The Israelites’ exodus from Egypt is a major narrative referenced throughout the Bible, and it’s known by millions around the world. But many question whether the exodus really happened, due to a presumed absence of archaeological evidence and general skepticism about the historical reliability of biblical narratives. It’s often viewed as a myth or a legendary compilation constructed from segments of different historical events spanning various periods, all merged into one edited story. Papyrus Brooklyn ©Titus Kennedy One common argument against a historical exodus is that there’s supposedly little or no evidence for such an event. However, archaeological and historical evidence points to the reliability of the biblical account of the exodus and the settlement in Canaan. Hebrews in Egypt The first component of this momentous story is the claim that Hebrews moved to and resided in Egypt for many generations. In a broad sense, it’s obvious from archaeological discoveries that Semites from Canaan had migrated to Egypt and settled in the northeastern Nile Delta region (Goshen), as demonstrated by specific forms of pottery, burial customs, tools and weapons, inscriptions, historical records, a Levantine breed of sheep, wall paintings, and even imported deities. Moreover, there’s evidence of people who can be specifically identified as Hebrews residing in Egypt prior to the exodus. An Egyptian list of household slaves on Papyrus Brooklyn 35.1446, probably originating in Thebes from approximately the 17th century BC, contains the names of more than 30 Semites, who like Joseph were given new Egyptian names (Gen. 41:45).1 These are some of the Hebrew names on this papyrus: Hebrew Name in Papyrus Brooklyn Occurrence in Scripture Shiphrah Exodus 1:15 ‘Aqoba (Jacob/Yaqob) Genesis 25:26 Dawidi-huat (David) 1 Samuel 16:13 Esebtw (“herb”) Deuteronomy 32:2 Hayah-wr (Eve) Genesis 3:20 Menahema (Menahem) 2 Kings 15:14 Ashera (Asher) Genesis 30:13 Sekera (Issakar) Genesis 30:18 Hy’b’rw (Hebrew) Genesis 39:17   Other names associated with Hebrews—Jacob-El (Yaqub) on scarabs from various locations and perhaps Jesse (Yushay) on an ostracon from Deir el-Bahri—have been found in Egypt from contexts before the exodus. There was also a policy of widespread enslavement of Semites or Asiatics implemented in Egypt. This began with Ahmose I and the founding of the 18th Dynasty, around the time when “there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph” (Ex. 1:8–14; 5:4–19). This enslavement included mudbrick production, construction projects, and agriculture.2 These accounts of Hebrew slavery appear to coincide with large storage facilities built from mudbrick during the early 18th Dynasty, found during excavations at Rameses (Tell el-Daba) and Pithom (Tell Retabeh), along with an Egyptian royal palace on the river banks that dates from around this time (1:11; 2:5–10, NIV; Acts 7:20–22).3 Date of the Exodus and the Pharaoh A thorough investigation of a historical exodus, however, requires knowing precisely when the exodus happened. Scripture includes clues both obvious and subtle. First and foremost, the book of Kings records that the 480th year after the exodus was the year when Solomon began the process of building the Jerusalem temple, around 967 BC (1 Kings 6:1). This aligns with Jephthah’s claim that the Israelites had been in the promised land for 300 years, approximately five decades before Saul, around 1100 BC (Judg. 11:26). We also see that 19 generations had elapsed from the exodus to the construction of the temple, which at an average of 25 years for each generation comes to about 475 years (1 Chron. 6:33–37). Pithom (Tell Retabeh) ©Titus Kennedy Further, because information from several temple dedication inscriptions in the ancient Near East demonstrates that people counted actual solar years in this type of context, we can therefore demonstrate that the Israelites were recording real timelines.4 This helps us count back from the temple’s construction to reasonably date the exodus to roughly 1446 BC. Thus, we can look in a specific time frame for external evidence that might corroborate the Exodus account. At that point in Egyptian history, Amenhotep II had recently become pharaoh. His predecessor, Thutmose III, had ruled for more than 40 years (see Ex. 2:23; 4:19; 7:7; Acts 7:30). This, along with other events that fit the Exodus narrative, indicates a historical exodus would’ve occurred during his reign. Ancient Egyptian documents, inscriptions, and archaeological findings also indicate the mysterious death of the pharaoh’s firstborn son, the military’s decline, the abandonment of his palace in the Nile Delta, the attempted erasure of Hatshepsut, and a slave raid into Canaan.5 Additionally, in the third century BC, Manetho, an Egyptian priest and historian, named an Amenhotep (Amenophis) as the pharaoh of a Hebrew exodus. Furthermore, an intriguing Egyptian poem known as “The Admonitions of Ipuwer” might preserve memories about the time of the Exodus plagues.6 Amenhotep II in a chariot ©Titus Kennedy These connections with the exodus are subject to debate. However, there’s additional archaeological evidence of Israelites outside Egypt around this time—first as nomads and then as conquerors and settlers in Canaan. Hebrew Wandering and Appearance in Canaan Finding archaeological evidence for nomads in ancient history is difficult because of their transience and the fragility of their material culture. Nevertheless, two Egyptian inscriptions mentioning the “nomads of Yahweh” from the Soleb temple of Amenhotep III appear to describe the wandering Israelites around 1400 BC, between the exodus and the conquest of Canaan.7 Nomads of Yahweh inscription. ©Titus Kennedy These inscriptions indicate the Egyptians were familiar with the personal name of God (Yahweh) and with the Israelites, the only people in ancient times known to have worshiped Yahweh. The timing of around 40 years after the exodus, the location of these people between Egypt and Canaan, and their status as nomads support the wandering of the Israelites after leaving Egypt (Ex. 5:1; Num. 14:14). Soon after, the Israelites appeared in Canaan, conquering many cities and settling in the region. Evidence related to the historicity and date of Canaan’s conquest may be communicated in some of the correspondence of various Canaanite kings with the pharaoh. These cuneiform tablets, called the Amarna Letters, mention the Habiru, a group of outsiders, who are waging war and taking cities by both force and guile.8 Merneptah Stele ©Titus Kennedy Additionally, archaeological evidence of the destruction linked to the Israelite conquest has been cited at key cities named in the Joshua narrative, including Jericho, which shows massive fire destruction, fallen walls, no looting, and long abandonment around 1400 BC.9 Subsequently, settlement evidence from many towns demonstrates a new group of people had appeared in Canaan who had unique architecture, pottery, diets, and religious traditions. The Merneptah Stele of the late 13th century BC calls this people “Israel,” and it’s the only group of people in Canaan mentioned by the pharaoh.10 These archaeological discoveries and many others support the historical reliability of the biblical narrative about the exodus and eventual settlement in Canaan. These findings can give us greater confidence in God’s word, as we appreciate his provision for his people.

In a world captivated by the 24-hour news cycle and the latest political drama, it’s easy to get swept up in the whirlwind of power plays. We place our hopes in elections, pin our dreams on political leaders, and participate in endless debates about proper policies and competing visions of Christian cultural engagement. Too often we lose sight of the King and his coming kingdom. In The Return of the Kingdom: A Biblical Theology of God’s Reign, Stephen G. Dempster, professor emeritus of religious studies at Crandall University, invites us to explore the grand narrative of God’s sovereign rule over a kingdom that has been unfolding since the beginning of time and that will continue long after the political landscapes of our age have faded. Dempster offers a biblical-theological antidote to a culture that oscillates between alarmism and cold-hearted indifference. That antidote requires focusing on the biblical narrative, which tells how “the world awaits the return of the kingdom of God, and its rightful heirs—human beings crowned with glory and honor” (4). God’s Kingdom and God’s Story For Dempster, the “return of the kingdom” is the central theme of the Bible that helps believers to comprehend “the entire biblical message” (2). In this “one succinct phrase,” we can behold the grand “storyline of the Bible” (4). Biblical theology insists that God documented in his Word the way he works in the world. The biblical canon isn’t a wax model of God’s intended plan for his creation that can be shaped and molded by each new generation of readers. As we encounter its comprehensive narrative framework and its multifaceted textual world, we must allow the Bible’s contours to mold and shape us. Yet first we have to understand what God is doing in Scripture. “One way to make sense of a book is to study its beginning and its end,” Dempster argues. “In the Bible the first few chapters provide an introduction not only to the book but to the world, and the last two chapters provide a conclusion for both.” In the Scriptures, “the world and the story are intimately woven together” (5). God’s kingdom and God’s story aren’t simply parallel tracks heading to a similar destination—they’re intertwined like the strands of a DNA double helix. If we gain a better understanding of the nature of the kingdom, it’ll deepen our perception of God’s purpose for his people. As Bible readers, the theme of God’s kingdom gives us a place to stand as we navigate the unity and diversity of the whole Bible. Anticipate the Kingdom Our understanding of the Bible comes alive when the intertwining of kingdom and story is central. In the beginning, God created a good world in which human image-bearers worshiped and obeyed as representatives of God’s ruling authority. They were to rule on God’s behalf. Sin’s entrance into the world marked the beginning of a rival kingdom. The dark lord of this counterfeit kingdom warred against the Lord and his anointed King by tempting each new generation of image-bearers to reject the lordship of God’s kingdom. Our understanding of the Bible comes alive when the intertwining of kingdom and story is central. In his providence, though, God provided spaces in which his people could worship. He allows them to catch glimpses of the ultimate restoration of God’s rule over all the earth. The tabernacle, the temple, and the covenant community each enabled people to serve the Lord in their time. These spaces prefigure the joy of a coming consummation. At the end of days, God will not merely return to a previous time; he’ll establish a new heavens and a new earth with a redeemed people who gladly participate. They’ll rule with God forever. As Dempster tells this story, he explores a host of biblical texts and related theological themes. But he doesn’t get bogged down in technical details. God’s kingdom is a central theme that helps us see “the pathway from tragedy to glorious destiny” (10). Yet Dempster reminds us that this “pathway marked through the Bible is not straight ahead but more like a long winding road that goes forward, curving off to the side, tracking backward, zigzagging in another direction before advancing again” (10). We shouldn’t expect the kingdom to arrive with a smooth curve trending toward perfection. Sing to the King Dempster’s study of the kingdom throws the spotlight on King Jesus himself. As he notes, the “fourfold narrative repetition of the life of Christ is unparalleled in the Scriptures” (156). The Gospels demonstrate Jesus’s royal lineage, display Jesus’s royal works, and communicate Jesus’s royal words. The book of Acts then shows the expansion of God’s kingdom by the proclamation of the gospel about this King and his present yet coming kingdom. Christ’s dynamic story points toward the final realization of our kingdom hopes when King Jesus returns. John’s Revelation looks forward to the day when “the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever” (Rev. 11:15). Until that moment, believers are called to persevere each day in light of this ultimate reality. Yet in a world dominated by doomscrolling, Jesus gives us access to “the newsfeed of the kingdom” (200). Christ’s dynamic story points toward the final realization of our kingdom hopes when King Jesus returns. The kingdom newsfeed is full of “upside-down headlines” (200). There are everyday reminders that God’s kingdom is coming. People are oppressed, but someone is feeding the poor. Leaders are corrupt, but someone is ministering gospel truth to the lost. Fake news is everywhere, but someone is speaking truth to power and wisdom to the saints. Because Christ is King, the church is a royal priesthood of believers who aren’t beholden to the lies of counterfeit kingdoms. Dempster shows how biblical theology ignites and sustains the fire of biblical worship. If this story of God’s kingdom is true, we can live in peace even as we navigate the weariness of this world. The Return of the Kingdom celebrates the greatness of God, the bigness of the Bible’s story, and the life-giving hope that comes from focusing our gaze on the King of glory and his comprehensive kingdom.

Would you guess that compared to the 20th century, dads in the 21st century spend more time with their kids? You probably know moms work more hours outside the home. But do you know that moms still spend more time with children than before, even though they work more and family size has shrunk? Timothy Carney is right: Something is wrong. In his new book, Family Unfriendly: How Our Culture Made Raising Kids Much Harder Than It Needs to Be (Harper), he writes, “Somehow Mom and Dad have become full-time chauffeurs, Secret Service agents, and playmates—while both parents work full-time jobs.” He wants us to know that today’s maximum-effort, high-anxiety, low-trust parenting hasn’t produced high-quality parenting. He writes, “Our culture expects a person more and more to handle life on his own, stripped of the support, guidance, expectations, and meaning traditionally provided by religion, community, and extended family. This supposedly ‘liberating’ modernity makes life a lot harder.” Carney is a father of six children, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and columnist at the Washington Examiner. He wants to show us a “way of life that makes family easier, makes parents less anxious, and makes kids happier.” Who doesn’t want that? But first, we need to see why American civil society has collapsed in the past two generations. We did just that in this episode of Gospelbound.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. In a new episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, Elon Musk shared insights into his motivations for acquiring Twitter (now X) and the implications for free speech, calling the platform’s previous approach “insane” and highlighting its shift under his leadership. Musk said he felt a duty to buy Twitter, suggesting that without his intervention, “we’re screwed.” Rogan praised Musk, expressing gratitude for what he saw as a stand against censorship. He credited Musk’s decision as a “fork in the road” for free expression, allowing more transparency into practices of “suppressing information.” Musk echoed this, noting he had been “attuned” to suspicious shifts in the platform’s operation long before the acquisition. “I was the most interacted-with user on Twitter… If they change the system, I can tell immediately,” he said, adding that the platform’s decision to deplatform then-president Donald Trump was “insane.” https://video.reclaimthenet.org/articles/elon-twitter.mp4 Musk also detailed the extent of the FBI’s involvement in Twitter’s past operations, revealing startling practices that he believes violate constitutional principles. He described a “magic portal” that the FBI had into Twitter’s system, allowing federal agents to communicate directly with the platform’s moderators and request content be removed or suppressed. Even more concerning, Musk added, was that all communication through this portal was automatically deleted after two weeks, in violation of federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regulations. “It’s flat-out illegal,” Musk asserted, stressing that such erasure of communication prevented public oversight and accountability. He argued that the FBI’s covert access exemplifies the overreach and manipulation of information that he sought to end by taking ownership of the platform. Musk delved into the government’s role in content control, mentioning the “Twitter Files” exposé, which shed light on government requests to remove certain posts or reduce their visibility on Twitter. “There was massive government interference in Twitter,” Musk noted. He explained that Twitter, at the time, had welcomed this influence, even receiving payments for content moderation services. Musk criticized this as “unconstitutional,” calling it a significant threat to open discourse. https://video.reclaimthenet.org/articles/elon-twitter-files.mp4 Discussing advertiser boycotts, Musk explained that X continues to face financial struggles, largely due to organized boycotts from activist organizations. “We had and still have a massive advertiser boycott,” he said, lamenting how “a bunch of left-wing NGOs” pushed for companies to halt their ad spending on the platform. https://video.reclaimthenet.org/articles/elon-attacks.mp4 “One of the most important forms of journalism is exposing government corruption,” Rogan stated, underscoring his stance that no entity—government or corporation—should have unchecked control over the flow of information. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post “We’re Screwed Without It” Elon Musk Defends His Free Speech Twitter Takeover on Joe Rogan’s Podcast appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

Election Day is upon us. But there is one more evening left of propaganda passing as analysis left to air on the Regime Media’s premier outlet, MSNBC. A Trump-deranged opening editorial from Joy Reid signals both the end and an as-yet undetermined beginning. WATCH as Reid sets the tone for her viewers by dispensing with such concepts as facts, truth, and reasonable discourse, instead going for the inflammatory and borderline defamatory: ELECTION DISINFORMATION: In bizarre and Trump-deranged opening monologue, MSNBC's @JoyAnnReid informs viewers that Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro is of the "far right". North Korea called and said to dial it down a notch. pic.twitter.com/ENxXv2IT86 — Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) November 5, 2024 JOY REID: And we begin our final sprint having arrived at that point in the election season where, basically, we on this side of the TV screen have said all we can. We’ve laid out the stakes in this crucial election where one side stands for freedom, while the other meets the textbook definition of fascism. Namely, a far right dictatorial regime like Hitler's Germany or Franco's Spain or Mussolini's Italy, but also white-ruled South Africa before Mandela and the black majority took control, or Vladimir Putin's Russia, Viktor Orban's Hungary, or Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela today, that suppresses the rights of women and minorities, uses the military to execute the whims of a strongman dictator and controls and suppresses the press, education, the arts- rewrites history to suit a favored and dominant racial class, and foments extravagant corruption in order to enrich the dictator and his friends.  Reid holds nothing back in her bilious open, spewing equal parts disinformation and defamation. Reid goes so far as to reinvent Venezuelan narcocommunist dictator Nicolás Maduro as “far right” in order to add him to the fascist parade of comparable horribles to former President Donald Trump, while in the process tickling MSNBC’s dozens of viewers in Miami-Dade County. The rant, which runs over 7 minutes, breathlessly and in interminable sentences, plays like an abridged summary of Reid’s deranged rants during the time that Trump has been on the national scene. Like a box of chocolates, there is something for everyone. Reid then makes sure to squee over the FCC rule-breaking Saturday Night Live skit performed by Maya Rudolph and Kamala Harris. And during her close, Reid made sure to make known her contempt for voters prioritizing their own economic self-interests: REID: If the worst happens, don't leave yourself wondering what if you’d made that one last phone call or bugged that last family member who might not vote or planned to vote for the would-be Dictator on Day One because they thought, I don't know, maybe eggs would be a little cheaper.  The Regime Media hates you. And, as Reid makes crystal clear over the course of this insane rant, their contempt for the American public shall continue, regardless of the outcome of the election. Click “expand” to view the full transcript of the aforementioned segment as aired on MSNBC’s The ReidOut on Monday, November 4th, 2024: JOY REID: And we begin our final sprint having arrived at that point in the election season where, basically, we on this side of the TV screen have said all we can. We’ve laid out the stakes in this crucial election where one side stands for freedom, while the other meets the textbook definition of fascism. Namely, a far right dictatorial regime like Hitler's Germany or Franco's Spain or Mussolini's Italy, but also white-ruled South Africa before Mandela and the black majority took control, or Vladimir Putin's Russia, Viktor Orban's Hungary, or Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela today, that suppresses the rights of women and minorities, uses the military to execute the whims of a strongman dictator and controls and suppresses the press, education, the arts- rewrites history to suit a favored and dominant racial class, and foments extravagant corruption in order to enrich the dictator and his friends. We’ve warned you about Donald Trump's profound unfitness for office, from his theft of classified documents and attempted insurrection, to his clear cognitive and physical decline, to what he plans to do if he returns to power. Threatening to lock up or even execute his political opponents. Increasing federal capital punishment and unleashing the police unrestrained. Using the military to suppress protests, banning abortion nationwide by enforcing the Comstock Act. Persecuting LGBTQ Americans, spiking prices and crashing the economy with across-the-board tariffs that amount to a giant Trump tax on everything you buy that's imported from overseas. Firing tens of thousands of dedicated civil servants and putting people in charge of our government like Elon Musk, who has essentially purchased Trump for $75 million. Peter Thiel, who already owns Trump's would-be woman hating vice president JD Vance. Tom Homan, who vows to deport whole families of immigrants that could include U.S. citizens. Stephen Miller, who seems to dream of the return of internment camps to U.S. soil along with mass deportation to make America white again. RFK Jr., who Trump has vowed to put in charge of not just women's health but all of our health. And who this weekend announced that the first order of business will be to end the fluoridation of our water supply. Taking us back to an era when childhood cavities and oral disease were rampant. You know, I guess that's before he ends childhood vaccination to, quote, “Make America Healthy Again”, by allowing measles, mumps, and polio to make a comeback alongside the coronavirus, and hell, why not bring back the bubonic plague. And, of course, there's Trump himself. Who this weekend topped his previous insanity by questioning whether a Greek NBA player whose parents were Nigerian immigrants to that country is really Greek. Presumably because he isn't white. And boasted about his own beautiful white skin. DONALD TRUMP: I would say the Greek is a seriously good player. Do you agree? And tell me, who has more Greek in him? The Greek or me? I think we have about the same. Right? That white, beautiful white skin that I have would be nice and tan. I got the whitest skin because I never have time to go out in the sun, but I have that beautiful white, and you know what, it could have been beautiful tan, beautiful. REID: Trump also did something to a microphone that I actually couldn't post on TikTok without the video getting pulled down for violating their community standards. But you know, since we're on cable, I will show it to you now. (TRUMP GESTURING) REID: People had children in that audience, by the way. And he closed out his Pennsylvania rally on Sunday by saying he shouldn't have left The White House in 2020. He should have just stayed forever. And then, he invited whoever felt the urge to shoot members of the press. TRUMP: I have a piece of glass over here. And I don't have a piece of glass there. And I have this piece of glass here. But all we have really over here is the fake news. And to get me, somebody would have to shoot through the Fake News, right? And to get me, somebody would have to shoot through the Fake News. And I don't mind that so much. I don't mind. I don't mind that. REID: At this point, what more do you need to know? Meanwhile, also this weekend but on Earth One, SNL fans finally got the moment they have been waiting for ever since Maya Rudolph debuted her spot on impersonation of Kamala Harris. MAYA RUDOLPH (AS KAMALA HARRIS): Now Kamala, take my palmala. The American people want to stop the chaos -- KAMALA HARRIS: And end the dramala. RUDOLPH: With a cool new stepmamala, kick back in our pajamalas, and watch a Romcomala. HARRIS: Like Legally Blondeala. RUDOLPH: And start decorating for Christmas, falalala. Because what do we always say? HARRIS: Keep Calmala and carry onala. REID: Keep Calmala, carry onala, and end the dramala. That sounds like a mantra we could all use as we prepare to make a crucial choice: who we want to be in the world and who we want to lead us. A first woman president leading with hope, or a fascist leading with fear. And while no one can tell you in advance what the outcome of the election will be, the best advice I can give you all tonight is to take deep breaths over the next 24 hours. Get good sleep, tune out the politics from time to time to restore your sanity, but make sure that on the morning of November 6th, you can say that you are proud of what you did in this moment. That you didn't sit out what could be our last election. If the worst happens, don't leave yourself wondering what if you’d made that one last phone call or bugged that last family member who might not vote or planned to vote for the would-be Dictator on Day One because they thought, I don't know, maybe eggs would be a little cheaper. If your daughter or your wife has a crisis pregnancy a year from now, and can't get treatment because abortion is banned, or the doors start getting kicked in from the mass deportations, don't leave yourself feeling less than proud of what you did in this election. Because if this thing goes south, there won't be time to ask for forgiveness. The way autocracy works is that by the time you realize what you have lost, it's usually already too late. But there is still time. And still a lot of hope and excitement and possibility. Election Day is tomorrow. If you haven’t voted yet, or if your friends and family haven’t voted yet, there is still time.  

Joe Rogan Wrecks John Fetterman in Border Debate, Leaves Him Sputtering

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