Freddie recently conversed with a gas station attendant. The man told him that he could never place his trust in the Bible because it was inaccurate. He claimed that in 2 Chronicles 4:2, the circumference measurements listed for the circular Sea of cast metal (used by the priests for their ceremonial washing), did not match up. This greatly disturbed Freddie. Knowing God’s Word was on the line challenged his own faith. So he studied the disputed passage. He discovered that the measurements were from brim to brim and not rim to rim. The circumference distance was precisely accurate. Freddie was elated! Soon he’ll share his discovery with that petro-pumper.
Meditation
Joshua
Virtually every year archeologists unearth some new discovery that further substantiates the historical record of the Old and New Testaments. Perhaps today someone will yield his or her heart to God after unsuccessfully attempting to disprove His Word. Open-minded scientists are increasingly amazed at the accuracy and reliability of the Scripture. Why? Well at first glance, it would be easy to dismiss the authenticity of 66 books compiled together by different authors describing the creation of the world and thousands of years of documented events. It would be easy to suggest that centuries of transcribing this book would result in errors. Why would any sophisticated "enlightened" person stake his or her life on Biblical veracity?
Indeed, the Bible does contain mistakes. Over time scribes did err in copying texts. Some population numbers have been transposed. Some Hebrew words (written without vowels) have been slightly changed. We know they exist because of parallel passages within the Bible and through contextual study. All such errors are minor in nature and have no impact whatsoever regarding the truth claims Scripture presents. We know that when an author states the sun rose, that in fact what really happened was the earth rotated around the sun. We know that when gospel accounts differ that we are catching the presuppositional slant of a particular author and what he saw firsthand or was told by eyewitnesses. What men wrote in their day was not inaccurate, merely consistent with their level of scientific understanding.
When people question the accuracy of the Bible we must determine if the issue is honest skepticism or an underlying rebellion against following God. Don’t be afraid to test the Bible! If God is not the true Author and His Word is not 100% reliable, we are fools with a destiny of dirt. Those who cannot disprove His Word yet, that insist on calling their own shots, are left to base their salvation on their own record of accuracy. Clearly, world history cannot refute the fact that the Bible changes lives in every culture and nation by giving meaning and hope to people whose lives are changed by the truth of Scripture. The Bible is the ink of God inside the pens of men. You can depend upon it!
Inspiration
