In Biblical times they blew a trumpet as a call to war.
I COR 14:8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare
himself to the battle ?
The Church needs to give a clear, concise message about the Bible.
Can anyone find a Trumpet ?
Its time to blow the trumpet.
The Bible is a reliable book.
Inspiration - Theopneustos, God breathed.
Verbal - Words, not just the thoughts.
Plenary - All, not just salvation message.
Inerrancy - Autographa is without error
on matters of science, history, and secular matters.
What is at stake ? How do you know you have the true faith ?
The basis of every argument for the faith is "The Bible says..."If the
Bible isn’t the Word of God ....
P - PROVEN BY TEXTUAL CRITICISM (LOWER CRITICISM)
Testing an ancient MSS. to see if it has come to us in basically the same
form in which it was written.
How well attested to are the MSS ?
A) TEXTUAL CRITICISM USES THE BIBLIOGRAPHIC TEST
Since we don’t have the original documents how reliable are the copies ?
1) How many copies of the MSS. exist ?
2) What was the time frame between the originals and the earliest copy ?
Chart - dates of MSS and NO. of MSS.
DR. JOHN WARWICK MONTGOMARY "To be skeptical of the resultant text of the
N.T. books is to allow all of classical antiquity to slip into obscurity,
for no documents of the ancient period are as well attested
bibliographically as the New Testament".
B) TEXTUAL CRITICISM CONSIDERS THE NUMBER OF VERSIONS OF A MSS.
Ancient literature was rarely translated into another language.
There are more than 15,000 copies of various versions other than Greek
CHART.
C) TEXTUAL CRITICISM CONSIDERS EXTERNAL EVIDENCES
J. HAROLD GREENLEE - Quotations by the early Fathers "...are so extensive
that the N.T. could virtually be reconstructed from them without the use
of the New Testament MSS."
Fathers quote it as authoritative, distinguish between Homologumina and
Psudopigrapha
Chart of Church Fathers.
Not only are the MSS of the N.T. better attested to than virtually any
other writing of antiquity but they are unique in their :
1) CIRCULATION - published more than any other book.
2) TRANSLATION - trans. more than any other book.
1st major translation - LXX 250 B.C.
trans. into 1280 languages.
3) SURVIVAL - Voltaire in 100 yrs. Bible wiped out.
50 yrs. after his death Bibles published on his presses.
4) CONTINUITY - Over 1,500 years
40 authors
3 continents - Europe, Africa, Asia
3 languages - Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic
Different walks of life
Different socioeconomic times
Speaks on hundreds of controversial subjects with continuity.
Continuity shows reliability.
E) EVIDENCED BY ARCHEOLOGY
No archeological discovery has ever contradicted Biblical reference.
A) SIR WILLIAM RAMSEY -
One of the greatest archeologist - Oxford.
Unbeliever - set out to prove Bible wrong by Archeology.
Critics anticipated, believers feared his findings.
SIR WILLIAM RAMSEY STARTED TO DIG
Followed the path of Luke. Concluded :
"Luke is a historian of first rank; not merely are his statements of fact
trustworthy... this author should be placed along with the very greatest
historians."
Critics -
1) No census.
2) No trip to homeland.
3) Quirinius not Governor.
Archeology -
1) Census every 14 years.
2) Papyrus in Egypt - everyone to return home.
3) Quirinius was Governor 2 times.
Once again archeology proved the Bible was right.
Don’t you think the critics would learn by now ?
B) NINEVEH AND THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE
A myth - No secular historian mentioned it.
Assumed the Bible must be wrong.
SIR HENRY LAYARD STARTED TO DIG
Excavated a brick with the name "King Shalimaneser III".
Museum of London declared it a fraud.
Indignant - he dug up the entire city.
Excavated the Library with Kings and history of empire.
Once again archeology proved the Bible was right.
Don’t you think the critics would learn by now ?
C) JERICHO
Critics - nice song and S.S. story but it never happened.
- No proof outside of the Bible of Jerico’s existence.
PROF. JOHN GARSTANG STARTED TO DIG - six years excavating.
Found Jerico - confirmed the walls fell outward.
ARCHEOLOGY AND THE BIBLE "Desiring to exercise the greatest care possible,
and in the spirit of a true scientist, Garstang called in three of
Palestine’s top ranking archaeologists and pottery experts... When these
three authorities had carefully and independently examined the pottery,
the charred ruins, and the fallen walls they signed statements with
Garstang confirming the date of 1,400 B.C. with the possible alternative
of any date not latter than 1,377 B.C." thus confirming the existence of
the Biblical account of JericoOnce again archeology proved the Bible was right.
Don’t you think the critics would learn by now ?
N) NEW TESTAMENT FULFILLMENT OF OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECY
A) NEW TESTAMENT PROPHECIES FULFILLED
> 300 O.T. prophecies about the coming Christ.
He fulfilled over 30 prophecies in His death :
1) Wounded and bruised - Is 53:5
2) Smitten and spit upon - Is 50:6
3) Pierced hands and feet - Ps 22:16
4) Crucified with thieves - Is 53:12
5) Bones not broken - Ps 34:20
6) Side pierced - Zech 12:10
7) Darkness on earth - Amos 8:9
8) Buried in rich man’s tomb - Is 53:9
Prof. Peter Stoner (Dept. chair of Math and Science) - Science Speaks :
The chance of anyone living until now fulfilling 8 of these prophesies is
1 in 1017
Texas 2’ deep with silver dollars. Horizon in all directions.
B) THE PROBABILITY OF OTHER OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES
i) THE CITY OF TYRE EZEK 26:3-21 7 predictions
1) Nebuchadnezzar will destroy the mainland city. (vs 8).
2) Many nations against Tyre (Vs 3)
3) Make her a bare rock; flat like the top of a rock (Vs 4)
4) Fishermen will spread nets over the site (Vs 5)
5) Debris will be thrown into the water (Vs 12)
6) Never to be rebuilt (Vs 14)
7) Never have its former wealth and splendor (Vs 21). Philip Myers (Secular historian) "Alexander the Great reduced it to ruins
(322B.C.). She recovered in a measure from this blow, but never regained
the place she had previously held in the world. The larger part of the site of the once great city is now bare as the top of a rock - a place
where the fishermen still frequent the spot and spread their nets to dry".
Peter Stoner - Chance of fulfillment 1 in 75 million.
He lists 11 prophecies and calculates the probability of each.
The sum is 5.76 X 1059.
