Recap of Session Two Question: Is there a Supreme Being? Why? Answers: 1.Every Effect Has a Cause 2.Every Creation Has a Creator 3.Every Law Has a Lawgiver

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV) 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God [a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Writing Exercise Write three sentences on the piece of paper that I have provided to you. These sentences can be about anything that you want them to be about. After you have written those. Turn your paper over and write three sentences about the City of Macon, GA.

Fulfilled Prophecies The Bible is full of literally hundreds of prophecies. Christ’ first coming alone fulfills over 300! There are 48 major prophecies in the Old Testament concerning the Messiah. For one person to fulfill only 8 would be a 1 in chance. That is 1 chance in 100,000,000,000,000, in a quadrillion!

Fulfilled Prophecies (continued) The chances of 1 person fulfilling all 48 major Old Testament prophecies would be 1 in ! That looks like: 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,00 0,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,0 00,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 There’s not even a name for this number!

Historical Accuracy FindDiscoveredImportance Dead Sea Scrolls Qumran, Israel Oldest copies of the Old Testament 150BC- 70AD. House of David Inscription Tel Dan, Israel Earliest mention of King David outside of the Bible. Cyrus Cylinder1879 Babylon, Iraq Contains the degree from Cyrus that is mentioned in Ezra 1:1-3 and elsewhere. Epic of Gilgamesh1853 Ninevah, Iraq First extra-biblical find that appears to reference a great flood like Genesis 7-8 The Pilate Inscription1961 Caesarea Maritima Confirmed the existence of the office of Pilate Caiaphas Ossuary1990 near Jerusalem Confirmed the existence of Caiaphas Pool of Siloam2004 JerusalemSite of Jesus’ miracle in John 9:1-11 Rylands Papurus P521920Oldest accepted manuscript of New Testament

Scientific Accuracy Scientific PrincipleScripture Roundness of the EarthIsaiah 40:22 Law of Conservation of Mass and Energy2 Peter 3:7 Hydrologic CycleEcclesiastes 1:7 Law of Increasing EntropyPsalms 102:25-27 Atmospheric circulationEcclesiastes 1:6 Gravitational fieldJob 26:7

Indestructibility Throughout history there have been various attempt to destroy the Bible. In 303A.D. Roman emperor Diocletian ordered all Bibles destroyed. 20 years emperor Constantine asked for a copy of the Bible and within 24 hours he had over 50 complete copies!

Indestructibility (continued) In 1199 Pope Innocent III ordered all Bibles burned. In the 1920s Joseph Stalin ordered all Bibles purged from the U.S.S.R. In the present time Bibles are not allowed in China and other non-Christian nations.

Unique Structure 66 books make up the Bible. It has over 40 authors. Written by people from all walks of life. Took over 2000 years to write it. None of the writers knew that their work would one day people put together in a book. Yet, it all makes sense together.

Universal Influence The Bible has impacted world events unlike any other document in human history. Of the world’s most famous paintings, 117 depict Bible figures Great musicians such as Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, and Handel all were biblically inspired. America’s foundation was laid on biblical principles and by biblical men. The modern educational system and medical fields also build upon biblical techniques.

Life-Changing Effect The Bible has changed the lives of countless people all over the world and its effect can still be seen throughout the world today. Rich or poor, scholar or simpleton, king or commoner, … the Bible has affected literally every background and walk of like. No other book has ever held such universal appeal or stirred such permanent interest.