THE BIBLE AND SCIENCE

niteowldave@gmail.com

(You may find of interest this letter I wrote to an acquaintance. You may want to pass it on.)

You raised an interesting point recently when we were talking about life issues. You said that you believe in God and parts of the Bible.

I hope we agree that there is but one God. I think that makes sense. It doesn't compute to me that there can be many deities.

If there is a wide-awake God, doesn't it make sense that He would not allow us to have a flawed manual, the Bible? If there are many truth documents floating around out there, God has a strange sense of humor.

Can the Bible, which claims to be the Word of God (written by 40 men, most of whom had never met one another, but were inspired by God), be proved as valid? Perhaps surprisingly, the answer is yes.

Apart from being the all-time bestseller, the Bible serves up over 300 Old Testament prophecies, all of which were fulfilled by Jesus of Nazareth.

In addition, the Bible mentions much science, etc. that was "discovered" centuries later, such as -

Astronomy:
Genesis 1:16 - The sun is bigger than the moon. It was believed until 1600 that the moon was bigger.

Job 25:5 - The moon reflects light. Until 1920, it was believed the moon had its own light.

Job 26:7 - The earth is suspended in space. This has been known only recently.

Job 26:7 - There is an empty place in the north sky. This was not discovered until thousands of years after it was recorded in the Bible.

Isaiah 40:22 - The earth is said to be round. That verse was proved true many years later.

Jeremiah 33:22 - There are too many stars to count. It was not known until 1600 AD that stars could not be numbered.

I Corinthians 15:52 - It notes here that day and night can exist on the earth at same time. This was confirmed when man discovered the earth was round. See also Luke 17:30-36.

Biology:
Genesis 2:7 - Man's composition consists of the same elements as common dust. Also see Genesis 3:19.

Genesis 3:20 - All men came from the same DNA.

Leviticus 13:46-57 - Those with diseases should be quarantined.

Job 37:7 - Uniqueness of man's hand, fingerprints. This was recently found.

Proverbs 6:6 - Only female ants are seen above ground.

Proverbs 30:28 - Only the female spider is seen, and only she spins the web.

Ecclesiastes 7:13 - Peanuts, grapes and bean vines can't be made straight.

Jeremiah 17:11 - The partridge uses some eggs as a base as the eggs never all hatch.

Matthew 13:8,23,30,60,100 - This explains exactly how wheat seeds yields grain. See also, see Mark 4:8,20.

Physics:
Samuel 22:16 - Currents in the sea. A prime example of this is the Gulf Stream.

Job 26:7 - This speaks of gravitation which holds Earth in space.

Job 26:8 - Condensation.

Job 28:25 - Air has weight as we see with air pressure.

Job 38:16 - There are springs in the seas.

Job 38:19-20 - Light travels.

Job 38:22 - The uniqueness of snowflakes. Only recently known.

Psalms 8:8; Isaiah 43:16 - Ocean currents.

Ecclesiastes - 1:6 - Global wind circuits.

Ecclesiastes 1:7 - Evaporation, hydrologic cycle. Only recently known.

Hebrews 11:3 - Things we see are made up of material we cannot see, such as atoms.
Technology

Leviticus 15:13 - Running water is more sanitary. This was not known until germs were discovered during the Bubonic Plague around 1300 AD which killed one-quarter of the population the Europe.

Job 38:35 - Telephones possible.

Nahum 2:4 - Possibility of mass transportation.

Zechariah 14:1; II Peter 3:10 - Atomic war possible.

Revelations 11:9 - People all the over world will be able to see event at the same time. This is possible today with satellite TV.

Archeology
Archeology continues to verify Biblical names, places, and events. Over 5,000 places mentioned in the Bible have been found. Other findings include -

Genesis 4:21-22 - Early use of metals.

Genesis 6 – The Bible speaks in many places of a worldwide flood. There is much proof today of such a flood.

Genesis 11:28-31 - Speaks of the City of Ur. It was "discovered" in 1922.

Genesis 37:28 - Ancient non-Biblical writings confirm that the price paid for Joseph is accurate.

Exodus - 5:7-19 - Sturdy bricks can be made without straw.

Joshua 2:15 - Jericho ruins show double walls with houses straddling them. This has been found accurate.

Joshua 6:20 - The walls of Jericho did fall outward, as digs have verified.

II Samuel 5:6-8 says - David conquered Jerusalem through the water system. That water tunnel was discovered in 1860. It’s called Warren Shaft.

BIBLE NOT SOLELY FAITH-BASED

The Bible, then, is not solely a faith-based Book. It is solidly in lockstep with current science. Amazing, huh?

The Bible has survived through ages of persecution and attacks by highly educated critics. But it defends well with over 24,000 non-biblical supporting manuscripts around today, which is more proof of the events recorded than any other document in history.

The Bible has been translated into more languages than any book and has had more influence on other literature than any other Book. Shakespeare, for example, quoted from the Bible over 500 times.

To disprove the historical authenticity of the Bible we have today would be impossible. Many have tried.

If the Bible is a valid document, it would be wise, then, that we pay attention to its main message.

That main message is that Jesus Christ is the Son of God Who, the Bible claims, died and arose again for the sins of the world.

Apart from what the Bible says, why should anyone accept the proposition that Jesus Christ literally rose from the dead? That’s quite a claim!

1. Well, the rumors of this event must have had the ruling Romans reeling. That raises the question, why didn't Rome snuff Christianity before it was launched?

The Romans and Jewish clergy would have done that in a flash if Christ's body was reposing behind a stone-closed tomb, guarded by grizzled Roman soldiers. But the once-dead Jesus had arisen.

2. I read a book recently by a big-gun California lawyer who made the very true statement that no one in his right mind would die for what he knows is a lie. People will die for their country, their family etc., but not for a bold-faced lie.

Ten of the eleven apostles of Jesus Christ died horrible martyr's deaths because they would not deny that they had seen the resurrected Jesus. Peter was crucified upside down. So therefore, what?

The Bible speaks of a literal Heaven and a literal Hell, which it says lasts forever.

The Bible is quite clear that we do not earn our way to Heaven by trying to live a holy life, doing good deeds, being an active church member or by taking a pilgrimage to a so-called holy site.

The Bible says we are born with the sin DNA and we all do choose to commit sin. Lying, cursing, cheating on our taxes, etc., are types of sins.

We get to Heaven by receiving what Jesus Christ has done for us. We must accept that we have sinned and believe what the Bible states - that we are "saved" or "born again" (Bible terms) solely through Christ whose blood sacrifice removes all sin.

Check out this stunning John 3:36 verse: "And all who trust Him - God's Son - to save them have eternal life; those who don't believe and obey him shall never see Heaven, but the wrath of God remains upon them." So exactly what must we do be saved?

Well, in private be honest with God with a prayer something like this:

Dear God:

I am a sinner.
Others have sinned greater than I have. But, nevertheless, I stand before you now as a lost sinner, deserving of Hell.
I choose to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God Who became a man.
I choose to believe that He allowed Himself to be put to death, that He arose again on the third day and is alive today.
The Bible says our sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ, and I believe that.
Father, I want to be cleansed of all my sins right now.
I know I am not right with God, and I want to be forgiven. I want to go to Heaven when I die.
Right now at (time and date)______________, I bow at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ, and I am dumping all of my sins there. And I mean ALL of them!
I ask that the blood of Jesus Christ wash away all my sins - past, present and future.
I am sorry for my sin, God, and I accept your forgiveness.
Right now, I declare that I am a Christian.
I ask, Father, that you will make me aware of when I want to sin, and give me the courage to say no.
I ask, too, that You will help me understand the Bible, and to make the rest of my days on earth count for eternity.
I pray all of this in the name of Jesus Christ - my new Lord and Savior. Amen.

Is that prayer in the Bible? No. But that prayer packages together the necessary confession/belief elements about Jesus spoke.

If you are unsure about your eternal destiny, may I suggest you respond to the free offer of salvation through Jesus Christ now.

Regards, dave niteowldave@gmail.com