The Bible is the Only Holy Book (10 Evidences, I)

Read Galatians 4:1-7

We are considering the historical accuracy of the Bible, which includes geographical accuracy.  Cities and landscape are referred to in the Bible that are known in history.  The Bible depends on history in the sense that it takes place in real places and times.  The Bible is not afraid to be checked out on these matters.

One amazing combination of prophecy and history is given in Daniel 2 and 7.  In these passages, in symbolic language, prediction is made of a succession of world empires beginning with Babylon, the empire in the days of Daniel, and then the Medo-Persian Empire that replaced Babylon, then the Greek under Alexander, and then the Roman Empire.  History verifies these exact empires and tells us how each succeeded the previous one.  There is amazing accuracy.

What about Jesus: was he known outside the pages of the Bible?  Yes!  Consider the following from Ramm’s book Protestant Christian Evidences.

·        Josephus is quoted below by Eusebius, an early Christian Bishop, in 324 A.D.: "About this time lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one  should call him a man. For he did many deeds that were out of the ordinary and was a teacher of those who accept the truth. Many of the Jews and Greeks put their trust in him. He was the Messiah. When our chief leaders accused him, Pilate condemned him to the cross, but those who had come to love him originally did not cease to do so; for he had appeared to them on the third day alive again, as the prophets of God had spoken of these and countless other marvelous things about him. And the tribe of Christians, so named after him, remains to this present day."

·        An early mention of the miracles of Christ comes from Julian the Apostate (Roman Emperor from 361-363 A.D.) who was an enemy of Christianity, he wrote: "Jesus......has now been celebrated about three hundred years; having done nothing in his lifetime worthy of fame, unless anyone thinks it a very great work to heal lame and blid people   and exercise demons in the villages of Bethsaida and Bethany."

·        A passage from the Babylonia Sanhedrin written sometime between 95-110 AD states: "During the time of Passover they executed Yeshu (of Nazareth). An announcement was made for forty days before this saying (Yeshu of Nazareth) will be stoned in that he has practiced sorcery and deceived and led Israel astray. Let everyone who knows contrary, come and plead for his defense.  But they found nothing in his defense and crucified him ...."

·        Another first century Jewish Rabbi, Eliezer ben Hyrcanus of Lydda, who lived around 95 AD, also wrote concerning the magic arts of Jesus.

What Holy Writings take such pains to be identified with history as does the Bible?  The historical accuracy of the Bible is essential and has been confirmed.