What sets the Bible apart from all other books? The fact that it’s been on the #1 Bestseller list more than any other book? That’s true, but that’s not what I’m after. How about the fact that it’s been translated into more languages than any other book? Also true, but there’s something else. Is it that the Bible is a collection of writings over the course of 1500 years by 40 authors from all walks of life? The Bible is definitely unique in that way, but it’s not what I’m looking for.
The Bible is in a league all its own because it includes predictions about events still well into the future at the time it was recorded. Search through the many books on religious shelves, and you will find that detailed predictions of the future are absent from their pages. Why is that? Because such predictions are easily confirmed or negated. They either come true or not. They either validate the book or make you suspect of the author. You can be confident in the accuracy and trustworthiness of the Bible because of its fulfilled prophecies.
I don’t mean the kind of general predictions plastered across the tabloids in the checkout lines. The prophecies of the Bible are very specific and detailed, naming people, places, and events hundreds of years before they took place. They are not simply educated guesses about the future like that of a “think tank,” whose mission is to give advice based on what it “sees” just ahead. If those people are wrong, we ask them to reevaluate and try again. But if a biblical prophet’s predictions never came true, they’d be stoned to death as a false prophet.
If you are not familiar with the Bible, you may not be aware of the large number of prophecies it contains. You can find lists of them on the internet, if you’d like. Many relate to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ because God was providing signposts throughout history for people to recognize His Son when He walked the earth. One mathematician described the chance of only eight of those prophecies coming true by chance: paint one silver dollar red and mix it up with enough silver dollars to cover the entire state of Texas two feet deep. Then blindfold a person and give him one opportunity to pick out the painted coin. The fact that Jesus fulfilled them all provides indisputable evidence that He is the special Son of God.
My point is to give you evidence that the Bible is special and trustworthy. The God who created the universe has given us the Bible to guide us in this life, as well as reveal the path that leads to eternal life. That path is a relationship with Jesus Christ, and it is available to every one of us. May you experience comfort, peace, and hope as you trust the God who loves you and knows your future.
I invite your comments at revmar51@gmail.com.
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