Truth Magazine

By Weldon E. Warnock

The Bible is one of many “holy” books among the Eastern and Western religions. But after all the evidence is weighed and the data evaluated, the Bible is not one of the many “holy” books – it is the holy book.

In this study we will endeavor to show that the Bible is the only book among all of them that merits any serious consideration of being a divine revelation. This we will do by comparing the Bible with these “holy” books, enabling us to see their absurdities, contradictions, hopelessness and superstitions contained in them.

The Bible Versus the Hindu Scriptures

There are several “sacred” books among the Hindus. First, there are the Vedas, a collection of wisdom books. The word veda means “wisdom or knowledge.” Second, there are the Upanishads, a collection of speculative treatises. Third, there are the Ramajana and Mahabharata, which consist of the major epic tales of India. Fourth, there is the Bhagavad Gita, an added appendage to the Mahabharata, which consists of a story between Krishna and the warrior Arjuna.

On the subject of God, Hindu scripture depicts the Supreme Being (whom they call Brahman) as an impersonal, undefinable, philosophical absolute. Brahman is reputed to have been born in a golden egg, and then after living in it for a year, divided it into two parts, and made heaven and earth out of the egg from which he was born. The Bible teaches that God is a personal, infinite, loving Creator who is interested in the affairs of man, having revealed Himself through His Son, Jesus (Psa. 90:1-2; Matt. 6:24-34; Jn. 14:9; Heb. 1:1-2).

Man, to the Hindu, is a manifestation of the impersonal Brahman, without individual self or self-worth. The Bible teaches that man was made in the image of God with personality and with free, moral agency (Gen. 1:26-27; Josh. 24:15). As to sin, there is no sin against God in Hinduism. Sin is a result of ignorance, rather than a wrongdoing against any Deity. The Bible teaches that sin is a reality, being an unlawful act against Jehovah (Psa. 51:4; Rom. 3:21).

According to Hindu writings, man goes through successive cycles of deaths and rebirths (reincarnations) until he achieves enough good to gain eternal bliss. This cycle may take millions of years, depending on the kind of performance and accomplishments one makes during the cycles. The life cycles could be in the form of a frog, flea, plant, cow or a slave or a prince. When one reaches that eternal bliss, he is released from the burden of existence and absorbed into the Self-Existent where all individuality is lost. On the other hand, the Bible teaches that man dies but once (Heb. 9:27) and then the judgment. Individuality is retained (Lk. 16:19-31; Matt. 25:31-46). Eternal bliss is received through Jesus Christ through grace (Jn. 3:16). More could be said but space will not allow. However, we can see the bleakness and superstition of the Hindu teachings.

The Bible Versus The Confucian Texts

Confucius was born 551 B.C. His teachings have come down to us from four books written by his disciples. They are: The Analects, The Great Learning, The Doctrine of the Mean and The Book of Mencius. His greatest achievement was the formation of the golden rule in the negative form. He said, “What you do not wish done to yourself, do not do to others,” but he acknowledged he failed in obeying that rule himself. Jesus said, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them” (Matt. 7:12), and this was what Jesus practiced.

Confucianism was really not a religion, but an ethical system, although there were religious overtones in it. There were sacrifices to heaven, practice of augury (observing the signs from heaven, such as thunder and lightning) and the notion that deceased ancestors exercised power on the living. However, it eventually developed into the state religion of China.

There is no worship of a god, no confession of sin and no seeking of forgiveness in Confucianism. It extols the present world and calls upon all to cultivate such virtues as are comely in citizens – industry, modesty, sobriety, gravity, decorum and thoughtfulness.

The Bible teaches there is a God who is to be worshiped and that man is a sinner, incapable of saving himself, who needs a Savior to deliver him from ignorance and the guilt of sin. The Deliverer was provided through Jesus Christ (Jn. 4:23-24; Rom. 3:9-21; Rom. 11:26).

The Bible Versus the Buddhist Writings

Buddha was born about 560 B.C. in northeastern India. His personal name was Gautama, the title “Buddha” being a Sancrit word meaning the “Enlightened One.” While sitting under a fig tree for seven days, he professed to attain perfect wisdom by meditation. His teachings were committed to writing by his disciples after his death. These writings are called the Tripitaka, meaning “three collections.” They are about eleven times larger than the Bible. Of course, there are sects of Buddhists who have their writings that consist of volumes.

The message of Buddha was one of gloom and despair. He said in one of his speeches that “birth is suffering. Decay is suffering. Illness is suffering. Death is suffering. Presence of objects we hate is suffering. Separation from objects we love is suffering. Clinging to existence is suffering. Complete cessation of thirst, or of craving for existence, is cessation of suffering.” The attainment of Nirvana was the only way to overcome the misery of life. Nirvana is a Sancrit word meaning “blowing out,” as a candle, that is, extinction. First, there is extinction of desires and passions, and secondly, extinction of individual existence (All About the Bible, Collett, p. 299).

The Bible teaches us to glory in our sufferings; rejoice in them; make them steps toward heaven (2 Cor. 12:10). Jesus, the Captain of our salvation was made perfect through suffering (Heb. 2:9-10). Buddhism also denies the existence of a personal Creator, but the Bible states God created the heavens and the earth (Gen. l: l). There is no sin against God in Buddhism and man has no worth, having only temporary existence. What a contrast to the Bible (Psa. 8:1-9; 51:4).

The Bible Versus The Muslim Koran

The Koran, containing 114 surahs (chapters), is a compilation of the alleged “revelations” of Muhammad (570-632 A.D.) that he received over a period of twenty-three years. Muhammad is imputed to have been the successor to Abraham, Moses and Jesus, himself claiming to be the greatest prophet.

Muhammad was an illiterate man, having suffered from repeated epileptic seizures when he was a child. All through his life he was subject to hysteria, spending much time in isolated contemplation. Muhammad’s “visions” were thought by him at first to be demonic, but his wife, Kadijah (15 years his senior), encouraged him to believe they came from God. So, Muhammad’s “revelations” were confirmed by the testimony of a sympathetic wife.

Although Muhammad was generous, genial and gifted with leadership qualities, he could at times be cruel and stoop to murder and unrestrained sensualism. Muhammad had no less than nine wives when he died in spite of the teaching of the Koran that only four wives are allowed with a certain number of concubines. What a marked contrast between Muhammad and Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a perfect, sinless life, proved Himself to be the Son of God with indisputable miracles, was raised from the dead (being witnessed by hundreds of people), ascended back to heaven and He will come again. There is no evidence that any thing like this was characteristic of Muhammad’s life. He was born a man, lived as a man and died a man, although legend has it that he ascended to heaven from Mt. Moriah in Jerusalem.

The Koran is filled with contradictions – contradictions against the Bible and against itself. As to those against the Bible, the Koran teaches there will be marriages in Paradise (52:20). The Bible teaches there will be no marriages there (Lk. 20:35). The Koran teaches to kill our enemies (8:38-41; 9:29) whereas the Bible teaches to love our enemies (Matt. 5:44). The Koran teaches that Jesus is not God’s Son (9:130; 19:135). The Bible teaches Jesus is the Son of God (Matt. 16:16). The Koran teaches Jesus was not crucified (4:157-159). The Bible teaches Jesus was crucified (Lk. 23:33). Other contradictions could be cited.

Concerning the contradictions in the Koran, Muhammad said, “Fight and slay the pagans wherever ye find them …. Fight those who believe not in God nor the last day” (9:5, 29). But in another place, he said, “Let there be no compulsion in religion” (2:256). Again, he said, “Any who believes in God whether Jews, Christians or Sabians shall have their reward with the Lord” (2:62). But he contradicted this when he said, “If anyone desires a religion other than Isalm. . . never will it be accepted of him” (3:85). He also said Christ did not die (4:157), yet he said Christ did die (19:33).

Qualities are ascribed to God in the Koran that are unworthy of Deity. The Koran teaches that God causes men to err or go astray (35:8, 45:23), endorses denial of faith (16:106), and forgives sins before they are committed (48:2). The Koran also makes God a respecter of persons, especially in the case of Muhammad’s marriages and divorces (33:50-51; 66:1-5).

In the Bible we have one harmonious book that was written, not by one man, but about 40 men over a period of 1600 years without one contradiction. This book, the Bible, pictures God as impartial, loving, just, never acting in a capricious manner.

The Bible Versus The Mormon Books

The Mormon books (Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price) are purported to be “revelations” of Joseph Smith. Smith, as a young man, spent much of his time searching for treasure, claiming supernatural powers which allegedly aided him in these searches. He was an illiterate person, and, according to his contemporaries, destitute of moral character and addicted to vicious habits.

In 1820, Smith claimed to have received a vision in which God appeared to him as he prayed piously in a neighboring wood. The Lord told Smith that a restoration of true Christianity was needed, and that, he, Smith, had been chosen to launch the new era. Evidently, Smith did not take this too seriously because he shortly went back to digging for treasure. However, in 1823 the angel Moroni supposedly appeared at Smith’s bed and three times repeated the commission to restore pure Christianity. (In an early edition of the Pearl of Great Price, Smith identifies the angel as Nephi. Seemingly, Smith got his story mixed-up. Mormon scribes have corrected the blunder.)

Later, in 1827, Smith claimed to receive the golden plates which were buried in the hill Cumorah near Palmyra, New York from which the Book of Mormon was translated. The message on the plates was inscribed in “reformed Egyptian” hieroglyphics (a language that never existed), and Smith “translated” the plates by means of the “Urim and Thummin,” a type of miraculous spectacle which the angel Moroni had conveniently provided. The “translation” required about two years or so (1827-1829). In 1830 the work was published and copyrighted, Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price came later.

Since the original copy of the Book of Mormon, allegedly inspired in its translation, there have been thousands of changes and alterations to try to eliminate extremely poor grammar and glaring contradictions. One only has to compare today’s copy with the original to see this. The Book of Mormon also contains plagiarisms from the King James Version, false prophecies and errors of fact. There are at least 25,000 words in the Book of Mormon from the King James Version, some verbatim quotations.

Mormon books contradict themselves. The Book of Mormon states that remission of sins is the result of baptism (3 Nephi 12:2; Moroni 8:11) but in Doctrine and Covenants (20:37) the direct opposite is taught. Again, Doctrine and Covenants upholds polygamy (132:32, 34) while the Book of Mormon disallows it (Jacob 2:26-28).

Too, the Mormon books contradict the Bible in several places. One of the most obvious contradictions is the birthplace of Jesus. The Book of Mormon states Jesus was born in Jerusalem (Alma 7:10) while the Bible states he was born in Bethlehem (Matt. 2:1).

Mormonism’s view of God and Christ is one of the most ludicrous and absurd concepts ever proposed. God, they say, was once a man as we are. In fact, our God today is the Adam of the Garden of Eden, who progressed and evolved into God. We are told that we too can so live in this life that one day we can become a God. As to Jesus, He is the brother of the Devil, and while He was on earth, He celebrated His marriage to both Marys and to Martha, whereby He could see His offspring before He was crucified.

Much, much more could be written. However, enough has been said to enable us to see how preposterous the socalled writings of Joe Smith are. There is no way that such documents could be the word of God in view of their inaccuracies, alterations and apparent plagiarism. They are anything but “holy” books. The Bible depicts God and Christ as spiritual, eternal Beings in nature and the Bible, itself, written in languages by men of integrity, not having to be altered to cover its errors. It is original in content, free of plagiarism and fraud.

The Bible Versus Science and Health

The author of Science and Health, with Key to the Scriptures was Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science. However, as in the case of Joe Smith, much of the writing of Mrs. Eddy was plagiarized. Mrs. Eddy was a highly unstable and emotional woman. She was married three times. Her first husband, George Glover, died and later she married Dr. Daniel Patterson, whom she divorced and married Asa G. Eddy. Hence, her full name would be Mary Baker Glover Patterson Eddy. When she married Asa Eddy, she was 56 years old, but she demurely inserted the age of 40 years on her marriage form, again proving that she was far from being what current Christian Science mythology ascribes to her.

Mary Baker Eddy copied extensively from the writings of Hegel. In fact, in the 1875 edition of Science and Health, there are 33 pages verbatim and 100 pages in substance from Dr. Leiber’s manuscript on the writings of Hegel.

Mrs. Eddy claimed that sin is unreal and death is an illusion (Science & Health, pp. 234, 575). There is no sickness (1914 editions, p. 447). Miracles contained in Holy Writ are neither supernatural or preternatural (Miscellaneous Writings, pp. 200-201). The material blood of Jesus was not efficacious to cleanse from sin (Science & Health, p, 330) and that Jesus never actually died but was in the tomb mediating (Science & Health, pp. 349-351). Hence, Jesus was never resurrected, according to Christian Science.

Again, as in the other so-called sacred writings, we see dishonesty, deception and absurdities. How anyone could take seriously Mary Baker Eddy who denied pain, suffering and death, and who obviously plagiarized much of what she wrote, is beyond my comprehension. There is not much holy about her “holy” book.

A General Observation

When one compares the Bible with these other “sacred” books, he is at once struck with certain outstanding facts which constitute a difference no less than the difference between night and day.

Very little is known of the date and authorship of most of these “scared” books – some of them having been written hundreds of year after the death of the Founder. Their testimony becomes impossible to validate. But how different with the Bible. Here we find overwhelming evidence of its validity with the writers, especially the. New Testament, being contemporaries of Jesus Christ.

These “sacred” books are filled with wild imaginations and incredible absurdities, but the Bible is a book of sublime common sense with its sober account of creation, its condemnation of sin in every form, its care for the unfortunate, its living, personal God, its Savior, and its glorious hope of heaven. Although the Bible has come under more attacks than any other book, it has stood the test unscathed.

Furthermore, the Bible is based on historical fact, with real characters, real places and written in languages that were spoken among the people. The other “sacred” books, at least most of them, are lacking in historical element.

Not one of these “sacred” books gives any hint that its founder was able to deliver his followers from the miseries of which the writings speak, by voluntarily giving himself to die on their behalf, to rise from the dead and become their support and guide. Yet, this is the theme of the Bible. Jesus came, suffered and died for our sins, arose the third day, ascended to heaven, serves as our intercessor, Lord and King, and is coming again to consumate all things.

The Bible possesses a vitality and strength that most of the other “sacred” books lack. For example, among the nine rules of conduct for the Buddhist there is one rule that teaches him to neither think or say his religion is the best. When we turn to the Bible we hear the definite, certain sound: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me” (Jn. 14:6). “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). What vigor! What else would we expect from such a Book?

In conclusion, Sidney Collett said it well when he wrote: “What poor, guilty, fallen humanity craves for is a very different book. – a book which tells of a remedy for hearts polluted with unholy imaginations; for the thief, the murderer, the reprobate, the outcast; for this tainted, this groaning, this travailing, this sin-stained world. And such a Book is the Bible” (All about the Bible, pp. 315-316).

Endnote

I am indebted to the following sources for research material for this article: All About the Bible by Sidney Collett, Understanding NonChristian Religions by Josh McDowell and Don Stewart, The Kingdom of the Cults by Walter Martin and The Hutto-El Dareer Debate.

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 1, pp. 18-21
January 6, 1983

By Frank Jamerson

In spite of the fact that there are many scientists who believe the Bible to be the word of God, the common conception is that you must choose either the Bible or science. This condition exists partly because of false theories about the Bible and partly because of false theories about science. Science really involves experimentation, observation and classification of facts. Conflict often comes because an interpretation is placed upon the facts which contradicts Bible teaching, or because an interpretation is placed upon Scripture which contradicts scientific fact. We believe that the God of Nature is the God of the Bible and, therefore, the two “books” cannot be contradictory.

We must realize that the Bible is not written as a book of science. Bernard Ramm made the following observations about the language of the Bible that are worthy of our careful consideration. “The language of the Bible with reference to natural matters is popular not scientific.” By “popular” he means the language in which the common man converses. “The scientist writes his essay for his technical journal in the jargon of his speciality, and this jargon is a most valuable tool for the communication of his ideas. When he chats with his neighbor as they meet in some social gathering the scientist prudently recourses to the vocabulary of popular speech.” Also, he observed, “The language of the Bible is phenomenal. By phenomenal we mean `pertaining to appearances.’ The Bible uses a language that is not only popular but restricted to the apparent. For example it speaks of `the four corners (wings) of the earth’ (Isa. 11:12) because the division of something into quarters is a frequent human operation and a convenient method of indicating place. . . such expressions are neither scientific nor anti-scientific, but the popular and phenomenal expressions of daily conversation.”(1)

Men who have not understood these facts have claimed that the Bible is anti-scientific because it speaks of the sun as “going down” or “rising.” The truth is that such expressions do not imply an earth-centered universe, and the very scientists who would make such criticism probably speak of the sun “rising in the East” or a “beautiful sunset.” Such expressions are “popular and phenomenal expressions” and not anti-scientific.

Why the concern over whether the Bible and science agree or disagree? Some would say that the two are in separate realms and that we should not be concerned about harmonizing them. We disagree with this concept for three reasons. First, because some have used “science” to create anti-Scriptural systems. When men of science place an interpretation upon facts which contradicts plain Bible teaching, then their interpretations must be challenged. Second, the Bible does state some facts that are scientific. If these facts are rejected, the the whole Bible is unreliable and not to be trusted in anything. For example, the Bible teaches that matter was created, therefore is not eternal, that everything reproduces after its “kind” and that God created man from the dust of the earth. If scientists contend that matter is eternal, that every “kind” came through the process of organic evolution and that man descended from the ape, their theories must be challenged. Both cannot be right! Third, miracles have been attacked as non-scientific and, therefore, not to be accepted. “If the biologist denies the virgin birth and the astronomer the long day of Joshua and the geologist the creation record”(2) the Christian must stand opposed to such views. The Christian knows that he cannot reproduce the virgin birth, the creation of woman from a rib or any other miracle recorded in the Bible, but this does not contradict science. Science simply does not deal with the miraculous.

We will now notice some scientific laws and show their harmony with Bible facts. The law of biogenesis says that living organisms can be generated only by pre-existing living organisms. The Genesis account says that everything reproduces “after its kind” (Gen. 1:21). Today, many scientists deny this law in order to propagate the theory of organic evolution. A person must either accept the fact that God created and that things reproduce after their own kind, or that matter is eternal and that life originated from spontaneous generation. “Organic evolution, as usually defined, means that gradual development of all forms of life by natural processes from complex chemicals in the earth’s primeval ocean …. But there is an overwhelming scientific objection right at the beginning, namely, the impossibility of accounting for the development of living organisms from nonliving chemicals in the first place. The notion of `spontaneous generation’ was widely held until demolished by Pasteur and others a hundred years ago. It is known beyond doubt that there is no such process occurring in the present world . . . .”(3) The evolutionist, in denying the Bible account, must believe in spontaneous generation though he knows that not one case is documented and that it is contrary to the law of biogenesis!

Another scientific law that harmonizes with the Bible teaching is called the First Law of Thermodynamics. In 1841, “Mayer formulated the law of mass and energy conservation …. This law of energy conservation states that the sum total of all energy in the universe remains constant, but one form of energy may be converted into another. A companion law is the law of mass conservation, which states that although matter may be changed in size, shape, form, etc., the total mass cannot be changed.”(4) The Bible says that the “heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them” (Gen. 2:1).

The Second Law of Thermodynamics says that the universe is running down, which harmonizes with the Bible teaching that it was created. “The atheist ridicules the concept of an Eternal God, yet he himself believes in the eternal existence of matter. His belief in the eternal existence of matter is not only without reasonable evidence, it is contrary to one of the best established scientific laws, the Second Law of Thermodynamics . . . .”(5)

The Christian accepts the statements of Scripture by faith. We did not see God create the world and the various kinds of creatures, but the facts of science do not contradict the facts of Scripture. The evolutionist accepts his position by faith also. He has not observed life springing from non-living substance, nor an ape changing into a man. He believes that time, chance and environment can, and in fact have, produced the universe and all that it contains.

Why have scientists accepted this unscientific theory? In 1921, the British botanist D.H. Scott, said: “A new generation has grown up which knows not Darwin. Is even then evolution not a scientifically ascertained fact? No! We must hold it as an act of faith because there is no alternative.”(6) D.M.S. Watson, Professor of Zoology in London University said: “Evolution is a theory universally accepted, not because it can be proved to be true, but because the only alternative, `special creation,’ is clearly impossible.”(7)

The book, “Why Scientists Accept Evolution” by Robert T. Clark and James D. Bales documents the fact that the nineteenth century scientists “accepted evolution because of their anti-supernatural bias, and not because of the weight of scientific evidence” (p. 108). They also conclude that many today “accept it for the simple reason that certain men, who were supposed to know, accepted it.” Many science teachers today are totally ignorant of any objection to the theory of organic evolution. They are unaware that scientific facts can be interpreted to harmonize with the creation account.(8)

There are many other evidences that could be given of the harmony between the Bible and science. We must be careful however, not to read into the Bible so-called “pre-scientific” statements that were not intended. The amazing fact that no anti-scientific statements are found in the Bible should fortify our faith in the word of God. We believe it because of its unity, fulfilled prophecy and profound teaching, but its scientific and historical accuracy confirms our faith. It is from God and the false theories of men are not found therein.

Endnotes

1. Bernard Ramm, The Christian View of Science and Scripture, p. 46.

2. Ibid., p. 30.

3. Henry M. Morris, The Bible and Modern Science, pp. 33, 34.

4. A.O. Sehnabel, Has God Spoken?, p. 50.

5. Wayne Jackson, Fortify Your Faith, p. 10.

6. Bolton Davidheiser, Evolution and Christian Faith, p. 155.

7. Ibid.

8. There is an excellent booklet, “The Theory of Evolution and Special Creation,” by John L. Clark and David A. Eakin which gives scientific facts and then the evolutionary and creationist interpretations of these facts.

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 1, pp. 16-17
January 6, 1983

By Aude McKee

The Bible is a divinely inspired record of the creation of all things, including man, and of God’s dealings with the human race. The Bible is not a history book, just as it is not a book written for people with a scientific turn of mind, or for people with interests in other fields of learning. But it is a fact that whenever God’s Word touches incidentally on any of these areas, it is always accurate. Someone has made the observation that the Bible is not only amazing in the accuracy with which it deals with whatever subject it may touch, but it is also an amazing book from the standpoint of what is does not say. Writers of books in years past would parrot the errors held at the time as though they had been proven and then, if they lived long enough, have to blush as they were proven wrong. God’s Word.is absolutely dependable in every -statement made and every fact presented. No new editions have ever been printed to remove errors from the Bible that the Holy Spirit made.

Those things that vitally affect the eternal welfare of man are matters of faith. It has never been possible, nor will it ever be as long as this world stands, for men to “prove” there is a God, a devil who is as real as we are, a heaven and a hell, etc. But it is just as true that it is impossible for infidels, rationalists, and atheists to disprove such things. So, to accomplish their goal, these people have had to resort to other lines of attack. Since “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God,” they have made the Bible the battle ground. They have tried to cast doubt on the authorship of the books of the Bible, their date of writing, the miracles, and the historical accuracy of the book, to name a few. German rationalists of the late 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries have led in this attack.

We stated a moment ago that the Bible is not a history book, but since it is a record of God’s dealings with man, the setting of the events of both the Old and New Testaments had to be included. What coinage and weights and measures were in use at the time? Who was on the thrones of nations about? These, and a host of other things, the Bible deals with incidentally, and these are some of the things that rationalists have denied when proof of their accuracy did not already exist.

This line of attack is a valid one. If the Bible cannot be relied upon when making a statement about some historical matter, then why would a person be inclined to believe a statement about heaven or salvation? This type of argument was used by a fellow named Lorenco Valla to disprove the authenticity of the document “Donation of Constantine.” This document was supposed to have been addressed. by Constantine the Great to Pope Sylvester I back in the 4th century. For many years it was used by the Catholic Church to back up its claims for the Papacy. But then in 1440, Valla gave a brilliant demonstration of its spuriousness. He said, “How in the world . . . could anyone speak of Constantinople as one of the partiarchal sees, when it was not yet a partiarchate, nor a see, nor a Christian city, nor even named Constatinople, nor founded nor planned!” And so the Catholics were forced to discontinue using the document. It was not historically accurate!

Have the attacks of the rationalists against the historical accuracy of the Bible had the same effect that Valla’s attack on the “Donation of Constantine” had? Far from it! In fact, these attacks have probably been partially responsible for the interest taken in archaeological efforts in areas where-Bible events unfolded. In turn, these diggings into the ruins of such areas have provided the proof of facts previously denied. Julius Wellhausen, a German rationalist, declared that “we can learn nothing from the Pentateuch about the history of patriarchal times, but only about ideas, customs and rituals that came into being many centuries later.” He also said that “Abraham is certainly not the name of a person – he is not to be considered a historical person. He might rather be thought of as a free creature of unconscious art” (Christianity Today, Sept. 19, 1980, p. 35). It is interesting that William F. Albright, the author of the above article, said that “Wellhausen never showed any interest in the discoveries of archaeology.” It is well that he showed no interest in archaeology (if he wanted to remain in ignorance), because archaeological material (according to Albright) “has been accumulating at an accelerated pace. We know from discoveries all over the Near East how well the Patriarchal narratives fit into the Middle Bronze age, between ca. 1900 and 1500 B.C. The excavations of Mari on the Middle Euphrates since 1933 has yielded many thousands of cuneiform tablets belonging to the then recently settled Northwestern Semites of Abraham’s time, whose language and customs were very close to those of the early Hebrews” (History, Archaeology and Christian Humanism, p. 29). In his book, Rivers in the Desert, Nelson Glueck deals with that part of the world that was Abraham’s.

Probably most of our readers know that skeptics long denied that a nation called Hittites ever existed, even though they were mentioned over twenty times in the Old Testament. Archaeologists have dug up thousands of clay tablets with incriptions that attest to the fact that the Old Testament is historically accurate. It was once popular to argue that Belshazzar, king of Babylon, and Nineveh, the capital of Assyria never existed. These have been confirmed by the spade. Moses makes mention of growing grapes and making wine in Egypt. This, in the past has been used as an example of historical inaccuracy, but archaeologists have unearthed Egyptian paintings showing that grapes were grown and wine was made. Those who have wished to discredit the Bible have said that secular history does not mention some forty-seven kings that are listed in the books of Chronicles and Kings, but archaeologists have uncovered evidence that proves these kings were not fictitious. Nelson Glueck, an archaeologist of some renown, says, “. . . it may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a Biblical reference. Scores of archaeological findings have been made which confirm in clear outline or in exact detail historical statements in the Bible. And, by the same token, proper evaluation of Biblical descriptions has often led to amazing discoveries. They form tessarae in the vast mosaic of the Bible’s almost incredible historical memory” (Rivers in the Desert, p. 31). Albright says, “The narratives of the Patriarchs, of Moses and the Exodus, of the conquest of Canaan, of the Judges, the Monarchy, Exile, and Restoration, have all been confirmed and illustrated to an extent that I should have thought impossible forty years ago . . . . There has been a general return to appreciation of the accuracy, both in general sweep and factual detail, of the religious history of Israel” (History, Archaeology and Christian Humanism, pp. 293-294). John Clark says that “archaeology has gone a long way in correcting the false idea that was very popular in the last part of the 19th century and in the first part of this century – that the Bible is not trustworthy in its history. The historical accuracy of the Bible is highly regarded today” (God’s Book Is Inspired, p. 11).

What has been said about archaeology confirming Old Testament history, could be repeated about the New Testament. A check of the shelves of the public library will reveal a number of books that deal with archaeological discoveries that confirm the history of the New Testament, but let’s hasten to one more point. Had you ever thought about the fact that both the prophecies of the Bible and the miracles therein recorded, are proof of the historical accuracy of God’s Word? Was Daniel in Babylon, did Nebuchadnezzar have a dream, did Daniel correctly explain the dream and accurately foretell the establishment of the kingdom of Christ and the time it would occur? Daniel (Dan. 2) correctly described the four world empires and then stated that the Lord’s Kingdom would be established during the fourth one. This prophecy was beautifully fulfilled when the church was established during the reign of the Caesars of Rome. Included in all this is both miracle and prophecy, followed by fulfillment and the historical accuracy of the Bible is confirmed.

In Matthew 14, we read of Jesus feeding five thousand men besides the women and children. In chapter 15, He fed four thousand and the women and children were not counted. Would twenty thousand people fed be an exaggeration? Don’t you know this was the talk of the whole country? The record of these two events were recorded probably within twenty or thirty years of when they occurred. Do you think the Bible could have been inaccurate in its record of an event of such magnitude with most of the participants still living?

Without doubt, the resurrection of Christ is one of the most astounding miracles recorded in God’s Word. Is the account of that great event historically reliable? How could anyone in his right mind deny the accuracy of the account in view of the number of witnesses that were available at the time the account was written? After His resurrection, Jesus remained on earth for forty days! Paul, in his sermon to King Agrippa, pointed out that “this was not done in a corner,” and the same point could be made regarding Jesus’ resurrection. Literally hundreds of people saw Him, spoke with Him, etc., during that forty day period. Paul, in the first epistle to the Corinthians (chapter 15), bore witness to the resurrection of Christ, listed some of the witnesses, and speaks of the tragic consequences had Christ not been raised. We need to bear in mind that this epistle was written and circulated not more than twentyfive years after the event occurred! If such things as this are declared to be historically inaccurate by rationalists, then no historical document could be regarded as accurate.

Conclusion

In closing this article, we need to say that archaeological discoveries and whatever other proofs of historical accuracy may be presented, do not prove the Bible to be inspired. Other books may be historically accurate and not be inspired. But these proofs of historical accuracy do increase our confidence in the fact that “all scripture is given by the inspiration of God,” because they show the Bible innocent of the charge made by its critics that the Bible blunders in history.

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 1, pp. 14-16
January 6, 1983

By Johnny Stringer

God did not reveal His message to mankind only to have it lost to extinction. Intending it to continue to serve its vital function forever, God promised:

For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever (1 Peter 1:24-25).

This promise follows a reference to the word of God as incorruptible seed “which liveth and abideth forever” (I Peter 1:23).

Indeed, through the marvelous providence of God, His revelation to man has been preserved. The copyists and others whose labors contributed to the preservation of the Scriptures were instruments used by God to serve His purpose.

There is good reason to believe that nothing less than the hand of God is responsible for the Bible’s endurance, for it was preserved in circumstances which would seemingly make its survival impossible. It has survived despite all the efforts of its many powerful enemies to destroy it.

The Old Testament Period

The Jews successfully preserved the Old Testament Scriptures as they were written. Their turbulent history, however, was certainly not conducive to the preservation of such a group of writings. They were often in a state of turmoil, sometimes from within and other times from outside enemies. They were often oppressed and subdued by enemy powers. Yet, through it all, their sacred writings were kept secure. In 586 B.C. their holy city was destroyed, the Temple burned, and they were taken from their land to captivity in Babylonia; but their holy writings survived.

The Jewish preservation of the Scriptures is remarkable in view of the severe denunciations of the Jewish people and predictions of their downfall that are found in them. Upon hearing a portion of Jeremiah’s prophecy, Jehoiakim, King of Judah, was so incensed that he cut it up with a penknife and threw it into the fire (Jeremiah 36). It is a wonder that the Jewish people did not destroy the Scriptures, but rather preserved them so diligently.

They were successful in preserving the Scriptures despite the efforts of their enemies to destroy them. In 198 B.C. the Seleucids (Syrians) took control of Palestine. One of the Seleucid rulers, Antiochus Epiphanes, set out to eradicate the Jewish religion. In 170 B.C. he marched on Jerusalem, plundered the Temple, and set up a viceroy to complete the task of exterminating Judaism. Among other things, all the holy writings were to be burned. Then, however, the seemingly impossible happened. Against all odds, the Jews revolted; and under the leadership of Mattathias, and later his son Judas Maccabeus, this tiny nation which would have appeared to be helpless before the mighty Syrians, held its own so that its religion survived. The most ardent enemies of the Scriptures, with all their military might, could not destroy them!

The New Testament Period

Enemies of the Scriptures continued to try to destroy them after the New Testament became God’s law for men. When the religion of the New Testament entered into the world, it found itself in a hostile environment: The powerful Roman Empire set itself in opposition to Christianity. The early centuries of the New Testament age were characterized by persecutions of the severest kind. Some of the emperors were particularly fierce in their efforts to destroy Christianity and the Scriptures on which it depended.

Diocletian fiercely strove to eradicate Christianity and the Scriptures. Regarding this emperor’s reign of terror, the historian Eusebius said, “Royal edicts were published everywhere, commanding that the church be leveled to the ground the Scriptures destroyed by fire” (Church History, Book VIII, Ch. 1). Diocletian ordered anyone having a copy of the Scriptures to surrender it that it might be burned. Anyone who refused to do so would be killed. In fact, if anyone knew of someone else who had a copy of the Scriptures, he was obligated to report it. Failure to comply was punished by death.

Consequently, many copies of the Scriptures were burned during Diocletian’s reign. Many Christians surrendered their copies of the Scriptures to be burned, but many others endured horrible tortures because they refused to do so. Rimmer says that after Diocletian’s edict had been in force for two years, the emperor boasted, “I have completely exterminated the Christian writings from the face of the earth!” (Seven Wonders of the Wonderful Word). In truth, however, all the efforts of the powerful Roman Empire failed to destroy Christianity and the Scriptures.

Even some claiming to be friends of the Bible have in practice been among its worst enemies. During the Middle Ages, when the Roman Catholic popes exercised great political power, the Roman Catholic Church vigorously suppressed the Bible. That institution fiercely opposed all efforts to translate the Bible into the languages understood by the common people. Those who made and published translations of the Bible were condemned as heretics. They risked their lives to make Bibles available to people in their own tongues. For his strenuous and courageous efforts to accomplish this noble task, William Tyndale was strangled and burned at the stake on October 6, 1536, at the command of Charles V. Others also died. During this period thousands of Bibles were burned. The Jesuits in Bohemia boasted of burning 60,000 Bibles in a single year (1637).

Of course, much of the opposition to the Bible has been of a philosophical nature, not involving physical violence. Men have ridiculed it, scoffed at it, and made every possible effort to disprove it. In fact, some skeptics have thought the Bible incapable of surviving their attacks. Voltaire, the French skeptic (1694-1778) said, “In less than a hundred years the Bible will be discarded and Christianity swept from the earth.” Yet, in less than a hundred years the printing press upon which Voltaire had printed his attacks on the Bible, was being used to print more copies of the Bible. Thomas Paine triumphantly declared that his book, The Age of Reason, would destroy the Bible and Christianity. Voltaire and Paine have long since departed the earth, but the Bible survives. Very few people have ever read anything written by Voltaire or Paine; multitudes continue to read and profit from the Bible.

Conclusion

By the powerful hand of God, the Bible has been preserved, and it has been preserved in an atmosphere not conducive to its survival. It has withstood every assault that has been made upon it by its many enemies. Some of the mightiest powers that have existed have sought to destroy it, only to fail. The Bible’s indestructibility is impressed upon us by the following poem:

Last eve I paused beside a blacksmith’s door

And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;

Then, looking in, I saw upon the floor

Old hammers worn with the beating years of time.

“How many anvils have you had,” said I,

“To wear and batter all these hammers so?”

“Just one,” said he; then said with twinkling eye,

“The anvil wears the hammers out you know.”

And so, I thought, the anvil of God’s word

For ages skeptic blows have beat upon,

Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard,

The anvil is unharmed – the hammers gone.

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 1, pp. 13-14
January 6, 1983