Does archaeology truly confirm the Bible—or undermine it?

FAITH NEWS SERVICE – For decades, Christians have wrestled with a troubling question: Does archaeology truly confirm the Bible—or undermine it?

As a Bible-believing teenager, Dr. John Osgood set out to find the answer. Like many sincere Christians of his generation, he turned to the leading historical and archaeological works of the day expecting reassurance that Scripture stood firmly supported by the evidence of history.

Instead, he found confusion, contradictions, and chronologies that often seemed to erode confidence in the biblical record itself.

The deeper he researched, the clearer the problem became. Much of conventional ancient history rested upon fragile assumptions—particularly surrounding Egyptian chronology—and these assumptions had shaped not only secular scholarship, but even theological thinking within the church. In many cases, they were being used to challenge the trustworthiness of Scripture and reshape Christianity into something increasingly detached from its historical foundations.

Dr. Osgood could not accept that outcome.

Convinced that the Bible is the inspired Word of a God of truth, he recognized a profound reality: if God’s covenants, promises, and acts in history are real, then the historical framework of Scripture must also be real. Christianity is not founded upon myth or symbolism alone, but upon actual events witnessed in real places and real time.

That conviction launched a lifelong investigation.

Drawing upon decades of rigorous study alongside a career in medicine and scientific practice, Dr. Osgood pursued an approach few scholars were willing to take: beginning with the historical reliability of the Bible itself and evaluating secular reconstructions in light of Scripture—not the reverse.

The result is a groundbreaking and deeply researched work that tackles one of the most difficult puzzles in ancient history: Egypt’s Third Intermediate Period, a chronological era long considered resistant to meaningful biblical correlation.

Building upon earlier publications and years of archaeological investigation, this volume presents a detailed and original reconstruction that challenges accepted academic assumptions and argues that the biblical record and true secular history align with remarkable precision.

This is not a superficial overview. It is a serious work for readers willing to engage deeply with the historical foundations of Scripture—pastors, theologians, historians, archaeologists, students of apologetics, and thoughtful Christians seeking confidence in the integrity of God’s Word.

Readers will discover:

• A compelling challenge to conventional ancient chronology
• Detailed archaeological and historical correlations with Scripture
• A fresh defense of the historical reliability of the Bible
• Insight into how flawed chronologies have shaped modern skepticism
• Renewed assurance that the faith handed down through generations stands upon truth

Dr. Osgood has previously authored numerous articles and booklets on biblical archaeology and history, including works for Creation magazines, Across the Face of All the Earth, and the earlier foundational volume They Speak with One Voice. This present work represents the next major expansion in that series and the culmination of decades of research and reflection.

Now in his eighties, Dr. Osgood writes with urgency, clarity, and conviction—desiring to leave behind a work that strengthens believers and calls the church back to confidence in the authority of Scripture.

The Bible and Egypt’s Third Intermediate Period is more than a study of ancient history. It is an invitation to rediscover the certainty that the Bible speaks truthfully, that God’s promises stand secure, and that the faith of our fathers was not in vain.

The Bible and Egypt’s Third Intermediate Period, published by Ark House, is now available globally.