The Book of BooksThe Book of Books

Is the Bible superior to all other books?Is the Bible superior to all other books?

Is today’s Bible the true message of God Is today’s Bible the true message of God to mankind?to mankind?

ConsistencyConsistency

66 books in one book, one message66 books in one book, one message40 men over 1,500 years40 men over 1,500 yearsDivinely inspired Divinely inspired 2 Tim 3:16; 1 Cor 2:10-2 Tim 3:16; 1 Cor 2:10-

13 13 No contradictions; many interwoven factsNo contradictions; many interwoven factsTwo sections: Old and New TestamentsTwo sections: Old and New TestamentsThree divine dispensationsThree divine dispensationsEarth’s history: beginning to 1Earth’s history: beginning to 1stst century century

AuthorityAuthority

Canonicity of a book is not the same as its authority.

Books of the Bible were included in a canon because they were authoritative.

Councils only recognized as canonical those books which had proven themselves most valuable.

TransmissionTransmission

Logical that God, who wrote the Bible, also preserved it for all time.

God obligated Himself to protect His word from destruction. 1 Peter 1:22-25

God obligated Himself to keep His word pure, uncorrupted. James 1:25; 1 Pet. 2:2

Claiming His word is all-sufficient obligated God to make it so. 2 Tim 3:16-17

TransmissionTransmission

3 ways in historiography to test historical reliability of ancient writings(1) Bibliographical test(2) Internal test(3) External test

Bibliographical test alone shows the Bible message was transmitted through manuscript copies to our time with no consequential change.

Bibliographical TestTest

““Of all of the literary compositions by the Of all of the literary compositions by the Greek people, the Homeric poems are Greek people, the Homeric poems are best suited for comparison with the best suited for comparison with the Bible… In the entire range of ancient Bible… In the entire range of ancient Greek and Latin literature, the Greek and Latin literature, the IliadIliad ranks ranks next to the New Testament in possessing next to the New Testament in possessing the greatest amount of manuscript the greatest amount of manuscript testimony.”testimony.”

Bruce MetzgerBruce Metzger

Chapters in the History of New Testament Textual Chapters in the History of New Testament Textual CriticismCriticism

Literary Works of Antiquity Literary Works of Antiquity ComparedCompared

Date Earliest Time No. of

Written Copy Span Copies

Homer's Iliad 900 BC 400 BC 500 yrs 643

Caesar's Gallic Wars 58-50 BC 850 AD 900 yrs 9-10

Livy's Roman History59BC-17AD 4th Century 20 (Only 35 of 142 books remain)

Plato's Tetralogies 427-347 BC 900 AD 1,200 yrs 7

Sophocles 496-406 BC 1,000 AD 1,400 yrs 193

Aristotle 384-322 BC 1,100 AD 1,400 yrs 10

New Testament 40-100 AD 125 AD 25-85yrs 24,000+

(All 27 books are intact!)

ExternalExternal TestTest

““It… may be stated categorically that no It… may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever archaeological discovery has ever controverted a Biblical reference. Scores controverted a Biblical reference. Scores of archaeological findings have been of archaeological findings have been made which confirm in clear outline or made which confirm in clear outline or exact detail historical statements in the exact detail historical statements in the Bible.”Bible.”

Nelson GlueckNelson Glueck

Rivers in the DesertRivers in the Desert

p. 136 (full reference p. 11, p. 136 (full reference p. 11, Bible Study for Joy and Profit)Bible Study for Joy and Profit)

External TestExternal Test

Begins with Sumerian civilization: 2500 Begins with Sumerian civilization: 2500 BC BC

Lists found of kings before and after the Lists found of kings before and after the great flood confirming Biblical life spans.great flood confirming Biblical life spans.

Record of global flood found in many Record of global flood found in many culturescultures

Law Code of Hammurabi dated to 1750 Law Code of Hammurabi dated to 1750 BC contains many civil laws similar to BC contains many civil laws similar to those in the first five books of the Bible. those in the first five books of the Bible.

Biblical archaeologyBiblical archaeology

External TestExternal Test

Shishak Relief depicts Egypt's victory over King Rehoboam in 925 BC mentioned in 1 Kings 14 and 2 Chronicles 12.

Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser (841 BC) found in ancient palace of Nimrud describes victories of King Shalmaneser III; shows Israel's King Jehu kneeling before Assyrian king in tribute. 2 Kings 9-10

Biblical archaeologyBiblical archaeology

External TestExternal Test

Empires and cities named in Bible long before archaeology proved them real: Hittite and Babylonian Empires; Askelon, Shechem, Dan, Beersheba, Gibeah, ancient Jerusalem and many more cities.

Prophets predicted destruction of Askelon 100 years before it happened in 604 BC.

Biblical archaeologyBiblical archaeology

InternalInternal testtestThree types of internal evidence:Three types of internal evidence:

1.1. Unique unity of Bible contentUnique unity of Bible content

2.2. Unique power to change lives Unique power to change lives

3.3. Fulfilled prophecyFulfilled prophecy

100s of detailed fulfilled

prophecies about nations, cities,

events and people

ProphecyProphecy

Messianic prophecy: Messianic prophecy: 300+ OT predictions of the coming Jewish 300+ OT predictions of the coming Jewish

MessiahMessiah Different writers spanning 1,000 yearsDifferent writers spanning 1,000 years What are the odds of only 7 of these 300+ What are the odds of only 7 of these 300+

predictions being fulfilled in 1 person? predictions being fulfilled in 1 person?

Messianic ProphecyMessianic ProphecyProphecyProphecy

Descendant of DavidDescendant of DavidBorn in BethlehemBorn in BethlehemA miracle workerA miracle workerCame as King riding on donkeyCame as King riding on donkeyBetrayed for 30 pieces of silverBetrayed for 30 pieces of silverWas crucifiedWas crucifiedPresent Himself as King 173,880 Present Himself as King 173,880

days from Artaxerxes’ decree to days from Artaxerxes’ decree to rebuild Jerusalem rebuild Jerusalem

OddsOdds101044

101055

101055

101066

101066

101066

101066

Messianic ProphecyMessianic Prophecy

What is the total probability, without God, What is the total probability, without God, of one man fulfilling these 7 prophecies?of one man fulfilling these 7 prophecies?

10103838 or… or…

1 in 100 billion, billion, billion, billion !!1 in 100 billion, billion, billion, billion !!

What are the odds of only 48 coming true What are the odds of only 48 coming true in one man?in one man?

1010157157

Divine AuthorDivine Author

God is the true author of the Bible.God is the true author of the Bible. Intelligent Design proves there is God.Intelligent Design proves there is God. Information Theory states that concept Information Theory states that concept

and design can come only from a mind.and design can come only from a mind. In last 20-30 years, advances in molecular In last 20-30 years, advances in molecular

biology, cybernetics and computer biology, cybernetics and computer technology disprove Darwin’s theory.technology disprove Darwin’s theory.

Origin of LifeOrigin of Life

Creation or spontaneous generation?Creation or spontaneous generation?Sir Arthur Keith, British evolutionary Sir Arthur Keith, British evolutionary

anthropologist and anatomist: anthropologist and anatomist:

““Evolution is unproved and Evolution is unproved and unprovable. We believe it only unprovable. We believe it only because the only alternative is because the only alternative is special creation, and that is special creation, and that is unthinkable.”unthinkable.”

Miracle of LifeMiracle of Life

Mathematicians say life could not Mathematicians say life could not evolve randomly from inorganic matter.evolve randomly from inorganic matter.

Harold Morowitz calculated odds as 1 Harold Morowitz calculated odds as 1 chance in 10chance in 10100,000,000,000100,000,000,000..

Sir Fred Hoyle: odds of only proteins of Sir Fred Hoyle: odds of only proteins of an amoebae arising by chance are 1 in an amoebae arising by chance are 1 in 101040,00040,000. .

Miracle of LifeMiracle of Life

Fred Hoyle stated that the probability of Fred Hoyle stated that the probability of spontaneous generationspontaneous generation

‘…‘…is about the same as the is about the same as the probability that a tornado sweeping probability that a tornado sweeping through an (auto) junk yard could through an (auto) junk yard could assemble a Boeing 747 from the assemble a Boeing 747 from the contents therein.'contents therein.'

Origin of LifeOrigin of Life

Francis Crick, winner of Nobel Prize in Francis Crick, winner of Nobel Prize in biology for his work with DNA molecule, biology for his work with DNA molecule, stated in 1982: stated in 1982: ““An honest man, armed with all the An honest man, armed with all the knowledge available to us now, could knowledge available to us now, could only state that in some sense, the only state that in some sense, the origin of life appears at the moment origin of life appears at the moment to be almost a miracle, so many are to be almost a miracle, so many are the conditions which would have had the conditions which would have had to have been satisfied to get it to have been satisfied to get it going.”going.”

God Exists!God Exists!