ARMENIA - Fourth Century Church Uncovered
Ruins of an early Christian church dating to the fourth century were discovered in the city of Artaxata in western Armenia, the University of Münster announced.
The find occurred in a joint venture between archaeologists of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia and the German university.
Within the extensions, the archeologists found wooden platforms, which radiocarbon dating determined to be from the mid-fourth century.
In addition to the plain mortar floor and tiles made of terracotta, researchers found on-site marble artifacts imported from the Mediterranean, suggesting the church was richly decorated, the university noted.
Professor Achim Lichtenberger of the university said of the find, “The 4th-century building is the oldest archaeologically documented church in the country,” characterizing it as “sensational evidence for early Christianity in Armenia.”
-www.jpost.com, 20 October 2024
Arno's Commentary
The country of Armenia has a population of less than 3 million, of which 97% follow the Christian religion. The country is bordered by Georgia in the north, Turkey in the west, Iran to the south, and Azerbaijan to the east (all but Georgia are predominantly Muslim nations).
We note the statement of the archaeologists, “suggesting the church was richly decorated,” similar to various churches we read of in the book of Revelation that have been archaeologically investigated. It seems to all follow in the same direction: blessings, success, and then follows judgment.
Here the first three verses of James 5 are noteworthy: “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.”
Arno Froese is the executive director of Midnight Call Ministries and editor-in-chief of the acclaimed prophetic magazines Midnight Call and News From Israel. He has authored a number of well-received books, and has sponsored many prophecy conferences in the U.S., Canada, and Israel. His extensive travels have contributed to his keen insight into Bible prophecy, as he sees it from an international perspective.
