WHY YOU CAN TRUST THE BIBLE

WHY YOU CAN TRUST THE BIBLE A variety of writers forty different men contributed to the collection of 66 books A variety of backgrounds kings, shepherds, priests, fishermen A variety of places Jerusalem, Rome, Babylon A variety of times from 1450 B.C. till A.D. 95 Three different languages Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek NO CONTRADICTIONS Perfect unity requires a single source

We Can Trust That We Have God’s Message for Us Today A standard of Old Testament inspiration existed in the process of developing the Old Testament Ezekiel 13:9 The Jews accepted 39 books as God’s word So did Jesus Matthew 5:17-20 The New Testament books also went through a very careful process of revelation through the apostles and confirmed by those on whom they laid their hands 1 Corinthians 14:37

We Can Trust That We Have God’s Message for Us Today These authentic letters were copied and circulated by the early churches The apostles were diligent to write it down for the church to have it after their death 2 Peter 1:12-15 No dependence on oral tradition All 27 N.T. books were generally accepted by 200, nearly two centuries before the first church council about canon of scripture (that council merely confirmed what was already believed)

We Can Trust That We Have God’s Message for Us Today The text of the Old Testament was extremely carefully copied Dead Sea scrolls confirm accuracy of Masoretic Text written 1000 years later By comparing 25,000 Greek manuscripts, all discrepancies can be traced back and eliminated We can trust that we have the original message even if we do not have the original autographs

We Can Trust That We Have God’s Message for Us Today We can trust the translations from Hebrew and Greek into other languages First translators were sincere men who risked their lives to enlighten the common people Standard translations had a plurality of men who prevented each others’ biases from entering the translations Other writings confirm the accuracy of our translations

Scientific Foreknowledge in the Bible Job 26:7 “He hangs the earth on nothing” gravity discovered 3600 years later Job 38:7 “morning stars sang” stars emit radio waves Job 38:15 “treasure of snow” 15% more nitrogen than in rain Psalm 8:8 “the paths of the seas” Matthew Maury started oceanography from this verse! The Author of the Bible is the Creator

We Can Trust The Bible’s Historical Accuracy Extra-biblical references to Bible events 1 Kings 14:25-26 Campaign into Israel by Pharaoh Shishak recorded on the walls of the Temple of Amun in Thebes, Egypt. 2 Kings 1:1; 3:4-27 Revolt of Moab against Israel recorded on the Mesha Inscription. 2 Kings 17:3-6, 24; 18:9-11 Fall of Samaria to Sargon II, king of Assyria, as recorded on his palace walls. Isaiah 20:1 Defeat of Ashdod by Sargon II as recorded on his palace walls.

We Can Trust The Bible’s Historical Accuracy Extra-biblical references to Bible events 2 Kings 18:13-16 Campaign of the Assyrian king Sennacherib against Judah recorded on the Taylor Prism. 2 Kings 18:14, 17 Siege of Lachish by Sennacherib recorded on the Lachish reliefs. 2 Kings 19:37 Assassination of Sennacherib by his own sons is recorded in the annals of his son Esarhaddon.

We Can Trust The Bible’s Historical Accuracy Extra-biblical references to Bible events 2 Kings 24:10-14 Nebuchadnezzar’s conquest of Jerusalem is recorded in the Babylonian Chronicles. 2 Kings 24:15-16 Captivity of Jehoiachin, king of Judah, is recorded on the Babylonian Ration Records. Daniel 5:30-31 Fall of Babylon to the Medes and Persians is recorded on the Cyrus Cylinder. Ezra 1:1-4; 6:3-4 Freeing of captives in Babylon by Cyrus the Great is recorded on the Cyrus Cylinder.

The Cyrus Cylinder

We Can Trust The Bible’s Historical Accuracy Extra-biblical references to N.T. events Acts 18:2 Jews are banished from Rome by the Emperor Claudius recorded by Suetonius Luke 1:1-4, 2:1-2 Jesus is a true historical person Several unsympathetic witnesses to historicity of Jesus: Suetonius, Thallus, Pliny the Younger, Lucian, Josephus

Fulfilled Prophecy: Recorded History in Advance Book of Daniel is history in advance Isaiah 44:6-8, 24-45:6 Cyrus by name “so you will know I am the Lord” 200 years before; restoration of Jerusalem was prophesied 140 years before its fall Psalm 22:1,6,7,14-18 details of Jesus’ death written 1000 years earlier!

Accuracy in Truth Includes Spiritual Truth Truth never contradicts truth Bible truth does not contradict true science Historical truth confirms spiritual truth Why we can and should believe the Bible Prophecies of Jesus prove Bible is God’s Word Prophecies of Jesus prove Jesus is God’s Son Author of Bible is author of salvation Heb. 5:9 Mark 16:15-16, Luke 13:3, Matt. 10:32