Posted on 07/25/2006 12:21:17 PM PDT by lunarbicep
IRELAND'S national museum today hailed what it said was one of the most significant discoveries in decades - and perhaps centuries - after an ancient prayer book was found by chance in an Irish bog.
The National Museum of Ireland said fragments of what appeared to be an ancient Psalter or Book of Psalms, written around AD 800, were uncovered by a bulldozer in a bog in the south Midlands.
"In discovery terms this Irish equivalent to the Dead Sea Scrolls is being hailed by the Museum's experts as the greatest find ever from a European bog," the museum said in a statement.
The Dead Sea Scrolls, found in the mid 20th century, are considered to be of enormous religious and historical significance since they include some of the earliest known surviving Biblical documents.
The Irish discovery, recovered from bogland last Friday, comprises extensive fragments of what is thought to be an Irish Early Christian Psalter, written on vellum, a fine animal skin parchment.
"In my wildest hopes, I could only have dreamed of a discovery as fragile and rare as this," Museum Director Pat Wallace said, adding it was not so much the fragments themselves, but what they represented, that was of such "staggering" importance.
"It testifies to the incredible richness of the Early Christian civilisation of this island and to the greatness of ancient Ireland," he said.
The museum said it did not know how the manuscript ended up in the bog.
"It may have been lost in transit or dumped after a raid, possibly more than a thousand to twelve hundred years ago."
Part of Psalm 83, a lament to God over other nations' attempts to wipe out Israel, is legible but the museum said the extent to which other Psalms or additional texts are preserved would only be determined by lengthy work by a team of experts.
Bernard Meehan, Head of Manuscripts at Trinity College Dublin, who was invited to advise on the context and background of the manuscript, said he believed it was the first discovery of an Irish Early Medieval manuscript in two centuries.
Initial impressions placed the composition date of the manuscript at about AD 800, a time of Viking raids in Ireland.
Psalm 83? In light of what is going on in the world that is amazing. God certainly has a sense of humor/timing... even the rocks cry out.
"Hundreds of millions of us"
"Hundreds" would be more accurate than "hundreds of millions."
As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:10-11
Your word, O LORD, is eternal;
it stands firm in the heavens.
Psalm 119:89
" Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away."
Thanks, Thinkin' Gal, for the link on the original thread!
ping
!!!!!!!!!
It is interesting that ANYTHING is legible after being in a bog for 1400 years. I've seen some of the artifacts (including people) retrieved from the bogs in the Irish Museum in Dublin. Everything takes on a dark brown color, like it had been soaked in tobacco juice for 1000 years. I'm surprised that they can make out any words at all.
This is a truly wonderful discovery, and the timing is not lost on me. Divine intervention?
You really should stop smoking crack.
It's just not good for you.
Amen.
"Verse 6 reads they will be from tents. What is your interpretation on that. I've been doing some thinking on this and would like your take on it. Thanks.."
Haven't really given that much thought...what did you come up with?
Right here on FR:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1671802/posts
No. Hundreds of millions in China, Brazil, Korea, across many Western countries . . . Africa . . . and surprising numbers even in Islamic countries through vivid dreams, visions, visitations of Jesus The Christ to individuals, families, tribes.
The Pentecostal/Charismatic flavor & perspective of Christianity is massively sweeping across the globe. People are finding God IS REAL; DOES CARE; and DOES BACK UP HIS WORD WITH SIGNS FOLLOWING THOSE WHO BELIEVE as Scripture says.
I don't know that it's greatly more than 200,000,000 but I'm rather confident the numbers are that high. China may well be in significant excess of 100,000,000 alone.
ROFL! Right next to the picnic basket with the lutefisk and green jello!
"God IS REAL; DOES CARE;"
That is true, but it has nothing to do with your misconceptions regarding history and the Church.
If they were misconceptions, I wouldn't have them! LOL.
Psalm 83
Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee.my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind... My God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind. As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire; So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm. Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD.
I guess that's supposed to be some sort of joke, but I don't get it.
The fact is thatsomebody, or sombodies, have told you a lot of things that simply are not true, and you believed them. You harbor many misconceptions.
Just wow.
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