PROOF OF THE BIBLE:
CONFIRMATION THROUGH HISTORY, SCIENCE, and ARCHAEOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. A mother was teaching her 3-year-old the Lord's prayer. For several evenings at bedtime she repeated it after her mother. One night she said she was ready to solo.
2. The mother listened with pride as she carefully enunciated each word, right up to the end of the prayer. "Lead us not into temptation," she prayed, "but deliver us from E-mail, Amen."
B. THESIS AND TITLE
1. Archaeologists once boasted that the Bible was full of errors because no independent, historic evidence had been found to confirm the Bible’s claims.
2. But a slew of astounding discoveries has stopped their mouths.
Information about nations, customs, wars, locations, kings, commerce, etc., have been completely verified by archeology.
3. Bible critics have often been embarrassed by discoveries that they had previously declared to be myths, such as Sodom & Gomorrah, the Tower of Babel, evidence of the Exodus, the falling outward of the Walls of Jericho, the Hittites, King David, and Pontius Pilate, just to name a few.
4. Archeologist Nelson Glueck summed it up very well: “It may be stated categorically that no archeological discovery has ever controverted [disagreed with] a single biblical reference.”
I. PROOF THE BIBLE IS A DIVINE DOCUMENT
Today in schools, atheists commonly declare that the Bible is primitive, full of contradictions and errors, etc. The truth is the Bible is the Word of God -- Divine, inerrant, eternal, unequalled, and is God’s Word to humanity. How do we know?
I. THE ACCURACY OF BIBLE DOCUMENTS
1. The Dead Sea Scrolls, found in 1947, verified the accuracy of transmission of the Old Testament. These manuscripts dated as far back as 400 BC, and were virtually identical to the Masoretic Text dating to around 1000 AD.
2. The evidence for the New Testament is far stronger than authors like Plato, Aristotle, or Socrates, yet no one dreams of questioning their authenticity.
3. We have more than 25,000 ancient mss of the N.T., some dated to within 10 years of the authors! The accuracy & integrity of the N.T. is unparalleled.
II. ARCHAEOLOGICALLY ACCURATE
1. Most ancient historians (Librarian of Alexandria, Ptolemy, and Herodotus) frequently give wrong or misspelled names. No so the Bible.
2. Bible people, places, etc. previously declared to be myths such as Sodom & Gomorrah, the Tower of Babel, evidence of the Exodus, the ‘falling outward’ Walls of Jericho, the Hittites, King David, and Pontius Pilate all verified as accurate.
3. Archaeologist Sir Wm. Ramsey, an atheist archeologist, of atheist parents, went to Asia minor to disprove the Book of Acts. He discovered and verified the names and locations of 32 countries, 54 cities, and 9 islands, exactly as the Bible stated. Convinced of the Bible’s truthfulness, he became an outstanding Christian.
4. Archaeologist Nelson Glueck says: “It may be stated categorically that no archeological discovery has ever controverted a single biblical reference.”
III. ADVANCED SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE
1. Ancient Egyptians believed that the earth was supported by 5 marble pillars. Greeks believed it rested on the shoulders of the god Atlas. Hindus believed earth rested on the backs of elephants, which stood on the back of a huge tortoise, which was on top of a coiled serpent in the midst of a cosmic sea!
2. The Bible says, “He stretches out the north over the empty space, and hangs the earth upon nothing” Job 26:7. (It should be noted that just last century scientists believed space consisted of a hypothetical substance called Ether.)
3. When medieval people thought the world was flat, the Bible had long before said, "It is He who sits above the circle of the earth...” Isaiah 40:22. This Hebrew word "circle" means “spherical,” not flat or square.
4. Before the invention of the telescope in 1608, scientists taught that the total number of stars was under 3,000, but the Bible has always taught they are innumerable; “As the host of heaven (stars) cannot be numbered” Jer. 33:22; Gen 15:5; Heb. 11:12.
5. Correctly portrays the 1st & 2nd Laws of Thermodynamics: Heb 1:3; Isa 51:6.
6. THE HYDROLOGIC CYCLE. "For He draws up drops of water, which distill as rain from the mist, which the clouds…pour abundantly on man” Job 36:27-28.
7. OCEAN CURRENTS. Matthew Maury, the father of oceanography, used the Bible’s description of "paths of the seas" in Psalm 8:8 as his inspiration to discover the warm and cold continental currents.
8. MAN FROM DUST. NASA's Ames Research Center confirmed that every element in man can be found in the soil, prompting one of the scientists to say "...the biblical scenario for the creation of life turns out to be not far off the mark.”
9. OPTIMUM SHIP DIMENSIONS. The dimensions of Noah's Ark are ideal for stability and virtually impossible to capsize! By the year 1900, every ship on the high seas had the proportions of the Ark.
IV. MEDICAL INSIGHT
1. 3500 years ago, God told the Israelites to adopt practices that stopped bacteria, killed microbes, stopped transmission of diseases, molds, etc. through careful sanitation, avoiding contact with bodily fluids or anything dead and carefully disposing of animal & human waste. Quarantines were prescribed for outbreaks of communicable diseases. (Num. 19:3-22, Lev. 11:1-47; 12-13; 15:1-33, 22; Deut 23:12).
2. They were told to use the first antiseptic, hyssop oil, which contains 50% antifungal and antibacterial agents (Num. 19:18, Ps. 51:7).
3. The Circumcision of males (w/o it many males get cancer) was proscribed on the 8th day after birth (Gen 17:12, 21:14, Lev 12:3), which incidentally is the peak day of immunity levels and blood clotting agents.
4. In the 1980s, the health organizations of the United States adopted low-fat, high fiber dietary guidelines. Why? Because studies revealed that 7th Day Adventists, who meticulously followed the O.T. diet given by God, lived years longer than all other groups. (We don’t endorse Adventist doctrine, however.)
V. PROPHETIC ACCURACY
1. Specific prophecies are conspicuously absent from the 26 other religious books that claim to be scripture, including the Muslim's Koran, the Book of Mormon, the Hindu Vedas, and Buddhist writings.
2. This in itself should be a major eye-opener to the honest skeptic. God challenged other supposed gods to "tell us what the future holds, so we may know that you are gods (Isaiah 41:23)."
3. Of the Bible's 31,124 verses, 8,352 contains predictive material (27%). 81% of its prophecies have been documented as being fulfilled. The remaining 19% deals with the events yet future. God Almighty says, "I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come" Isa. 46:10.
4. In 700 BC, God foretold of a Persian King who would come and conquer Babylon, releasing captive Israel. This occurred 160 years later in 539 BC. King Cyrus the great is called by name in Isaiah 41:25, 44:28, & 45:1-13.
5. In about 920 BC, a prophet foretold that a descendant of King David named Josiah would burn and destroy the idolatrous altars at Bethel (1 Kings 13:1-6). This was fulfilled 300 years later in 631 BC (2 Chr. 34:5).
6. The prophet Daniel (ca. 615-530 BC) predicted the rise of three empires which would follow the Babylonian Empire: the Medo-Persian Empire, the Greek Empire under Alexander the great, and the Roman Empire (Daniel 2:36-40; 8:20). Daniel also described in detail the rise of Antiochus Epiphanes (Daniel 11:1-35) who reigned 400 years later (175-164 BC).
7. The prophecies concerning Israel’s twice being brought back from dispersion have been minutely fulfilled (Isa. 11:11-12).
8. Ezekiel (26:1-21) made 7 predictions about the destruction of the city of Tyre. The probability of all 7 occurring is one chance in 75 million, yet all came to pass exactly in the manner predicted.
9. Isaiah and Jeremiah (Isa. 13,14; Jer. 51) made 8 predictions concerning the destruction of the ancient city of Babylon. The probability of all eight coming to pass is one in 5x10 to the ninth power, or one in 5 billion.
10. But the most significant area of prophecy was concerning Christ's first coming. Over 300 prophecies foretold great detail about Him: Born of a virgin (Is. 7:14; Lk.1:7); born in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2; Lk. 2:4); move to Egypt (Hos. 11:1; Mt. 2:14-15); of tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:10; Mt. 3:3); speak in parables (Ps. 78:2; Mt. 13:34); ride a donkey into Jerusalem (Zech. 9:9; Mt. 21); be rejected by the Jews (Is. 53:3; Jn. 1:11); betrayed by a friend (Ps. 41:9; Mt. 26:23); sold for 30 silver (Zech. 11:2; Mt. 26:15); silent before accusers (Is. 53:7;Mk. 15:5); cast lots for His robe (Ps. 22:18; Jn. 19:23); be crucified (Ps. 22:16); say “my God, why forsaken me?” (Ps. 22:1; Mt. 27:46); not one bone was broken (Ps. 34:20; Jn. 19:36); buried w/ rich (Is. 53:9; Mt. 27); Rise from the dead ( ).
II. ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS RELATING TO THE BIBLE
MAJOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS RELATED TO THE BIBLE
SITE OR ARTIFACT LOCATION RELATED SCRIPTURE
ISRAEL
Herod’s Temple Jerusalem Lk. 1:9
Herod’s Winter Palace Jericho Mt. 2:4
Herod’s Palace Caesarea Acts 23:33-35
Herodium (Herod’s Tomb) Bethlehem Mt. 2:19
Masada Near Dead Sea Lk. 21:26
Early Synagogue Capernaum Mk. 1:21
Pool of Siloam Jerusalem Jn. 9:7
Pool of Bethesda Jerusalem Jn. 5:2
Crucified Man Skeleton Jerusalem Lk. 23:33
Peter’s House Capernaum Mt. 8:14
Jacob’s Well Nablus Jn 4:5-6
Palace, Eglon Kg of Moab Jericho Judges 3:15-30
Shechem, gate & Temple Shechem Judg. 9:4, 34-49
Pool of Gibeon Jib, West Bank 2 Sam. 2:12-32
Pool of Heshbon Tel Hesban Song of Sol. 7:4
Samaria Royal Palace Samaria 1 Kg. 20:43; 21:1,2
Hezekiah’s Water Tunnel Jerusalem 2 Kgs. 20:20
Sodom, Gomorrah Ebla Tablets Gen. 19
Philistine Cemetery Ashkelon Gen. 21:32;1 Sam. 4:1
[Also found were the Biblical cities of Jericho, Haran, Hazor, Dan, Megiddo, Shechem, Samaria, Shiloh, Gezer, Gibeah, Beth Shemesh, Beth Shean, Beersheba, and Lachish.]
ASIA MINOR
Derbe Inscription Kerti Huyuk Acts 14:20
Sergius Paulus Inscription Antioch (Pis) Acts 13:6-7
Zeus Altar (Sat. throne) Pergamum Acts 2:13
4th Century B.C. Walls Assos Acts 20:13-14
Artemis Temple Ephesus Acts 19:27-28
Ephesian Theater Ephesus Acts 19:29
Silversmith Shops Ephesus Acts 19:24
Artemis Statues Ephesus Acts 19:35
Hittite Empire Turkey Gn. 23:10; Josh. 9:1
MESOPOTAMIA
Belshazzar’s Palace Babylon Daniel 5
Palace, Square at Susa Susa Esther 2:19-3:3;4:6
GREECE
Erastus Inscription Corinth Rom. 16:23
Synagogue Inscription Corinth Acts 18:4
Meat Mkt. Inscription Corinth 1 Cor. 10:25
Court Bema Corinth Acts 18:12
The Theater Ephesus Acts 19:29
Marketplace Bema Philippi Acts 16:19
Starting Gate for races Isthmia 1 Cor. 9:24,26
Gallio Inscription Delphi Acts 18:12
Ignatian Way Neapolis-Thess.Acts 16:11-12; 17:1
Politarch Inscription Thessalonica Acts 17:6
ITALY
Mamertine Prison Rome 2 Tim. 1:16-17, etc
Appian Way Poteoli Acts 28:13-16
Golden House of Nero Rome Acts 15:10; 1 Pet. 2:13
Arch of Titus Rome Lk. 19:43-44; 21:6,20
BIBLE PEOPLE VERIFIED BY ARCHAEOLOGY
King Shishak Egypt 1 Kgs 14:25-26
King Jehu Israel 2 Kgs 9:1-10:36
King Hazael Aram 1 Kgs 19:15; 2 Kgs 8:7-15
King Tiglath-Pileser III Assyria 2 Kgs 15:29; 1 Chr. 5:26
King Sargon II Assyria Isaiah 20:1
King Sennacherib Assyria 2 Kings 18:13-19:37
King Tirhakah Egypt 2 Kings 19:9
King Esarhaddon Assyria 2 Kings 19:37
King Merodach-baladan Babylon 2 Kings 20:12-19
King Xerxes I Persia Esther; Ezra 4:6
King Darius I Persia Ezra 4:24-6:15
Tomb of Augustus Rome Lk. 2:1
Emperor Tiberius Rome Mt. 22:17; Mk. 12:14-17
Emperor Claudius Rome Acts 11:28; 18:2
King Herod Agrippa I Judea Acts 12:1-23; 23:35
King Aretas IV Nabateans 2 Cor. 11:32
Emperor Nero Rome Acts 25:11,12,21
High Priest Caiaphas Jerusalem Mt. 26:3; Lk. 3:2
Pilate Inscription Caesarea Lk. 3:1
King David Tel Dan Stele 1 & 2 Samuel
[These are only a small part of the archaeological finds relating to the Bible, but they offer abundant proof that the events, places, and people mentioned in the Bible were real and happened.]
III. SPECIFIC ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS
1. The Tel Dan Stele (900–850 BC)
A stele is an upright stone that is inscribed and used as a monument of an important event or achievement. Rulers and peoples from Egypt, Israel, and across Mesopotamia used these steles to commemorate great victories and accomplishments. This particular stele is extraordinary because carved on its stone face is the expression, “House of David.” This stele affirms that the United Monarchy under King David existed in history and flatly contradicts the long-held opinions of skeptics who denied that David ever existed.
2. The Meesha Stele (846 BC)
Popularly known as the Moabite Stone, it records the revolt of Meesha, King of Moab, against Israel. This incredible stele mentions Omri, King of Israel, and David of the United Monarchy. It even refers to Yahweh, the unique name of the God of Israel! Together with the testimony from the Tel Dan Stele, we have a powerful external witness that the Bible records the true history of the kings of Israel and their interactions with foreign kings.
3. The Nabonidus Cylinder (550 BC)
King Nabonidus of Babylonia left a magnificent cuneiform cylinder (wedge-shaped letters inscribed on a clay cylinder) mentioning his elder son, Belshazzar by name. Critics of the Bible had claimed for many years that the account in the book of Daniel was wrong; they said Belshazzar was never a king in Babylon and that Nabonidus was not his father. The discovery of this cylinder clearly showed that these scholars were dead wrong. Indeed, we can now understand the meaning of Daniel 5:16 more precisely where it says, “Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom” (italics added for emphasis). This text now makes perfect sense because Nabonidus was in a coregency with his son Belshazzar, who was the crown prince of Babylon. So that would make Daniel the “third ruler in the kingdom.”
4. Caiaphas Ossuary
An ossuary was a box constructed to hold the bones of the dead after decomposition. In 1990 a startling discovery was made that shook biblical scholars and archaeologists alike. In the Peace Forest section of Jerusalem was discovered a burial cave containing twelve ossuaries, one of them being none other than that of Caiaphas, the high priest who presided at the trial of Jesus. This amazing discovery provides us with a powerful historical connection to the events described in the Gospels.
5. Pilate Dedication Stone
In June 1961 an inscription on a limestone block, found at a Roman amphitheater in Caesarea Maritima, rocked the scholarly world. The block, which was once used as a dedication stone of a nearby temple and now reused for seating at the local amphitheater, had an extraordinary inscription. It read: “Tiberieum, (Pon)tius Pilatus, (Praef)ectus Iuda(eae).” Those scholars who questioned Pilate’s existence (and the gospel accounts generally) were silenced with this amazing discovery!
6. The Ebla Tablets. In the 1970’s , archaeologists in northern Syria unearthed almost 15,000 ancient tablets and fragments which when joined together accounted for about 2,500 tablets. They dated from 2400-2300 BC. The tablets give the name “Canaan” to part of Palestine. They name the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and the city of Haran.
7. The Merneptah Stele. A seven-foot slab engraved with hieroglyphics, also called the Israel Stele, boasts of the Egyptian pharaoh’s conquest of Libyans and peoples in Palestine, including the Israelites: “Israel — his seed is not.” This is the earliest reference to Israel in nonbiblical sources and demonstrates that, as of c. 1230 BC, the Hebrews were already living in the Promised Land.
8. Obelisk of Shalmaneser III. In 2 Kings 9–10, Jehu is mentioned as King of Israel (841–814 BC). That the growing power of Assyria was already encroaching on the northern kings prior to their ultimate conquest in 722 BC is demonstrated by a six-and-a-half-foot black obelisk discovered in the ruins of the palace at Nimrud in 1846. On it, Jehu is shown kneeling before Shalmaneser III and offering tribute to the Assyrian king, the only relief we have to date of a Hebrew monarch.
9. The Sennacherib Prism. After having conquered the 10 northern tribes of Israel, the Assyrians moved southward to do the same to Judah (2 Kings 18–19). The prophet Isaiah, however, told Hezekiah that God would protect Judah and Jerusalem against Sennacherib (2 Chron. 32; Isa. 36–37). Assyrian records virtually confirm this. The cuneiform on a hexagonal, 15-inch baked clay prism found at the Assyrian capital of Nineveh describes Sennacherib’s invasion of Judah in 701 BC in which it claims that the Assyrian king shut Hezekiah inside Jerusalem “like a caged bird.”
10. The Cylinder of Cyrus the Great. Second Chronicles 36:23 and Ezra 1 report that Cyrus the Great of Persia, after conquering Babylon, permitted Jews in the Babylonian Captivity to return to their homeland. Isaiah had even prophesied this (Isa. 44:28). This tolerant policy of the founder of the Persian Empire is borne out by the discovery of a nine-inch clay cylinder found at Babylon from the time of its conquest, 539 BC, which reports Cyrus’s victory and his subsequent policy of permitting Babylonian captives to return to their homes and even rebuild their temples.
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUS.: A SKEPTIC DECIDES TO READ THE BIBLE
1. A man somewhat sceptical sat down to read the Bible one hour each evening. After a while he said to his wife, "If this Book is right, we are wrong."
2. A few evenings later he said, "If this Book is right, we are lost."
Later he said, "If this Book is right, we may be saved." And they were.
B. THE CALL
1. We can great confidence in the Bible and should use this knowledge to promote the concept that if all we can confirm has proven true, undoubtedly the rest of what the Bible says is true!
2. Matthew 5:18 “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”
3. John 12:48, “He that rejects me, and receives not my words, has one that judges him: the Word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”
