It was an epic decision. For years Judah’s king had been caught in the middle of a bitter struggle between a brave, faith-filled prophet and a cabal of ambitious princes. Now, as the Babylonian army closed in on Jerusalem, King Zedekiah had to choose.

Judah’s princes were pressuring him to go to war. Meanwhile, God was telling the inhabitants of Jerusalem through the Prophet Jeremiah that the only way to survive the impending attack was to surrender. The king deliberated. Should he heed the prophet’s counsel, surrender Jerusalem and save his people? Or should he capitulate to his princes, kill the prophet and prepare the nation for war? The fate of the nation rested on his verdict.

It’s a gripping story, told in the book of Jeremiah. But is it true?

Jeremiah recorded this confrontation in chapter 38, and even canonized the names of the princes who persecuted him. Among these men were Jehucal, son of Shelemiah, and Gedaliah, son of Pashur. What if literal, tangible evidence of these princes existed? Obviously it would corroborate Jeremiah’s account. But wouldn’t it also be proof of the authority of the Bible?

Meet archaeologist Eilat Mazar. Dr. Mazar has been excavating in Jerusalem for more than 40 years—since she was 11 years old, in fact. In 2005, Mazar was digging into the southern section of the City of David when one of her colleagues spotted a small piece of clay lying in the dust. It had originally been made to seal a cord tied around a papyrus scroll. The tiny artifact bore a three-line Paleo-Hebrew inscription: “Belonging to Yehucal, son of Shelemiyahu, son of Shovi.”

This was the seal of Jehucal!

Three years later, Dr. Mazar and her team were on a separate dig wet-sifting debris they had excavated just a few yards away from the location of the Jehucal bulla. After washing away 2,600 years of dirt and dust, Mazar found herself staring at another bulla. This one read, “Gedalyahu ben Pashur.”

It was the seal of Gedaliah, son of Pashur!

These bullae are remarkable, once-in-a-lifetime discoveries. As Mazar told the Trumpet not long after the Gedaliah bulla was found: “It’s not often that such discoveries happen in which real figures of the past shake off the dust of history and so vividly revive the stories of the Bible.”

Rarely do science and the Bible converge as dramatically and as tangibly as with the Jehucal and Gedaliah bullae. Unearthed near the palace of Judah’s king and scientifically dated to the time of Jeremiah, these artifacts corroborate the biblical account of ancient Jerusalem. When you think on it, these bullae invoke some pivotal questions, not just about the veracity of the Bible, but even about the Prophet Jeremiah and his larger work.

As many of our readers know, our college here in Oklahoma, Herbert W. Armstrong College, has been working closely with Eilat Mazar since 2006. Our students have assisted on various excavations, both in the City of David and on the Ophel. They were there when the Gedaliah bulla was discovered. Our relationship with Dr. Mazar actually stretches all the way back to the 1960s when Herbert Armstrong, the progenitor of our work in Israel, began supporting the archaeological endeavors of Dr. Benjamin Mazar, Eilat’s grandfather and a pioneer of Jerusalem archaeology. Although more than four decades have passed since Benjamin Mazar and Herbert Armstrong formed their extraordinary friendship (both men are now deceased), this wonderful partnership is today being perpetuated through the partnership of Eilat Mazar and Gerald Flurry.

Now, the Armstrong International Cultural Foundation is delighted to invite you to the world premiere of the Gedaliah and Jehucal bullae from the City of David.

Beginning Jan. 16, 2012, these precious artifacts will join dozens of ceramic artifacts from Jerusalem from the First Temple period—including figurines, lmlk seal impressions and a pythos, one of the largest ancient vessels ever found in Israel. The exhibit will be small, but utterly unique. Again, these bullae have never been made available to the public—until now.

The artifacts will be displayed in the grand lobby of Armstrong Auditorium, our gorgeous concert hall here in Edmond, Oklahoma. The exhibit will run for eight months, during which time Armstrong Auditorium will host multiple concerts from a smorgasbord of world-class artists.

If you’re interested in viewing the Gedaliah and Jehucal bullae, as well as other precious artifacts from ancient Jerusalem, and learning more about the illustrious history of the city at the center of the Earth—and perhaps even experiencing a concert in our world-class auditorium—then plan now to visit us. Stay tuned to Armstrong Auditorium; more details will be forthcoming.

We encourage you to come experience these remarkable artifacts telling the inspiring story of ancient Israel’s dramatic rise under King Solomon, its tragic collapse under King Zedekiah—and the faith-filled work of Jeremiah.