1. WHY YOU CAN TRUST THE BIBLE

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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)

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. The Cyrus Cylinder

12. 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

13. 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!

14. 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