Many people, including the atheists are having a hard time reading the Holy Scriptures. Some, if not all, are saying, "The Bible is just a myth, a fairy tale". But let me tell you three things that you should know about the Holy Scriptures:
1. Sacred Scripture is supported by history
The Scriptures appeal to some sources outside of Scripture. Let us read from a passage in the Scripture, in the book of 2 Kings, here's what it says:
2 Kings 20:20 (New International Version), "As for the other events of Hezekiah's reign, all his achievements and how he made the pool and the tunnel by which he brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?"
Here, the other records of Hezekiah's life were written in a source outside of Scripture, that is, the history of the kings of Judah. The Scriptures can and will be trusted. About Jesus, there were lots of historical evidences that show He really existed. One source that we can find reliable is the Jewish Antiquities written by 1st century historian, Flavius Josephus. Here's what it says:
"Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day (Tesitmonium Flavianum, Jewish Antiquities by Josephus Book 18, Chapter 3, 3)
Josephus was a Pharisee, he wasn't a Christian, but he didn't deny the existence of Jesus. He called Jesus, "a wise Man, if it were necessary to call Him a Man" because he had heard how this Man from Nazareth performs lots of signs to prove He was who He said He was. The Gospels declare how Jesus was crucified by Pontius Pilate, who was the Roman governor at that time and Josephus writes it in his historical records. Another source that we can find on the historicity of Jesus was Cornelius Tacitus, a Roman historian. Here's his testimony:
"Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judæa, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind" (Cornelius Tacitus)
Tacitus at that time, was spectating the Christians being fed to the lions, burned to death and killed during the time of Nero. In his Annals, Tacitus confirms the testimony of some historians about "Chrestus" or Jesus. Because this is not the first time that Chrestus is mentioned, Suetonius, another Roman historian, writes this, "Since the Jews were constantly causing disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus, he [Claudius] expelled them from Rome" (Claudius 25:4). This was recorded in the book of Acts 18:2. Claudius expels the Jews from Rome for starting an issue regarding Chrestus (Jesus). There are so many evidences from history regarding the events in the Bible. Take for another example the death of John the Baptist. Josephus writes this:
"Now some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod's army came from God, and that very justly, as a punishment of what he did against John, that was called the Baptist: for Herod slew him, who was a good man... Herod, who feared lest the great influence John had over the people might put it into his power and inclination to raise a rebellion... Accordingly he was sent a prisoner, out of Herod's suspicious temper, to Macherus, the castle I before mentioned, and was there put to death"
Now, in the 2 Gospels of Matthew and Mark, we can see how Herod killed John to please the wicked Herodias. This is another event in the Bible that proves the Bible is indeed true. In the end, Herod Antipas, the one who slew John was defeated by King Aretas IV of Nabatea in 36 A.D. These are not make up stories, these are stories of real people, the words of the Scriptures.
2. There are already prophecies that are fulfilled in the Scripture
There are so many prophecies in the Scriptures that are fulfilled already like the Virgin Birth. Hundreds of years before Christ, Isaiah makes a prophecy, "Behold, a Virgin shall conceive and give birth to a Son. His Name will be called Emmanuel" (Isaiah 7:14), which was fulfilled through Mary's fiat to the angel, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38). Jesus was indeed born of a Virgin in Bethlehem. Another is that of the sufferings that the Messiah will have to endure for our sake (Isaiah 53). He will be rejected by His own people which was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Though He was in the world, people rejected His claims and do not want Him. They killed Him on the Cross but three days later, He came to life again in fulfillment of Psalm 16:10. Another prophecy is founded on Daniel 2:22-45. God establishes a Kingdom and crushes pagan Babylon, Greece, Rome. This was fulfilled in Matthew 16:18, when Jesus established His Church on Peter which is the rock and defeats these pagan nations through the power of the Gospel. This Kingdom will last forever but will be made perfect once the Antichrist is defeated.
There are more prophecies that will be fulfilled like the Matthew 24 Olivet Discourse. Jesus tells His Apostles that there will be wars, famines, and earthquakes and this is what we are seeing right now. Also, Jesus predicted the rise of false messiahs and false prophets and false messengers. These are also people who teach strange doctrines and will deny the Master who redeem them in 2 Peter 2:1. Also, Paul said in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 about the ANTICHRIST who is the son of perdition who exalts himself as God. This man will not acknowledge Jesus as the Christ in 1 John 2:22.
3. The Scriptures change lives
The Scriptures are written under the inspiration of God and profitable for correction, for reproof, for doctrine and instruction in righteousness in 2 Timothy 3:16. The Scriptures are the ones that points us to the Truth as the Scripture says, "Dedicate them to Yourself by means of the truth, Your Word is Truth" (John 17:17). It gives us strength in time of need in Psalm 130:5. If we place God's Word in our hearts, we won't end up sinning against the LORD in Psalm 119:11. The Word of God can be trusted and can be used against Satan as Jesus Himself did in the wilderness in Matthew 4:1-11. Isn't it wonderful for us when we take some time to read it? But we need to read it also in the heart of the Church since the Church according to Paul is the Pillar and Ground of the Truth in 1 Timothy 3:15 and the Church is not an invisible church that teaches diverse doctrines, but a Church that serves one Lord, teaches one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all in Ephesians 4:5-6. Scriptures should be interpreted in the light of the Church since the Bible didn;t came by accident, it was determined at the Council of Carthage in 493 A.D. and here's the basis:
"The Council of Carthage, called the third by Denzinger,[4] on 28 August 397 issued a canon of the Bible quoted as, "Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua son of Nun, Judges, Ruth, 4 books of Kingdoms, 2 books of Chronicles, Job, the Davidic Psalter, 5 books of Solomon, 12 books of Prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Tobias, Judith, Esther, 2 books of Ezra,[5] 2 books of Maccabees, and in the New Testament: 4 books of Gospels, 1 book of Acts of the Apostles, 13 letters of the Apostle Paul, 1 letter of his to the Hebrews, 2 of Peter, 3 of John, 1 of James, 1 of Jude, and one book of the Apocalypse of John.[6]" (Source: Wikipedia)
So, read the Scriptures and listen to the Church which gave you that. God bless and I do hope through this premise, you are blessed by the Lord to read the Scriptures!!
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