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A sacred golden chest that contained the
power of God.
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A lost chalice that held the blood of
Jesus Christ.
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And a spear that makes its wielder
unbeatable on the battlefield.
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We've all heard stories from the Bible
that include powerful spiritual objects,
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such as the Ark of the Covenant or the
Holy Grail.
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Is it possible that these objects were
not merely fictional creations, but
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rather actual pieces of history that
have been lost for centuries? And if so,
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could some of these artifacts really
possess incredible powers, as the Bible
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tells us?
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Well, that is what we'll try and find
out.
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In eastern Turkey, some 200 miles
southeast of the Black Sea, there's a
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volcano that is known as Mount Ararat.
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At a height of nearly 17 ,000 feet,
Mount Ararat is the highest point in
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For centuries, this peak has been
considered sacred, because according to
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Bible, after God sent the great flood to
cleanse the earth, Mount Ararat is the
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location. where Noah's Ark finally came
to rest.
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The story of the great flood and Noah's
Ark is one of the most famous stories in
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the Bible. The story goes that God is so
disappointed at the
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sinfulness of all of humankind that he's
going to flood the earth.
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He's basically going to destroy
everything.
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And he finds one righteous human, Noah.
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And what God wants Noah to do is build
this massive 450 -foot -long ark
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with three levels on it and fill it with
all of the animals of the earth and his
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family, and those will be the only
survivors of the flood.
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As the story goes...
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Noah loaded his family and two of every
kind of animal onto the ark.
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And then God made it rain for 40 days
and 40 nights, flooding the earth so
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even the highest mountains were covered
with water.
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After the water subsided, Noah, his
sons, and their wives left the ark
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and proceeded to repopulate the earth.
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The newest flood story.
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is this really powerful story, because
here's this transcendent God who loves
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us, who's created human beings, but also
has a way for us to behave in the
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world. And when we don't behave in the
right way, this God will punish us.
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That's the power of God, sometimes doing
extraordinarily horrific kinds of
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things, sometimes doing wonderful
things.
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Historians have long debated whether the
story of Noah, the ark, and the great
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flood, is only a myth, or if it was
based on real events.
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There are some scholars who believe it's
possible that a massive deluge did in
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fact take place.
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And as evidence, they point to the fact
that the Bible isn't the only ancient
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text that contains an account of a great
flood.
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The flood story in the Bible isn't the
oldest flood story.
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The oldest flood story that we have in
the Western tradition is in the
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story, in which there's this old man,
Utnapishtim, who has survived a flood,
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where it's rained for 40 days and 40
nights. And this happens also in the
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of Noah. So for many of us looking at
these stories across cultures, there's
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idea that, yeah, clearly this happened
at some point in human history, this
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flood that people remember, and they
write about in different ways.
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In addition to historical accounts,
might there also be geological evidence
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suggest that the Great Flood actually
happened?
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In 1997, geologists William Ryan and
Walter Pittman published a study which
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concluded that the biblical story may
have been describing a massive
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of the Black Sea that took place in the
6th century BC.
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The idea that Noah's Flood was triggered
when the Black Sea flooded, It's rooted
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in the basic geological observation that
at the end of the last ice age, when
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the ice melted off the poles, it raised
sea level.
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And what happened when sea level rose?
The Mediterranean overtopped the
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and spilled into the Black Sea.
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That event raised the level of the water
in what's now the Black Sea by about
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150 feet within weeks to months.
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It would have been catastrophic to the
peoples at that time. It would have
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literally flooded the world known to
them.
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Perhaps it actually stated the story of
Noah's flood.
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Was the biblical flood based on the
actual deluge of the Black Sea?
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It's an intriguing notion.
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But if the flood really took place, then
is it possible that we might be able to
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find Noah's Ark?
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Well, some researchers argue that the
Ark may have actually been rediscovered
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a number of aerial photographs that have
been taken at the foot of Mount Ararat.
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The photos reveal a boat -shaped
formation embedded in the surface of the
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mountain.
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There are those who believe that this
rocky structure was once Noah's Ark, and
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that the wood hardened and turned to
stone over time, a process that is known
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petrification.
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It's a streamlined, boat -shaped object
that's sitting there, and there's
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nothing else in the region that matches
that, so this is a very distinct object.
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According to the Bible, the Ark landed
in the mountains of Ararat. And Genesis
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chapter 6, the Ark was 300 cubits long.
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Now, if you do the conversion, 300
cubits equals 515 feet. And that is
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the length of this boat formation.
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Does the remarkable similarity between
this rocky structure and what's written
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in the Bible suggest that it is the
remains of Noah's Ark?
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Since 2019, a group of archaeologists
leading the NOAA's ARC scientific
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have used new technology to learn more
about this mysterious formation.
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We hired an American ground penetrating
radar team to create 3D images of what
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is below the ground.
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About 20 feet down, they found what
looked to be three different layers.
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In the Bible, the ARC had three decks.
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And according to these scans, you can
see the three decks that the Bible says
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that the giant boat had.
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We are hoping what will happen next year
is the Turkish government would then
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proceed on with a small -scale
excavation of the site to show what
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at below the surface.
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This would be a very exciting worldwide
headline discovery if this is proven to
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be Noah's Ark.
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If you could find evidence for this
story, that would actually improve the
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biblical account and maybe get people
more interested in what is written in
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these holy books.
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For the faithful, the search for
definitive evidence of either Noah's Ark
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Great Flood is not only about
archaeology.
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It's also a quest to understand how the
power of God works in our world.
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An act of God is precisely something
that we cannot explain in rational,
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scientific terms.
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The Bible tells us that Noah was a
righteous man. It tells us God orders
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build the ark, but doesn't tell anyone
else.
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It's this miraculous act of God that, by
definition, goes beyond the flooding of
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the earth, where God allows God's chosen
people to live.
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And so there are these astonishing kinds
of things where God intervenes in your
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ministry. So it's that balance of the
divine favor with the divine wrath.
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Cleveland, Texas.
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In this small town, located on the
outskirts of Houston, stands the King of
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Saints Church.
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On the surface, it looks like any number
of churches scattered throughout the
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region.
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But inside, there's something that makes
it stand out from the rest.
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Within this church is a remarkably
accurate reproduction of the Ark of the
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Covenant.
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My father and I built this replica of
the Ark of the Covenant because it makes
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the Scripture come alive in a new and
unique way because you're not just
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a description in a book or seeing a
picture. This is 3D built according to
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specifications in the Scripture.
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Exodus chapter 25, Moses gives the
blueprint or the detailed instructions
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to build the Ark.
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And that's the instructions he used to
build this with all the dimensions.
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The Bible describes two...
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which are winged sphinxes.
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And they're facing each other, as we see
here according to the scriptures.
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And the cherubim had the body of a lion,
the face of men, the wings of an eagle.
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In other depictions of the Ark of the
Covenant, you see humanoid angels with
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wings, or cherubs.
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But this reflects the description of
cherubim as we find in the book of
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And they look upon their mercy seat,
which is the cover of the Ark of the
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Covenant.
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Our congregation sees this Ark as a
unique way to show that God is King and
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through the Ark, which represents the
kingship of God and also represents a
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that God spoke spiritually into his
written word. We have this replica of
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Ark of the Covenant as a symbol of that
importance.
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Throughout history, the Ark of the
Covenant has been one of the most sacred
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artifacts in the Judeo -Christian
tradition.
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But just what exactly is the Ark?
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The Ark of the Covenant is fascinating
because it's the most important ritual
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object that Judaism has ever had.
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The Ark is first introduced scripturally
in the Book of Exodus, where God gives
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Moses instructions to build an ark for
carrying the Ten Commandments.
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It has very detailed instructions.
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It should be two and a half cubits long,
like one and a half cubits tall, and
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one and a half cubits wide, and it's
plated with gold inside and out.
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The Ark was covered by this gold lid
called the Mercy Seat.
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Now, it's also known as the Throne of
God, mainly because we have a passage in
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Samuel 4 .4 that mentions how God is
enthroned between the cherubim.
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So this indicates to us that this mercy
seat was in fact understood as the
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throne of God.
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The Ark of the Covenant for a time was
the center of the Israelite religion.
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It represented the presence of the
Hebrew God, Yahweh, on earth.
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Meaning, if there was a question that
needed to be answered.
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The Ark was the place that you would go
and petition God.
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If you went into battle, the Ark would
be taken, marched into battle.
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As long as the presence of God
represented by the Ark was with Israel,
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they couldn't be conquered.
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The Ark of the Covenant was God in the
midst of the Israelites.
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The presence of God himself held within
a golden chest?
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Certainly a profound notion, which is
perhaps the reason why the Ark has long
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inspired worldwide fascination and
reverence.
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The Ark of Covenant is arguably the most
important and intriguing artifact in
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human history because we're talking
about something made by human hands that
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contains the power of God.
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In fact, the word Ark means sacred
container.
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So this is fascinating, this idea that
humans could build something that could
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contain or create this kind of
extraordinary divine connection.
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It was an extremely powerful thing. When
the Israelites were wandering through
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the desert for 40 years, they not only
carried the Ark with them, the Ark kind
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of led the way. It was their ancient
navigational device, the Israelite
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GPS, that showed them where to go.
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And the legend says it would zoom up
into the sky, move three days ahead, and
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then the people would follow along
behind it.
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Many people are familiar with the famous
story of the parting of the Red Sea
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during the Exodus narrative when the
Israelites were escaping Egypt.
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A lot of people aren't familiar with the
story in Joshua 3 of the parting of the
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Jordan River.
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The priests who are carrying the Ark of
the Covenant just touched their toes
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into the Jordan River, and the Jordan
River itself parted.
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And the Israelites are able to march
into the Promised Land.
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So the whole story is designed to tell
the reader, this is God at work here.
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What's interesting is that there's this
great debate. Was the Ark of the
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Covenant real, or was it just made up? I
actually think it was very real, and
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the reason I think it's real
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is that it's such a central part of the
Israelite religion.
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Did the Ark of the Covenant actually
exist?
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Perhaps the answer can be found by
examining an archaeological discovery
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was made in the heart of the Holy Land.
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Central Israel, 15 miles west of
Jerusalem, here on a small,
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rocky mound.
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lie the ruins of an ancient Hebrew city
known as Beth Shemesh.
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According to archaeologists, Beth
Shemesh has a profound connection to the
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of the Covenant.
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Beth Shemesh has a long history of being
a religious center. According to the
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story that we have in the Bible, when
the Ark of the Covenant was taken to
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Shemesh, the Israelites take the Ark and
they put it on a stone table.
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The understanding was that it was
venerated by all Israelites. We have
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one object, the Ark of the Covenant,
that represents God on earth.
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Could the Ark of the Covenant have
actually been kept at Shemesh?
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Well, recently archaeologists have
uncovered evidence which suggests that
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biblical story is, in fact, true.
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In 2019, a team led by archaeologists
from Tel Aviv University made a
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startling discovery.
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They found a room in which it seems to
have evidence of where the Ark of the
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Covenant was kept when it was brought
here at Beit Shemesh.
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There's a big flat slab of stone that is
exactly the same dimension, proportion.
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It's the Ark of the Covenant.
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This slab of stone is not some column
that fell on its side. It was
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placed here and its dimensions, its
dimensions fit what the book of Exodus
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tells us were the dimensions of the Ark
of the Covenant.
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It says it was a cubit and a half on two
cubits and a half.
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A cubit is the size of a human arm.
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Watch.
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A cubit and a half on two
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cubits and a half. Just a bit bigger,
maybe by 10,
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20%. So the Ark would be placed on it in
the most possible stable way.
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And everything dates to the time frame
of when the Ark was placed at Beth
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Shemesh. Everything falls into place.
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00:17:16,990 --> 00:17:22,409
Not only does this discovery indicate
that the Ark was kept here, it's much
223
00:17:22,410 --> 00:17:25,030
more. It actually indicates the Ark
existed.
224
00:17:25,930 --> 00:17:31,769
This discovery is possibly the most
significant find ever made in the
225
00:17:31,770 --> 00:17:34,950
the quest of the Ark of the Covenant.
226
00:17:47,590 --> 00:17:53,729
By the ruins of the ancient city of
Babylon, which was once the capital of
227
00:17:53,730 --> 00:17:54,780
Babylonian Empire.
228
00:17:55,870 --> 00:18:01,789
At its height in 600 BC, Babylon was
estimated to have been the largest city
229
00:18:01,790 --> 00:18:05,190
the world, with a population of more
than 200 ,000 inhabitants.
230
00:18:07,070 --> 00:18:12,529
Perhaps the most intriguing ruin that
remains in Babylon is the foundation of
231
00:18:12,530 --> 00:18:15,070
ancient crumbled brick tower that was
known as...
232
00:18:15,630 --> 00:18:17,470
The Etemananki Ziggurat.
233
00:18:17,471 --> 00:18:22,209
And there are those who believe that the
giant ziggurat may have actually been
234
00:18:22,210 --> 00:18:25,270
the Tower of Babel.
235
00:18:26,470 --> 00:18:32,709
The real Tower of Babel, from which the
account in the Bible derives, was built
236
00:18:32,710 --> 00:18:38,630
by King Nebuchadnezzar II at the
beginning of the 6th century BC.
237
00:18:38,910 --> 00:18:40,950
If you go to Babylon today...
238
00:18:41,580 --> 00:18:48,219
You can easily see on the ground where
the ziggurat was because it is a
239
00:18:48,220 --> 00:18:55,059
rectangular ditch with a kind of black
square full of mud and oily
240
00:18:55,060 --> 00:19:01,259
water which delineates the entire
profile of this great tower of which
241
00:19:01,260 --> 00:19:03,120
else is left.
242
00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:06,720
The tower was made of mud brick.
243
00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:10,120
The building was seven storeys.
244
00:19:10,440 --> 00:19:11,940
with a little temple at the top.
245
00:19:12,300 --> 00:19:17,939
And there was a brick staircase without
banisters so that King Nebuchadnezzar II
246
00:19:17,940 --> 00:19:21,640
could mount the staircase and go up and
up to the very top.
247
00:19:22,220 --> 00:19:27,360
So it was definitely the national
monument of the greatest amount of
248
00:19:28,860 --> 00:19:33,539
Historians have estimated that the
ziggurat stood nearly 300 feet high, or
249
00:19:33,540 --> 00:19:36,220
roughly as tall as the Statue of
Liberty.
250
00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:38,320
But is it possible?
251
00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:43,400
that this Babylonian structure was in
fact the real Tower of Babel?
252
00:19:43,880 --> 00:19:48,939
Perhaps the answer can be found by
examining the story that is recorded in
253
00:19:48,940 --> 00:19:54,599
Bible. In Genesis chapter 11, you have
the story of the Tower of Babel. Human
254
00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:59,839
beings are united. They speak the same
language. They build this tower
255
00:19:59,840 --> 00:20:02,980
to go up into the heavens.
256
00:20:04,430 --> 00:20:08,450
But then you have God saying, wait a
minute, what are these people doing?
257
00:20:08,550 --> 00:20:11,980
They're going to build this and they're
going to come up to where I am.
258
00:20:12,930 --> 00:20:18,569
And so God basically confounds these
people by having them speak different
259
00:20:18,570 --> 00:20:21,590
languages. So they're not able to
understand each other.
260
00:20:22,790 --> 00:20:25,930
God says, let's scramble their
languages.
261
00:20:26,150 --> 00:20:29,160
And then they won't be able to
communicate with one another.
262
00:20:29,590 --> 00:20:33,150
This is one of the most famous stories
of the Bible.
263
00:20:33,660 --> 00:20:37,260
I think that the Tower of Babel is based
on a ziggurat.
264
00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:44,939
If you're an ancient Hebrew, an
Israelite, and you walk up to one of
265
00:20:44,940 --> 00:20:49,759
large ziggurats, you're going to be
overwhelmed, right? You've never seen
266
00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:51,140
anything like this.
267
00:20:52,120 --> 00:20:56,959
It's very possible that the ziggurat of
Babylon may be associated with the Tower
268
00:20:56,960 --> 00:20:57,659
of Babel.
269
00:20:57,660 --> 00:20:58,880
A lot of parallels.
270
00:20:59,620 --> 00:21:00,860
One is the location.
271
00:21:01,300 --> 00:21:03,020
Babel is another name for Babylon.
272
00:21:03,610 --> 00:21:07,529
That's more of a Semitic name. So the
location is certainly correct, and it
273
00:21:07,530 --> 00:21:10,900
certainly was a very tall tower, as
suggested by biblical sources.
274
00:21:11,970 --> 00:21:16,149
Some archaeologists claim that the most
intriguing connection between this
275
00:21:16,150 --> 00:21:22,589
structure and the Tower of Babel can be
found in the remaining bricks from the
276
00:21:22,590 --> 00:21:23,950
foundation of the Zirat.
277
00:21:25,270 --> 00:21:31,029
Some of the bricks that we have have on
the upper or lower surface a thick black
278
00:21:31,030 --> 00:21:32,080
deposit.
279
00:21:32,910 --> 00:21:37,409
And this is the remains of bitumen,
which, when the original building was
280
00:21:37,410 --> 00:21:39,730
together, functioned as cement.
281
00:21:40,690 --> 00:21:46,889
And in the account in Genesis, it is
pointed out that the Tower of Babel was
282
00:21:46,890 --> 00:21:49,530
built of mud brick with bitumen in
between.
283
00:21:50,710 --> 00:21:55,769
So this is a very convincing piece of
evidence that the one building is
284
00:21:55,770 --> 00:21:57,110
predicated on the other.
285
00:21:58,610 --> 00:22:03,420
But if this ziggurat was the Tower of
Babel, then how is it destroyed?
286
00:22:04,340 --> 00:22:09,179
According to an ancient Hebrew text
known as the Book of Jubilees, God was
287
00:22:09,180 --> 00:22:13,699
angry with humans for building the Tower
of Babel that he summoned a mighty wind
288
00:22:13,700 --> 00:22:15,420
to knock over the tower.
289
00:22:16,820 --> 00:22:21,920
Is it possible it was brought down by
the power of God?
290
00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:28,359
Some experts believe that the story of
the Tower of Babel and its destruction
291
00:22:28,360 --> 00:22:30,600
God is based on...
292
00:22:30,890 --> 00:22:31,940
An historical event.
293
00:22:32,770 --> 00:22:35,750
An earthquake in ancient times.
294
00:22:36,910 --> 00:22:42,370
In fact, quite a few ancient towers in
the city of Babylon, in what's now Iraq,
295
00:22:42,690 --> 00:22:44,250
were destroyed by earthquakes.
296
00:22:46,110 --> 00:22:52,569
Archaeologists know that that area was
and still is prone to earthquakes
297
00:22:52,570 --> 00:22:59,209
in the year 2017, there was the largest
magnitude earthquake
298
00:22:59,210 --> 00:23:00,260
in the world.
299
00:23:00,730 --> 00:23:07,189
in that year, and the epicenter was only
100 miles from what was the ancient
300
00:23:07,190 --> 00:23:08,570
city of Babylon.
301
00:23:09,750 --> 00:23:15,009
If an earthquake did destroy the
ziggurat, that could lend support to the
302
00:23:15,010 --> 00:23:18,590
that it was the legendary Tower of
Babel.
303
00:23:19,750 --> 00:23:24,869
But many experts believe the true power
of the Tower of Babel story is that
304
00:23:24,870 --> 00:23:30,520
thousands of years later, its warning
about the consequences of challenging
305
00:23:30,780 --> 00:23:32,520
still endures.
306
00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:39,099
The story of the Tower of Babel is
absolutely fascinating because you have
307
00:23:39,100 --> 00:23:43,780
basically curse all of humankind by
scrambling all of the language.
308
00:23:43,781 --> 00:23:47,299
And the moral to the story being, you're
not supposed to show that kind of
309
00:23:47,300 --> 00:23:48,350
arrogance.
310
00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:51,000
You shouldn't try to be like God.
311
00:23:53,450 --> 00:23:58,269
While the Tower of Babel is a monument
to humanity's doomed ambition to rival
312
00:23:58,270 --> 00:24:02,989
God, there are other biblical artifacts
which many Christians believe offer a
313
00:24:02,990 --> 00:24:09,629
direct connection to the divine, like a
lost chalice that is perhaps
314
00:24:09,630 --> 00:24:12,670
the most sought -after relic in history.
315
00:24:18,130 --> 00:24:20,050
Akra, Israel.
316
00:24:22,070 --> 00:24:28,209
Located on the eastern shore of the
Mediterranean Sea, this bustling port
317
00:24:28,210 --> 00:24:33,690
contains remarkable ruins that date back
thousands of years.
318
00:24:34,970 --> 00:24:39,209
And there are those who believe that one
of the most sought -after treasures in
319
00:24:39,210 --> 00:24:42,750
history may lie hidden within these
ancient ruins.
320
00:24:44,590 --> 00:24:46,190
The Holy Grail.
321
00:24:48,750 --> 00:24:52,170
For archaeologists, Acre is hugely
significant.
322
00:24:52,430 --> 00:24:59,209
It's one of the oldest continuously
inhabited places on Earth, going back 5
323
00:24:59,210 --> 00:25:00,260
,000 years.
324
00:25:00,770 --> 00:25:04,850
There's literally layers of history
there still being discovered.
325
00:25:05,530 --> 00:25:11,369
But also, the significance is that it's
the last place that the Holy Grail is
326
00:25:11,370 --> 00:25:13,720
believed to have ended up during the
Crusades.
327
00:25:15,290 --> 00:25:16,850
The Holy Grail?
328
00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:20,820
the chalice that Jesus drank from at the
Last Supper.
329
00:25:22,340 --> 00:25:28,100
For centuries, many have embarked on
quests in search of this sacred
330
00:25:28,500 --> 00:25:34,299
not only because it would be priceless,
but also because it is thought to
331
00:25:34,300 --> 00:25:36,040
possess divine power.
332
00:25:37,160 --> 00:25:41,999
While many have sought to find the Holy
Grail, it's believed that this precious
333
00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:46,840
relic was once in the hands of a group
of medieval warrior monks known as...
334
00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:54,399
The Knights Templar The Knights Templar
were a very curious order of
335
00:25:54,400 --> 00:26:01,019
monks. They were sworn, in fact, to
protect pilgrims to the Holy Land in the
336
00:26:01,020 --> 00:26:06,260
Crusades. They were professional
soldiers, the elite fighting force of
337
00:26:06,420 --> 00:26:12,020
and they became immensely wealthy and
immensely powerful.
338
00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:17,740
But many believe that the Templars had,
if you want, an ulterior secret mission.
339
00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:23,439
And that was to look for the Holy Grail
and other sacred relics all over the
340
00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:24,490
Holy Land.
341
00:26:26,280 --> 00:26:30,479
If they did find the Holy Grail, there
was nowhere better for the Knights
342
00:26:30,480 --> 00:26:37,179
Templar to bring their treasure securely
than to Acre, which was a safe... with
343
00:26:37,180 --> 00:26:42,659
big thick walls around it and 12 towers
to defend the citizens from external
344
00:26:42,660 --> 00:26:43,710
attacks.
345
00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:50,379
If it's true that the Knights Templar
brought the Holy Grail from Jerusalem to
346
00:26:50,380 --> 00:26:54,780
Acre, could it still be hidden in the
ruins that lie within the city?
347
00:26:56,320 --> 00:27:00,480
Eliezer Stern is an archaeologist with
the Israel Antiquities Authority.
348
00:27:01,960 --> 00:27:06,319
For nearly three decades, he has
overseen excavations of a massive
349
00:27:06,320 --> 00:27:11,360
Templar fortress that lies beneath the
church of St. Andrew in Accra.
350
00:27:13,660 --> 00:27:19,119
We are now in the old city of Accra and
in the premises of the St. Andrew's
351
00:27:19,120 --> 00:27:20,170
church.
352
00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:24,540
This church is very, very interesting.
353
00:27:25,370 --> 00:27:30,869
because it's built in the 18th century,
but it's built on foundation and the
354
00:27:30,870 --> 00:27:36,130
ruins from the 13th century, from the
Crusader and the Templar periods.
355
00:27:39,230 --> 00:27:43,669
Under the church, Stern has been
investigating a sprawling network of
356
00:27:43,670 --> 00:27:45,350
century tunnels and crypts.
357
00:27:45,930 --> 00:27:51,809
These passages may reveal valuable
information about the Templars'
358
00:27:51,810 --> 00:27:52,860
Acre.
359
00:27:53,550 --> 00:27:59,150
Now we are 800 years before what we've
seen above us.
360
00:27:59,690 --> 00:28:02,610
Here we are in the form of the Templar
Quarter.
361
00:28:03,250 --> 00:28:09,209
We understand that they use it as the
treasury of the Templars. They used to
362
00:28:09,210 --> 00:28:14,210
bring a lot of money into the treasury
out in this tower.
363
00:28:16,360 --> 00:28:21,419
The Knights Templar had this brilliant
system. They actually built tunnels to
364
00:28:21,420 --> 00:28:23,100
what they called a treasure tower.
365
00:28:23,260 --> 00:28:27,299
So when there was a siege going on, they
would take the treasures that they've
366
00:28:27,300 --> 00:28:31,839
come across throughout their occupation
and their fighting down the tunnels and
367
00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:32,890
into the tower.
368
00:28:36,500 --> 00:28:41,299
In addition to excavating the Templar
treasury, Cern and his team have
369
00:28:41,300 --> 00:28:45,240
more chambers that are located
approximately 10 feet beneath the main
370
00:28:46,060 --> 00:28:50,839
But these monumental discoveries have
revealed only a fraction of this
371
00:28:50,840 --> 00:28:53,240
mysterious medieval city.
372
00:28:53,620 --> 00:28:57,960
We find now only two or three percent of
the city.
373
00:28:58,160 --> 00:29:04,539
There is another 90 percent of the
Crusader building and the Crusader city.
374
00:29:04,540 --> 00:29:10,900
lay beneath the Ottoman that's still
waiting for covering in the future.
375
00:29:13,160 --> 00:29:17,659
For grail hunters, any new excavations
in Acre is obviously tremendously
376
00:29:17,660 --> 00:29:23,479
exciting. And it's a city that's still
yielding up its secrets. And so there is
377
00:29:23,480 --> 00:29:27,899
a very good chance that some of the
treasure of the Templars, including the
378
00:29:27,900 --> 00:29:30,240
Grail, are there waiting to be
discovered.
379
00:29:31,360 --> 00:29:36,039
Is it possible the Knights Templar chose
to hide the Holy Grail within the ruins
380
00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:39,660
of the Templar fortress beneath the
church of St. Andrew?
381
00:29:41,110 --> 00:29:46,429
Uncovering the Grail here or wherever
else it may be hidden would be a
382
00:29:46,430 --> 00:29:47,870
of profound importance.
383
00:29:47,871 --> 00:29:53,129
Because for Christians around the world,
the Holy Grail is much more than just
384
00:29:53,130 --> 00:29:54,250
an ancient chalice.
385
00:29:55,030 --> 00:29:58,630
It is an object touched by God.
386
00:29:59,230 --> 00:30:03,810
Strictly speaking, we talk about the
Holy Grail in technical terms as a cup.
387
00:30:04,270 --> 00:30:09,650
But really the Holy Grail is something
much more profound, much more sacred,
388
00:30:09,950 --> 00:30:11,000
holy.
389
00:30:11,430 --> 00:30:16,929
There can be no doubt if the Holy Grail
was found, this would be hugely
390
00:30:16,930 --> 00:30:23,089
significant for millions of Christians
all over the world to have a direct
391
00:30:23,090 --> 00:30:25,370
connection to Jesus Christ.
392
00:30:32,830 --> 00:30:34,150
June 21st, 2015.
393
00:30:36,150 --> 00:30:41,609
Inside the Cathedral of St. John the
Baptist, the leader of the Roman
394
00:30:41,610 --> 00:30:48,330
Church, Pope Francis, prays before a 14
-foot -long ancient linen cloth.
395
00:30:49,930 --> 00:30:55,369
The occasion attracts media attention
because it is the first time that the
396
00:30:55,370 --> 00:30:58,450
cloth has been shown publicly in over
five years.
397
00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:06,840
Christian holy relic is referred to as
the Shroud of Turin.
398
00:31:08,260 --> 00:31:13,360
The Shroud of Turin is this amazing
relic. At bottom, it's a piece of cloth.
399
00:31:14,060 --> 00:31:17,700
It shows a very faint sort of image of a
crucified man.
400
00:31:18,280 --> 00:31:23,740
And the crucified man calls us to
remember Jesus' death and resurrection.
401
00:31:26,400 --> 00:31:29,720
The Bible talks about the burial cloth.
402
00:31:31,530 --> 00:31:36,949
All four of the Gospels mention that
Jesus was taken down from the cross. He
403
00:31:36,950 --> 00:31:39,850
wrapped in linen and then his body was
put in the tomb.
404
00:31:40,770 --> 00:31:45,949
According to the legend, the shroud is
the cloth that his dead body is wrapped
405
00:31:45,950 --> 00:31:47,000
in.
406
00:31:47,230 --> 00:31:52,949
And because of the contact with the body
of Jesus, that
407
00:31:52,950 --> 00:31:57,750
transforms and leaves a lasting mark on
the cloth.
408
00:31:59,600 --> 00:32:06,279
And so the shroud is believed to be a
holy relic because you don't get much
409
00:32:06,280 --> 00:32:08,780
holy than the actual blood of Jesus.
410
00:32:10,920 --> 00:32:15,620
After the resurrection, the shroud
completely disappeared.
411
00:32:18,820 --> 00:32:23,300
The first appearance of the shroud in
the written record is 1389 in France.
412
00:32:24,740 --> 00:32:28,980
It was kept in the capital of the Duchy
of Savoy.
413
00:32:29,470 --> 00:32:30,790
a place called Shambury.
414
00:32:31,270 --> 00:32:37,489
It had been moved around from time to
time, but in 1578, it was brought from
415
00:32:37,490 --> 00:32:38,790
there to Turin.
416
00:32:39,530 --> 00:32:44,030
And so it's a way for people to be in
the presence of Jesus.
417
00:32:44,990 --> 00:32:50,009
While people all over the world have
been struck by its stunning imprint of
418
00:32:50,010 --> 00:32:56,829
face of Jesus Christ, not everyone's
convinced that the shroud is a genuine
419
00:32:56,830 --> 00:33:02,679
relic. Ever since the shroud first
really appears in history, there's been
420
00:33:02,680 --> 00:33:06,590
controversy about it, and there have
been questions about its authenticity.
421
00:33:07,020 --> 00:33:12,799
In 1988, a group of scientists were able
to get permission to get a sample from
422
00:33:12,800 --> 00:33:17,260
the shroud and to subject it to
radiocarbon dating.
423
00:33:18,420 --> 00:33:25,299
And then they announced, with a 95 %
degree of certainty, that the shroud
424
00:33:25,300 --> 00:33:26,350
was medieval.
425
00:33:28,200 --> 00:33:34,839
Suddenly, there's this carbon -14
dating, and they say that it dates to
426
00:33:34,840 --> 00:33:35,890
13th century.
427
00:33:36,220 --> 00:33:41,919
And, wow, that's a tremendous blow to
everybody who thought that the shroud
428
00:33:41,920 --> 00:33:42,970
might be real.
429
00:33:43,220 --> 00:33:49,419
But then, as time went on, experts began
to look at it, and it was finally
430
00:33:49,420 --> 00:33:56,120
determined that the test was taken from
the very end of the shroud, not...
431
00:33:56,350 --> 00:34:03,249
where the image is, and it really turned
out to be a patch
432
00:34:03,250 --> 00:34:08,948
that had been woven by ancient weavers.
They weaved it back together on that
433
00:34:08,949 --> 00:34:10,070
particular area.
434
00:34:10,469 --> 00:34:15,770
When those guys came out with their
carbon -14, they tested the wrong piece.
435
00:34:16,030 --> 00:34:17,670
Nobody's proved it a fake yet.
436
00:34:19,210 --> 00:34:23,769
Despite the questions about the shroud's
credibility, many Christians have faith
437
00:34:23,770 --> 00:34:25,469
in its divine nature.
438
00:34:26,219 --> 00:34:32,039
And as evidence, they point to numerous
accounts of the Shroud's supposed
439
00:34:32,040 --> 00:34:33,159
healing powers.
440
00:34:35,920 --> 00:34:41,198
Perhaps the most compelling case is the
story of the recovery of a young British
441
00:34:41,199 --> 00:34:44,340
girl named Josie Woolham in 1955.
442
00:34:46,030 --> 00:34:52,789
Josie Willem was a young girl who, at
the age of five, developed a
443
00:34:52,790 --> 00:34:55,350
terrible degenerative bone disease.
444
00:34:55,969 --> 00:35:02,689
And after five years of suffering this,
she basically was approaching her
445
00:35:02,690 --> 00:35:03,740
final days.
446
00:35:04,290 --> 00:35:11,249
Then Josie made a pilgrimage to Turin,
and she actually had a chance to put
447
00:35:11,250 --> 00:35:12,490
her hands on the shroud.
448
00:35:13,150 --> 00:35:17,290
There was no immediate reaction, no
miracle cure on the spot.
449
00:35:19,110 --> 00:35:22,710
But her health kept improving and kept
improving.
450
00:35:23,690 --> 00:35:25,930
Eventually, she actually got better.
451
00:35:26,550 --> 00:35:29,070
The story of Josie Wallen, it's
extraordinary.
452
00:35:29,630 --> 00:35:33,889
So you've got this documented miraculous
healing in the 20th century, which of
453
00:35:33,890 --> 00:35:37,249
course raises the question, does the
shroud cause a miracle? Or is there
454
00:35:37,250 --> 00:35:38,390
something else there?
455
00:35:38,430 --> 00:35:40,780
That's what's really fascinating about
this.
456
00:35:47,850 --> 00:35:51,789
While the Shroud of Turin has been
venerated by Christians for thousands of
457
00:35:51,790 --> 00:35:57,829
years, it's just one of several holy
objects that are believed to be
458
00:35:57,830 --> 00:36:00,170
with the death of the Son of God.
459
00:36:02,330 --> 00:36:08,529
One of these artifacts is a spear that
was reportedly wielded by a Roman
460
00:36:08,530 --> 00:36:11,610
during the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
461
00:36:12,210 --> 00:36:15,930
The origin of the spear comes from...
462
00:36:17,000 --> 00:36:18,580
The Gospel of John.
463
00:36:19,360 --> 00:36:20,620
Jesus is on the cross.
464
00:36:20,621 --> 00:36:24,179
The Romans are trying to figure out
whether he's dead because there's a lot
465
00:36:24,180 --> 00:36:25,980
pressure to get him down and bury him.
466
00:36:26,920 --> 00:36:31,800
There was a Roman soldier who someone
told him, stab this guy, finish him off,
467
00:36:31,940 --> 00:36:33,040
make sure he's dead.
468
00:36:34,460 --> 00:36:39,219
The Christian tradition says the name of
this Roman soldier who pierces Jesus is
469
00:36:39,220 --> 00:36:40,270
Longinus.
470
00:36:40,720 --> 00:36:45,440
And there's a story that developed that
he's blind or he's nearsighted.
471
00:36:46,110 --> 00:36:51,930
And so when he pierces the side of
Jesus, the blood and the water comes
472
00:36:51,970 --> 00:36:55,890
That lands on his eyes, and it makes him
able to see.
473
00:36:56,750 --> 00:36:57,810
It's this miracle.
474
00:36:58,730 --> 00:37:02,400
Because, of course, the blood of Christ
is this miraculous sort of thing.
475
00:37:03,750 --> 00:37:10,609
According to Christian belief, when this
ordinary spear touched Jesus, it became
476
00:37:10,610 --> 00:37:12,030
a sacred relic.
477
00:37:13,100 --> 00:37:18,200
and was referred to as either the Holy
Lance or the Spear of Destiny.
478
00:37:22,220 --> 00:37:29,039
Because this was the only weapon that is
said to have pierced the body
479
00:37:29,040 --> 00:37:35,439
of Christ, the legend got going that if
you had the Spear of Destiny, the Holy
480
00:37:35,440 --> 00:37:41,440
Lance, you could not be stopped. You
were invincible.
481
00:37:42,360 --> 00:37:46,459
And a whole series of leaders wanted to
get their hands on it, perhaps believing
482
00:37:46,460 --> 00:37:49,920
God would then be on their side and they
would prevail.
483
00:37:51,620 --> 00:37:55,699
After Jesus' crucifixion, one of the
rulers who reportedly came into
484
00:37:55,700 --> 00:38:01,780
of the Spear of Destiny was the 8th
century French king, Charlemagne.
485
00:38:03,040 --> 00:38:08,899
Charlemagne, Charles the Great, carried
the lance in 47 victorious
486
00:38:08,900 --> 00:38:10,100
campaigns.
487
00:38:11,210 --> 00:38:15,969
and spread his control over much of
France and Germany all the way into what
488
00:38:15,970 --> 00:38:18,510
would now be Slovakia and Hungary.
489
00:38:19,230 --> 00:38:25,489
And so Charlemagne at 800, on Christmas
Day, is crowned by the Pope as Emperor
490
00:38:25,490 --> 00:38:26,540
of the West.
491
00:38:27,470 --> 00:38:31,389
And there were a lot of people who
believed that the Spear of Destiny
492
00:38:31,390 --> 00:38:32,440
his success.
493
00:38:33,230 --> 00:38:39,349
Is it possible that the Spear of Destiny
actually gave Charlemagne the power to
494
00:38:39,350 --> 00:38:40,490
vanquish his enemies?
495
00:38:41,200 --> 00:38:42,250
Perhaps.
496
00:38:44,100 --> 00:38:48,780
But if so, then such power apparently
came at a heavy price.
497
00:38:50,720 --> 00:38:56,599
Legend says that if you drop the Spear
of Destiny or lose it or even really
498
00:38:56,600 --> 00:39:01,539
back from it, all of your great
victories are going to be as nothing.
499
00:39:01,540 --> 00:39:02,479
just fall.
500
00:39:02,480 --> 00:39:07,099
And that's what happened, apparently,
when Charlemagne carried it into battle
501
00:39:07,100 --> 00:39:08,150
and dropped it.
502
00:39:08,410 --> 00:39:11,970
He lost that battle even though with it
he'd won 47 battles.
503
00:39:12,710 --> 00:39:18,490
Was the Spear of Destiny responsible for
both the rise and fall of Charlemagne?
504
00:39:19,730 --> 00:39:24,189
Perhaps the answer can be found by
examining the fate of two men who
505
00:39:24,190 --> 00:39:26,650
the spear during the 20th century.
506
00:39:30,010 --> 00:39:31,850
March 12th, 1938.
507
00:39:33,410 --> 00:39:35,850
German troops march into Vienna,
Austria.
508
00:39:36,380 --> 00:39:38,180
and take control of the capital city.
509
00:39:39,220 --> 00:39:45,679
Hitler orders his soldiers to storm the
Royal Hofburg Palace and seize
510
00:39:45,680 --> 00:39:47,620
the Spear of Destiny.
511
00:39:49,260 --> 00:39:54,019
The Spear of Destiny appears in the
modern stage in March of 1938 when the
512
00:39:54,020 --> 00:39:57,180
Republic of Austria is annexed to the
German Reich.
513
00:39:58,040 --> 00:40:04,440
The Republic of Austria had acquired the
Spear some centuries before.
514
00:40:05,600 --> 00:40:11,279
And that spear is taken from there, and
it is taken back to Nuremberg in Germany
515
00:40:11,280 --> 00:40:12,330
proper.
516
00:40:12,800 --> 00:40:15,580
And there it remained until 1945.
517
00:40:18,120 --> 00:40:24,919
On April 30, 1945, Allied forces, under
the command of U .S. General George S.
518
00:40:24,920 --> 00:40:28,020
Patton, captured the German city of
Nuremberg.
519
00:40:28,400 --> 00:40:33,359
In the aftermath of the fighting,
American soldiers discovered the Spear
520
00:40:33,360 --> 00:40:34,410
Destiny.
521
00:40:35,150 --> 00:40:37,890
Patton himself took possession of the
spear.
522
00:40:38,790 --> 00:40:43,109
He liked to imagine himself being the
reincarnation of all kinds of previous
523
00:40:43,110 --> 00:40:47,810
military leaders, some of which might
have had the Spear of Destiny with them.
524
00:40:48,490 --> 00:40:54,629
After Patton acquired the spear, events
transpired which suggested that the
525
00:40:54,630 --> 00:40:58,310
legends about the sacred relic might be
true.
526
00:40:59,250 --> 00:41:02,530
It is said that basically the day
before,
527
00:41:03,430 --> 00:41:09,449
Hitler shot himself, the Americans found
the Spear of Destiny and General Patton
528
00:41:09,450 --> 00:41:10,500
took it.
529
00:41:11,310 --> 00:41:13,270
And that's what set Hitler off.
530
00:41:13,770 --> 00:41:20,529
And then Patton himself, he put it back
into the Hofburg Museum and shortly
531
00:41:20,530 --> 00:41:22,310
after that he died in a car crash.
532
00:41:24,030 --> 00:41:28,510
So all of these things look like, yeah,
there's something to this legend.
533
00:41:30,990 --> 00:41:36,269
Did the spear of destiny really sway the
fate of nations for centuries, as some
534
00:41:36,270 --> 00:41:42,069
believe? And what about lost relics,
like the Ark of the Covenant or the Holy
535
00:41:42,070 --> 00:41:44,730
Grail? Will they ever be found?
536
00:41:45,970 --> 00:41:47,470
Ultimately, it's hard to say.
537
00:41:48,710 --> 00:41:50,330
However, one thing is certain.
538
00:41:51,550 --> 00:41:56,769
People will keep trying to uncover the
truth about these mysterious objects
539
00:41:56,770 --> 00:41:57,850
for the moment remain.
540
00:41:59,920 --> 00:42:00,970
Unexplained.
541
00:42:00,990 --> 00:42:05,540
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