We have heard much about the Bible. It is one of the most oft quoted books in print and is a perennial best seller. A man is not considered well educated unless he knows something about it, at least in its literary beauty.

However, we are not concerned with the Bible as just one more piece of literature. We never cease to be amazed at the beauty of it, its style and structure. But the thing with which truly concerned is whether or not the Bible is in fact the word of God. If it is, it must be believed and if not, it may be treated in whatever manner we so choose.

The Evidence

We would like to notice some evidences in favor of the divine authorship of the Bible. Paul in writing to the church of the Thessalonians said that he was happy that they had received it as the word of God (I Thes. 2:13) for that, he said, is exactly what it is.

There are two forms of evidence offered in behalf of the divine authorship of the Bible: One is external evidence and the other is internal evidence. Notice with me just now, some external evidences in favor of the premise The Bible is the Word of God.

Pre-Scientific Data

True science has always been a friend to the Christian. There has never been a fault found in the Bible, once all the scientific facts were in. Men have charged fault only to find that the Bible stated more than science knew. Note some of the following examples:

1. Scientists have concluded that there was light before the sun. This fact, though recently proven scientifically, is clearly shown in Gen. 1: 3, 14-19. Light was created on the first day while the sun was not in existence until the fourth.

2. Genesis one, written by Moses about 1500 B.C., also contains a distinction in regard to the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms. Science did not know of such distinctions according to our records until 1735 with the writings of Linnaeus.

3. As late as 150 A.D. Ptolemy believed that there were only about 3000 stars. We now know otherwise and the Bible reported such in Gen. 13:16. (Compare 15:5)

4. The rotundity of the earth was not understood until the early Grecians. Yet, the Bible reports this fact in Isa. 40:22; Luke 17:26.

5. Not until men sailed around the earth did they understand the words of Job 26:7.

6. Oceanography (Paths in the sea), reported in Psalms 8, was not known by science until about 1850 and the writing of Matthew Maury.

7. Other facts not known by science until later than the writing of the Bible are such things as:

a. Northern empty space of Job 26:7.

b. Static electricity of Jer. 10:13.

c. Life in blood of Lev. 17:10-16.

d. All nations of one blood of Acts 17:26.

e. Process of rain of Job 36:27-28.

The logical question is this: How could these men have known the things of which they wrote had they not been told by God? These were not things at which they could have guessed so successfully. They were not things had in common knowledge as they are today.

Archaeological Data

Another outstanding external proof of the credibility of the Bible is Archaeology and the finds which have been made. Archaeology does not write the Bible, but it does go far in proving to the skeptic that the Bible is truthful. Truly, not one Bible fact has been proven inaccurate from these discoveries. Notice some examples of archaeological finds showing the truthfulness of the Bible.

1. Though skeptics held that Moses could not have written his books because, according to them, no writing was known at that time; the code of Hammurabi, written about 2250 B.C., and other finds, have shown writing as early as Abraham.

2. The flood was confirmed by an expedition of the British Museum in 1929.

3. Garstang confirmed the walls of Jericho, 1929-36.

4. In 1939, the Oriental institute uncovered proof in regard to Solomons wealth.

5. In Exodus 5, it is reported that bricks were made without straw. This was confirmed in 1908, by Kyle who found the lower rows of brick at Pithon to be filled with good straw, the middle to be filled with stubble, and the top rows to have no straw at all.

6. Lukes statement concerning Gallio as proconsul (Acts 18:14) was confirmed by fragmentary inscriptions found at Delphi, Greece.

Conclusion

It would seem strange that when all the works of men hold factual and scientific mistakes, the Bible has no such mistakes. If it is not the word of God, will not someone please tell us how it can be so accurate, though dealing with almost every phase of science?

The evidence-both scientific and historical-indicates rather forcefully that the Bible is a product of the hand of God.

TRUTH MAGAZINE, XVI: 30, pp. 6-7
June 1, 1972