The Greatest Book

What one book took over 1500 years to write by 40 different authors across 40 generations?

All written in different places, different times, across 3 continents in 3 languages and yet despite being seemingly impossible to write, it has remained historically accurate and proven to be true? It is the Bible.

The Bible has been the best-selling book of all time with total sales exceeding 5 billion copies. Yet despite its success, the longevity of the book being almost 3,500 years old, the improbability of such a book being written and the countless testimonies of transformed lives, many still think the Bible is not true or if it is true then it’s probably just a great storybook or history book at best.

Well, I’ve read the Bible many times over but I’m not here to preach the Gospel, impose my beliefs, or debate about what’s

right. Rather I’m here to give you some amazing facts of what makes this Book so incredible. And hopefully in the end, you will be better informed if whether this book is for you or not.

3 Amazing Facts of the Bible:

1. The Bible is historically, geographically, and even scientifically accurate.

History: In almost all history of the ancient world, the Israelites, God’s chosen people, always had some part in it. First you have the Egyptians, an early superpower. Many centuries later came the Babylonians, followed by the Medo-Persians then Greeks and lastly the Romans which was the last super empire in the ancient times. All this can be traced both in the Bible and world history.

Geography: There are many cities named in the Bibles which still exist today. Babylon is modern day Iraq, Mount Nebo is Jordan, Damascus is Syria and Asia Minor is Turkey. Of course you also have places that have never changed from Athens, Greece, Rome, Egypt, Jerusalem, Israel to River Jordan, Dead Sea and Sea of Galilee. In fact, if you go to a Holy Land Tour in Israel you can trace all the places that Jesus visited in His life. The Gospel writer Luke even mentions 32 countries, 54 cities, 9 islands all without error. Science:

The Bible is neither a science textbook nor a book of science. However, for it to be accurate and hold true to its claims of being authentic and written by the Spirit of God it also has to agree to the laws of science and nature.

Leviticus 17:11 – “For the life of the flesh is in the blood.” It actually wasn’t until the 19th century that we discovered that blood is what gives us life.

Job 26:27 - "He (God) hangs the earth upon nothing." Today we call that space and gravity.

Hebrew 11:3 – “The things which are seen were made by

things which are not seen.” It wasn’t until a few centuries ago that we discovered atoms and molecules.

All these examples, although they do not teach us about science, are accurate and do not defy the laws of nature thus proving the legitimacy of its writing.

2. The Bible was written in a span of 1500 years by over 40 different authors.

All these authors came from different backgrounds from kings, prophets, and priests to peasants, poets, fishermen, musicians, farmers, and even doctors and scribes. Hardly any one of them ever knew or met each other. They were all in various places when they wrote the book and they even wrote in different languages. So what are the chances that these people who have different cultures and different backgrounds stretched across 1½ millennia write one book? And if that isn’t amazing enough, the last reason brings it all together.

3. The Bible was written with only one central theme. The Bible is one whole coherent story of God’s love shown to man through His Son Jesus. It tells of the creation, fall of man, redemption and restoration. And how amazing it is that all these people could write about the same thing which only shows that God is the master author of the whole Bible.

There are many other things that we can use to prove the Bible but suffice it to say the Bible has enough evidence to prove its authenticity and credibility.

Now with all that, this may be the greatest book that man has ever known.And if you aren’t reading one, wouldn’t you say that you are missing the greatest story that man has ever told? I leave that to you to decide.

*Midtown Toastmasters Club meets every 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month, 7 p.m., at Casino Español. Check their Facebook page for more details.