Staff at the Armstrong Institute of Biblical Archaeology (aiba) have been busy putting together our next issue of Let the Stones Speak—which will be unique and altogether different from anything else we have produced.
For our subscribers, you typically would have received your November-December issue of the magazine around this time. We would like to let you know why that has been delayed and inform you of some exciting forthcoming projects.
On Jan. 17, 2023, the Israel Antiquities Authority asked if we would be interested in hosting another archaeological exhibit. Having hosted two previous exhibits, this was a prospect that we were very excited about.
After exhibiting finds that related to the Prophet Jeremiah in our first exhibit and discoveries that related to King Hezekiah in our second exhibit, we knew it was time to put Israel’s most important king on display: King David. We decided to partner with the Israel Antiquities Authority and host an exhibit featuring key discoveries attesting to the biblical account of the monumental nature of the united kingdom—the Israel of kings David and Solomon.
David is one of the Bible’s best-known personalities. He was a dynamic leader who, as the Bible describes it, reigned over a truly monumental kingdom. He expanded the reaches of Israel’s territory from near the Euphrates River in the north to the “Brook of Egypt” in the south.
Following his death, his son Solomon inherited a kingdom unmatched in power and wealth. He established and commanded a first-class navy and expanded Israel’s territory further north. His crowning achievement was the construction of a gold-gilded temple.
This remarkable age of the united monarchy truly was Israel’s golden era.
Within the world of archaeology, however, the evidence pointing to the monumental nature of this kingdom is often ignored and even belittled. Yet the amount of such evidence—scientific proof of the biblical description of David and Solomon’s kingdom—is growing all the time. In the last 18 years especially, archaeologists have discovered structures, inscriptions and artifacts that bring the ancient kingdom of David and Solomon to life.
Astonishingly, though, no one has assembled the many historical, archaeological and biblical proofs to tell the full story that science reveals of the grandiose nature of Israel’s 10th-century b.c.e. kingdom—until now.
The Armstrong Institute of Biblical Archaeology is bringing that evidence together in a new archaeological exhibition: “Kingdom of David and Solomon Discovered.” For nearly 11 months beginning on February 26, the exhibit will be open to the public at Armstrong Auditorium in Edmond, Oklahoma.
This exhibit will immerse visitors into Israel’s united monarchy. With the help of the Israel Antiquities Authority and Israel Museum, we are bringing together nearly 50 artifacts, a life-size replica of a portion of Solomon’s palace, and virtual reality tours of the City of David. (For more information, click here.)
To go along with this exhibit, we have also been putting together a 132-page special issue of Let the Stones Speak. This special issue will give you a comprehensive and detailed corpus of all the evidence that relates to David and Solomon’s monumental kingdom.
Because this issue is nearly triple the size of our typical bimonthly publication, we have scheduled printing for mid-January to give our writers, editors and artists more time to make this a truly special issue.
“The team has worked incredibly hard and has marshaled every resource at our disposal to create the greatest, most important, most sensational exhibit and magazine issue possible,” aiba assistant director and exhibit curator Brad Macdonald said. “The horrific October 7 attacks and the subsequent global groundswell of hostility toward Israel show how important it is to share Israel’s unique history and heritage. With the exhibit and magazine, you will travel 3,000 years back in time to enter the world of David and Solomon, and the golden age of biblical Israel.”
The Armstrong Institute has been involved in many exciting projects over the years—from excavating the City of David and the Ophel, to showcasing world-renowned artifacts. But we believe bringing this history to life in this way is the most important endeavor we have ever pursued. “This wasn’t a simple task,” aiba founder Gerald Flurry said, “but I believe our more than 60 years of involvement with Jerusalem’s archaeology has been preparing us for this project.”
Stay tuned for more information and updates! We look forward to sharing this wonderful history with you. If you are already subscribed, then you can expect your next issue to arrive in early February. If you are not subscribed to Let the Stones Speak but would like to receive this special issue, start your free subscription now by visiting ArmstrongInstitute.org/Magazine.
