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Bible Study

Foundational teachings of scripture
Where can I find truth? (Part 1)
July 20, 2009

Welcome to a new feature of Moreword.com. We present an extensive series that will cover some of the most foundational teachings of the Bible. We will cover topics that answer important questions like:

Where can I find truth?
Who is God?
How can I find God?
How do I live for God?

We will take several weeks to cover each topic completely as, like Proverb-a-day, each lesson will be designed for just a few minutes of study at a setting. This study will not be sent out by email but will only appear here at moreword.com so you will need to check back Monday through Friday. So here we go. Welcome aboard the journey through scriptures.

Where Can I Find Truth?

It is extremely important that we are diligent about passing the truth of God's Word to the next generation. In the Book of Joshua, we learn what happens when a generation fails to adequately pass the truth to their children. After the death of Joshua and those of Joshua's generation, it was said:

Judg 2:10-11
10 And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel .
11 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:

Why did the new generation not know the works God had done for Israel? God's works were not taught to them. It is as though an entire generation missed out on Sunday School. We should not assume that the Message is getting passed on, we must diligently teach it. Let's look at the Old Testament verse that Jesus considered the most important (Matt 22:38):

Deuteronomy 6:4-7
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently…

Where can I find truth (part 2)?
July 21, 2009

I heard Bro. Doug White preach a message entitled, “I believe in rings.” He spoke of how the implements of worship in Moses' tabernacle in the wilderness, all had rings affixed to their side to allow them to be transported easily. The brazen altar, the altar of incense, the table of showbread, and even the boards of the tabernacle, all had four rings of gold on their corners or sides. Then they made staves or rods of shittim wood and overlaid them with brass.

When it was time to move on, those rods were inserted into the rings on each item of the tabernacle and the items could be transported easily and safely. When the time of transition came, their center of worship did not have to be left behind and then reinvented after each transition. The implements of worship were not touched by human hands so they were not corrupted, defiled, changed or diminished when it came time to move to the next phase of existence.

The purpose of this lesson is just that—we are purposely and diligently teaching the truths that define the church as the Church so we can pass it to the next generation “untouched” by human hands. We won't be looking on the history and traditions of a church denomination, but the teachings taught in the Bible. The goal of the present-day church should be to duplicate the teachings and practices found in the Bible. It is important to know why we believe what we believe.

1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

Where can I find truth (part 3)?
July 22, 2009

You and I didn't create and die for the church—Jesus did. And because of that, we do not have the liberty to define or redefine the church after our pleasure. To be the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, we must be founded on doctrines of the Bible. Our study will present such Bible topics as, “the apostles doctrine” and the “doctrine of Christ” and will avoid presenting traditions of men as equivalent to scripture since Jesus spoke against such.

While we can certainly respect religious traditions of people we love, it is important that the Bible be the primary source of teachings over what somebody in our past has believed. The scripture laid down the “landmarks” that determine the boundaries that define the church and we need to search out those landmarks to make sure what we think is true is true indeed:

Proverbs 22:28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.

Where can I find truth (part 4)?
July 23, 2009

So where do we stand? First and foremost, on the Bible, God's holy Word. Our first topic of the series addresses the question, “Where can we find truth?” The second group of lessons will address the question, “Who is God?” Then after we know the source of truth and know who God is, then we can address the question, “How can I find God?” where we will discuss the biblical plan for salvation. Then we will address the question, “How do I live for God?” which addresses questions of personal holiness.

When compared to all the religious literature produced in the world, The Holy Bible is uniquely God's Word to mankind. From the beginning of man's days, the devil has tried cause people to question, distort, destroy, and deny it, but it is still God's Word.

Genesis 3:1-4
1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

The devil has continued to use that scheme with people, even yet today. Where the Bible has said, “This is true,” the devil has simply inserted the word “not” to pass the message, “This is not true.” Yet despite thousands of years of attempts of destruction, the Bible has survived and has been passed down to you and I today in very much the same condition it was when Jesus stood in the temple to read it.

Where can I find truth (part 5)?
July 24, 2009

The Bible is God's infallible Word. How do we know that the Bible is authentically God's Word? From where does that idea come? First let's look at evidence from the Bible itself, from the Apostles, Peter and Paul, that identify it as the Word of God.

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2 Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

These verses reveal that scripture came to us in a two-fold manner. First, God “inspired”: divinely breathed in” words to the writers; Second, God “moved”: “carried, or moved by bearing” the prophets to speak and write. So in a very literal sense, God breathed words into men and then moved them to speak them and write them down. That is how we got the Bible—it started in God's mind and has been transcribed onto the pages in front of us today. How do we know this is God's Word? The Bible contains its own certification of authenticity.

Where can I find truth (part 6)?
July 27, 2009

Testimony of kings, prophets and apostles

There is other testimony within scripture that identifies scripture as God's Word. Just between the books of Isaiah and Amos, we find the prophets declaring this bold statement 134 times: “Thus saith the Lord…” Such as:

Isa 7:7 Thus saith the Lord God, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass.

The prophets were convinced it was God's Word they were speaking and recording. And also the greatest Kings of Israel accepted the writings of Moses as the Word of God. King David said Moses' writings were the “charge” or requirements “of the Lord thy God”:

1 Kings 2:1-3
1 Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying,
2 I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man;
3 And keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses , that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:

When reading the New Testament, we see numerous references to how those writers regarded the Old Testament as God's Word. In fact, a great deal of the New Testament is simply quotes of the Old Testament.

Where can I find truth (part 7)?
July 28, 2009

The Apostles testified that they spoke by the Spirit of God, and with the mind of Christ:

1 Cor 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

The apostle Peter wrote about the letters of Paul and considered them scripture:

2 Peter 3:15-16
15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

So when the apostles penned the content of the New Testament, they were writing through the mind of Christ. In other words, they wrote what God spoke to them. And when those words were written, the church considered them "scriptures."

Where can I find truth (part 8)?
July 29, 2009

Integrity of Jesus Christ--Jesus' certified the Old Testament

Not only do we have the words of prophets, kings and the apostles, Jesus Christ Himself gave testimony that the Old Testament was “scripture”, or God's word.

Luke 24:44-45
44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

Jesus identified the whole Old Testament that we use as truth in Luke 11:51. Although our Old Testament ends with Malachi, the Jewish Bible, which contains the same books as our Old Testament, orders the books differently and ends with 2 Chronicles. With that in mind let's read:

Luke 11:51 From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

Jesus was giving an illustration similar to how we would say, “from A-Z”, from the beginning all the way through to the end. Abel was mentioned in Genesis and Zacharias in 2 Chronicles.

In addition, Jesus calls the Old Testament the “commandment of God” in Mark 7:8-9. In Matt 5:17-18, Jesus said that the Law and the Prophets (the Old Testament) would not pass away but would all be fulfilled—in other words, Jesus said the Word is indestructible and forever valid. We will talk more about how indestructible it is later from Jeremiah 36.

Where can I find truth (part 9)?
July 30, 2009

Jesus commissioned the New Testament

We have considered Jesus' opinion about the Old Testament being God's Word, but what about the New Testament? Did the writings of the New Testament receive Jesus' blessing?

Yes of course, because the writing of the New Testament was actually commissioned by Jesus Christ. Jesus made this promise to some of those who would later become the writers of the books of the New Testament:

John 16:12-13
12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

Jesus promised these soon-to-be authors that the Holy Ghost would guide them to “all truth”.

And to help those with failing memories, Jesus even promised that the Holy Ghost would bring all His words back to their memory after He left:

John 14:25-26
25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

We will have more to say about the validity of the New Testament later.

Where can I find truth (part 10)?
July 31, 2009

Jesus' word on “questionable” Old Testament stories/passages

Skeptics of the Bible often like to point out certain Old Testament passages as being hard for thinking people to believe. Jesus addressed some of those arguments and verified the truth of those passages, just for the cynic.

Question 1: Did God really create humans or did they evolve from some lower life form?

Matthew 19:4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,

Jesus did not believe in evolution.

Question 2: “That story about Noah, the ark and the animals sounds so far-fetched. How could it possibly be true?”

Jesus was well convinced of the existence of Noah. So much so that He tied belief in His second coming to the historicity of Noah.

Matthew 24:38-39
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Question 3: “Do you really believe that story about Jonah being swallowed about a whale?” Jesus did. And He even used the truth of that story to illustrate how long He would be in the grave, a theme of high importance, central to New Testament salvation:

Matthew 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Question 4: “Jesus was all about loving others, forgiveness, and not judging people. Why are churches intolerant and homophobic?”

Jesus confirmed a passage of the Old Testament where God judged the sin of homosexuality and foretold the future judgment of those who rejected Him:

Matthew 10:15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

Jesus also confirmed that God's plan for marriage was one man and one woman for life:

Matt 19:4-5
4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which ade them at the beginning made them male and female.
5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?

When Jesus validates something that others question, let God be true and every man a liar. I'd believe Jesus above all the rest.

Where can I find truth (part 11)?
August 3, 2009

The Word shall not pass away

Also, Jesus gave a promise that His Words would never pass away.

Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

What makes God's Word indestructible is its source—God is indestructible. Nothing in all creation has the power or ability to destroy the Creator. And His Word is also indestructible for that reason.

In Jeremiah 36 we read of God's call to the Prophet Jeremiah to warn King Jehoiakim that his sins and those of the nation were going to bring about the destruction on Judah . Jeremiah had his secretary take down the dictation of God's word as God gave it to him. That scroll was then taken to the king and read to him. The king didn't like someone judging him and telling him he was a sinner and about his coming judgment so after hearing a portion of it:

Jeremiah 36:23 And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.

But did Jehoiakim's destruction of God's word really end God's word?

Jeremiah 36:27-28
27 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, after that the king had burned the roll, and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of Jeremiah, saying,
28 Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath burned.

God's Word is indestructible because God is indestructible and can continually regenerate His Word! Anyone accepts the integrity of Jesus Christ, must also accept the fact that Jesus endorsed the scriptures that He used as being the Word of God.

We will discuss the importance of the Dead Sea Scrolls in a future lesson, but I'll mention this much now:

a. The very same version of Old Testament scriptures that Jesus read in the temple, was copied by contemporaries living in a community in nearby Qumran ; and

b. We now have access to that very same version; and

c. The King James Bible you hold in your hand matches that version with 95% accuracy; and

d. Of the 5% variance, most of it is minor things like spelling or word order—certainly things that don't affect the message.

Since there is no question of Jesus' integrity, and if Jesus certified the Hebrew Bible He held in His hand and read, then there is likewise no question about the Bible you hold in your hand and read because it is essentially the same as the one Jesus had.

Where can I find truth (part 12)?
August 4, 2009

The Character of the Bible

Content
The first characteristic to note is the content of the Bible—the Bible is a Book that contains answers to man's deepest philosophical and spiritual questions. The “big” questions of life such as, “Who am I, where did I come from, what is my purpose for being here, where am I going?” Are all answered in the Bible. What that means is that the content of the Bible provides life's answers that can only come from God.

Moral superiority
A second characteristic to note is that the Bible is morally superior to any other book. The Bible teaches about holiness, morality, love, justice, truth, grace, and mercy in a way that no other book does. No other ancient book on religion has such a unique emphasis on strict monotheism and or ethical conduct. The Bible contains the highest moral teachings of any book in the world.

If the world's most moral book is not what it claims to be, than it would have to be the world's biggest lie. But it proclaims its own words to be truth. The one Book that is morally superior to all others is a book that could only have come from God.

Where can I find truth (part 13)?
August 5, 2009

Unity

The Bible's content and moral superiority are characteristics that indicate it is the Word of God. But a third characteristic, its unity of message, is also a strong witness for the Bible.

The Bible was written over a time span of 1500 years by more than forty different writers from widely different backgrounds. Moses was educated in the royal palace of Egypt and Peter was a Galilean fisherman who was called “unlearned and ignorant”. Solomon was a very wise king, Luke was a doctor, Paul a trained theologian, yet Amos was among the herdsmen of Tekoa (a shepherd), and Matthew was a tax collector. Yet even with the wide spectrum of backgrounds of the writers and the huge span of time over which it was written, it presents a consistent and coherent message on morality, salvation and one plan for the future.

Try to imagine how a book that began to be written by someone 1500 years ago, around 500 AD that just got completed this year. Imagine that book with such a variety and such a number of authors as the Bible. Add to the mix the fact that some of the authors lived on three different continents during the days before email and faxes and could not collaborate on the topic. What is the chance that book would come out with such a highly spiritual content, such moral superiority, and such a totally unified message like the Bible?

The Bible is the only Book that demonstrates such high character—Why? Because it is the Word of God.

Where can I find truth (part 14)?
August 6, 2009

Historical and Scientific Verification

We've examined the testimony of scripture itself, the testimony of Jesus Christ and the character of the Bible as reasons we can know it is God's word. Now let us take a look at proofs from history and science.

Agreement with history

Archeological studies and historical research have added to the body of evidence that confirms the accuracy of the Bible. As an example, the Bible speaks of the existence of the Hittites who were a powerful kingdom in the Middle East in the days of Moses and Joshua. The Bible was the only source of information about these people until the late 1800s and many critics of the Bible said the Hittites were merely invented by biblical authors. However, archaeologists researching in Turkey have since found the capital city of the Hittite empire along with their massive library.

Dr. Bryant Wood has done research around the ancient city of Jericho and has shown the evidence perfectly matches the biblical account of the fall of the walls of Jericho .

Http://conservativecolloquium.wordpress.com/2007/12/19/archeological-evidence-supporting-the-credibility-and-accuracy-of-the-bible/ is a conservative intellectual website that hosts the article, “Archeological Evidence Supporting the Credibility and Accuracy of the Bible.” The article lists numerous discoveries. Among those are:

a. A seven foot slab of black granite was erected 1209 BC by the son of Ramses the Great of Egypt—it mentions the nation Israel .

Check back for more...

Where can I find truth (part 15)?
August 7, 2009

Yesterday we began to show archeological discoveries that support scriptural accounts. We continue today.

b. A writing dating from 900 or 800 BC was found in Northern Israel refers to the House of David and events recorded in 2 Kings.

c. A Moabite stone dated from 930 BC was written by the king of Moab and records events concerning Israel and mentions their God Yahweh, mirroring events described in 2 Kings 3:4-5 concerning Moab rebelling against Israel.

d. 2 Chronicles 12 mentions conquests of the Egyptian King Shishak. Archaeologists have long known about the Egyptian Pharaoh Shoshenq and his conquests from the carvings on the temple of Amun at Karnak . The names of several cities referred to in the Bible that this Pharaoh conquered have been confirmed as well as their existence during the time periods spoken of in the Bible. Cities named in the conquests in the Book of Joshua have also been confirmed.

e. A clay seal used by scribes has been discovered in Israel that refers to Jeremiah's scribe, Baruch mentioned in Jeremiah 36:1, 4 and has been authentically dated for this period.

f. The water tunnel built by Hezekiah according to 2 Kings 20:20 was discovered in 1838, and more recently, in 2003, Israeli and British scientists have dated the tunnel to around 700 BC. Hezekiah reigned 727-698 BC.

Http://www.christiananswers.net/archaeology/home.html notes many interesting archeological findings that confirm facts in the Bible. Because God cannot tell a lie, we would expect nothing less of His Word, and archeology has certainly offered confirmation of the accuracy of the truth found in the Bible.

Where can I find truth (part 16)?
August 12, 2009

Agreement with science

Not only have many historical discoveries confirmed the Bible as true, but there is agreement with science as well. During the ancient days when the Bible was written, people held many superstitious beliefs and false scientific concepts, yet the Bible never contradicts true science. If it were not for the divine inspiration of the Bible, it would also be full of scientific errors.

There are many scientific truths that were not known during the ancient days during which the Bible was written but are recorded in scripture.

a. Water currents are referred to in:
Psalms 8:8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.

b. The global wind circuits that are only obvious from outer space:
Ecclesiastes 1:6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.

c. Ocean springs (something Job could not have personal knowledge of) are mentioned in:
Job 38:16 Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?

Where can I find truth (part 17)?
August 13, 2009

Continuation of the topic, “Agreement with Science”…

d. Blood plays an essential role in sustaining life
Leviticus 17:14 For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel , Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.

e. Isolating infected people is mentioned in Leviticus 13:45-46.

f. Washing after handling a dead body is called for in Numbers 19:11-19.

g. Burying raw sewage is spoken of in Deuteronomy 23:12-13.

h. Leviticus 11:1-47 lists foods that should not be eaten. Dr. David I. Macht did a study of these animals in 1953 and found that they have a higher toxicity level than the clean animals.

i. Pork is a good example, for when improperly cooked, it carries the risk of trichinosis.

j. Circumcision called for in Genesis 17:12 offers many potential medical benefits resulting in resistance to phimosis, balanoposthitis, prostate cancer and AIDS.

k. Deuteronomy 20:19-20 and 22:6-7 offer sound ecological advice concerning the conservation of natural resources.

l. The earth hangs on nothing in outer space
Job 26:7 He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.

m. The earth is round
Isaiah 40:22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:

n. The hydrological cycle shows that the rain on land came from water which evaporated from the sea.
Ecclesiastes 1:7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.

o. The Two Laws of Thermodynamics, the two most fundamental principles of modern science are inferred in Genesis 2:2-3 (energy cannot be created or destroyed), and Psalms 102:25-26 (matter goes from organization to chaos).

Where can I find truth (part 18)?
August 14, 2009

C. Dinosaurs in the Bible

Taken from http://www.clarifyingchristianity.com/dinos.shtml.

Behemoth: Job 40:15-24 tells of a huge creature whose tail is as a cedar tree, ribs like bars of iron and he eats vegetation. He is called the “First of the ways of God” which in Hebrew implies it is the biggest animal ever created by God. The largest land animal discovered is the brachiosaurus and all descriptions of Behemoth match him with the brachiosaurus.

Leviathan: Job 41, Psalm 104:25-26, Isaiah 27:1 all describe this creature as a sea dragon, ferocious, terrifying with terrible teeth, scales of armor, and he breathes out fire. His description closely matches a kronosaurus. Speaking of fire breathing, that is something that even the small bombardier beetle of Central American can do with a flame throwing nozzle that sprays high temperature jet of gas.

The history of every culture is filled with stories of fire-breathing dragons. If you think about it, in all the past ages wouldn't someone have made up a story of a fire-breathing lion or something? No. The dragon stories are based on truth, and only “dragons” breathed fire.

Many fossil dinosaur skulls contain unexplained, empty passages. Scientists have not been able to guess the reason for these passages. It could be that some dinosaurs used these passages as “gas tanks” for the combustible mixture used to “breathe fire.”

Where can I find truth (part 19)?
August 17, 2009

Fulfilled Prophecy

The Bible is the only prophetic book of major religions. It is the ONLY book whose specific predictions have come to pass without error. There are approximately 1800 predictions in the Bible and many have already been literally fulfilled and some are being fulfilled in our day.

A. Fulfilled prophecies concerning Israel

One of the most astounding prophecies in scripture is the re-gathering of the Jews to the land called Palestine. God made a promise to the father of the Jews, Abraham, that He would give them the land of Canaan or Palestine as we call it today.They eventually occupied it and their kings ruled from there. However, they rebelled against God and God removed them as punishment for their rebellion.

He then promised to return them:

Isaiah 11:10-12
10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

This ancient prophecy was fulfilled when some of you were children and teenagers. This is one of the most remarkable fulfillments of prophecy. After 1900 years of not existing as a nation, Israel was re-gathered into their land and became a nation again on May 14, 1948. Jews continue to pour into Israel every week and it was reported in the Jerusalem Post last week that it is estimated that the population of Jews living in Israel will exceed the population of Jews living outside of Israel some time this year. Considered in the large scheme, that is miraculous!

Where can I find truth (part 20)?
August 18, 2009

B. Fulfilled prophecies concerning Jesus the Messiah

The Old Testament predicted many events concerning the Messiah (approximately 456 predictions). Among them are:

a. His genealogy from the tribe of Judah through King David
b. His miraculous conception
c. His ministry in Galilee
d. His rejection by Jews
e. Time of birth
f. Place of birth
g. Triumphal entry into Jerusalem
h. Betrayal for 30 pieces of silver
i. Details of his trial, death, his silence, being hit, spit on, punished with other criminals, crucifixion, piercing, mockery, offering of gall and vinegar, the casting of lots for His garments, unbroken bones, burial with the rich, resurrection and ascension.

Every one of these details of Jesus' life were predicted long before Jesus was born. The mathematical probability that one person could fulfill all these predictions is virtually impossible. But the Bible is a miraculous book—a book from God. And with God, nothing shall be impossible.

Where can I find truth (part 21)?
August 20, 2009

Summary

We've examined some of the evidences why we can be assured that the Bible is the Word of God. We looked at the testimony of scripture itself, indicating that it came by inspiration of God and then God moved the people to speak and write it. We saw the testimony of Jesus Christ confirming that both the Old Testament and the New Testament were from God. And Peter confirmed that Paul's letters were scripture. The supremely high moral content and character of the Bible clearly identifies it as the Word of God. And finally, history, science and prophecy also confirm the accuracy of scripture.

The Bible is what is says it is: God's Word.
Ps 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Ps 1:1-2
1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

One of the most important facts concerning the Bible is that the Words from its pages continue every year to miraculously change the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.
John 5:39 Search the scriptures ; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

John 20:30-31
30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
31 But these are written , that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.