Can We trust the Bible

In today’s world there are many Holy Books and  religions striving for our attention.  This has challenged the traditional role of the Bible in our every day lives.  This book having survived thousands of years of attacks and miss-use now finds itself besieged by an ever-increasing secular community, which holds it in little regard.

The “Nation of Islam” now claims the Bible is the book of the “White Man.”  This is further fueled by preachers, churches and denominations who depict all Biblical characters with characteristics of European with little regard for the people of color who must read and study their literature.  The reality is however, that the Bible existed among people of color long before it was translated into any European language.  It existed in Aramaic then later in Coptic and Syrian, which are languages of people of color.  It was not until the time of Wycliffe 1380-93 that the first English version of the entire Bible was available with the King James Version coming later in 1611.

The Bible has survived throughout the centuries because it is the history of the activities of God in the affairs of men.  It also has spoken meaningfully to us the centuries.

Archeological discoveries have proven unequivocally that the Bible is not a pious forgery.[1]  It has also proven that Africans had a tremendous impact upon its development.  Speaking of Africa’s contribution based on discoveries found in Egypt, a popular TV evangelist writes:

    

“From the dusty beds of Egypt comes a story more exciting than fiction.  Civilizations long dead now speaks with thunderous tones to this generation.”[2] 

 

The Massive pyramids of Meroe and Egypt, ring from the distant past with dramatic suddenness, declaring “here lived a people who feared no one but God and whose greatness is now abated because they thought themselves gods.”

These Pyramids of Cheops, Seti and Akhenaten still speaks to us.  These men tried to defy death, by building structures that defied time, and embalming their bodies with ointments that defied aging.  From their records we find much that confirms the validity of scripture.

When the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered in 1947, thousands of manuscripts of the Bible were found.  All Old ****ament books were represented except the book of Esther.  Compared to the Bible as we have it today, it was noted that what we have is very accurate.  Furthermore there is no book on earth with as much archeological support as the Bible.

The collection of books we call the Bible came together over a period of 1400 years. The writers lived in various time periods and places while they spoke various languages.  The earliest books of the Bible were written in the language of Canaan, later Aramaic, and then the New ****ament was written in Greek. What we have today therefore is a translation of the Bible, yet history and archeology has re-enforced that we can trust this translation.

 

 1. What does Jesus call the scripture? Luke 8:21.

 

 2. What is the language in which the word of God was first written? Isaiah 19:18.

 

 3. Who was Canaan? Genesis 10:6.

 

 4. Who wrote the first five books known as “The word of God”?  Luke 24:27.

 Moses lived on the continent of Africa most of his life until he was cast out and forced to live among the Ethiopian Midianites.  He learnt what he wrote from one of these two sources.  It was while living with the Midianites the Moses wrote the book of Genesis.  The Midianites were the descendants of Abraham through his African wife Keturah, and they were worshipers of Yahweh.

 

 5. How did the daughters of Jethro describe Moses? Exodus 2:19.

 

 6. What New ****ament author of the Bible also looked like an Egyptian? Acts 21:36-39.

 Moses and Paul were responsible for writing most of the Bible.

 

 7. How were these men moved to write the word of God? 2 Peter 1:21.

 

 8. How were the scriptures given? 2 Timothy 3:16.

 

 9. Who was actually speaking while the prophets wrote “The Word of God”? Hebrews 1:1.

 

 10. Upon what evidence did Jesus base his Messiah-ship? Luke 24:27.

 

 11. What **** should be applied to all that presume to teach God’s word? Isaiah 8:20.

 

 12. Will the word of God ever be destroyed? Matthew 34:35.

 

 13. What is promised to Him who will do God's will? John 7:17.

 

I believe and accept the Bible as the word of God.

 

YES  ¨     NO  ¨

 

©  Copyright 1993 by Stephen L. Williams. Africanaol.  3412 Main St. Bridgeport CT 06606. Tel. (718)874-8376

The Urban Sounds Bible Lessons are available for $100.00 per 100 sets by writing to: S. L. Williams