Biblical Ophir – Aurea, Las Islas Filipinas

Recent finds in 1981  of what is  known as Surigao Treasures  can be seen  at the Ayala Museum in Manila reveals that pre-Hispanic Filipinas  or Aurea  was  already advanced in culture, trade  and education.

Trade between its neighboring countries was  already established, China, India and the middle east. Ships of Tyre and Solomon must have traded for gold from these Islands. The Surigao Treasure shows an exquisite design suited for royalties. The Bible says it takes three years for  journey to Ophir or Aurea  and back.

Josephus Account

Chryse the “Golden One” is the name given by ancient Greek writers to an island rich in gold to the east of India. Pomponius Mela, Marinos of Tyre and the Periplus of the Frythraean Sea mention Chryse in the 1st century CE. Josephus calls it in Latin  Aurea and equates the islands with biblical Ophir from where the ships of Tyre and Solomon brought back gold and  Algum wood, or Almaciga, (Agathis Philippinenses)  as known in the Philippines. The ships of Tarshish were also bringing special kind of apes which is still existing in the Philippines, called Tarshiers in Bohol.

Of all places attributed to where Biblical Ophir is – only the Philippines meets the historical  location and abundance of gold and  algum wood.

Hebrew Influence

Because of this early trading contacts with the Hebrews they have left some of their practices in these  islands.

Marriage Settlement
This is still practiced by some tribal groups wherein the  groom must work for the family before he can claim his bride. Similar to Jacob working for Laban.

Circumcision
Of all the Asian countries only the Filipinos follow this medical procedure  to the dot.

Blood Sacrifice
Shedding of animal blood is used in sacrifice for harvest, planting and even putting of blood during construction. I remember when we built our house in Bukidnon blood of Chicken was sprinkled into the foundation post. In my tribe we call this “Pamuhat”.

Substitutionary Atonement
I belong to the Higao-onon tribe of Bukidnon. “Tampuda” or “To Cut” is a ceremony performed in settling conflicts between tribes. A pig is put on a hole and the chieftains of the warring tribes will each take their turn  aiming their spears to the pig until the pig dies. Then the hole is covered and they will exchange porcelain cups symbolyzing  peace among them. Their anger is transferred to the pig. This is similar to the propitiation sacrifice perform in the Jewish temple.

Year of Jubilee – Cancellation of Debt

The Laguna Copperplate Inscription was found in 1989 near the mouth of the Lumbang River  by a man who was dredging sand to turn into concrete. The document dated itself to the Saka year 822, an old Hindu calendar date which corresponds to 900 AD.  The inscription declares the cancellation of debts of those people mentioned in the plate. This is similar to the Hebrew year of Jubilee.

Spanish Account

In a book found in Spain entitled Collecion General de Documentos Relativos a las Islas Filipinas, the author has described how to locate Ophir. According to the section “Document No. 98″, dated 1519-1522, Ophir can be found by travelling from the Cape of Good Hope in Africa, to India, to Burma, to Sumatra, to Moluccas, to Borneo, to Sulu, to China, then finally Ophir. Ophir was said to be ” in front of China towards the sea, of many islands where the Moluccans, Chinese, and Lequios met to trade…” Jes Tirol asserts that this group of islands could not be Japan because the Moluccans did not get there, nor Taiwan, since it is not composed of “many islands.” Only the present-day Philippines, he says, could fit the description. Spanish records also mention the presence of Lequious (big, bearded white men, probably descendants of the Phoenicians, whose ships were always laden with gold and silver) in the Islands to gather gold and silver. Other evidence has also been pointed out suggesting that the Philippines was the biblical Ophir.

It was Roy Lopez  de Villalobos named the islands Filipinas in honor of King Philip II of Spain.  But the spaniards believed that they have arrived in the land of Ophir or Aurea. Spanish conquistadores  were overwhelmed of the abundance of gold.

Pieces of gold, the size of walnuts and eggs are found by sifting the earth in the island of that king who came to our ships. All the dishes of that king are of gold and also some portion of his house as we were told by that king himself…He had a covering of silk on his head, and wore two large golden earrings fastened in his ears…At his side hung a dagger, the haft of which was somewhat long and all of gold, and its scabbard of carved wood. He had three spots of gold on every tooth, and his teeth appeared as if bound with gold.

— Pigafetta on Raja Siaui of Butuan during Magellan’s voyage

For brass, iron and other weighty articles, they gave us gold in exchange…For 14 pounds of iron we received 10 pieces of gold, of the value of a ducat and a half. The Captain General forbade too great an anxiety for receiving gold, without which order every sailor would have parted with all he had to obtain this metal, which would have ruined our commerce forever.

— Pigafetta on gold trade in Cebu

Sailing in this manner, for some time, in 16° of north latitude, they were obliged by continual contrary winds, to bear up again for the Philippine islands, and in their way back, had sight of six or seven additional islands, but did not anchor at any of them. They found also an archipelago, or numerous cluster of islands, in 15 or 16 degrees of north latitude, well inhabited by a white people, with beautiful well-proportioned women, and much better clothed than in any other of the islands of these parts; and they had many golden ornaments, which was a sure sign that there was some of that metal in their country.

— Hernando Riquel et al., 1574

Could it be that gold and algum wood to build Solomon’s temple came from Aurea, or Las Islas Filipinas?