When I tell other people that I am going to Israel for a couple of weeks, most assume the reason for the trip is touring the Holy Sites, enjoying the good food, and staying in nice Hotels (with plenty of accommodations). However, their excitement genuinely wanes when I tell them that the majority of my time will be spent in a remote location on an Archaeological dig, I receive puzzled looks and weird responses like: “Why are you traveling halfway around the world in order to dig in the dirt?” At times, I’ve tried to respond by explaining the satisfaction I get from working hard in difficult circumstances in order to achieve results, but I often have to go deeper with my explanations as to why it is important for me to do so. To find that deeper meaning, I challenge them to look beyond the physical labor that archaeology requires and focus on the community of learners that are seeking to find truths hidden in the soil. I have learned that archaeology is not about finding lost treasures but understanding how people of antiquity lived their lives and perceived their world. The archaeologists that I know do not walk around with a whip and a hat seeking to save the world through the relics of the past (Strike up the Indiana Jones Soundtrack!). No, they are young and old students of history seeking to know more about the daily life, reasons for travel, economics, and political powers that surrounded the ancient cultures. These discoveries of ancient cultures are treasures to students of the Bible! They reveal to us the struggles that the people of antiquity faced day in and day out, and gives us understanding as to why those same people did some of the things that they did. For example, when you work out in the hot Israeli sun, moving dirt from one place to another,  sifting through it seeking to find anything of value, for me it shows a way of life to which I am not accustomed. The people of the Bible lived like this every day. The possessions they had came from God’s care and the work of their own hands, or by trading something of value for them. These possessions, much like today, reveals people's values and motivations. In fact, we can begin to see that we are very much like them! We are broken people seeking comfort in a broken world. These misguided values and motivations are brought into questions many times within the Bible. The beauty of it all is that through the lens of Scripture we can see God’s redemptive plan was working even when His people were going against Him.

Another wonderful privilege that I experience when participating in a dig with Tel Aviv University and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary is that I am learning from others outside of my particular faith. This may surprise many to hear me say this, but yes you can learn from others even if they don’t agree with you theologically. Truth is truth! Facts are facts! I have had the pleasure of listening to some of the sharpest minds in archaeology. They do not agree with me theologically, but they do agree with me in the facts of discovery. Sometimes, God uses those interpretations to open the door for conversations. I have had numerous conversations of why certain discoveries have increased, rather than confused, my faith. Most importantly, some of these people have told me that they have never considered what I had just explained to them. They were very appreciative for my viewpoints.

A final benefit that I enjoy while on a dig project is the opportunity to see the beauty of God’s Promised Land. God has a purpose for the land of Israel. He chose to reveal Himself to the people of Israel through the life and times of the Bible. He chose this place to gather His people to be His nation so that other nations will know that He alone is God. He used places and kingdoms to work so that His people would turn from their rebellion and return to Him. He used the blessings of the land in order to care for them as well. He hasn’t changed. He is still doing those same things here and around the globe. Amazingly, He is continuing to reveal Himself by allowing us to discover details that were hidden in the soil and that helps confirm the biblical narrative. By learning and applying these truths learned in Biblical Archaeology, I can better understand the context and better communicate His message to His people.