2. Why we believe the Bible
Is.40:6-8.

3. DNA
3-3.5 billion “letters” =
INFORMATION

4. INFORMATION =
INTELLIGENCE

5. THE ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSE
I. MINDLESS MATTER? OR
II. AN INTELLIGENT DESIGNER?

6. AN INTELLIGENT DESIGNER
Man as an intelligent being has the urge and the desire to communicate.

7. WE COMMUNICATE
By means of
1. Words
2. Images
3. Actions

8. God’s means of communicating
THE BIBLE
God’s means of communicating

9. The Bible is by far the bestseller of all times.
WHY IS THAT?

10. BIBLE = BESTSELLER 1. Because it is unique
Why?
1. Because it is unique
2. Because it is trustworthy
3. Because it meets the most fundamental needs of mankind.

11. THE BIBLE IS UNIQUE I. Unique in origin
1. The Bible is not one book but a library of 66 letters and books, written over a periode of more than 1500 years, by some 40 different writers.
2. Among the writers were political leaders, kings, prophets, a militairy general, a prime minister, a rabby, a farmer, a tax collector, a physician, and others.

12. THE BIBLE IS UNIQUE I. Unique in origin
3. It was written in palaces, in prisons and in the wilderness.
4. It was written on 3 continents, Africa, Asia and Europe.
5. It was written in 3 languages, Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek.

13. THE BIBLE IS UNIQUE I. Unique in general
6. It was the first book that was printed.
7. It is the most printed book.
8. It is the most loved and at the same time the most hated book.
9. It was the first book on the moon, in microfilm.
10. It has been given to us by one of the smallest and most hated people groups on earth, the Jews.

14. II. Unique in translation
THE BIBLE IS UNIQUE
II. Unique in translation
1. It is the first major book translated in history
2. It is the most translated book. The whole Bible or parts of it are translated in more than 3000 languages.

15. III. Unique in circulation
THE BIBLE IS UNIQUE
III. Unique in circulation
It is the most widespread book in the world,
between 5 and 6 billion!

16. THE BIBLE IS UNIQUE IV. Unique in survival
Isaiah 40:6-8, “The voice said, “Cry out!” And he said, “What shall I cry?”
“All flesh is grass, And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.”
“bloody” Mary, Voltaire, Communism and others.
The Bible stands as an anvil, indestructable.

17. VI. Unique in its prophecies
THE BIBLE IS UNIQUE
VI. Unique in its prophecies
1. Ps. 22:2,15-19 = Christ
2. Is.53:4-12 = Christ
3. Deut.28:20-67 = Jews
4. Ez.36 = Jewish nation
5. Dan.2,7 = Four world kingdoms

18. THE BIBLE IS UNIQUE VII. Unique in influence Rom.1:16, 1Cor.6:9-11.
It has power, so many lives changed!
It works!
“The proof of the pudding is in the eating.”

19. THE BIBLE IS RELIABLE and TRUSTWORTHY
I. Historically
Archeological excavations
(“The stones cry out”)

20. Let me give you two fascinating examples from Luke
Let me give you two fascinating examples from Luke. In Acts 17:6-8, Luke uses the Greek word politarchs to describe the city officials in Thessalonica. That word doesn’t appear in classical Greek literature, so for many years, critics accused Luke of making a mistake. Then archaeologists discovered a first-century arch in the town that used this very term — showing that the term was in use for government officials at the very time Luke was writing. It was a similar phenomena with Acts 18:12, where Luke uses the term “proconsul” to describe a gentleman called Gallio. That word didn’t appear either in classical literature so, again, scholars questioned Luke’s accuracy. Then an inscription was found at Delphi, dating to AD51, using the same term — and amazingly, to describe the very same official, Gallio. Once again Luke was proven to be a very accurate historian.

21. THE BIBLE IS RELIABLE and TRUSTWORTHY
II. Scientifically
1. The earth being round, Jes.40:22
2. The number of stars, Gen.22:17; Jer.33:22
3. The size of Noah’s ark, length/width 6:1.
(modern ocean liners, with engines, 8:1.)

22. THE BIBLE IS RELIABLE and TRUSTWORTHY
III. Medically
1. Europe in 14th century, the black plaque, Deut.23:12,13
2. Combatting leprosy, Lev.13:45,46
3. Circumcision 8th day, Gen.17
Vit.K
Prothrombin, a stallings factor, 110% op 8th day!

23. THE WITNESS OF THE WRITERS
More than 2000 times we find the following:
“The Word of the Lord came to me…”
“And the Lord spoke to Moses…”
“God said….”
“And the Lord said to me…”
“Thus says the Lord…”
etc.
Were the writers telling the truth?
(The witness of Jesus)

24. THE BIBLE IS SPECIAL IN THAT:
1. It describes the life of the greatest Personality ever.
2. It is true to life, no fairy tale!
3. It has stood the test of time.
4. It is unique in its teachings concerning our relationship with God, forgiveness of sins, eternal life, etc.

25. WHO WROTE THE BIBLE? 1. Good people? 2. Bad people? 3. The devil?
4. God?

26. THREE IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THE BIBLE
God reveals Himself in the Bible. Nature and conscience give us general revelations of God, the Bible a specific one.
II. The Bible answers three fundamental questions, ‘Where did I come from?’, ‘What am I here for?’ and, ‘Where am I going?’
III. The Bible satisfies the most fundamental and universal needs of man.

27. The Bible satisfies the most fundamental and universal needs of man.
1. The need for love and acceptance, Eph.1:5-6
2. The need for forgiveness, Eph.1:7
The need for assurance, Eph.1:13-14 and 2:8
4. The need for power, Hand. 1:8

28. The Bible satisfies the most fundamental and universal needs of man.
5. The need for peace and rest, Rom.5:1, Phil.4
6. The need for joy and happiness, 1Petrus 1:8
7. The need for meaning in life, Joh.17:3
8. The need for hope! Hope for the present and hope for the future, here and in eternity, Rom.15:13.

29. Ravi Zacharias: The Bible has been subjected to extremely vigorous literary and historical criticism, probably more than any other ancient work, and it’s emerged unscathed. Hans Kung put it nicely:
Lay people are usually unaware that the scrupulous scholarly work achieved by modern biblical criticism … represented by scrupulous academic work over about 300 years, belongs among the greatest intellectual achievements of the human race. Has any of the great world religions outside of the Jewish-Christian tradition investigated its own foundations and its own history so thoroughly and impartially? None of them has remotely approached this. The Bible is far and away the most studied book in world literature.

30. The Bible gives us the most beautiful, the most powerful, the most loving and the most hopeful message in the world!
Do you read the Bible? Do you obey the Bible? Do you make the Bible known?