Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Answering The Question: Is The Bible True

By Marlene Blevins


Historians shake their heads over the fact that each generation seems oblivious to the lessons learned by earlier ones. Significant events and very important people leave little impression on those who follow. Even the life and accomplishments of Jesus have faded. People still ask: Is the Bible true?

More and more, anthropologists and archaeologists use the writings of the Hebrews to understand ancient times and races. The accounts, called by Christians the Old Testament, become increasingly important as new discoveries are made. In 2005, guided by Old Testament accounts, an archaeologist found the remains of King David's palace. The very existence of Israel's most famous king was not confirmed until his name was found on an ancient stone discovered in 1993.

Science also tells us the truth of scripture. Long before scientists had the tools to evaluate earth's position, the Bible told us that it was round. This statement comes from the book of the prophet Isaiah, written some 700 years before the birth of Jesus. Official doctrine that the earth was flat was accepted until well into the 15th century.

Another account, the Book of Job, is considered symbolic rather than historical. Many regard it as poetry. God's truth is revealed all through it, however. We read that plants make their food from sunlight (now called the process of photosynthesis), that there are springs of fresh water deep under the saltwater oceans, and that light is made up of many colors and can be separated into a rainbow spectrum.

People who believe the truth of biblical accounts are often accused of being anti-science and anti-intellectual. However, many things that science once taught are being refuted by new methods and discoveries, while biblical teachings are found to hold up. Scientists even use the Holy Writ as inspiration, like Matthew Maury, who wanted to find the 'paths of the sea' talked about in the eighth Psalm. He found (like others before him) the Gulf Stream, a powerful current that ships can use to guide them at sea.

As for archaeology, the Old Testament has long been used as the most accurate historical guide to ancient civilizations. Even the prestigious Smithsonian Institute declares those Hebrew texts to be more accurate than Egyptian, Mesopotamian, or Greek records. Recent discoveries continue to validate the scriptures.

Another branch of scholarship that relies on the Hebrew scriptures is anthropology. In the historical accounts of the nation of Israel, both Hebrew and neighboring kings are listed in chronological order, which agrees with other historical records and inscriptions. The Jewish people group is shown to be over 3,000 years old; it is still coherent even after centuries of dispersal and persecution.

The study of scripture to prove its truth is called Apologetics. This fascinating subject gained new impetus when the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, analyzed, and found to authenticate the translations that had come down through the ages.




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