The next Indiana Jones movie should be about recovering the lost picture of Jesus Christ. Really! In fact, an ancient picture of Jesus embossed on thin, lead sheet may have been found.
The archaeological world is buzzing about some artifacts that may (I stress “may”) be 1st century evidence of Christianity’s claims about Jesus Christ. The artifacts are credit card sized, embossed, lead “books” that were apparently found in a cave in Jordan. I personally have never seen anything like these artifacts in archeology before. If they are archeological forgeries, they are very impressive. Usually a forgery is some replicate of a known entity. These artifacts are one of a kind. As for the date of these artifacts, I have not gathered why scholars are suspecting a first century date. You can read and see pictures about these artifacts at the following links:
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12888421
- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1372741/Hidden-cave-First-portrait-Jesus-1-70-ancient-books.html
- http://in.news.yahoo.com/could-artefacts-remote-jordan-cave-reveal-jesus-last-20110321-000944-884.html
- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1371290/70-metal-books-Jordan-cave-change-view-Biblical-history.html
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_Lead_Codices
Personally I enjoy watching the archeological world. I’m not necessarily looking for evidence for my faith, although the possible significance of these artifacts is great. If these artifacts do indeed turn out to be genuine, there would not be an immediately conversion to Christianity from the unbelieving masses. Genuine artifacts are like miracles—they don’t change a person’s heart; they reveal it.
God could have left us with the actual blood-stained cross on which Jesus died, or Noah’s ark, or the Ark of the Covenant with the 10 Commandments in them (speaking of Indiana Jones). Think about it. Noah had Noah’s Ark . Yet the generation that saw him build it didn’t believe. Furthermore, all his grandsons/daughters that probably still made campfires out of the wood of the Ark didn’t all believe. The children of Israel had the Ark of the Covenant with the 10 commandments and they all did not believe.
Miracles and artifacts have never converted people. The heart of man must be regenerated and converted in order to believe. The only tool that is sufficient unto the task is the more sure Word of God (2 Peter 1:16-21). Are you fighting unbelief today by meditating on it and knowing God through it?