Perhaps you’ve heard the verse, “Judge not lest ye be judged”. It’s a quote often used by those in today’s secular society as a counter against anyone who dare question one’s behavior, lifestyle, or personal choices. The quote itself is straight out of the Bible. Matthew Chapter 7, in particular. Reading on further, in verse 3 Jesus asks, “Why do you see the splinter which is in your brother’s eye, and do not feel the beam which is in your own eye?” You’ll find the same reference in Luke 6:41-42 and one that resonates with me.
I’ve mentioned in one of my previous posts that my personal research on the Bible was very humbling. Things I was adamant about, I discovered weren’t entirely correct and I came to realize how much I had to learn. On top of that, who was I to pass judgment on someone else when I had my own set of flaws and bad decisions? Besides, what evidence was there my beliefs were correct, when there were so many others much smarter than me who felt different?
And so, began my research.
The Bible as a historic reference
While scholars still debate the historic reliability of the Old Testament, findings supporting the accuracy behind many Biblical accounts continue to be discovered throughout the middle east.
Archaeological discoveries such as the Mari Tablets bear striking similarities with the names, practices, and geographical settings described in the book of Genesis.
The Tel Dan Stele which references King David, providing evidence of his existence.
The Merneptah Stele mentions Israel by name, confirming the reality of its presence.
The Hittite Tablets confirming the existence of the Hittite Empire, once believed to be a myth.
The Cyrus Cylinder documenting the Persian King Cyrus the Great’s policy of allowing exiled communities to return to their homelands, and appears to corroborate the book of Ezra where the Jewish people were permitted to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Second Temple.
The city of Jericho with its broken walls.
The Mesha Stele or Moabite Stone, which seems to parallel several references in the Old Testament.
The Lachish Reliefs describe an Assyrian victory over the kingdom of Judah.
The Ebla Tablets which make mention of Canaan, supporting the biblical narrative.
The Dead Sea scrolls containing the oldest surviving manuscripts of biblical texts, including a two-thousand plus year old copy of Isaiah, relatively unchanged for more than two millennia.
The Babylonian Chronicles documenting the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem.
The Siloam or Hezekiah’s Tunnel, which is correlated to 2Kings 20:20.
These are just some of the tangible discoveries that attest to the validity of the Old Testament.
The New Testament is supported by a myriad of evidence, and not just religious canon. Most scholars are in agreement that Jesus was a real figure who lived in the first century. Three of the four Gospels are considered reliable sources describing Jesus’ life and were likely to have been written as firsthand accounts of his teachings.
Characters such as Pontius Pilate and Caiaphas have been confirmed as real historical figures based upon the discoveries of an Inscription of Pontius Pilate and the Ossuary of Caiaphas.
And then there are the secular references to Jesus as a real figure, such as writings by several historians, philosophers, and politicians. Josephus, Lucian of Samosata, Mara bar Serapion, Pliny the Younger, Suetonius, and Tacitus all referenced Jesus as a true individual as well as the influence of Christianity. The Jewish Talmud contains several passages referencing Jesus in a negative connotation deemed as blasphemous by many Christian churches.
The points noted above are only a fraction of the notable evidence supporting the accuracy of the Bible. So, what about non-physical evidence? What is the likelihood these writings were divinely inspired?
A Hidden Code
I can tell you through personal experience, I have a great sense of faith. There are too many things that have occurred for me personally, of which I am certain God has intervened in my life and continues to watch over me and my family. Some of my experiences are captured in my books, where others I keep close to my heart.
It was while I was writing regularly in 1997, that a book titled “The Bible Code” by Michael Drosnin was published, taking the world by storm. It was a time when computers began to find their way into every household, and every TV ad posted a companion world wide web address in addition to their toll-free number. The book presented an interesting concept. Using the first five books of the Old Testament in the original Hebrew, an Israeli mathematician discovered several hidden messages encoded within the text using a process called equidistant letter sequencing (ELS). Based upon the author’s claim, future events could be predicted. To back it up, Drosnin referenced the 1995 assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin as one of the successful predictions using the hidden code.
As luck would have it, none of Drosnin’s future predictions came to fruition and, lo and behold, a new book was released several years later with even more claims of hidden knowledge. Only this time, there was a hidden key to save the world from the Apocalypse.
I mention this not because I didn’t buy into his theories, but because this was nearly thirty years ago when computer technology was only starting to enter the mainstream. If pattern recognition was being experimented on the Bible by computers thirty years ago, I could only imagine what things would be found today. I didn’t have to wait long to find out, and must admit, it kinda blew my mind.
AI gets an assignment
A few weeks back, I stumbled across a YouTube video about Elon Musk’s Grok AI and the outcome when asked to find contradictions in the Bible. The video is about thirty minutes long, and is available here if you want to see it for yourself. If you can get past the dramatic… but wait there’s more narrative style; the findings were quite stunning.
I watched the video, and at first, I thought it was a hoax, but I’ve since confirmed that it was a real study, with real results. Feel free to do an independent search for yourself.
For those not wanting to sit through a thirty-minute video plus commercials, let’s suffice it to say that Grok found patterns suggesting a hidden code, indicative of intelligent design. If you have the time; I urge you to listen to the findings. It’s quite fascinating.
It’s not for me to argue whether or not the Bible has a hidden code. Where I think Drosnin made the mistake was trying to use it as a crystal ball and losing all credibility when his predictions failed to materialize.
Additional Thoughts to Ponder
Despite the tangible evidence presented above, without faith it’s just a bunch of interesting tales from days gone by.
And so I ask…
- How did a man living more than two thousand years ago generate a movement that shakes the foundation of mankind to this very day?
- Why were his apostles unwavering in their faith, giving up their own lives if they didn’t believe he was the messiah?
- Why does it seem Jesus the only religious figure that can be openly ridiculed in today’s modern society, where criticism of all others could be considered a hate crime in the western world?
The above are just a few of the things I’ve considered in my own journey, and part of the reason I am confident in my faith. Your journey may be different, but I hope mine will inspire you. Not to take my word for it, but to find your own way to the truth.