Why I can Believe the Bible!

-Assuming that the Unexplained Is Not Explainable. -Presuming the Bible Guilty Until Proven Innocent. -Confusing Our Fallible Interpretations with God’s Infallible Revelation. -Failing to Understand the Context of the Passage. -Neglecting to Interpret Difficult Passages in the Light of Clear Ones. -Basing a Teaching on an Obscure Passage. -The Bible Is a Human Book with Human Characteristics. -Assuming that a Partial Report is not a False Report. -Demanding N.T. Citations of the O.T. Be Exact Quotations. -Assuming that Divergent Accounts Are False Ones.

-Presuming that the Bible Approves of All it Records. - Forgetting that the Bible Uses Non-technical, Everyday Language. -Assuming that Round Numbers Are False. -Neglecting to Note that the Bible Uses Different Literary Devices. -Only the Original Text, Not Copies of Scripture, are without Error. -“#OU HAVE WON THE FIVE MILLION DOLLAR READER’S DIGEST SWEEPSTAKES.” -General statements do not mean necessarily universal promises -Later Revelation Supersedes Previous Revelation.

Common Objections 1. The Bible is not scientifically reliable. 2. The Bible is historically inaccurate. 3. The Bible is outdated. 4. The Bible is the work of man.

1. Archaeology over 25,000 sites 2. Reliability of copy Document Name Number of Manuscripts Earliest Date Homer’s Illiad Caesar's Gallic Wars Livy's History of Rome Thucydides' History Herodotus' History The New Testament ,000 BC 400 AD 900 AD 400 AD 900 AD 900 AD 125

3. Early Non-Christian confirmation of New Testament history Tacitus roman historian about Jesus and church life Suetonius confirms Acts 18:2 Diaspora A.D Josephus A..D Israelite recorder of Roman history mentions Jesus’ life, death, resurrection Thallus wrote of darkness after crucifixion A.D. 52 Pliny the Younger described N.T. worship A.D. 112 Talmud Sanhedrin 43a confirms Jesus’ death & why Lucian 2 nd century Greek writer confirms Christian faith

4. Social & Personal Impact Slavery, AA 12 steps, Hospitals, Universities, Literacy, Civil liberties, Modern Science, George Washington Carver, Jesus’ Disciples, Abraham Lincoln, Norma McCorvey, Chuck Colson, Britt Hume and You!

5. Contemporary critics debated the source of miracles not the occurrence of miracles. 6. What Jesus said about the Bible -Spirit was author (Mt. 22:43-44) -Quoted the Bible as authoritative (Mt 22:29, Lk 11:28) -The Bible is unique (Mt. 5:18,Jn. 10:35) -Jesus called it the Word of God (Mk 7:13) -Said people/places were real (Mt 22:40, 24:15, 19:4, 10:15, Lk 17:26)

7. Prophecies PROPHECYFULFILLMENT Isa. 7:14Isa. 7:14 Virgin-born Micah 5:2 Birth in Bethlehem Isa. 7:14 Called Immanuel Isa. 9:1-2 Ministry in Galilee Zech. 9:9 Triumphal entry Ps. 41:9 Betrayed by a friend Ps. 35:11 Falsely accused Isa. 53:7 Silent before accusers Ps. 22:16 Hands & feet pierced Isa. 53:12 Crucified with robbers Ps. 22:18 Lots cast for clothes Ps. 34:20 Bones not broken Ps. 22:15 Thirsted on the cross Isa 53:9 Buried in tomb of rich Micah 5:2 Isa. 7:14 Isa. 9:1-2 Zech. 9:9 Ps. 41:9 Ps. 35:11 Isa. 53:7 Ps. 22:16 Isa. 53:12 Ps. 22:18 Ps. 34:20 Ps. 22:15 Isa 53:9 Luke 1:26-35 Matt. 2:1 Matt. 1:23 Matt. 4:12-16 Matt. 21:1-11 Matt. 26:20-25 Matt. 26:59-68 Matt. 27:12-14 John 20:25 Matt. 27:38 John 19:23-24 John 19:33 John 19:28 Matt. 27:57-60 Matt. 2:1 Matt. 1:23 Matt. 4:12-16 Matt. 21:1-11 Matt. 26:20-25 Matt. 26:59-68 Matt. 27:12-14 John 20:25 Matt. 27:38 John 19:23-24 John 19:33 John 19:28 Matt. 27:57-60

Daniel predicted the four great kingdoms Bible passage: Daniel 2:32-33 Written: about 530 BC Fulfilled: Throughout history; completed during End Times Tyre would be attacked by many nations Bible passage: Ezekiel 26:3Written: from BC Fulfilled: 573 BC, 332 BC, 1291 AD The Jews would avenge the Edomites Bible passage: Ezekiel 25:14 Written: BC Fulfilled: about 100 BC Babylon would rule Judah for 70 years Bible passage: Jeremiah 25:11-12 Written: sometime from 626 to about 586 BC Fulfilled: about 609 BC to 539 BC 7. Prophecies (cont.)

Nineveh would be destroyed, permanently Bible passage: Nahum 3:19 Written: about 614 BC Fulfilled: 612 Jacob's descendants regain control of Israel Bible passage: Amos 9:14-15 Written: about 750 BC Fulfilled: Since 1948 Jesus prophesied that the Temple would be destroyed Bible passage: Mt. 24:1-2 Recorded: about 30 AD Fulfilled: 70 AD 7. Prophecies (cont.)

8. Primary source eyewitness accounts; Lk. 1:1-3, 3:1, Jn. 20:30-31, Acts 2:22, 10:39-42, 26:24-26, 2 Peter 1:16, 1 Jn. 1:3, 19:35 “Variation of accounts, their own understanding of the meaning of events,

9. Agreement and consistency Written by 40 different authors. It was written over a period of 1,600 years. It was written in three languages: Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. Its writers came from many walks of life: prophet (Jeremiah), priest (Zechariah), shepherd (Amos), king (David), servant (Nehemiah), doctor (Luke), tax collector (Matthew), and Pharisee (Paul). It was written on three continents: Asia, Africa, and Europe. A gap of more than 400 years separated the writing of the Old Testament from the New Testament

10. Scientific accuracy Roundness of the earth (Is. 40:22) Almost infinite extent of the sidereal universe (Is. 55:9) Law of conservation of mass & energy (2 Peter 3:7) Hydrologic cycle (Eccl. 1:7) Vast number of stars (Jer. 33:22) Law of increasing entropy (Ps. 102:25-27) Importance of blood in life processes (Lev. 7:11) Atmospheric circulation (Eccl. 1:6) Gravitational field (Job 26:7) Dinosaurs (Job 40:15-24)

11. Resurrection facts and details 12. Summary: R.A.M.P. (Resurrection Archeology Miracles Prophecy)

Can you Believe the Bible?