ISRAEL - 3,800-Year-Old Scarab Found
A three-year-old Israeli girl has found a scarab-shaped Canaanite amulet dating back some 3,800 years at the site of Tel Azeka near Bet Shemesh, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced.
Scarab amulets trace their origins to ancient Egypt, where beetles were revered as sacred symbols of renewal. Egyptians believed these insects embodied new life, as they laid their eggs inside the dung balls they rolled—seemingly bringing life from decay.
“Scarabs were used in this period as seals and as amulets,” Dr. Daphna Ben-Tor, an expert in the field, said in a statement. “They were found in graves, in public buildings, and in private homes. Sometimes they bear symbols and messages that reflect religious beliefs or status.”
“The excavation findings show that during the Middle Bronze and Late Bronze Ages [2000-1000 BCE], here in Tel Azeka, thrived one of the most important cities in the Judean Lowlands,” said TAU’s Prof. Oded Lipschits, excavation director at Tel Azeka. “The scarab found by Ziv joins a long list of Egyptian and Canaanite finds discovered here, which attest to the close ties and cultural influences between Canaan and Egypt during that period.”
-www.timesofisrael.com, 1 April 2025
Arno's Commentary
Indeed, the “stones cry out” when it comes to the land of Israel. The amulet here in question was found by a 3-year-old girl quite accidentally, but it explicitly shows the history before the Israelites arrived.
What is a scarab? Wikipedia defines it: “In ancient Egypt, the Scarab Beetle was a highly significant symbolic representation of the divine manifestation of the morning sun. The Egyptian god Khepri was believed to roll the sun across the sky each day at daybreak.”
When it comes to amulets, statues, or any object with supposed divine associations, Isaiah 44:17 declares: “And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.”
In our days, we may think this is far off. Not so, when we consider the fact that humanity today collectively works for, targets, and desires the well-being of the perishable body—often ignoring the Spirit, which comes from God and resides in the person who believes in Jesus. John 14:16 confirms: “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.”
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.
