Welcome! I’m thrilled that you’re here to explore my website! I’m Jodell Onstott, a passionate biblical researcher and author behind Does Jesus Exist? The Quest for Biblical Truth of the Suffering Servant in Our Modern World. This latest book is the second book of my YHWH Exists series. For decades, I’ve been on a mission to determine whether truth exists in the Bible.
I’ve longed believed truth to be an unrelenting wildfire. It spreads with unstoppable ferocity, consuming falsehood in its blazing path. Once ignited, its fierce glow cannot be contained as it illuminates deception’s darkest corners. But in 1998, I was engulfed in a crisis of faith sparked by conflicts within the written passages of Scripture. The fire of my once unshakable faith flickered with a sense of despair.
The turmoil in this crisis drove me to immerse myself deeply in the text, seeking solace and answers to quench my doubt. My research method relied primarily on atheist scholars. My reasoning? If I could uncover biblical consistency despite their toughest objections, many of the issues academic scholarship raises with the text could be addressed. Resolving enough issues might lead me to what I could confidently consider “truth.”
When my journey began, I was content with my faith and had no desire to question it. My faith enjoyed a solid foundation rooted in the Bible. It burned brightly with a fervent connection to God. I was also a busy mom who loved reading and learning. I stumbled upon a book I thought would deepen my connection to God. Instead, it led me to question His existence, capsizing my world as the evidence challenged the veracity of the “Word of God.”
Though I love reading, I wasn’t initially drawn to scholarship. I tried to ignore the lingering questions that arose, but I couldn’t silence, dismiss, or outbusy them. Despite longing to reclaim my former “innocence,” I couldn’t unlearn what I had discovered. My soul was restless with nagging questions. It felt like a consuming fire I couldn’t outrun. I started with books on the Dead Sea Scrolls, then explored the Documentary Hypothesis. This led to textual criticism. Balancing motherhood with research often kept me up until 2 a.m. It was challenging. Yet, those quiet moments where I could completely think through an issue from its inception to its conclusion were deeply rewarding. As I sifted through countless books, journals, and articles, I noticed that even the best scholars and theologians cherry-picked evidence to support their theses. Often, I could identify two or three biblical texts that contradicted their arguments and conclusions.
Before I knew it, my research evolved into scholarship. My initial research concentrated on archaeology. I reasoned that studying the text was futile if the events it described never occurred. Any organization can craft a cogent and compelling story, but it doesn’t make that story true. My studies revealed that archaeology not only supports the events described in the Bible but also confirms the existence of over 50 individuals mentioned in the Old Testament text through archaeological remains. During my research, I reconstructed Israel’s chronology and found that archaeological dating aligned with my reconstruction. Archaeological evidence kindled the first glimmer of hope.
From archaeology, I turned to science and medicine. The Kashrut laws (the clean and unclean laws) in Leviticus 11 specify animals Israel should avoid as food. I hypothesized that the prohibited animals were harmful to humans. Study after study confirmed my hypothesis. Similar evidence supported the health benefits of circumcision, the prohibition of intercourse during menstruation, and God’s guidelines for quarantining sick and contagious individuals. In ancient times, these were not concepts humanity could have understood without divine revelation. I began to see scientific evidence for Divine Law, revealing God as a master Physician who proactively safeguards His children with preventative care. Interestingly, archaeological evidence consistently shows that ancient Israelite communities avoided unclean animals as food, and the absence of their remains is a key indicator of Israelite sites.
YHWH Exists, Volume 1, addressed these topics. The Old Testament text had to stand on its own with regards to the merit and veracity of its instructions. I avoided referencing Jesus or the New Testament, except in passing, to establish the foundation’s credibility. After laying this groundwork in a 1,200-page book and with continued research, I felt grounded. Now, it’s time to tackle the controversies surrounding Jesus and the New Testament. Does it continue Old Testament theology, or does it present a radically new interpretation that contradicts the Law and Israel’s prophets?
My latest work dives headfirst into one of the Bible’s most tantalizing mysteries: Could both Jesus and the Jewish people embody Isaiah’s Suffering Servant prophecy? This question isn’t merely academic—it’s a clarion call to unite a fractured world through divine wisdom in sola Scriptura.
I’m passionate about uncovering truth and sharing it with others. My hope is that my research ignites the same love of truth in you. History has taught me that a single spark of truth can consume the darkest of lies. It can kindle the flames of a much-needed reformation. Emark and share this fascinating journey with me as we uncover lost truths illuminated by the past.