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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Archaeology – from the subtle to the sublime

By Gary D. Myers NEW ORLEANS (BP) – A massive pile of rocks and rubble greets the visitor to the ruins of Lachish, 60 kilometers southwest of Jerusalem. The remains of a 2,700-year-old Assyrian siege ramp, this pile of rubble and the other archaeological finds at Lachish bear witness to the trustworthy nature of Scripture. More often than not, archaeology serves as a subtle, helpful tool for the church. Archaeology provides cultural and contextual clues to help us better understand the people and places of the Bible. The finds help close the culture gap created by time, place and worldview. Certain sites and finds offer more than mere context, and that is why I love Lachish. While the archaeology of Lachish cannot prove the amazing works of God, it does offer confirmation of an important biblical account. It was during the reign of Hezekiah that Sennacherib, the Assyrian king, attacked Judah and built the siege ramp at Lachish. You can read about the events in 2 Kings 18 and 19, 2 Chronicles 32, and Isaiah 36 and 37. Tired of paying tribute to Assyria, Hezekiah rebelled and began preparing Judah for war. Twenty years earlier the Assyrians had destroyed Israel, and Sennacherib now had his sights on Judah. In 701 … [Read more...]

Louisiana Congressmen urge support of bill to fund military, community health centers

By Message Staff WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following a vote Feb. 6 in the U.S. House of Representatives to provide full funding for the military and community health centers, several members of Louisiana's delegation to Congress released statements urging members of the Senate to pass the bill. “Our Armed Services and community health centers need and deserve certainty, regardless of the political climate in Washington," said U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson, a member of First Baptist Church, Bossier City, in a statement e-mailed to the Baptist Message. "Unfortunately, some Democrats have attempted to use the men and women of our military and vulnerable Americans as bargaining chips in their efforts to secure amnesty for illegal immigrants. Tonight, House Republicans passed legislation to fully fund our defense programs and community health centers. Now, we call on Senate Democrats to put aside their own political agendas and pass this critical measure.” U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham, who also is a physician, weighed in on the issue through his Facebook page. "The House has voted to fund our military, give pay raises to our troops, fund community health centers and prevent a government shutdown," said Abraham, a member of Alto Baptist … [Read more...]