The Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any
double –edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and
marrow; It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12
Dear Rachel,
In 1947 Bedouin shepherds made a great discovery in the
desert between Bethlehem
and the Dead Sea . According to local hearsay a
boy threw a rock into a cave to flush out his wandering goat. He went in to
explore the sound of breaking pottery. Instead of his lost goat, the shepherd
boy found ancient clay jars filled with seven scrolls. Archaeologists conducted
a careful survey of the region. Later finds in other caves yielded about 15,000
fragments. These scrolls were copies of Old Testament Hebrew writings. Every
Old Testament book was found except the book of Esther.
Earlier skeptics accused the translations of the Old
Testament of being flawed. The Dead Sea Scrolls confirm the accuracy of Bible
translation over the years. One scroll contained a copy of the entire Book of
Isaiah dated to 125 BC. This scroll proved to be identical to a later version
of Isaiah in more than 95% of the text. The differences were slips of the pen
and minor spelling alterations.
Besides the Dead Sea Scrolls, there are thousands of New
Testament documents. It has been preserved in more than 24,000 discovered
manuscripts. Every book of the New Testament was written by a baptized Jew
between the 40s and the 80s of the first century A.D.
The writings of other ancient works are not questioned
though there are few copies of these writings. There are only seven copies of
Plato’s work. Homer’s Iliad takes the prize with 643 pieces. The rest
have fewer copies. No other ancient document equals the New Testament when it
comes to the preservation of manuscripts.
Lee Strobel’s book, The
10 Most Common Objections to Christianity tells about a mathematic
and astronomy professor who set out to test eight of the Old Testament
prophecies concerning the Messiah. He concluded that the odds that these
prophecies happening by chance were astronomical. He came to the conclusion
that every one of the prophecies came true. He was convinced of the reality of
both God and the Bible.
God’s Word cannot be destroyed. Throughout history leaders
have attempted to do this. Yet God’s Word has survived.
The Bible has influenced legal documents all over the world.
Famous paintings depict biblical stories. The Scriptures have inspired
musicians like Bach, Brahms, Beethoven, and others. The Bible changes hearts.
This all-time best-seller appeals to the hearts and minds. It has a lasting
effect.
Rachel, Consider this letter. You can trust the Bible. It
needs to be your roadmap for life.
Love,
Gram
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