It's a dismal fact that one generation generally knows little about those that came before, even the one immediately preceding it. This is why even significant people and events can be quickly forgotten, and the lessons of history must be learned over and over again. A shining example of this is that people still ask the question: 'Is the Bible true?' even though this is the best-documented book ever.
One important point that most don't realize is that archaeologists and anthropologists who study ancient civilizations use the Bible as the definitive guide. They have found that things in scripture which have been discounted for centuries are being authenticated in modern times. For example, King David was long suspected to be a biblical myth until references to his reign in Israel were found in 1993. It wasn't until 2005 that the ruins of his palace were uncovered in Jerusalem, exactly where biblical accounts had placed it.
Many scientific discoveries also support passages in the scriptures. Even though the Book of Isaiah was written perhaps seven hundred years before the birth of Christ, it tells us that the earth is round and suspended in space. The 'flat earth' belief was accepted until the 1400s, however.
Another account, the Book of Job, is considered symbolic rather than historical. Many regard it as poetry. God's truth is revealed all through it, however. We read that plants make their food from sunlight (now called the process of photosynthesis), that there are springs of fresh water deep under the saltwater oceans, and that light is made up of many colors and can be separated into a rainbow spectrum.
People who believe the truth of biblical accounts are often accused of being anti-science and anti-intellectual. However, many things that science once taught are being refuted by new methods and discoveries, while biblical teachings are found to hold up. Scientists even use the Holy Writ as inspiration, like Matthew Maury, who wanted to find the 'paths of the sea' talked about in the eighth Psalm. He found (like others before him) the Gulf Stream, a powerful current that ships can use to guide them at sea.
As for archaeology, the Old Testament has long been used as the most accurate historical guide to ancient civilizations. Even the prestigious Smithsonian Institute declares those Hebrew texts to be more accurate than Egyptian, Mesopotamian, or Greek records. Recent discoveries continue to validate the scriptures.
Anthropologists who study ancient civilizations have also found the scriptures to be authentic and reliable. By deciphering the monuments and inscriptions of ancient peoples, experts have traced the existence of Israel as a people and a nation for over 3,000 years. No other people group has been so coherent or enduring. From a purely secular viewpoint, this book is remarkable in its records of ancient times and its predictions of future events. This lends credibility to its spiritual content.
People who search for proof that scripture can be relied on are engaged in apologetics. Between historical clues, documents like the Dead Sea Scrolls, and prophetic passages that have come true, the Bible is supported more and more as time goes on.
One important point that most don't realize is that archaeologists and anthropologists who study ancient civilizations use the Bible as the definitive guide. They have found that things in scripture which have been discounted for centuries are being authenticated in modern times. For example, King David was long suspected to be a biblical myth until references to his reign in Israel were found in 1993. It wasn't until 2005 that the ruins of his palace were uncovered in Jerusalem, exactly where biblical accounts had placed it.
Many scientific discoveries also support passages in the scriptures. Even though the Book of Isaiah was written perhaps seven hundred years before the birth of Christ, it tells us that the earth is round and suspended in space. The 'flat earth' belief was accepted until the 1400s, however.
Another account, the Book of Job, is considered symbolic rather than historical. Many regard it as poetry. God's truth is revealed all through it, however. We read that plants make their food from sunlight (now called the process of photosynthesis), that there are springs of fresh water deep under the saltwater oceans, and that light is made up of many colors and can be separated into a rainbow spectrum.
People who believe the truth of biblical accounts are often accused of being anti-science and anti-intellectual. However, many things that science once taught are being refuted by new methods and discoveries, while biblical teachings are found to hold up. Scientists even use the Holy Writ as inspiration, like Matthew Maury, who wanted to find the 'paths of the sea' talked about in the eighth Psalm. He found (like others before him) the Gulf Stream, a powerful current that ships can use to guide them at sea.
As for archaeology, the Old Testament has long been used as the most accurate historical guide to ancient civilizations. Even the prestigious Smithsonian Institute declares those Hebrew texts to be more accurate than Egyptian, Mesopotamian, or Greek records. Recent discoveries continue to validate the scriptures.
Anthropologists who study ancient civilizations have also found the scriptures to be authentic and reliable. By deciphering the monuments and inscriptions of ancient peoples, experts have traced the existence of Israel as a people and a nation for over 3,000 years. No other people group has been so coherent or enduring. From a purely secular viewpoint, this book is remarkable in its records of ancient times and its predictions of future events. This lends credibility to its spiritual content.
People who search for proof that scripture can be relied on are engaged in apologetics. Between historical clues, documents like the Dead Sea Scrolls, and prophetic passages that have come true, the Bible is supported more and more as time goes on.
No comments:
Post a Comment