Oldest Known Religious Shrine Discovered

Acts 17:27
“That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us…”

The fact that man is by nature a religious creature was underscored with the discovery of the oldest known religious sanctuary in the world. The shrine was discovered in northern Spain. Evolutionists say that the shrine was built by early Stone Age man. In terms of biblical history, the sanctuary was probably built by some of the first post-flood settlers in Spain.

Scientists declared the ancient structure a religious sanctuary based on three criteria. First, it is a large structure that required the effort and cooperation of many people to build. Second, it has features that are unnecessary for daily living. Third, the structure is associated with a supernatural being. Scientists noted that the stone floor of the sanctuary shows a great deal of wear, indicating that it saw a lot of use. The worship center included an altar made of a limestone slab weighing nearly a ton.

The shrine also had a stone sculpture of a head. The right half of the head is human and the left half of the head is a carnivore of some sort. Worshippers at the site had separate storage places for sewing needles and hunting tools. Spear points, animal bones, and shells were found in a trench in the sanctuary.

Man is undeniably a religious creature. We have been made by our Creator in such a way that we are dissatisfied until we have a relationship with Him. You, too, can have a relationship with Him through the forgiveness of your sins which was earned for you by His Son, Jesus Christ.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, only in You can I be satisfied. I thank You that I can indeed be satisfied without fear because You have carried my sins to the cross and brought me new life through Your resurrection from the dead. Amen.

Notes:
C. Simon. 1981. “Stone-age Sanctuary, Oldest Known Shrine, Discovered in Spain.” Science News, Dec. 5, p. 357. Illustration: Symbols of some of the world’s religions, including Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Shinto, Sikhism, Baha’i Faith, Jainism.