Seals of Hezekiah and Isaiah

I took a bus trip.  The trip was to the Armstrong Auditorium in Edmond Oklahoma; the middle area of this country.  About 24 of us went to see the maiden exhibit of two seals from the ancient world.

There is not enough room here to tell you everything I learned but I will say, I got a big education about a part of the Bible that I had not yet studied.  In this report, I will attempt brevity. 
 
These two seals were among other relics and interactive exhibits that incorporated historical, archeological and Biblical facts and brought them together to reinforce all the facts.  I was so moved at one point, I could barely contain myself through goose bumps and tears. 

These tiny seals, smaller than a dime, belonged to King Hezekiah and the Prophet Isaiah.  Small but mighty, I used a magnifying glass to look at the inscriptions.  They were each 2700 years old (27 centuries).  God has kept them buried in Jerusalem all this time to be discovered at this point in our history and revealed as proof of our Christian teachings through His Holy Word, the Bible.

Hezekiah's seal is confirmed with his name and title.  Isaiah's seal is broken and displays his name and the word "prophet", which is not confirmed to be either a title or the last name of a citizen of Jerusalem.  Since it is highly unlikely there was a man with the last name of Prophet, the experts are 95% sure this is the seal of the prophet himself.  It was also found just 3 meters on the exact level as the seal of King Hezekiah.  

These seals are only two of seven ever found and the only ones belonging to a king and a prophet.  This is the first time these seals have been displayed.  They were not even displayed in Jerusalem.  Since the Philadelphia Church that owns the Armstrong Cultural Center, helped fund the digs where they were discovered, they have them displayed first - in the center of the country so everyone in America has the opportunity to visit.

2Kings Chapts: 18 - 20

Hezekiah was from a long line of bad kings, over Israel, who allowed idol worship among other atrocities.  He put an end to tribute paid to Assyria which enraged the Assyrian king, Sennacherib.  It is amazing to think with such a background and family influence this king, Hezekiah, would actually be a follower of the one true God.  When he took office, he did away with all idols and reinstated the 7 Hebrew Holy Days.  

Isaiah was older and the prophet during King Hezekiah's reign.  A couple generations back in their family tree and tradition has them related through King Joash.  It is believed that Hezekiah was married to the only daughter of Isaiah.  They had a close relationship.

Assyria was on a mission to conquer all of Israel and Judah after having conquered much of the known world.  The Assyrians were butchers and proud of it.   They created murals in relief that showed slaves and their murderess escapades, showing how they skinned alive their captives, even throwing to the lions.  They boasted of conquests on small clay records that were copied and distributed for all to see.   They told of blood running ankle deep in streets.    

 

 











The Assyrian king, Sennacherib, sent word to Hezekiah that basically mocked God - big time.  Hezekiah went to the temple and laid the scroll before God and prayed for deliverance.  2Kings 19:17-19
 

God answered through Isaiah.  I love His answer in 2Kings 19:32-34  The city will not be entered, not even by an arrow.  Long story short, 185,000 Assyrian trained soldiers that surrounded Jerusalem were found dead in the morning.  The Angel of The Lord slayed every single soldier BEFORE any siege could take place.

Then Hezekiah became sick and was told he would die.  (This is also a longer story shortened.)  He asked God for 15 more years of life and the prayer was granted.  As proof of this, God set the sun 15 degrees in reverse.  It is reassuring that historical science bares this out.  Several middle and far eastern countries record, in their ancient history, such a happening.  This is the only time in history this has ever occurred.  Even NASA, at one point, could not calculate a formula for space travel until they returned in history and included the 10 degrees of retrograde.  I LOVE THIS: DIVINE ORDER !
God will not be mocked.

Note:  In the Bible, when there is reference made to "The Angel of The Lord", this is reference to the pre incarnate Christ.  It was Jesus Himself that killed the Assyrian army.  Jdgs 2:1, 13:18

Note:  The capital of Assyria was Nineveh.  (Well known because of Jonah's reluctance to warn the people.)  Modern day Nineveh is known as Iraq.

Note:  King Hezekiah is well known for the underground canal that he had dug to provide water to all of Jerusalem and water the Kidron Valley.  The length, size, shape and fact that it was begun at both ends to meed in the middle was a huge undertaking for that day without the help of sonar or GPS.  This was incorporated into the tour at the Armstrong Cultural Center.  

*This display continues through January 27, 2019.

Amen