How Accurate is the Bible?

Mountain View - Stealing Your Breath with Views of the Heart of God

During the reformation, the church placed itself in authority above the scriptures of the Bible. The church was intently focused on power and used religion to gain and keep control. They established traditions that were not in harmony with scripture. Reformers of that day worked to move the church away from heresy. Martin Luther (as seen in this video) was one of those reformers. Scripture held authority in Martin Luther's life. I wonder how many people today would take such a strong stance? How many would take that stance with such confidence and conviction?


How do you view scripture? What place does it have in your life? Does it guide your actions? Does it form the foundation for the choices you make in daily life? Do you view it as truth from God - a revelation of his heart? Do you see its relevance in your life today?


Here are some important things to know about the Bible:


1) The Bible was formulated in response to the rise of heresy (deviating from the truth/doctrine of scripture) within the Church body.


2) Have you ever heard of the "Canon" and wondered what that is? No it isn't a "cannon".  :) The official and authoritative books inspired by God for inclusion in the Bible are called the Canon.


3) Overall the writers of all the books of the Bible were confirmed by acts of God, the message conveyed the truth of God, and came with the power of God.


4) Scribes were scholars of Jewish law and specialized in the writing and copying of Biblical text. They were extremely committed to the utmost accuracy.


5) The claims a document makes about itself have all been thoroughly examined.


6) Documents were checked to see how correctly they aligned themselves with facts, dates,  and people from its own time in history.


7) Books were all compared to other books for harmony of meaning.


8) The Bible is 98.6% accurate to original texts. It increases in accuracy everyday.


9) There were 26,000 copies of the Bible before 916 AD - plenty to refer to for accuracy, examination, and comparison. 


10) 10,000 potential errors have been found. Only 400 could change the meaning of a word. (Others are minor - in relation to punctuation, etc.) Only 50 of those could change the meaning of a scripture verse.  Not one of those 50 is in an area that is not corroborated theologically in other areas of the Bible.


10) The original texts of scripture are inerrant. Today we have a trustworthy copy of the inerrant original.


11) The Bible is used more than any other source for archaeological digs. There has never been an archaeological dig that has contradicted scripture.


12) The Bible texts were written over a 1500 year period of time by 40 authors on three different continents in three languages. All of their writings are in harmony theologically! God made sure the men who wrote down his revelations did so without error. (2 Timothy 3:16 "All scripture is God-breathed.")


13) The Bible predicts the future 3,500 times. Over 3,000 predictions have already come true. The rest are about future times. They are yet to be.


14) The Bible speaks about the "circle" of the earth long before scientists even believed the earth to be round. (Isaiah 40:22)


15) The Masoretic Text from 916 AD shows remarkable accuracy when compared to Latin and Greek manuscripts that pre-date Christ through to the 900's after Christ's death and resurrection. "Masoretic Text" refers to the Hebrew text of the Old Testament. The Masoretes (Jewish scholars/rabbis) made it their mission to correct the faults that had crept into the text of the Old Testament during the time the Jews were in captivity in Babylonia, and to prevent the texts from being corrupted by alterations in the future. They arranged the texts into chapter and verse.


16) When Dead Sea Scrolls (dated about 1st or 2nd century before the arrival of Christ) were discovered in Qumran by the Dead Sea in 1947, the Masoretic Text was compared to them and incredible accuracy was found. The Dead Sea Scrolls have a complete copy of the book of Isaiah and a partial copy or fragments of most every book in the Old Testament.


17) The Masoretic Text was also compared to the Septuagint (dated around 200-150 B.C). Again, amazing consistency was discovered giving us great assurance that God was divinely protecting the integrity and accuracy of his word through thousands of years of translating and copying. The "Septuagint" is the translation of the Old Testament from Hebrew into Greek during the period between the Old and New Testaments when Greece was the dominant world power and Greek became the common language.


In our study of church history last week, one thing that really stood out to me was the fact that many people in our world today are following religions and cults that are based on heresy. That heresy isn't clear to them because they have not read the Bible in its entirety. There is great danger in that because their future is at stake. This causes me great concern.


In 2 Timothy 3:1-7, we find a letter the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy. The content of his letter is very relevant to life today. 


"You should also know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control; they will be cruel and have no interest in what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act as if they are religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. You must stay away from people like that. 


They are the kind who work their way into people's homes and win the confidence of vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by many desires. Such women are forever following new teachings but they never understand the truth."


You can read every self-help book on the market, listen to those who teach you there are many ways to God and salvation, watch celebrity talk shows, read blogs, download podcasts, read Facebook posts, and follow people on Twitter - but the Holy Bible is the one source that provides true power for living; sound guidance for your decisions; safety, security, and protection through its teachings; unconditional love, mercy, and grace; real hope for the future; and the keys to life. 



Someone once said that if you read the Bible through in its entirety, it will change your life. I did - and it did. As I read, I was struck by the teachings of Christ in particular. The nature of some of his teachings proved to me that the Bible was clearly inspired by God. Man would never be able to conjure up some of the things he said - things like loving your enemy, forgiving those who hurt you, and more.

A challenge for you:

1) The Bible is intended for our good. I challenge you to commit yourself to reading it through in its entirety. It will change your life. Get a chronological reading plan - or get involved in a Bible study at your church. Unlock the treasures available to you in scripture. 


2) There are books in this world that are beneficial to us, but begin making it a practice to check everything you read or hear (including the content of my blog) against scripture. The Word of God is truth. Every teaching in this world should be measured against it. Get to know your Bible so that you gain discernment that can safeguard you against false teachings that are so rampant in the world today.

Know that I write these things to you from a place of great love and concern.


I fully realize the Bible is big, intimidating, and sometimes confusing. I have recently put together a presentation that helps break down its "bigness" through a complete overview of eras of the Bible from beginning to end. It helps eliminate some confusion by showing how the Bible fits together, reveals its underlying themes, and helps us see the heart of God through it all. And finally, it proves the relevancy of the Bible for life today. The treasures of the Bible are rich. Because I want to help people find those treasures, I will make myself available to share this presentation with your group or at your church event. If you're interested in this presentation, you can contact me at thewarminghouse@gmail.com.

With confidence in the character of God and his teachings in the Bible . . .
Lisa~

Making Sense of the Kings of the Bible

Mountain View - Stealing Your Breath with Views of the Heart of God

There are parts of the Bible that have always been confusing to me. The period of the kings is one of them. Boy howdy! There are so many kings it’s hard to keep them all straight, and the stories seem to jump around haphazardly. Complicating matters is the fact that some of the kings changed their names, some had very similar names, and some had the same name! So today, I’m going to share some general information I learned in class last week that might help you make sense of this time period. Here goes . . .

Through Abraham, God chose the Hebrew people to be his treasured possession. The Hebrews had his favor, and he had a plan for them. (See Abraham 12:2-3; Genesis 13:14-17; Genesis 15:18-21; Genesis 17:1-8, 19-21; Genesis 22:15-18)

God established the Hebrew people as a nation through Jacob when his 12 sons became the leaders of 12 tribes. Through Jacob’s son, Joseph, God moved his people to Egypt to preserve their lives during a famine. (See Genesis 45:17-19) The Hebrew people flourished in Egypt and their population increased. Pharaoh became nervous about their numbers and feared they might rise up and overtake his kingdom. His solution was to force them into slavery. Through Moses and Joshua, God led his people out of slavery in Egypt and into the land he had promised them in Canaan. (See the books of Exodus and Joshua)

“But the Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, from Egypt, to be a people for His own possession . . .” Deuteronomy 4:20

God wanted his chosen people to be different than people of the surrounding nations so he attempted to set them apart by establishing rules and laws for the way they were to live.  (See the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy) God made it clear that obedience would bring his blessing, while disobedience would bring consequences.

“Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Exodus 19:5-6

While other nations had earthly kings, the Hebrews were fortunate to have God as their king.

“For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is the Lord our God whenever we call on Him?” Deuteronomy 4:6

As their King, God was present and actively engaged in their lives. He protected them, fought for them, guided them, and provided for them. Astonishingly, the Hebrew people rejected God as their king and told him they wanted a man to be their king instead. Why? They wanted to be like all the other nations. This had to pierce God’s heart. As difficult as it must have been, he gave them what they wanted with a warning about how this earthly king would rule. (1 Samuel 8:6-9)

The first king to the Hebrews was Saul. The people admired his good looks, and overlooked his character deficiencies and absence of devotion to God. The 12 tribes united under his leadership and became known as the Israelite nation. After Saul’s death, David became king. David had a whole heart for God. After David, Solomon (David’s son) assumed the kingship.  These kings each ruled for 40 years. After Solomon’s death, the nation divided into two kingdoms with one in the north (Israel) and one in the south (Judah).

Israel was led by king Jeroboam. Its capital was Samaria. The southern kingdom was led by Solomon’s son, Rehoboam. Jerusalem was its capital. King Jeroboam and king Rehoboam were both evil kings.

The northern kingdom of Israel had a total of 19 kings before its demise. None of them were good. The southern kingdom of Judah had 20 kings. Only eight were good. The divided kingdom lasted for 400 years.

Through the years, both of these kingdoms “did evil in God’s eyes”. Their actions were causing grievous damage to themselves and to those around them. Because God loved them dearly, he sent prophets to warn them to change their ways and turn their hearts back to him. He warned them there would be repercussions if they didn’t. But they didn’t listen.

In 722 BC, a foreign nation named Assyria conquered Israel in the north and dispersed most of that kingdom’s inhabitants to foreign lands. Years later, Babylon conquered Assyria. In 605, 597, and 586 BC, Babylon conquered the southern kingdom of Judah in three stages. Jerusalem was destroyed. The residents of Judah were sent into exile in Babylon for 70 years. The divided kingdom was no more.

The Kings of the United Kingdom

Saul (1051)

David (1011)

Solomon (971)

Kingdom splits (931)

The Evil Kings of the Northern Kingdom

Jeroboam (931-910)

Nadab (910-909)

Baasha (909-886)

Elah (886-885)

Zimri (885)

Omri (885-874)

Ahab (874-853)

Ahaziah (853-852)

Joram/Jehoram (852-841)

Jehu (841-814)

Jehoahaz (814-798)

Joash (798-782)

Jeroboam II (793-753)

Zechariah (753-752)

Shallum (752)

Menahem (752-742)

Pekahiah (742-740) Overlapping reign with Pekah. Assassinated by Pekah.

Pekah (752-732)

Hoshea (732-722)

Fall of Israel to Assyria: 722 BC

The Kings of the Southern Kingdom

Rehoboam (931-913)

Abijam (aka Abijah) (913-911)

*Asa (911-870) Coregency with Jehoshaphat.

*Jehoshaphat (873-848)

Jehoram ((848-841)

Ahaziah (841)

Athaliah (841-835)

*Joash (835-796)

*Amaziah (796-767)

*Uzziah (790-739)

*Jotham (750-735)

Ahaz (732-715)

*Hezekiah (715-686)

Manasseh (697-642)

Amon (642-640)

*Josiah (640-609)

Jehoahaz (609)

Jehoiakim (born as Eliakim) (609-598) 1^st Babylonian invasion

Jehoiachin (598-597) 2^nd Babylonian invasion

Zedekiah (597-586) 3^rd Babylonian invasion – final conquest of Judah

Fall of Judah to Babylon: 586

*Denotes good kings

After 70 years in exile, God prepared the way for the Israelites to return to Jerusalem. Although they lived under the oppression of Persia, then Greece, then Rome, God was constantly at work preparing their hearts for the arrival of the King of all kings – Jesus Christ.

The world entices us with many things, but there is no substitute for God and what he offers. God yearns for our whole-hearted devotion. Even when we are fickle and unfaithful to him, he is always rock-solid in his faithfulness to us. He is faithful to judge wickedness and sin, yet he is also faithful to envelop us in his mercy and forgiveness when we turn back to him (Exodus 34:6-7).

Regardless of the unfaithfulness of his chosen people during the period of the kings, God was still in control. He knew with certainty the things he intended to accomplish. He responded, interacted, and patiently accommodated his actions to the free will and choices of his people in order to bring about his desired end. He is the same today. No matter how far the people of this world wander from him, God is still in control working to bring about his desired end – the return of Jesus Christ, our Lord and King, at the culmination of human history. When it seems like the world is completely out of control, I am so thankful for this truth.

The period of the kings gives me confidence in the character of God . . .

Lisa~

Lessons for Your Relationships from Love Stories of the Bible

Fireside - Conversations by the Fire About Nurturing Home and Family

Let’s face it. There aren’t many good models of marriage in this day and age. Don’t get me wrong – there are some out there, but as a whole, the family unit has been declining for years and much of it has to do with a lack of commitment to the marriage relationship. When conflict comes to a marriage, or people don’t see things the same way, couples often make the choice to discard their marriages with the assumption that it’s a whole lot easier to start over with someone new. But that’s a horrible fallacy.

This week, the school I’m attending has been studying the institution of marriage. My assignment this week is to study some of the marriages of the Bible. Here are some positives and negatives from three of those stories.

Zacharias and Elizabeth

Their story;

After being married for many years, Elizabeth and Zacharias were childless. Bearing children brought value to women in Bible times. It was a source of joy, and a fulfillment of “duty” to their husbands. According to Sue and Larry Richards in the book, Every Woman in the Bible (copyright 1999, Thomas Nelson, Inc., page 176), a woman’s barrenness was grounds for divorce. It also brought tremendous social disgrace. (Luke1:25)

Positives:

1) Zacharias honored his commitment to Elizabeth. He stood by her through years of disgrace and sorrow.

2) Zacharias prayed continually pleading with God to give Elizabeth a child. (Luke 1:13)

3) In the end, we recognize that Zacharias loved Elizabeth deeply and respected her as a wife and as a woman of God. He would rather live life with her by his side and have no children, than live without her and have many children with another wife.

4) Zacharias and Elizabeth were both devoted to God. Their devotion was evidenced by the way they lived their lives (Luke 1:6).

5) When they faced the sorrow of infertility, they faced it together with a continuing trust in God and a continuing commitment to one another.

Negative:

1) Zacharias failed to believe the words of an angel of the Lord who told him they would have a child.

God did give them a child. His name was John. He was the one who “made ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Some lessons for marriages today:

When we face hardship in marriage, it is helpful to:

1) Remain deeply committed to God and dependant on him – both individually and as a couple.

2) Remain deeply committed to our spouses, and face the hard times together.

3) Humble ourselves before God and pray for our spouses.

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Isaac and Rebekah

How they came together:

A servant traveled to Abraham’s homeland to find a mate for Abraham’s son, Isaac. The people of Canaan where Abraham was living had very different values, so it was of utmost importance to find a wife for Isaac who lived by the same principles he did. The servant asked God to identify the wife of His choosing by bringing her to a well and having her offer water to both him and his camels. Before the servant had finished speaking, Rebekah appeared at the well and did just that.

Rebekah left her homeland and her family to marry Isaac who lived in the land of Canaan (400 miles away). For 20 years, she was heartbroken because of her inability to have children. Isaac, who loved her deeply, pleaded with God on her behalf. (Genesis 25:21) God answered his prayer and Rebekah had twin sons.

Positives:

1) Abraham and Isaac trusted God to choose Isaac’s wife.

2) They desired a woman who had similar values.

3) Isaac loved his wife and prayed for her.

Negative:

1) Rebekah played favorites with their children and deceived her husband into giving their youngest son the blessing, rights, and inheritance that normally went to the oldest son. As a result, Jacob (the youngest son) had to move far away from his family because his older brother planned to kill him in anger. (Genesis 27:41) Deceit took a toll on the entire family unit and on Isaac and Rebekah’s relationship.

Three things to take away:

1) If God plans for us to marry, he also has a mate chosen for us. If you’re single, don’t miss God’s best and the mate he has chosen for you. Pray for his guidance and ask him to identify that mate to you then wait patiently for him to reveal that person.

2) Place priority on someone who has similar values and lives by the same principles you do. This will prevent lots and lots of conflict in marriage.

3) Avoid deceit (both minor and major) because of the damage it causes. Relationships are built on trust.

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Aquila and Priscilla

Their story: Only positives!

Aquila and Priscilla were tent-makers (Acts 18:1-3) who had a mutual devotion for Christ. They sacrificed as a couple to support Paul’s ministry, occasionally accompanied the Apostle Paul as he traveled, and graciously opened their home as a “house church” for fellow believers. (1 Corinthians 16:19). Together, they taught the ways of God. (Acts 18:26)

Positives:

1) They courageously stood together to serve, sacrifice, and take risks as they worked to spread the gospel. (Romans 16:3-5)

2) They are a picture of the strength and power that comes from an “equally yoked” couple who live in “oneness” of heart and mind.

3) They had mutual respect for one another.

4) They are a team who complemented each other in business, in ministry, and in life.

5) As partners with a common desire to live in commitment and obedience to God, they worked in tandem to help others understand the truth about Christ, the ways of God, and the gospel message.

Aquila and Priscilla are an inspiration to me personally. Read the scriptures above and ask God to show you strengths that can be applied to your own marriage. One of the greatest strengths I see is a couple who chose to live in a completely surrendered relationship with God and committed themselves to God’s purposes. This cemented their relationship and created a synergy that caused them to have an extremely positive impact on the world.

5 jewels I gained from our speakers this week:

1) The way I relate to God affects the way I relate to other people – including my husband. If my relationship with God is strong and healthy, my relationships with others will be too.

2) Husbands and wives need to protect each other’s weaknesses and be strong where the other is weak.

3) Expectations are pre-meditated resentment.

4) Bounce your eyes. There are many beautiful people in this world. It’s okay to admire the beauty of God’s creation found in another person’s appearance, but don’t dwell and think too far. Move your eyes to something else.

5) All angry arguments have nothing to do with the situation but with my personal core fears.

I’m personally going to work on protecting my husband’s weaknesses with my strengths, getting rid of expectations, becoming more aware of myself and personal core fears that feed my anger, striving to respond rather than react in conflict, and memorize scripture that will help me focus on loving my husband in times when I want to change him.

Friends, I know this has been a long post - but it's necessary for my assignment. Balancing school and family life has been difficult - and the reason I haven't been posting as frequently. My goal is to post at least once a week.

I tell people all the time that this year I am sitting at the feet of Jesus learning from Him. When you arrive at The Warming House for the rest of this school year, you will most likely hear me share what Jesus has been teaching me through the institute I'm attending.

Hope life in your corner of the world is going well. Thanks for stopping by.

Because families are worth fighting for . . .

Lisa ~