delivered by truck. The investigators found food remains and five unexploded grenades in the container. They were from the Jabalya Refugee Camp in the Gaza Strip. They detonatedtheir bombs, killing ten people and wounding sixteen. The Hamas and Fatah claimed responsibility for the attack….”
Murphy trailed off. Something Isis had said troubled him.
“But, hold on, if the city was founded in 1956, this can’t be the location.”
“The original site of Ashdod is about three to four miles inland. The city was conquered by the Macedonians under Alexander the Great. At that time it was known as Azotos.”
“You’re brilliant. I can’t believe you’re giving all this information from memory.”
Isis blushed again. “In 163 B.C., Judas Maccabaeus came into the city and destroyed the Temple of Dagon. In 1-48 B.C., Jonathan and Simon burned down what was left of the temple. There have been a number of excavations at the site. They have discovered at least twenty-two strata of continuous settlements of the city Maybe Methuselah has discovered something new there.”
Isis caught Murphy’s grin.
“What are you smiling at?”
“I was just thinking how archaeological findings keep pointing to the truth and reality of the Bible. The more we discover, the stronger our faith becomes.”
Isis seemed to withdraw a little.
“What’s wrong?”
“You keep talking about the truth of the Bible. And you get so excited about these new discoveries. I don’t know how to relate to it all. I sort of believe that there is a God. Everything we see couldn’t just pop into being without a Creator. But you seem to talk about God like you know Him personally.”
Murphy hesitated for a moment. With a heavy heart, he remembered that Isis had not yet made a leap of faith.
“You can know Him the same way I do, Isis. All you have to do is believe that God revealed Himself through Jesus Christ. Jesus took upon Himself the burden of everyone’s sins. With His death on thecross, He paid the penalty for everything we have ever done wrong. But then Jesus arose from the dead so that we too could have eternal life with him. All anyone has to do is to receive this information… and believe it by faith and ask God to come into his or her life and change it. That’s what it means to be saved.”
“I don’t know, Michael. All that faith stuff seems to work for you but not for me. Jesus appears to be a nice person, a great teacher, and a wonderful example. But to believe that he is God is a big leap of faith. I don’t know if I am ready to make that type of commitment.”
Murphy found himself in silent prayer, asking God that he might have the right words to say.
“Each person must come to that decision by themselves. No one can take that step for you. I wish I could, Isis. Let me share a verse out of the Bible with you. It is found in the first chapter of the Gospel of John. It says, ‘To
Murphy sat forward, his eyes wild with excitement. He looked like a little boy in a candy shop trying to decide which piece to eat first.
“The second note Methuselah left me said, ‘Thirty degrees northeast of the altar … press the king’s head.’ That must refer to some sort of secret passage or hiding place.” He looked at Isis. “What do you know about Ashdod?”
“Ashdod is the fifth largest city in Israel, founded in 1956 and located between Tel Aviv and Gaza on the coast. It’s becoming a very important seaport for Israel. Over fifteen thousand tons of cargo pass through there each year. Its population is about a quarter of a million people.”
“It’s coming back to me now. In 200-4, two suicide bombers killed ten people and injured sixteen at the Ashdod port.”
“I remember that, Michael.”
“As I recall, two eighteen-year-old Palestinians hid themselves in a container that was delivered by truck. The investigators found food remains and five unexploded grenades in the container. They were from the Jabalya Refugee Camp in the Gaza Strip. They detonatedtheir bombs, killing ten people and wounding sixteen. The Hamas and Fatah claimed responsibility for the attack….”
Murphy trailed off. Something Isis had said troubled him.
“But, hold on, if the city was founded in 1956, this can’t be the location.”
“The original site of Ashdod is about three to four miles inland. The city was conquered by the Macedonians under Alexander the Great. At that time it was known as Azotos.”
“You’re brilliant. I can’t believe you’re giving all this information from memory.”
Isis blushed again. “In 163 B.C., Judas Maccabaeus came into the city and destroyed the Temple of Dagon. In 1-48 B.C., Jonathan and Simon burned down what was left of the temple. There have been a number of excavations at the site. They have discovered at least twenty-two strata of continuous settlements of the city Maybe Methuselah has discovered something new there.”
Isis caught Murphy’s grin.
“What are you smiling at?”
“I was just thinking how archaeological findings keep pointing to the truth and reality of the Bible. The more we discover, the stronger our faith becomes.”
Isis seemed to withdraw a little.
“What’s wrong?”
“You keep talking about the truth of the Bible. And you get so excited about these new discoveries. I don’t know how to relate to it all. I sort of believe that there is a God. Everything we see couldn’t just pop into being without a Creator. But you seem to talk about God like you know Him personally.”
Murphy hesitated for a moment. With a heavy heart, he remembered that Isis had not yet made a leap of faith.
“You can know Him the same way I do, Isis. All you have to do is believe that God revealed Himself through Jesus Christ. Jesus took upon Himself the burden of everyone’s sins. With His death on thecross, He paid the penalty for everything we have ever done wrong. But then Jesus arose from the dead so that we too could have eternal life with him. All anyone has to do is to receive this information… and believe it by faith and ask God to come into his or her life and change it. That’s what it means to be saved.”
“I don’t know, Michael. All that faith stuff seems to work for you but not for me. Jesus appears to be a nice person, a great teacher, and a wonderful example. But to believe that he is God is a big leap of faith. I don’t know if I am ready to make that type of commitment.”
Murphy found himself in silent prayer, asking God that he might have the right words to say.
“Each person must come to that decision by themselves. No one can take that step for you. I wish I could, Isis. Let me share a verse out of the Bible with you. It is found in the first chapter of the Gospel of John. It says, ‘To
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