Bible Authenticity

ASHERAH WORSHIP IN ANCIENT ISRAEL Discovered

September 25, 2022 BibleAuthenticity

ancient and modern idolatry — The Bible warned the ancient Israelites to avoid Asherah and Baal worship

Critics say the Bible is not as ancient as it claims to be, and is often not historically accurate. God’s chosen people were warned against the worship of the pagan fertility false goddess Asherah prior to entering the promised land. “You do not plant an Asherah of any trees for yourself near the altar of your God YHWH, which you make for yourself” (Deuteronomy 16:21 LSV). Archaeological evidence discovered in ancient Israel provides ample evidence confirming such Asherah worship. read more

“THE SACRIFICE OF THE BODY OF JESUS CHRIST”

July 11, 2022 BibleAuthenticity

Different resurrection appearances — Was Jesus’ body resurrected? What about the sacrifice of Jesus’ body?

We hear much about “the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ,” but very little about the sacrifice of Jesus’ body. Why? Out of 31,000 verses in the Bible, not one of them mentions a resurrection of Jesus’ body. But, how about the sacrifice of Jesus’ body?

“We have been made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time” (Hebrews 10:10 NIV). Most Christian churches and preachers claim that Jesus’ physical body was resurrected. However, the Bible, as we can see from Hebrews 10:10, that Jesus’ “body” was ‘sacrificed’. What does that mean? read more

Is the Universe Only Six Thousand Years Old?

June 30, 2022 BibleAuthenticity

Expanding universe — If the universe is expanding, it had a beginning. Is it only six thousand years old?

Is the universe only six thousand years old?

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”—Genesis 1:1

Modern astronomical science now agrees with the Bible that the universe had a beginning. Many people, including those who believe in Young Earth Creationism (YEC), think that the entire universe, including the earth, was created in six literal 24 hour days 6,000 years ago. This idea is in conflict with astronomical science, which has proven the universe is about 13.7 billion years old. Two lines of evidence for this are the number of light years away the farthest galaxies are from us, and the second is the Cosmic Background Radiation. Astronomers and scientists are forced to accept this fact, even though they are uncomfortable with the Biblical implications. read more

Is There Enough Evidence To Prove God’s Existence?

May 31, 2022 BibleAuthenticity

Is there enough evidence to prove God’s existence? Atheists say, “No!”

“Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse”—Romans 1:20 NIV

BELIEF IN GOD REQUIRES LESS FAITH THAN BELIEF IN ATHEISM

While Christians are often derided for their seemingly “blind faith” in the Creator/God’s existence, the facts give powerful evidence the Biblical Creator/God is real. read more

HOSEA’S USE OF GENESIS THROUGH JUDGES

May 3, 2022 BibleAuthenticity

When was Genesis through Judges written? What is significant about Hosea’s use of Genesis through Judges?

Is the Bible reliable? — What about Hosea’s use of Genesis through Judges?

“The word of the LORD that came to Hosea son of Beeri during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the reign of Jeroboam son of Jehoash king of Israel”—Hosea 1:1 NIV

Jeroboam son of Jehoash of Israel reigned from 793 BCE to 753 BCE, and Hezekiah of Judah reigned from 715 BCE to 686 BCE, so Hosea’s prophetic years ran for at least for a minimum of 38 years, in the 8th century BCE, that is, from 753 BCE to 715 BCE. One thing that is significant about the Bible book bearing Hosea’s name is his use of Genesis through Judges, thus lending proof to the fact that these books had to have been written quite some time sometime prior to Hosea in the 8th century BCE. The reason that this is significant is that many “scholars” consider these books, Genesis through Judges, to be from the 6th century BCE, or even more recent. Another point of significance is that Hosea’s treatment of these Bible books shows how they were viewed through God’s interpretation of them during later Old Testament times, and also, in turn, gives us a better view of how the New Testament interprets the Old Testament. read more

EVIDENCE of GEMARIAH and JERAHMEEL DISCOVERED

April 23, 2022 BibleAuthenticity

Critics often claim the Bible is not an accurate historical document. However, discoveries of the existence of Gemariah and Jerahmeel prove otherwise.

A clay seal impression of “Gemariah son of Shaphan the secretary”, one of “the officials” (Jeremiah 36:10-12 NIV) of King Jehoiakim was discovered in excavations of Jerusalem of 587-586 BCE destruction level. The inscription reads: “Belonging to Gemariah (son of) Shaphan”.

Researchers possess both a clay seal and a seal impression of “Jerahmeel, a son of the king” Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 36:26 NIV), which were both acquired on the antiquities market. The clay seal and the seal impression both read: “Belonging to Jerahmeel the king’s son”. read more

IS EASTER A BIBLICAL CELEBRATION?

April 17, 2022 BibleAuthenticity

Easter is celebrated all over the world by Christians and non-Christians, even atheists. But, is Easter a Biblical celebration? “Jesus” was “resurrected” by “God” (Acts 2:32 HCSB). But are we commanded to celebrate it? Was Easter celebrated by early Christians? How about Easter bunnies, baskets, bonnets, etc.? How about Easter egg hunts?

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Historically, was Easter celebrated by 1st century Christians?

“Easter, a much earlier development than Christmas, was simply the gradual Christian reinterpretation of Passover in terms of Jesus’ Passion. Its observance could even be implied in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 5:7–8: “Our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the festival…”); it was certainly a distinctively Christian feast by the mid-second century C.E., when the apocryphal text known as the Epistle to the Apostles has Jesus instruct his disciples to “make commemoration of [his] death, that is, the Passover.”—Biblical Archaeology Review, December 17, 2024 read more

IS THE TRINITY DOCTRINE TAUGHT IN JUDE?

October 4, 2021 BibleAuthenticity

The book of Jude was written by Jesus’ half brother Jude some three decades after the start of Christianity. At this stage, we would expects to find some mention of the doctrine of the Trinity, if it is true. But, just like the rest of the scriptures, there is no mention of a Trinity in Jude.

Jude 1—“To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for Christ Jesus” (NIV). “God the Father” is obviously a completely separate and distinct person from “Christ Jesus”. If the Trinity doctrine were true, we would expect there to be some mention of it, or the holy Spirit (which is real), at this point, but there isn’t.

Jude 3 – “The faith delivered once for all to God’s people” (Weymouth). What is interesting about this verse is that ‘the Christian faith, or belief, was given to God’s people 100%, completely, back there in the first century (John 16:13). Did ‘the faith delivered once for all time to God’s holy people’ include the Trinity? No! There is no mention of any Trinity anywhere in the 31,100 ‘inspired scriptures’ (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Trinitarians admit that their “belief as so defined was reached only in the 4th and 5th centuries AD and hence is not explicitly a biblical belief” (Dictionary of the Bible, by John l. McKenzie, S. J.). Since the Trinity doctrine wasn’t even developed until the 4th century, long after the 1st century, it is demonstrably a “travesty of the truth” (Acts 20:30 NJB). What ‘the faith delivered once to God’s people’ in the 1st century did include are these stern warnings:

“Not to go beyond what is written in Scripture” (1 Corinthians 4:6 GWT).

”To not take anything away from, or add anything to’ (Revelation 22:18-19) “the Word of God … the scriptures” (John 10:35 NLT).

“Not to teach false doctrines” (1 Timothy 1:3 NIV).

July 16, 2021 BibleAuthenticity

Jesus, not God — Did Jesus die only in his body, but not his deity, or divinity?

It is asserted by many that Jesus Christ was God a “God-man” in the flesh while on earth, and that he “died in his body, or flesh, but not in his deity or divinity.” First of all, Jesus is never referred to as a “deity” in the Bible. In fact, “deities” are pagan gods (Acts 17:18) LSB). Did Jesus Christ die in his divinity?

“Surely you, Yahweh, are from ancient times, my holy God, who never dies”—Habakkuk 1:12 NJB

“My God, my Holy One, you will never die”—Habakkuk 1:12 NIV read more

“Is ‘Eternal Security’ a Biblical Teaching? – John 15:6

April 18, 2021 BibleAuthenticity

Is the doctrine of “Eternal Security,” also known as “Once Saved, Always Saved,” a Biblical teaching? Being “saved” is a Biblical teaching. For example, “For in this hope we were saved” (Romans 8:24 NIV). But, is it true that this is a “one and done” experience?

“I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, with me in him, bears fruit in plenty; for cut off from me you can do nothing. Anyone who who does not remain is thrown away like a branch—and withers; these branches are collected and thrown on the fire and are burnt”—John 15:5,6 NJB read more