Is the Bible Inspired?

Why should anybody believe the Bible is from God? If Bible was only historical, citing historical facts and recording historical events, then the Bible would be just a history book. If historical content were the sole contents, then the claim of inspiration would be suspect. The original manuscripts (Autographs) would merely be ancient records of historical events corresponding to history.

The Bible, however, claims to be more then just an accurate historical book. The Bible’s words claim to be “Super-natural” in origination. The words claim to be inspired, from God, the First-Cause of reality, who revealed the words through prophets. The question is, can we in anyway prove the claims of the words in the Bible? Before we examine the super-natural evidence of the Bible, we first need to understand some underlying principles; the meaning of inspiration and inerrancy.

How did God transmit His words through the Bible? The process according to scripture to was through “inspiration”.

16 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

The Greek word translated inspiration is qeovpneustoß Theopneustos meaning literally “God-breathed out”. The idea here means God is the force behind the words of scripture, not the human writer, even though the thought was conveyed through human means. The words of both the Old and New Testaments claim to be inspired. Zechariah in the Old Testament, referred to the “words” of the prophets who preceded him, such as Jeremiah and Isaiah, as the Lord’s word.

7 'Should you not have obeyed the words which the Lord proclaimed through the former prophets when Jerusalem and the cities around it were inhabited and prosperous, and the South and the Lowland were inhabited?' " Zechariah 7:7

Jesus attests to the inspiration of the Old Testament and His fulfillment of the prophets and Law.

17 "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 "For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Matthew 5:17-18

Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me." Luke 24:44

When Jesus refers to the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms, he is referring to the three-part division of the Tanakh[1] (The Old Testament).

Since God is the source of inspiration, the words transmitted to the prophet are without error or inerrant. Inspiration and Inerrancy apply to the autograph and not to the transmission process, which is human. The inerrant autograph is transmitted through scribes in a process known as manuscript transmission, resulting in manuscript copies. The autograph is the original manuscript, the first copy, those which follow are manuscript copies.

By simply comparing the words that claim super-natural inspiration to the facts, we can test whether the words are super-natural or just vague guesses. We can also examine the probability of the events taking place. In the same way, we examine the improbability of matter and life entering the universe without a cause. We can examine to see if super-natural evidence corresponds with facts.

The definition of Super-natural is evidence outside of the natural order. Miracles and prophecies would fall under this categories since both claim a source outside of the nature. A prophecy describing future specific event is not a natural phenomenon. The source must be outside of nature in order to be “True”. Super-natural knowledge is required, since knowledge of the future is outside of our natural order.

The Bible’s use of prophecy, the ability to tell the future in the past, can be itemized as follows.

When you write your name on paper, who is doing the writing, you or the pen? Most answer you, since you are the power behind the pen. You are the inspiration of the words the pen writes. In the same way a pen is used as the conduit between you and the paper, the prophet is the conduit between God and man. The prophet is writing down God’s message for the reader.

If the words are from God then they would be “True” and correspond with reality.

This objection does not take into account the aspect of adverse history. For example, Jerusalem becoming the focus of world attention was a result of the spread of Christianity and Islam. Christianity grew in opposition to Jewish wishes; they did not accept Jesus as Messiah. The Roman Empire became Christian in spite of persecution of the Christians. In addition, any series of events could have changed the scope of the world prior to the spread of Christianity. Pagan Huns in the 5^th Century AD could have destroyed Christian Byzantium, conflict with Islam in the 6^th century; the Mongolian hordes of Genghis Khan in the 12^th century are only some examples of historical events that could have prevented this prophecy fulfillment.

To imagine that a group of people could manipulate world events in secret also fails to account for persecution by the leading powers of the world. Kings and princes in the land they settled persecuted the Jews as a group. The Spanish inquisition, forced Jews to renounce their Jewish culture, this same pattern of persecution occurred in Germany, England, Russia and Asia. How a persecuted people could control their persecutors, to fulfill prophecy written about the people even before they were a nation would be super-natural in its own right.

The words recorded in prophecy are virtually the same in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament translated 250 BC. The Dead Sea scrolls dated to 100-200 BC also record the words of the prophets including Daniel, Isaiah, Ezekiel and Jeremiah. Any changes to fulfill scripture would have to have been made by 250 BC well before the events themselves even occurred.

Most prophecies have very specific qualifiers, giving us minute details, not vague generalities. Israel, Jerusalem are distinct locations, not vague terms such as a “great city in the distant east”. They are terms which can compared to facts. The Bible also records historical figures such as Nebuchadnezzar along with events associated their lives. This allows us to compare the words with the facts.

The whole basis of the New Testament is the fulfillment of a New Covenant through the death of Jesus, who died for the sins of the world. Jesus claimed to be the Messiah, as foretold by the Jewish prophets, yet he was rejected and killed. Some will point to his death and say; “see if he were the Messiah, he would not have died”. Most who understand the death of Jesus as evidence he was not the Messiah, do not know Isaiah 52:13-53:12. The Old Testament book of Isaiah, pointed to the death of the Messiah 700-years before Jesus’ birth, showing his death was .part of God’s plan for redemption.

Isaiah wrote about the rejection and death of the righteous servant who would die for the sins of the world and then be exalted. Isaiah clearly describes the ministry of Jesus 700-years before his birth. He describes how the righteous servant bears the iniquity (Isaiah 53:11), by being the offering for sin (vs. 10). Isaiah describes him as rejected and despised (vs.3). He is wounded or pierced and whipped (vs.5). The servant did not come to his own defense but allowed his death to proceed (vs. 7). Finally, he was killed alongside with the wicked and was buried with the rich (vs. 9). Despite his death and humiliation, the servant will be exalted above the nations, where the kings of the earth will be silenced in his presence (Isaiah 52:13,15).

13 Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. 14 Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men; 15 So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; For what had not been told them they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider. Isaiah 52:13-15

1 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. 3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. 9 And they made His grave with the wicked-But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. 11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.

The Seventy weeks of Daniel is a prophecy, which can be used as an example of associating facts with claims.

· The Messiah would be killed 483 years after the command to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls and streets is given.

· The rebuilt temple would be destroyed by the descends of a future world leader

· A future world leader who is descendent of the armies who destroyed Jerusalem would make an agreement to build a Third Temple.

Daniel’s 70 Weeks

Super-natural Evidence ( An Example)

· 539 years before the Birth of Jesus, the exact day, month and year Jesus is rejected is foretold

· Destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem is foretold

· The future rebuilding of the Third Temple on the Temple Mount is foretold

· The future desecration of the Third Temple is foretold

The Seventy Weeks of Daniel

24 "Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy.

25 "Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times.

26 "And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined.

27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate."

Background

The Prophecy takes place in 539 B.C., in the First year of Darius the Mede. Daniel an old man, between 83 to 90 years old. As a boy He was taken captive by the Babylonians in 605 B.C. In 586 B.C. The Babylonians destroyed the city of Jerusalem and the Temple. Jeremiah foretold a 70-year period of desolation on the city for their sin. Daniel was praying for the city to be restored since 67 years had now passed.

Gabriel the angel was sent to Daniel to answer his prayer and tell him God’s time plan for his city, Jerusalem and his people.

Seventy weeks^{^[2]} are determined^{^[3]} (7 x70=490) A 490 year period of time is established on “ Your city” Jerusalem and “Your People” the Jewish People.

Seven events happen within these 490 years.

1. Finish Transgression

2. Make an end of sins

3. Make reconciliation for iniquity

4. Bring in everlasting righteousness

5. Seal up vision and

6. prophecy

7. Anoint the Most Holy.

Super-Natural Objective Evidence

· The focus of Jerusalem and the Jewish People

The 490-year period begins with the command to “Restore” and “Build Jerusalem” including the walls and streets in the times of trouble.

The command to rebuild the walls and streets takes place in March/April 444 B.C. (Nehemiah 2:8) Nehemiah is given orders to build the walls of Jerusalem, and access to the King of Persia’s resources.

Gabriel tells Daniel from the command given (March/April 444 B.C.) until Messiah the Prince will be 7-weeks (49 years) and 62-weeks (434-years) totaling 483-years^{^[4]}. (7 Weeks + 62 Weeks=69 Weeks)

(69 x 7=483) From the Command given in March/April 444 B.C. to until Messiah the Prince is 483 Jewish years^{^[5]}. Our equivalent to Daniel’s calander is 476 years and 24 days.

The Command was given in March/April 444 B.C. 476 years and 24 days later is March 29^th 33 A.D. the Jesus Christ was “Cut off” by the Jewish Priesthood. (John 19:6)

Super-Natural Objective Evidence

· The Exact month and Year of Messiah Death 500 years before his birth

Gabriel tells Daniel after the 62 Week (434 year) Messiah the Prince is cut off. Not for Himself, Messiah dies for the sins of the world (Isaiah 53).

Following his death Jerusalem and the Temple are destroyed again, after they were rebuilt, following Daniel’s prayer. The people of a prince who is to come , destroy Jerusalem and Temple 37 years after the death of Jesus Christ. Daniel foretold of the Roman destruction of Jerusalem over 600-years before the event.

Gabriel Tells Daniel the desolations on Jerusalem and the Jewish people will continue to the end.

The Dome of The Rock, the third most site in Islam occupies the Temple-site. The Temple-Mount is the center of world focus pitting the world of Islam and Judaism against each other. There is a growing movement to rebuild the Temple. The problem is 1.3 billion Muslims hold the Dome of the Rock as their sacred site.

The 490-year clock stopped at the death of Messiah at the end of the 69^th Week, as desolations were determined till the 70^th week.

Super-Natural Objective Evidence

· The Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple following the death of Christ

· The continual desolations that befell the Jewish People after the Temple

Gabriel tells Daniel, a future 7-year agreement will allow the Temple to be rebuilt allowing sacrifice and offering to take place. He is the prince to come, descended from the people who destroyed the Temple and Jerusalem, the Romans. Rebuilding the Temple is a growing movement in Israel, for a several reasons.

· Growing religious movement, looking for the return of Messiah

· Removal of Muslim claims to Jerusalem

· Establishment of spiritual and cultural identity

Gabriel tells Daniel, In the midst of this agreement 7-year agreement, 3.5 years, the Prince to come breaks the agreement and stops sacrifice and offering, until the consummation, or destruction which falls on those destined for Judgment.

Super-Natural Objective Evidence

· The future problem of the Temple-Mount site

· The rebuilding of the Temple

· The need of a peace-agreement to allow the Temple to be rebuilt

[1] Tanakh is an acrostic using the first letters of the words which compile the three sections of the Old Testament. Ta=Torah, Na= Nebi’im (Prophets) and Kh=K’tubim (Writings). The books in the Tanakh are the same as in the Protestant Old Testament, arranged in a different order. The Torah is the first 5 books of Moses, the prophets consists of the former and later prophets and the writings begins with Psalms and ends with 2 Chronicles.

[2] The Hebrew word for seven is [wbX Shabuwa means seven, or period of seven and could be 7 days or years. Year of Jubilee takes place on the 50^th year after 7 periods of 7. Leviticus 25:8.

[3] The Hebrew world for determined is #rx Charats and means to cut, sharpen,decide, a 490 year period has been ‘Cut” on Jerusalem and the Jewish People.

[4] A Jewish Biblical year was 12 months of 30 days per month and based on a lunar calendar. Genesis 7-8, Noah’s arc was in the water 150 days, 5months (See Genesis 7:11,24,8:3,4)

[5] 483 Jewish years =476 years and 24 days with our Solar calendar. 1. 360x483=173,880 2. 173,880/365.242= 476.06792 years 3. 444 B.C. -476 years=33 A.D. 4. March 15^th was Nisan 1^st that year, Add 24 days for .06792x 365=24 days. 5. Messiah cut off March 29^th 33 A.D.