Can we trust the Bible to be true?
Here are the facts. You decide:
numerous places over a 1500 year course of history with
varied backgrounds: one was a
physician, another was a priest—and one was a tax collector.
King David of Israel wrote much of
the book of Psalms (some of them while he was a shepherd boy
watching over the sheep).
Several were prophets correcting and guiding the people
through their books within the Bible.
Luke a disciple of Jesus, wrote the book of Acts. He was a
major player throughout the New
Testament, alongside ten other disciples who authored
numerous Biblical books.
Aside from the amazing fact the Bible was penned by
different authors over 15 centuries, its 66
books of holy truth hold no contradictions. Imagine that,
along with the fact no errors can be
found in any of the Biblical books. Each author presented
different angles and assessments, but
they all proclaim the same truths about there being one God.
Plus, the ultimate message totally
supports the fact God has expectations of us while also
being helpful, forgiving and loving.
How can the above be true? Because the authors writing these
many books were each inspired
by God to record exactly what God was saying directly to
them. Second Timothy 3:16 declares
that the Bible was "breathed out" by God. In other
words, this book we call “the Bible” actually
came to us from outside the realm of time—for it extends
history before it happens. This
happens because God knows all--both the end and the
beginning.
The Bible was given to us by the Creator of the world, the
sun, the moon, the stars. This book holds all
the facts about life that we need to live a blessed, joyous,
effective life. It shows that we can
count on God directing our paths. All it takes is purposeful
reading while “listening” . . . which is
an essential part of prayer.
Finally, consider the proof concerning the Bible being
trustworthy: anyone who seriously reads
the Bible, and follows it—that person's life is
changed—becoming by far the better. This book
changes lives, for sure, and validates the magnificent truth
of God's presence to us as we read it.
How does this happen? We come to know and love Christ ,
which brings out the “love nature”
within human hearts, We become more honest with
ourselves and with others and more
helpful while here on earth. Maintaining good manners makes
for better relationships, both with
those close to us and with those encountered momentarily
day-by-day.
Multiple prophets spoke during the earliest centuries
pointing to the coming of a Messiah who
we now know as Jesus Christ our Redeemer, born as time
changed from BC to AD ('Anno
Domini', a Latin term for 'Year of Our Lord.) In addition,
these prophets of old portrayed definite
details that only God could know about Jesus and what would
happen through Him and to Him.
Reading the Bible makes us believers, hungry for truth. And,
it brings our minds to higher realms
expanding our comprehension of what this life is meant to be
about. Scriptures help us
experience the Spirit of the living God— helping us grasp
the truth that God is “here for us” and
that there is life with Him after death in a glorious place.
Subsequently, we want God’s guidance in order to make the
most of our time here on terra
firma. We realize that what we do with our lives on Earth
will determine how blessed we are
while here--as well as in the afterlife, (See Matthew 25:
14-30). The more we read the Bible, the
more truth we want.
The truths that come from reading the Bible bring meaning
and purpose—while it also shows
God cares about the choices we make. It is all about
learning, learning to be all we can be within
this time on earth. We are uplifted and comforted when we
read those truths as a part of daily
living. Doing so can greatly lessen our fears and angst.
Many billions of people
throughout the centuries have found this to be true from
reading the Bible.
The truth remains that billions of humanity have placed their trust in God and the Bible. Those who
write about it say the same thing: peace, love and joy results from this trust. In fact the peace that
comes to us as believers “surpasses all understanding,” (Philippians 4:6-7). Also, within this trust
comes an innate "knowing" that this life here on earth is not all that that God has in store for us—
eternity will be our everlasting home. Without a doubt the Bible is the most translated book in
existence. However, because countless translations have taken place the question arises, “Is it reliable?”
Fortunately The Dead Sea Scrolls were found in jars in a cave on the northwestern shore of the Dead
Sea in 1947 -- initially by a teenage Bedouin shepherd. These scrolls have served well to settle that
question due to this most important archaeological discovery of modern history.
The scrolls date back to the 3rd century BC to the 1st
century AD. It includes the entire Book
of Isaiah, 24 feet long, written in Hebrew. Fragments of
every Old Testament book except Esther
have been found, as well as many other, non-biblical texts.
Of the 850 scrolls found, the book of
Isaiah was fully preserved. One outstanding factor, and for
many of us the most critical finding,
comes to us through the scholars' conclusion: Within the
Dead Sea Scrolls there are absolutely
no discrepancies between our Old Testament available to us
today and what the Dead Sea
scholars have studied word for word within the book of
Isaiah found within the Dead Scrolls.
Consequently, their work fully supports the authenticity of
the biblical Old Testament that has
been purchased and read throughout modern history.
How does the New Testament connect with the Dead Sea
Scrolls?
I will quote Millar Burrows here as regards The Dead Sea
Scrolls (New York: Viking
Press, 1955), 383). “One more manuscript [speaking of those
found in Dead Sea Scrolls] that
has come to light in recent years provides a fascinating
background to the New Testament
messianic hope. It has been reconstructed from twelve small
fragments furnishing less than two
columns of writing; but this much can be ascertained from
its brief contents: It is a prediction of
the birth of a Wonderful Child, possibly drawing on Isaiah
9:6–7: “For unto us a child is born,
unto us a son is given:...and his name shall be called
Wonderful...” (verse 6; King James Version). This
child will bear special marks on His body and will be distinguished by wisdom and intelligence. He will
be able to probe the secrets of all living creatures, and He will inaugurate the new age for which the
faithful fervently awaited.”
Numerous prophecies within the scrolls carry promises of a
future Savior who would bring in a
new covenant. The words “New Covenant” are mentioned seven
times within the New
Testament. The coming Savior was foretold as one who had to
first die as an atonement for our
sins, after which he would rise from the dead. The New
Testament is a record of Jesus' life, His
teachings, His death, His resurrection and the promises of
eternal life for all who believe in Him
and receive Him as Lord and Savior.
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