Click Here For Christian Media's First Video Channel

Christian Media

Communiqué

Escape From Planet Egypt

Part XIII

With the enormously important discovery of the Tell El Amarna letters in Egypt, and the knowledge these documents impart concerning the generation leading up to (and following) the reign of Amenhotep IV (Akhnaton), the information contained bridges the gap to the discovery of the Chronicles of Assyria.

In 1849, tablets from what is called the Library of Assurbanipal of Assyria were discovered in the locale of ancient Nineveh. Cuneiform writings uncovered in the ancient capital of the Assyrian Empire resemble the letters of Tell El Amarna in Egypt, and the knowledge of antiquity increased once again.

Unfortunately, as we've repeatedly shown, ancient artifacts and records are consistently misdated by synchronizing them with the earliest accounts previously associated with Egypt. The Egyptian records found at Tell El Amarna, the reader will recall, reveal the particulars of ancient Akhet Aton, the capital from which Pharaoh Akhenaton ruled.

The Amarna period features material related to the reign of Amenhotep IV – who was the notorious Pharaoh that changed his name to Akhnaton, as he sought to propagate a new religion of a god he called "the Aton."

It was during his time that the end of the dynastic Egyptian rule loomed, even as the rise of the Assyrians began to approach Egyptian assets. Egypt was already in decline in the time of Akhenaton, but the momentum of the kingdom which had dominated the ancient Near East was still formidable.

More importantly, the Amarna letters actually document events in the 8^th century BC, in the time of Old Testament Israel, Judaea, Moab, and Syria. As Egypt still dominated Ben Hadad in Damascus Syria, as well as the two houses of Israel (Judaea in the South and Samaria in the North), and the adjacent kingdoms of Edom and Moab, the Amarna letters reveal that playing the various vassal states against each other kept them from uniting against the throne in Akhet Aton.

For example, in our last chapter we noted that Syria and Moab had been paying tribute to Samaria, who in turn, was subordinate to Egypt. When King Asa of Judaea defeated the forces of Zerah the Ethiopian (as seen in II Chronicles 14:9 when Asa had turned back to the LORD), Judah was growing stronger and, since the Judaeans still greatly resented Jeroboam's rebellion against the hereditary house of David, friction continued against Asa's rival in the North.

After Jeroboam died and his son Nadab briefly reigned for two years, a new dynasty led by Baasha came to power in Samaria (we note the double A in Baasha's name, which points us to the name Baal).

Before Baasha, Jeroboam had set up alternative sites with golden calves for worship, in order to keep the Northern Israelites from going up to the Jerusalem temple. He feared the historic belief of the Israelites would resurface, resulting in them turning their hearts back to Judaea.

"And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi" (I Kings 12:31).

Baasha reignited open hostilities against Judaea, and militarily built up Ramah, which was strategically selected to intimidate any Israelites from going back to the temple in Jerusalem in Judaea, because it was ruled by David's descendant, good king Asa.

"And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah" (I Kings 15:17).

Thus, just like Jeroboam before him, Baasha thought to perpetuate an alternative to following the LORD in order to sustain his own political position. The identical pattern was seen many centuries later – in the time of Christ – when the religious establishment was willing to murder their own Saviour in order to protect their own political position.

"Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? For this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation" (John 11:47,48).

Back in the 8^th century two house world of Samaria and Judaea, the Scriptures tell us that Asa's response to Baasha's building of Ramah (to block traffic to Jerusalem) was to politically construct a treaty of friendship with the king of Damascus, Ben Hadad, in an effort to disrupt the tributary  relationship between Syria and Baasha of Israel.

"Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the king's house…and sent them to Ben-Hadad" (I Kings 15:18).

The Amarna letters tell us that, unlike Egypt's other vassal cities and states, Jerusalem had greater autonomy, as there was no permanent deputy reporting to the Pharaoh. It is noteworthy that Judaea also had vassals (such as Arabia, and the Philistines), who paid them tribute.

Recognizing that Jerusalem had a preferential arrangement with the Pharaoh, and using his newfound relationship with Judaea as a cover, the Bible then tells us that Ben-Hadad of Syria broke relations with Northern Israel, and ended up sending troops against Baasha.

"And it came to pass, when Baasha heard [of Ben-Hadad's rebellion against Northern Israel], that he left off building of Ramah…then King Asa…took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof…and built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah" (I Kings 15:21,22).

This tells us the militarization of Ramah, which had intimidated any Israelites from returning to the God of their fathers by going up to worship in Jerusalem, was neutralized.

As the fortunes of the Jews and the house of David in Jerusalem increased, the fate of the Northern Israelites sharply declined. Baasha was overthrown by Elah, who was murdered by Zimri, who only reigned for seven days. Then Omri, who was a military captain, seized power. His evil rule began the 4^th dynasty of Israel, as he and his son Ahab would reign for many years.

It was Omri who purchased a hill from a man named Shemer, and built the city named after him, which was called Samaria. Eventually, the name of Samaria would also be applied to the entire Northern kingdom.

When Omri "slept with his fathers" (I Kings 16:28), King Ahab made a public commitment to Baal and Ashteroth, by building a temple for Baal, and a grove dedicated to the female half of the stellar deities.

"And [Ahab] reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. And Ahab made a grove" (I Kings 16:32,33).

When Ben-Hadad of "Dumuska" (the spelling of Damascus in the Amarna letters) allied himself with Asa of Judaea against the king of "Sumur" (the spelling of Samaria in the Amarna letters), he recruited a coalition of "chieftans" to assist him in his attack on "Sumur."

At this time, the soldiers of King Jehoshaphat in Judaea were arranged in a feudal fashion, as the captains of each contingent were appointed on a hereditary basis.

"These are the numbers of them according to the house of their fathers…these waited on the king, beside those whom the king put in the fenced cities throughout all Judah" (II Chronicles 17:14,19).

There were five of these "captains" with large military contingents in Judaea, and the Amarna letters show they corresponded directly with the Pharaoh in Akhet Aton. Even though they were tasked with protecting the sovereign of the land (Jehoshaphat in Jerusalem), they received direct orders from the Pharaoh.

The Scriptures name these five captains, who commanded hundreds of thousands of troops.

"And the men of war, mighty men of valour, were in Jerusalem…of [the tribe] Judah, Adnah the chief…"

"And next to him was Jehohanan the captain…"

"And next him was Amasiah the son of Zichri…"

"And [of the tribe] of Benjamin, Eliada a mighty man of valour…"

"And next him was Jehozabad…these waited on the king" (II Chronicles 17:13-19). 

In addition to the five hereditary military divisions just mentioned, Egypt sustained governors, deputies, and troops to protect them within their vassal states. As three of the five captains named in the Scriptures are specifically named in the documents excavated at Tell El Amarna, we consider it to be conclusive proof that the letters from the Pharaoh's capital at Akhet Aton coincide with the place and time mentioned in the Scriptures.

This is a crucial fact, as consensus scholarship still claims these documents from El Amarna are from the 14^th century BC (during the time of the Judges in Israel), whereas the internal evidence indicates they are actually from the 8^th century, coinciding with the books of Kings and the Chronicles.

In short, they show that Pharaoh Akhenaton was a contemporary of Ahab of Israel, and Jehoshaphat of Judaea. Thus, once again, we have continued to match sequential Egyptian records with the chronological Biblical narrative – powerful evidence the timelines of secular history have been consistently misdated, in support of a Spiritually malevolent, ulterior motive.

As Jehoshaphat was increasing in power at that time, and he supported Ben-Hadad's invasion of Samaria, the Amarna letters show King Ahab complained to the Pharaoh, and asked him to send his archers to defend Samaria.

In this regard, Ahab sent multiple letters to the Pharaoh requesting military assistance – and in most cases, they were ignored. As we have noted, Akhnaton was interested in religion, and tried to avoid involvement in the political affairs of state. For example, one of the Amarna letters from the king of Israel to an official serving Akhnaton, asks why his request of military assistance has not arrived.

"Why hast thou held back and not said to the king that he should send archers that they may take Sumura? What is Abdi-Ashirta [Ben-Hadad of Damascus] the servant, the dog, that he should take the land of the king to himself?" (Amarna letter #71).

As the Syrian assault against Samaria unfolded, the Amarna letters have King Ahab virtually pleading with the Pharaoh to intervene.

"Let the king, my lord, know that powerful is the hostility of Abdi-Ashirta [Ben-Hadad in the Scriptures], and that he has taken all my cities to himself" (Amarna letter #81, written to Amenhotep IV).

After multiple letters were ignored, Ahab wrote directly to the Pharaoh. In one letter, he referenced a friend of his, who was the Egyptian governor that had been recalled to the Pharaoh's side in Akhet Aton after his posting in Samaria. His friend was named Amon (named after the Egyptian deity), and Ahab requested that Amon return to Samaria with Egyptian archers to defend the Pharaoh's vassal state.

"Verily, Aman-appa [Amon] is with thee. Ask him. He knows that and [he] has seen the distress which oppresses me" (Letter #74 in the Amarna collection). 

In the Scriptures, there is an account when Ahab asked a prophet of the LORD if he should engage in a certain battle, and the prophet Micaiah gave him an answer he did not like, so Ahab ordered Micaiah arrested, and taken and placed in the custody of this same Egyptian official.

"Then the king of Israel said, Take ye Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city" (II Chronicles 18:25).

In Ahab's war with Ben-Hadad of Damascus, the aggression of Abdi-Ashirta (the Ben-Hadad in the Scriptures) was an ongoing subject. The identification of the invader of Samaria as the king of "Amuru land" (related to the name Aram – meaning Syria in the Amarna letters), was confirmed in an inscription of the Assyrian king Shalmaneser III (Ancient Records of Assyria, Luckenbill, 1926).

In the context of the Amarna name Amuru (as applied to Syria), I'll remind the reader the Amalekites of the generation immediately following the Exodus were also called the Amu – to say nothing of the fact they were said to have taken the land of Syria as well as Egypt when they seized the throne of the Pharaohs, and came to be known as the Hyksos dynasty.

The Syrian attack on Samaria finally triggered a response from the Pharaoh, as the federal forces of Egypt, which were in service to the "governor," were ordered to repel the enemy from Damascus. These fighting men were referred to as "the young men" who were attached to the "princes of the provinces," with the word princes referring to the governors that were appointed by the Pharaoh.

The Scriptures tell us the LORD sent a prophet to tell Ahab that he would be victorious. They also tell us that Ahab himself, backed up by the forces commanded by the Pharaoh, took the field and defeated the Syrians.

When God's unnamed prophet told Ahab of the forthcoming victory, the king asked who would provide the military muscle to fight the Syrians.

"And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Even by the young men of the princes [read governors] of the provinces" (I Kings 20:14).

When Ahab asked the prophet who will lead these troops, the prophet told the king he was to personally take charge.

"And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter" (I Kings 20:21).

 It was shortly after this great victory of Ahab wherein Ahab sought to acquire the vineyard of Naboth due to its proximity to his own palace.  Although Queen Jezebel had energetically promoted the worship of Baal in Israel, the people all knew the LORD had ordained Ahab's victory over Syria. Thus, it was at this time the nation was seeking to mingle the worship of the LORD with the veneration of Baal.

This is precisely the Spiritual condition of Israel which existed when the prophet Elijah came on the scene, and asked the people of Israel, how long were they going to continue to serve two masters.

"And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him" (I Kings 18:21).

– James Lloyd

To Be Continued

___________________________________________________