HARMONIOUS AND ACCURATE

The Bible was written over a 1,600-year period. Its writers lived at different time and came from many walks of life. Some were farmers, fishermen and shepherds. Others were prophets, judges, and kings. The Gospel writer Luke was a doctor. Despite the varied backgrounds of its writers, the Bible is harmonious from beginning to end.

The first book of the Bible tells us how mankind's problems began.  The last book shows that the whole earth will become a paradise, or garden. All the material in the Bible covers thousands of years of history and relates in some way to the unfolding of God's purpose. The harmony of the Bible is impressive, but that is what we would expect of a book from God.

The Bible is scientifically accurate. It even contains information that was far ahead of its time. For example, the book of Leviticus contained laws for ancient Israel on quarantine and hygiene when surrounding nations knew nothing about such  matters. At a time when there were  wrong ideas about the shape of the earth, the Bible referred to it as a circle, or sphere.  (Isaiah 40:22) The Bible accurately said that the earth 'hangs on nothing.'   (Job 26:7) Of course, the Bible is not a science textbook.  But when it touches on scientific matters, it is accurate.  Is this not what we would expect of a book from God?

The Bible is also historically accurate and reliable.  Its accounts are specific.  The include not only the names but also the ancestry of individuals.  In contrast to secular historians, who often do not mention the defeats of their own people, Bible writers were honest, even recording their own failings and those of their nation.  In the Bible book of  Numbers, for instance, the writer Moses admits his own serious error for which he was severely reproved.  (Numbers 20:2-12)  Such honesty is rare in other historical accounts but is found in the Bible because it is a book from God.

Next time: A BOOK OF PRACITICAL WISDOM

From: What Does the Bible Really Teach? 2005 and 2006