Where?

Where? Right in the Bible.

Hold on. Before you dismiss this book as a dusty, outdated relic, keep reading. The Bible is an amazing book packed with practical, real-life answers to today's toughest questions.

Don't be deceived. The Bible is not just a book written by men, it is the inspired Word of God:

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 2 Timothy 3:16

Yes, men wrote down the words, but the words came directly from God:

For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 2 Peter 1:21

Because the Bible is so important, God promised to preserve His Word forever:

The words of the LORD are pure words... Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. Psalm 12:6-7

Before diving into your questions about eternity, we must first show the Bible to be a reliable source. If you are to trust this book on eternal matters, you must first be convinced it is reputable in other areas.

The Bible is a miraculous book

The Bible was written over a period of sixteen hundred years by more than forty different authors, starting around 1500 B.C. Despite the astronomical odds, all their stories mesh flawlessly because, in truth, the Bible has only one Author...God:

Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever. Psalm 119:160

Throughout history, many unbelieving scholars have studied the Bible, determined to disprove it. Instead, its miraculous accuracy often led them to become Christians instead.

Does the Bible contain fulfilled prophecies?

A major proof of the Bible's divine origin is its many fulfilled prophecies, with more coming to pass every day. No other religious book contains fulfilled prophecies.

The Bible makes at least sixty predictions regarding the Lord Jesus Christ alone. God's Word declares He would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14) in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). He would be rejected by His own people (Isaiah 53:3), and His side would be pierced (Zechariah 12:10). All these prophecies, made long before they were fulfilled, occurred exactly as the Bible foretold.

The Bible made the following prediction over seven hundred years before Christ was born:

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

One of the greatest prophecies ever made concerned the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Psalm 22:14-18 provides a descriptive and detailed account of Christ's death on the cross. Amazingly, this was written 1,000 years before the event occurred, and at that time, crucifixion had not yet even been invented.

During His earthly ministry, Jesus declared that Jerusalem would be completely destroyed (Matthew 24:2). Within a few years, it was.

Over 1,400 years before Christ was born, the Bible predicted that Israel would be regathered as a nation (Deuteronomy 30:3). In 1948, over three thousand years later, it miraculously happened. No wonder the Bible says:

Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Matthew 5:18

My friend, the more you learn about fulfilled Bible prophecies, the more convinced you will be that this is God's holy inspired Word, and the more confidence you will have in it when planning your eternal destiny.

Is the Bible scientifically accurate?

Although the Bible is not a scientific book, its pages contain many scientific facts. Often, men took centuries to discover what the Bible had declared long ago.

In 1615, William Harvey made what many considered a brilliant discovery… that the life of all flesh is in the blood. But three thousand years earlier, the Bible declared, "…the life of the flesh is in the blood…" (Leviticus 17:11).

In 1475, Copernicus discovered that the earth was round and hung in space. Yet, two thousand years prior, the Bible proclaimed, "It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth" (Isaiah 40:22). The Bible also says of God, "He… hangeth the earth (Job 26:7).

In the 1840's, when Lord Rosse built what was then the world's largest telescope, man learned about the great empty space in the north. But long before, the Bible announced, "He stretcheth out the north over the empty place…" (Job 26:7).

Though the Bible is not a science book, it is one hundred percent scientifically accurate.

Is the Bible factually accurate?

You have undoubtedly heard people mock famous Bible stories. None has been more laughed at than the account of Jonah being swallowed by a great fish.

Consider this. In the December, 1992 issue of National Geographic magazine, University of Maryland marine biologist Eugenie Clark, who has studied whale sharks extensively, confirms in detail nearly every aspect of the Jonah story. Professor Clark writes:

"The whale shark's unusual digestive anatomy lends itself to Jonah stories. It is easy to imagine yourself being inadvertently sucked into a whale shark's mouth…"

The Jonah story concludes when the great fish "vomited out Jonah…" (Jonah 2:10). Professor Clark:

"Sharks have a nonviolent way of getting rid of large objects of dubious digestibility they swallow accidentally. In a process known as gastric eversion, a shark can slowly empty its cardiac stomach by turning it inside out and pushing it through the mouth."

In his book, Explore the Book, J. Sidlow Baxter tells about a whaling ship near the Falkland Islands in February, 1891. In attempts to harpoon a large sperm whale, one of two small boats was capsized. One man was drowned and another, James Bartley, disappeared. The whale was eventually killed and dragged on board. Sailors worked all day and into the night removing the blubber. The next day, the sailors were startled by signs of life. They cut open the fish and inside found James Bartley, doubled up and unconscious. He was revived with a bath of sea water, and within three weeks had resumed his normal duties.

The flood and Noah's ark

For years, "experts" laughed at those who believed in Noah's ark and a world-wide flood. The smart ones aren't laughing anymore. In 1959, a Turkish army captain was examining aerial photos of his country when he spotted a boat-shaped form about five hundred feet long (the same size as the Biblical ark) in the area where the Bible says Noah's ark came to rest. Many expeditions have reached the site and considerable evidence has convinced countless eye witnesses that this is in fact Noah's ark.

You see, no matter how unlikely a Bible story may appear, if God's Word says it's true, then it's true.

"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." John 17:17

Is the Bible archeologically accurate?

Since the Bible refers to hundreds of ancient cities, kings, etc., excavations at these sites would have to reveal hard evidence, or we could easily discount the Bible as mere fable. Not to worry. So many Bible cities, names and events have been unearthed through archeology that the Bible is considered the single most important historical document in existence. In fact, many lost cities have been discovered using the Bible as a roadmap.

Here's an example. The Bible makes over forty references to the great Hittite Empire. But one hundred years ago, there was no archeological evidence to prove it ever existed. "Just another Bible myth," skeptics claimed. But in 1906, Hugo Winckler uncovered a library of 10,000 clay tablets which fully documented the lost Hittite Empire. The Bible was right all along.

Hundreds of examples could be given, but the fact is, archeological discoveries constantly confirm what the Bible declared long ago, and not one archaeological discovery has ever proven any Biblical reference to be untrue. That's because the Bible is 100% archeologically accurate.

Is the Bible historically accurate?

Many scholars recognize the Bible's amazing historic accuracy. Did you know the birth, life and death of Jesus Christ are all established historical facts? A Jewish historian (not a follower of Christ) recorded the following words around A.D. 93:

"Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works… He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold…"1

You can trust the Bible in eternal matters because it is unchallenged in its historical accuracy.

Why hasn't the Bible faded away?

Many claim the Bible is an outdated book not relevant for today, yet the truth is, it's more popular than ever. It is a constant best seller, and every culture on earth has felt its influence. It has been translated into about 4,000 different languages, with more being added regularly. Why? Because God promised that:

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. Matthew 24:35

Amen
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