Вы находитесь на странице: 1из 2

Do Biblical Prophecies Really Tell the Future? Was the Bible Imagined by Men or Inspired by God?

ined by Men or Inspired by God? Is There Any Proof That God Exists?

Recommended reading: By Design and The Greatest Hoax on Earth? by Dr Jonathan Sarfati
Cyrus: In 586 BC, the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar If the Bible is truly the inspired Word of God, it should be accu- When you see a building, how do you know it had a builder?
sacked Jerusalem and destroyed its Temple. The Jews living rate when it touches upon facts that were not known to the people The building itself is evidence for the existence of a builder.
there were either killed or taken captive (a time referred to as at the time it was being written. The Bible indicates that the Earth You may not know who the builder was, but you know there
the Babylonian Captivity). In 539 BC, the Babylonian Empire is round (Isa. 40:22), floats in space (Job 26:7) and turns on an axis had to be one. Obviously the building could not have been
was conquered by the Persians. The Persian king Cyrus orga- (Job 38:14). The stars are innumerable (Jer. 33:22), each is differ- formed by random chance, natural forces or explosions.
nized for people who had been held captive by the Babylo- ent (1 Cor. 15:41). Light moves (Job 38:19), air has weight (Job
nians to return to their homelands1. Long before these events 28:25), wind blows in cyclonic patterns (Ecc. 1:6), the hydrologi- No Builder Required?
in about 700 BC, the prophet Isaiah foretold that a man named cal cycle (Ecc. 1:7, Amos 9:6, Job 36:27-28), the oceans contain Even relatively “simple” forms of life are actually incredibly
Cyrus would be instrumental in bringing about the release of springs, valleys and mountains (Job 38:16, 2 Sam. 22:16, Jon. 2:6). complex. Scientists have discovered that there is highly com-
the Jews and the restoration of Jerusalem (Isaiah 44:28-45:1). plicated biological machinery inside every cell, such as a tiny
Modern medical science has discovered that on the eighth day
Alexander the Great: The Book of Daniel takes place dur- after birth the blood clotting factor prothrombin is at its highest motor that produces a chemical called ATP. ATP is known as
ing the Babylonian Captivity. Daniel’s prophecies foretold the peak1. God told Abraham to circumcise his family’s male new- the energy currency of life because it is needed by every organ-
coming Messiah and the reign of empires with specific details. borns on the eighth day after their birth (Genesis 17:12). ism to power vital biochemical reactions. It is so critical to sur-
Daniel 11:3-4: A mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule vival that a poison which stops its production kills in seconds1.
Matthew Maury (1806 - 1873) is considered the father of ocean-
with great dominion, and do according to his will. And when Another type of machine inside of cells, called a ribosome,
ography. He noticed the expression paths of the sea in Psalm 8:8
he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be builds ATP motors using instructions from the genetic code (the
and went on to discover them; the continental currents.
divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his pos- DNA). The energy source thats required for this is ATP, mean-
terity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his In 1609 a shipbuilder named Peter Jansen began designing ships ing an ATP motor cannot be built unless ATP is already being
kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those. with dimension ratios similar to Noah’s Ark, resulting in ships that supplied. So for life to exist all three of these complex features
The mighty king in this prophecy was Alexander the Great, were steadier and more spacious. Modern naval architects have (the DNA, ribosome and ATP motor) had to be present together
who shortly after conquering the Persian Empire died abruptly shown that the Ark would have been an enormously stable vessel, fully formed and fully functional from the very beginning.
at the age of 32. His empire was not bequeathed to his children able to resist being overturned in massive seas2. The Ark’s volume
but instead was divided up amongst his four generals. was around 43,200 cubic metres, the equivalent of 522 railroad The modern theory of evolution supposes that mutations are
stock cars, each of which can hold 240 sheep. The Bible tells us able to add new information to the DNA, causing life to prog-
Jericho: The Book of Joshua tells of how when the Israelites ress upwards towards more complex forms (from microorgan-
why the design was so ideal: it was God who told Noah the plans.
besieged the fortified city of Jericho, God told them to walk isms to man). But it has never been scientifically proven that
The Ark only had to accommodate two of each (seven of some)
around the wall of the city seven times. On the seventh time mutations cause the addition of new genetic information.
land-dwelling animal kinds, not every single species. Animals that
the wall fell and they went up into the city (Joshua 6).
are big when fully grown could’ve been represented by juveniles. Microbiologist Dr Ian Macreadie: “All you see in the lab is
Archaeologists have unearthed the ruins of Jericho and found

1. ATP: The Perfect Energy Currency for the Cell, CRSQ Volume 36(1), 1999
And God brought the animals to the Ark when it was ready. either gene duplication, reshuffling of existing genes, or defec-
evidence which supports the Biblical account. The foundation
of the city was a mound of earth retained by a stone wall. A In 1845 a doctor in Vienna named Ignaz Semmelweis was tive genes that might help a bug to survive - e.g., by not bind-
mud-brick defensive wall had been built above the retaining shocked by the 30% death rate of women who had given birth in ing to an antibiotic as effectively. But you never see any new
wall. It was discovered that the bricks of the defensive wall hospital. He told the doctors to wash their hands before each ex- information... Evolution would argue for things improving,
had fallen outwards and formed a ramp, which made a quick amination, and the death rate dropped to 2%. Thousands of years whereas I see everything falling to pieces. Genes being cor-
charge up over the retaining wall and into the city possible2. before this, God had given the specific instruction to wash under rupted, mutations causing an increasing community burden of
running water when dealing with disease (Leviticus 15:13). inherited diseases. All things were well designed initially.”
Jesus: Many centuries before Jesus was born, the texts of
the Old Testament contained numerous Messianic prophecies; The Book of Leviticus prescribes many laws about food that the The Bible relates that God originally created all the various
predictions which foretold the coming of the promised Sav- Israelites were to follow. Modern medicine has confirmed that kinds of animals. From these original kinds extensive varia-
iour. Jesus fulfilled hundreds of these prophecies, showing that obeying these laws would’ve provided health and safety benefits. tions could be produced, because each kind originally had a
He was indeed that promised Saviour. For example, Jesus was But many passages of Leviticus have been misunderstood and complete genetic code. The amount of variation thats possible
a descendant of Abraham (Gen. 22:18), of the tribe of Judah ridiculed by skeptics. One such passage is Leviticus 11:3-6, which within a kind is seen in the many different dog breeds we have
(Mic. 5:2) and house of David (Jer. 23:5). He claimed to be the says that camels don’t have a divided hoof and that rabbits “chew today, which all came from one original type of wild dog.
Son of God (Psa. 2:7, 1 Chr. 17:13, Isa. 9:6-7), was born of a the cud”. Camels have a pad at the bottom of their hoof which Natural selection refers to how certain genetic variations that
virgin (Isa. 7:14) in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2) thus being the seed helps prevent it from sinking into sand. So their hoof really isn’t are more suitable for a particular environment tend to survive.
of the woman (Gen. 3:15). Before the Temple was destroyed in fully divided. The original Hebrew phrase that was translated into For example, dogs with short fur are suited to hot climates.
70 AD (Dan. 9:24-26), He was rejected, beaten, scourged and English as “chew the cud” simply means raising up what’s been But natural selection can only select from the genes that are
crucified (Isa. 52:13-53:12, Psa. 41:9, Zec. 12:10, Psa. 22, Psa. swallowed. Rabbits make a special type of partially digested fecal already in the animals, it cannot add new genes. Whilst its
69, Isa. 50:6), and rose from the dead (Psa. 16:10, Isa. 25:8). pellet that they then re-ingest, providing them with better nutrition. possible that variations and mutations may lead to what appear
1. Cyrus Cylinder; The British Museum 1. Biblical Accuracy and Circumcision on the 8th Day; Reason and Revelation to be new species, this is due to shuffling, corruption or loss of
2. Did the Israelites Conquer Jericho? A New Look at the Archaeological Evi- 2. Safety investigation of Noah’s Ark in a seaway; Journal of Creation existing genes; not the addition of new genetic information.
dence; Associates for Biblical Research
Was the Bible Altered and Edited? Did Anyone Else Record New Testament People or Events? How Could a Loving God Send People to Hell?
The Bible is a collection of ancient Scriptural texts that were Cornelius Tacitus (55 - 120 AD) was a Roman historian who lived A shocking amount of murders remain unsolved. What if a
written over a period of about 1,600 years by at least 40 authors. through the reigns of many Roman emperors. murderer was caught, brought to trial, and said to the judge,
The Old Testament contains 39 texts written from about 1,500 “I’m sorry. I’ve done some good deeds. I’m a good person
“Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the
to 400 BC. The New Testament contains 27 texts written from when compared to some other people. I believe that you’re lov-
extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of
about 40 to 90 AD. Although written by distinct authors from ing, so you’ll let me go.” If the judge agreed to let the murderer
our procurators, Pontius Pilatus.” The Annals, Book XV
different backgrounds over many centuries, the Bible is internal- go free then the judge would be corrupt, not just or truly loving.
ly consistent from beginning to end, displaying God’s sovereign- Flavius Josephus (37 - 100 AD) was a Jewish historian. For cen- Justice demands that the guilty be punished for their crimes.
ty as it progessively reveals His plan of salvation for mankind. turies his works were widely translated and read across Europe.
Josephus’ works included a reference to Jesus, which in popular Although most people have not murdered anyone, the attitude
When the Biblical manuscripts are compared to other ancient versions conveyed a strong Christian sentiment. But since Josephus of that murderer towards the judge is the same attitude that they
writings, they stand alone as the best preserved literature of all was not known to be a Christian, it seems likely that what he origi- often have towards God. One of the Ten Commandments is
antiquity. In order to preserve the Scriptures in ancient times, nally wrote was later altered by certain translators. However, an you shall not murder. But what about the other nine? Are you a
the Jews had a class of professional copyists (scribes) who used Arabic translation from the 4th Century provides a more reliable, good person according to God’s standard? Have you ever told a
strict methods to ensure that errors were avoided. The Dead Sea objective report of Jesus’ life and the testimony of His followers. lie? Have you ever stolen anything? Have you ever used God’s
Scrolls is a collection of ancient Jewish documents discovered name in vain (blasphemy)? Ever committed adultery? Jesus
between 1947 and 1956 in a number of caves near the Dead Sea. “At this time there was a wise man who was called Jesus. And said, “Whoever looks upon a woman to lust after her has al-
The collection includes entire scrolls of Old Testament texts that his conduct was good, and he was known to be virtuous. And ready committed adultery with her in his heart.” Have you ever
pre-date the time of Jesus. The close similarity of thes Dead Sea many people from among the Jews and other nations became looked with lust? Our sinful actions, words, thoughts and de-
Scrolls when compared to more recent Biblical manuscripts pro- his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. sires, no matter how insignificant they seem to us, are exceed-
vides remarkable proof that the Old Testament texts have been And those who had become his disciples did not abandon his ingly offensive to a supremely holy God. Many people think
copied accurately over thousands of years. The Septuagint is a discipleship. They reported that he had appeared to them three that God’s love means that He won’t hold them accountable
Greek translation of the Old Testament produced during the 3rd days after his crucifixion and that he was alive; accordingly, he for their sins, but God’s righteousness demands that justice be
to 1st Century BC. The oldest known manuscript fragments of was perhaps the Messiah concerning whom the prophets have done. A just judge must punish criminals. God will not reward
the Septuagint are from the 2nd and 1st Century BC. The manu- recounted wonders.” An Arabic Version of the Testamonium Flavianum sinners with Heaven. His punishment of those who’ve sinned
script evidence for the New Testament is comprised of over and its Implications; Shlomo Pines, Jerusalem Academic Press, 1971 against Him is an eternity in Hell. How then can we be saved?
24,000 ancient copies, 5,600 of which are in the original Greek Pliny the Younger (62 - 113 AD) was a Roman senator and gov- Even though we deserve punishment for offending God and
language. The oldest known manuscript fragment is a portion of ernor. In a letter to the Roman Emperor Trajan he told of how the breaking His law, He has in His mercy accomplished what was
the Gospel of John dated to AD 125. With such abundance and early Christians worshipped and prayed to Jesus. necessary for our salvation. God commends His love toward us,
integrity of evidence, we can be confident that the Bible is an ac-
“...they met on a stated day before it was light, and addressed a in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8).
curate reproduction of what the authors originally wrote.
form of prayer to Christ, as to a divinity.” God’s plan of salvation was fulfilled by Jesus, the eternal Son of
During the lifetime of the Apostles in the 1st Century AD, Letters, XCVII. To the Emperor Trajan; The Harvard Classics God; God in human form. In the beginning was the Word, and
Christianity spread over the Mediterranean world, and later into the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word
Europe, Asia and Africa. The Apostles were eyewitnesses to Mara Bar-Serapion (Post 70 AD) was a stoic philosopher from was made flesh, and dwelt among us (John 1:1,14). Jesus, the
the resurrected Jesus who proclaimed Him as the eternal Son of Syria. In a letter to his son he referred to how the execution of Je- Word of God, humbled Himself and entered into His creation to
God and Saviour. The New Testament texts were written, copied sus was followed by the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. live a sinless life as the perfectly obedient Son of God. The rea-
and translated throughout the spread of the early (pre-Roman “What advantage did the Jews gain from their executing son why He chose to suffer and die on the Cross was to pay the
Catholic) church. Christian communities began preserving these their wise king? It was just after that that their kingdom was penalty for our sin. “Greater love has no man than this, that he
writings from the very time the Apostles were in their midst. The abolished.” A Letter of Mara, Son of Serapion lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). On the Cross Je-
early Christians determined which texts were trustworthy based sus declared “It is finished!” which meant that a debt had been
on their Apostolic authority and 1st Century origin; on that basis Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus (69 - 130 AD) was a Roman scholar, paid in full. We broke God’s law, but He paid the fine. Jesus, the
a consensus naturally emerged early on. 22 of the 27 New Testa- historian and secretary to the Emperor Hadrian. Regarding Emper- Lamb of God, offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice to satisfy
ment texts had been widely accepted by AD 180, with only a or Claudius and the Riot of Rome in 49 AD, Suetonius wrote: God’s wrath and demand for justice. He was punished in the
few churches unsure about James, Jude, 2 and 3 John, 2 Peter, “Since the Jews constantly made disturbances at the instigation of place of sinners as the perfect substitute, taking their sin upon
Hebrews and Revelation. The wide circulation of these texts and Chrestus he expelled them from Rome.” Life of Claudius XXV Himself and nailing it to the Cross. He then rose from the grave,
the sheer numbers of people who had authentic copies acted as Acts 18:2 relates that Paul met Aquila and his wife Priscilla after defeating death. By grace you are saved through faith; and that
protection against the persecution, forgery, fraud, error and her- they left Italy because Claudius had expelled them. not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest anyone
esy that arose against genuine Christianity. At the Council of Ni- If you would like to contact us or would like free information and should boast (Eph. 2:8-9). Salvation cannot be earned, it is the
cea in AD 325 the issue of the canon wasn’t even on the agenda, resources (CDs, DVDs, books) send a polite email to xxxxxxxxxxxxxx gift of God through Christ alone. Consider the filthiness of your
and of the 1,800 bishops that were invited only 300 attended. allaboutGod.com | carm.org | thedevineevidence.com | monergism.com sin in light of God’s holiness. You need Christ’s righteousness
Further reading: allaboutthejourney.org, Reinventing Jesus by M. Sawyer, Can creation.com | answersingenesis.org | icr.org | nwcreation.net credited to your account. Trust in Jesus alone as Lord and Sav-
We Trust the Gospels? by M. Roberts, Why Trust the Bible? by Amy Orr-Ewing sermonaudio.com | blueletterbible.org | gty.org | ligonier.org iour, surrendering your life to Him in humility and repentance.

Вам также может понравиться