The Bible ~ Inspired and Infallible (...continued ~)
The inspiration of the Bible is further proved
by fulfilled prophecy. Man cannot predict
ahead; but the Bible presumes to do so, and
its prophecies have been vindicated by events.
Assyria and Nineveh (Zeph. 2:13) were over-
thrown completely as predicted; Babylon
became heaps (Isa. 13:19-20); Philistia ceased
to exist (Amos 1:8); Moab, Ammon and Tyre
(Zeph. 2:9; Ezek. 26:3-5) were destroyed as
prophecy required.
The life and death of the Lord Jesus were
predicted in the Old Testament over six
centuries before he was born. Isaiah predicted
his atoning work (Isa. 52:13 - 53:12). The
Psalmist spoke of the form of his death
(Ps. 22:1,8,16,18).
Today prophecy is still being fulfilled. Particu-
larly is this the case in regard to the return of
the Jews, the development of modern Israel,
the deliverance of the city of Jerusalem, and
so on (see Ezek. 37:21-22, Joel 3:1-2).
Archaeology also underwrites the divine inspi-
ration of the Bible. It confirms the truth of its
statements, in every point where it touches.
A few years ago it was claimed by agnostics
that Moses could not have written the first five
books of the Bible, for the art of writing had
not then been discovered. But archaeology
subsequently revealed that the claim was
false. In fact, it is now conceded that Moses
was a linguist of considerable ability, having
knowledge of several different languages.
The story of Noah and the Flood was
discounted. But archaeology has discovered
records of the Flood apart from that of the
Bible. In fact native people of all lands have
their legends of such a disaster, indicating a
central source of origin, strongly arguing the
historicity of the Flood.
The destruction of Sodom and Go-
morrah (Gen. 19) was discounted by
many as entirely improbable. This
is not the case today. Geologists
now state that the area around the
Dead Sea, where those two cities
were located, is one where sulphur
from hot springs exists abundantly
in the clay. Bitumen oozes from
crevices in the rocks, and earth-
quakes sometimes dislodge bitumen
from the sea bottom. Pent-up gases
The Isaiah Scroll ~ dating from between 175-150BC
6