@Plunkies & tobiast88: Here's the proof....
Bible Prophecies and Their Fulfillment
To Be 'Swept With the Broom of Annihilation'
Ancient Babylon became "the jewel of kingdoms." (Isaiah 13:19, The New American Bible) This sprawling city was
strategically located on the trade route from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea, serving as a commercial depot
for both land and sea trade between the East and the West...
By the seventh century B.C.E., Babylon was the seemingly impregnable capital of the Babylonian Empire. The city
straddled the Euphrates River, and the river's waters were used to form a broad, deep moat and a network of canals.
In addition, the city was protected by a massive system of double walls, buttressed by numerous defense towers. Little
wonder that its inhabitants felt secure...
Nevertheless, in the eighth century B.C.E., before Babylon rose to the height of its glory, the prophet Isaiah foretold
that Babylon would be 'swept with the broom of annihilation.'
"And I will rise up against them," is the utterance of Jehovah of armies. "And I will cut off from
Babylon name and remnant and progeny and posterity," is the utterance of Jehovah. "And I will make her a
possession of porcupines and reedy pools of water, and I will sweep her with the broom of annihilation," is the
utterance of Jehovah of armies."--Isaiah 14:22, 23
Isaiah also described the very manner in which Babylon would fall. The invaders would 'dry up' its rivers--the
source of its moatlike defense--making the city vulnerable. Isaiah even supplied the name of the
conqueror--"Cyrus," a great Persian king, "before whom gates shall be opened and no doors be
shut."--Isaiah 44:27; 45:2, The New English Bible.
These were bold predictions. But did they come true? History answers.
'Without a Battle'
Two centuries after Isaiah recorded his prophecy, on the night of October 5, 539 B.C.E., the armies of Medo-Persia under
the command of Cyrus the Great were encamped near Babylon. But the Babylonians were confident. According to the Greek
historian Herodotus (fifth century B.C.E.), they had enough provisions stored up to last for years. They also had the
Euphrates River and Babylon's mighty walls to protect them. Nonetheless, on that very night, according to the
Nabonidus Chronicle, "the army of Cyrus entered Babylon without battle." How was that possible?
Herodotus explains that inside the city, the people "were dancing and making merry at a festival." Outside,
however, Cyrus had diverted the waters of the Euphrates. As the water level sank, his army sloshed along the riverbed,
with water up to their thighs. They marched past the towering walls and entered through what Herodotus called "the
gates that opened on the river," gates carelessly left open.
(Compare Daniel 5:1-4; Jeremiah 50:24; 51:31, 32.)
"As regards Belshaz'zar the king, he made a big feast for a thousand of his grandees, and in front of the
thousand he was drinking wine. Belshaz'zar, under the influence of the wine, said to bring in the vessels of gold
and of silver that Nebuchadnez'zar his father had taken away from the temple that was in Jerusalem, that from them
the king and his grandees, his concubines and his secondary wives might drink. At that time they brought in the vessels
of gold that they had taken away from the temple of the house of God that was in Jerusalem, and from them the king and
his grandees, his concubines and his secondary wives drank. They drank wine, and they praised the gods of gold and of
silver, copper, iron, wood and stone."--Daniel 5:1-4
"I have laid a snare for you and you have also been caught, O Babylon, and you yourself did not know [it]. You were
found and also taken hold of, for it was against Jehovah that you excited yourself."--Jeremiah 50:24
"One runner runs to meet another runner, and one reporter to meet another reporter, to report to the king of
Babylon that his city has been captured at every end, and that the fords themselves have been seized, and the papyrus
boats they have burned with fire, and the men of war themselves have become disturbed."--Jeremiah 51:31-32
Other historians, including Xenophon (c. 431?c. 352 B.C.E.), as well as cuneiform tablets found by archaeologists,
confirm the sudden fall of Babylon to Cyrus...
Isaiah's prophecy about Babylon was thus fulfilled. Or was it? Is it possible that this was not a prediction but
was actually written after the fact? Really, the same could be asked about other Bible prophecies...
History Masquerading as Prophecy?
If the Bible prophets--including Isaiah--merely rewrote history to look like prophecy, then these men were nothing more
than clever frauds. But what would be their motive for such trickery? True prophets readily made it known that they
could not be bribed:
"Here I am. Answer against me in front of Jehovah and in front of his anointed one: Whose bull have I taken or
whose ass have I taken or whom have I defrauded or whom have I crushed or from whose hand have I accepted hush money
that I should hide my eyes with it? And I shall make restoration to YOU people."--1 Samuel 12:3
"At that time Daniel was answering and saying before the king: "Let your gifts prove to be to you yourself,
and your presents do you give to others. However, I shall read the writing itself to the king, and the interpretation I
shall make known to him."--Daniel 5:17
And we have already considered compelling evidence that the Bible writers (many of whom were prophets) were trustworthy
men who were willing to reveal even their own embarrassing errors. It seems unlikely that men of this sort would be
inclined to commit elaborate frauds, disguising history as prophecy...
There is something else to consider. Many Bible prophecies contained scathing denunciations of the prophets' own
people, which included the priests and rulers. Isaiah, for example, decried the deplorable moral condition of the
Israelites--both leaders and people--in his day. (Isaiah 1:2-10) Other prophets forcefully exposed the sins of the
priests. (Zephaniah 3:4; Malachi 2:1-9) It is difficult to conceive why they would fabricate prophecies that contained
the sharpest censures imaginable against their own people and why the priests would have cooperated in such a
ruse...
In addition, how could the prophets--if they were nothing more than impostors--have pulled off such forgery? Literacy
was encouraged in Israel. From an early age, children were taught how to read and write. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9) Private
reading of the Scriptures was urged. (Psalm 1:2) There was a public reading of the Scriptures in the synagogues on the
weekly Sabbath. (Acts 15:21) It seems improbable that an entire literate nation, well versed in the Scriptures, could
have been deceived by such a hoax...
Besides, there is more to Isaiah's prophecy of Babylon's fall. Included in it is a detail that simply could
not have been written after the fulfillment...
"She Will Never Be Inhabited"
What would become of Babylon after its fall? Isaiah foretold: "She will never be inhabited, nor will she reside for
generation after generation. And there the Arab will not pitch his tent, and no shepherds will let their flocks lie down
there." (Isaiah 13:20) It may have seemed odd, to say the least, to predict that such a favorably situated city
would become permanently uninhabited. Could Isaiah's words have been written after he had observed a desolate
Babylon?
Following the takeover by Cyrus, an inhabited Babylon--albeit an inferior one--continued for centuries. Recall that the
Dead Sea Scrolls include a copy of the complete book of Isaiah that is dated to the second century B.C.E. About the time
that that scroll was being copied, the Parthians took control of Babylon. In the first century C.E., there was a
settlement of Jews in Babylon, and the Bible writer Peter visited there.
"She who is in Babylon, a chosen one like [YOU], sends YOU her greetings, and so does Mark my son."--1 Peter
5:13
By that time, the Dead Sea Scroll of Isaiah had been in existence for the better part of two centuries. So, as of the
first century C.E., Babylon still was not completely desolate, yet Isaiah?s book had been finished long before
then...
As foretold, Babylon eventually became mere "piles of stones."
"And Babylon must become piles of stones, the lair of
jackals, an object of astonishment and something to whistle at, without an inhabitant."--Jeremiah
51:37
According to the Hebrew scholar Jerome (fourth century C.E.), by his day Babylon was a hunting ground in which
"beasts of every type" roamed. Babylon remains desolate to this day...
Isaiah never lived to see Babylon become uninhabited. But the ruins of that once powerful city, about 50 miles [80 km]
south of Baghdad, in modern Iraq, bear silent testimony to the fulfillment of his words: "She will never be
inhabited." Any restoration of Babylon as a tourist attraction might lure visitors, but Babylon's
"progeny and posterity" are gone forever...
"She will never be inhabited, nor will she reside for
generation after generation. And there the Arab will not pitch his tent, and no shepherds will let [their flocks] lie
down there."--Isaiah 13:20
"And I will rise up against them," is the utterance
of Jehovah of armies. "And I will cut off from Babylon name and remnant and progeny and posterity," is the
utterance of Jehovah. "And I will make her a possession of porcupines and reedy pools of water, and I will sweep
her with the broom of annihilation," is the utterance of Jehovah of armies."--Isaiah 14:22,
23
The prophet Isaiah thus did not utter vague predictions that could be made to fit just any future happening. Neither did
he rewrite history to make it appear as prophecy. Think about it: Why would an impostor risk "prophesying"
something over which he would have absolutely no control--that mighty Babylon would never again be inhabited?
This prophecy about Babylon's downfall is but one example from the Bible. Many people see in the fulfillment of its
prophecies an indication that the Bible must be from a source higher than man. Perhaps you would agree that, at the very
least, this book of prophecy is worth examining. One thing is certain: There is a vast difference between the hazy or
sensational predictions of modern-day soothsayers and the clear, sober, and specific prophecies of the Bible...
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Another one....
What indicates that we today are living in "the last days"?
The Bible describes events and conditions that mark this significant time period. "The sign" is a composite
one made up of many evidences; thus its fulfillment requires that all aspects of the sign be clearly in evidence during
one generation. The various aspects of the sign are recorded at Matthew chapters 24, 25, Mark 13, and Luke 21; there are
further details at 2 Timothy 3:1-5, 2 Peter 3:3, 4, and Revelation 6:1-8. By way of illustration, we will consider a few
outstanding portions of the sign...
"Nation will rise against nation and kingdom
against kingdom"--Matthew 24:7
War has marred life on the earth for thousands of years. International wars and wars within nations have been fought.
But beginning in 1914 the first world war was fought. This was not merely a conflict between two armies on the
battlefield. For the first time, all the major powers were at war. Entire nations--including civilian populations--were
mobilized to support the war effort. It is estimated that by the end of the war 93 percent of the population of the
world was involved...
As foretold at Revelation 6:4, 'peace was taken away from the earth.'
"And another came forth, a fiery-colored horse; and to the one seated upon it there was granted to take peace away
from the earth so that they should slaughter one another; and a great sword was given him."--Revelation
6:4
Thus the world has continued to be in a state of upheaval ever since 1914. World War II was fought from 1939 to 1945.
According to retired Admiral Gene La Rocque, as of 1982 there had been another 270 wars since 1945. Upwards of 100
million persons have been slaughtered in warfare during this century. Also, according to the 1982 edition of World
Military and Social Expenditures, there were in that year 100 million people engaged directly or indirectly in military
activities...
Is more required in order to fulfill this aspect of the prophecy? There are tens of thousands of nuclear weapons
deployed for immediate use. Leading scientists have said that if the nations were to use even a fraction of their
nuclear arsenals, civilization and possibly the entire human species would be destroyed. But that is not the outcome to
which Bible prophecy points...
"There will be food shortages . . . in one place
after another"--Matthew 24:7
There have been many famines in human history. To what extent has the 20th century been afflicted by them? World war led
to widespread starvation in Europe and Asia. Africa has been stricken by drought, resulting in extensive food shortages.
Late in 1980 the Food and Agriculture Organization estimated that 450 million people were hungry to the point of
starvation, and up to a billion did not have enough to eat. Of these, some 40 million a year actually die--in some years
as many as 50 million--because of the shortage of food...
Is anything different about these food shortages?
"And I heard a voice as if in the midst of the four living creatures say: "A quart of wheat for a
denar'ius, and three quarts of barley for a denar'ius; and do not harm the olive oil and the
wine."--Revelation 6:6
Revelation 6:6 indicated that a small quantity of such staples as wheat or barley would be selling for a day's wage
(a denarius; see Matthew 20:2) but that supplies of such items as olive oil and wine used by people who are well-to-do
would not be harmed. So apparently many would suffer shortage while others could still get what they wanted. This
situation is no longer local, but global. In 1981 The New York Times reported: "The improvement in living standards
and the growing demand for food around the world have put pressure on food prices, making it harder for the poorest
countries to import their food needs." In many lands the production of food, even with the aid of modern science,
has not been able to keep pace with the increase in total population. Modern food experts see no real solution to the
problem...
"There will be great
earthquakes"--Luke 21:11
It is true that there were major quakes in centuries past; furthermore, with their sensitive equipment scientists now
detect more than a million quakes a year. But no special instruments are needed for people to know when there is a great
earthquake...
Has there actually been a significant number of major earthquakes since 1914? With data obtained from the National
Geophysical Data Center in Boulder, Colorado, supplemented by a number of standard reference works, a tabulation was
made in 1984 that included only earthquakes that measured 7.5 or more on the Richter scale, or that resulted in
destruction of five million dollars (U.S.) or more in property, or that caused 100 or more deaths. It was calculated
that there had been 856 of such earthquakes during the 2,000 years before 1914. The same tabulation showed that in just
69 years following 1914 there were 605 of such quakes. That means that, in comparison with the previous 2,000 years, the
average per year has been 20 times as great since 1914...
"In one place after another
pestilences"--Luke 21:11
At the close of the first world war the Spanish flu swept around the globe, claiming upwards of 20 million lives and at
a rate unparalleled in the history of disease. Despite advances in medical science, a heavy toll is exacted every year
by cancer, heart disease, numerous sexually transmitted diseases, multiple sclerosis, malaria, river blindness, and
Chagas' disease...
'Increased lawlessness accompanied by a cooling
off of love on the part of the greater number'--Matthew 24:11-12
A leading criminologist says: "The one thing that hits you in the eye when you look at crime on the world scale is
a pervasive and persistent increase everywhere. Such exceptions as there are stand out in splendid isolation, and may
soon be swamped in the rising tide." (The Growth of Crime, New York, 1977, Sir Leon Radzinowicz and Joan King, pp.
4, 5) The increase is real; it is not merely a matter of better reporting. It is true, past generations had criminals
too, but never before has crime been as pervasive as it is now. Persons who are up in years know that from personal
experience...
The lawlessness referred to in the prophecy includes contempt for the known laws of God, a placing of self instead of
God at the center of one's life. As a result of this attitude, divorce rates are skyrocketing, sex outside of
marriage and homosexuality are widely accepted, and tens of millions of abortions are performed every year. Such
lawlessness is associated (in Matthew 24:11-12) with the influence of false prophets, those who set aside God's
Word in favor of their own teachings. Heeding their philosophies instead of holding to the Bible contributes toward a
loveless world. (1 John 4:8) Read the description of it at 2 Timothy 3:1-5...
"And many false prophets will arise and mislead many; and because of the increasing of lawlessness the love of the
greater number will cool off."--Matthew 24:11-12
"He that does not love has not come to know God, because God is love."--1 John 4:8
"But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self-assuming, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, having no natural
affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control,
fierce, without love of goodness,
betrayers, headstrong, puffed up [with pride], lovers of
pleasures rather than lovers of God, having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power; and
from these turn away."--2 Timothy 3:1-5
"Men become faint out of fear and expectation of
the things coming upon the inhabited earth"--Luke 21:25-26
"The fact is that today the biggest single emotion which dominates our lives is fear," said U.S. News &
World Report. (October 11, 1965, p. 144) "Never before has mankind been as fearful as at present," reported
the German magazine Horzu.--No. 25, June 20, 1980, p. 22.
Many factors contribute to this global atmosphere of fear: violent crime, unemployment, economic instability because so
many nations are hopelessly in debt, worldwide pollution of the environment, lack of strong and loving family ties, and
the overwhelming feeling that mankind is in imminent danger of nuclear annihilation.
"Also, there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth anguish of nations, not knowing the way out
because of the roaring of the sea and [its] agitation,"--Luke 21:25
Luke 21:25 mentions 'signs in sun, moon, and stars, and roaring of the seas' in connection with the anguish
felt by the nations. The rising of the sun often causes, not happy anticipation, but fear of what the day may bring;
when the moon and stars shine, fear of crime makes people stay behind locked doors. In the 20th century, but not before,
planes and missiles have been used to send destruction streaking down from the heavens. Submarines carrying deadly loads
of missiles prowl the seas, just one such submarine being equipped to annihilate 160 cities. No wonder the nations are
in anguish!
'Christ's true followers to be objects of
hatred by all nations on account of his name'--Matthew 24:9
This persecution is not because of political meddling but 'on account of the name of Jesus Christ,' because
his followers adhere to him as Jehovah's Messianic King, because of their obeying Christ ahead of any earthly
ruler, because of their loyally adhering to his Kingdom and not becoming involved in the affairs of human governments.
As modern-day history testifies, that has been the experience of Jehovah's Witnesses in all parts of the earth
(including me)...
'This good news of the kingdom preached in all the
inhabited earth for a witness'--Matthew 24:14
The message that would be preached is that God's Kingdom in the hands of Jesus Christ has begun to rule in the
heavens, that soon it will put an end to the entire wicked system of things, that under its rule mankind will be brought
to perfection and earth will become a paradise. That good news is being preached today in over 200 lands and island
groups, to the most distant parts of the earth. Jehovah's Witnesses devote hundreds of millions of hours to this
activity each year, making repeated house-to-house visits so that everyone possible is given the opportunity to hear...
:)
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Does This Book Agree With Science?
If the Bible writers had endorsed the most widely held scientific views of their day, the result would be a book of
glaring scientific inaccuracies. Yet the writers did not promote such unscientific misconceptions. On the contrary, they
penned a number of statements that not only are scientifically sound but also directly contradicted the accepted
opinions of the day...
What Is the Shape of the Earth?
That question has intrigued humans for thousands of years. The general view in ancient times was that the earth was
flat. The Babylonians, for example, believed that the universe was a box or a chamber with the earth as its floor. Vedic
priests of India imagined that the earth was flat and that only one side of it was inhabited. A primitive tribe in Asia
pictured the earth as a huge tea tray...
As early as the sixth century B.C.E., Greek philosopher Pythagoras theorized that since the moon and the sun are
spherical, the earth must also be a sphere. Aristotle (fourth century B.C.E.) later agreed, explaining that the
sphericity of the earth is proved by lunar eclipses. The earth's shadow on the moon is curved...
However, the notion of a flat earth (with only its upper side inhabited) did not disappear completely. Some could not
accept the logical implication of a round earth--the concept of antipodes. Lactantius, Christian apologist of the fourth
century C.E., ridiculed the very idea. He reasoned: "Is there any one so senseless as to believe that there are men
whose footsteps are higher than their heads? . . . that the crops and trees grow downwards? that the rains, and snow,
and hail fall upwards?"
The concept of antipodes posed a dilemma for a few theologians. Certain theories held that if there were antipodeans,
they could have no possible connection with known humans either because the sea was too wide to navigate or because an
impassable torrid zone surrounded the equator. So where could any antipodeans have come from? Perplexed, some
theologians preferred to believe that there could be no antipodeans, or even, as Lactantius argued, that the earth could
not be a sphere in the first place!
Nonetheless, the concept of a spherical earth prevailed, and eventually it was widely accepted. Only with the dawn of
the space age in the 20th century, however, has it been possible for humans to travel far enough into space to verify by
direct observation that the earth is a globe...
And where did the Bible stand on this issue? In the eighth century B.C.E., when the prevailing view was that the earth
was flat, centuries before Greek philosophers theorized that the earth likely was spherical, and thousands of years
before humans saw the earth as a globe from space, the Hebrew prophet Isaiah stated with remarkable simplicity:
"There is One who is dwelling above the circle of the earth." (Isaiah 40:22) The Hebrew word chugh, here
translated "circle," may also be rendered "sphere." Other Bible translations read, "the globe
of the earth" (Douay Version) and "the round earth."
The Bible writer Isaiah avoided the common myths about the earth. Instead, he penned a statement that was not threatened
by the advances of scientific discovery...
In ancient times, humans were perplexed by other questions about the cosmos: What is the earth resting on? What holds up
the sun, the moon, and the stars? They had no knowledge of the law of universal gravitation, formulated by Isaac Newton
and published in 1687. The idea that heavenly bodies are, in effect, suspended in empty space upon nothing was unknown
to them. Thus, their explanations often suggested that tangible objects or substances held the earth and other heavenly
bodies aloft...
For example, one ancient theory, perhaps originated by people who lived on an island, was that the earth was surrounded
by water and that it floated in these waters. The Hindus conceived that the earth had several foundations, one on top of
the other. It rested on four elephants, the elephants stood on an enormous tortoise, the tortoise stood on an immense
serpent, and the coiled serpent floated on universal waters. Empedocles, a Greek philosopher of the fifth century
B.C.E., believed that the earth rested upon a whirlwind and that this whirlwind was the cause of the motion of the
heavenly bodies...
Among the most influential views were those of Aristotle. Although he theorized that the earth is a sphere, he denied
that it could ever hang in empty space. In his treatise On the Heavens, when refuting the notion that the earth rests on
water, he said: "It is not the nature of water, any more than of earth, to stay in mid-air: it must have something
to rest upon." So, what does the earth "rest upon"? Aristotle taught that the sun, the moon, and the
stars were attached to the surface of solid, transparent spheres. Sphere lay nestled within sphere, with the
earth--immobile--at the center. As the spheres revolved within one another, the objects on them--the sun, the moon, and
the planets--moved across the sky...
Aristotle's explanation seemed logical. If the heavenly bodies were not firmly attached to something, how else
could they stay aloft? The views of the revered Aristotle were accepted as fact for some 2,000 years. According to The
New Encyclopdia Britannica, in the 16th and 17th centuries his teachings "ascended to the status of religious
dogma" in the eyes of the church...
With the invention of the telescope, astronomers began to question Aristotle's theory. Still, the answer eluded
them until Sir Isaac Newton explained that the planets are suspended in empty space, held in their orbits by an
invisible force--gravity. It seemed incredible, and some of Newton's colleagues found it hard to believe that space
could be a void, largely empty of substance...
What does the Bible have to say on this question? Nearly 3,500 years ago, the Bible stated with extraordinary clarity
that the earth is hanging "upon nothing." (Job 26:7) In the original Hebrew, the word for "nothing"
(beli-mah') used here literally means "without anything." The Contemporary English Version uses the
expression, "on empty space."
A planet hanging "on empty space" was not at all how most people in those days pictured the earth. Yet, far
ahead of his time, the Bible writer recorded a statement that is scientifically sound...
The Bible and Medical Science--Do They Agree?
Modern medical science has taught us much about the spread and prevention of disease. Medical advances in the 19th
century led to the introduction into medical practice of antisepsis--cleanliness to reduce infections. The result was
dramatic. There was a significant reduction in infections and premature deaths...
Ancient physicians, however, did not fully understand how disease spreads, nor did they realize the importance of
sanitation in preventing sickness. Little wonder that many of their medical practices would seem barbaric by modern
standards...
One of the oldest medical texts available is the Ebers Papyrus, a compilation of Egyptian medical knowledge, dating from
about 1550 B.C.E. This scroll contains some 700 remedies for various afflictions "ranging from crocodile bite to
toenail pain." States The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia: "The medical knowledge of these
physicians was purely empirical, largely magical and wholly unscientific." Most of the remedies were merely
ineffective, but some of them were extremely dangerous. For the treatment of a wound, one of the prescriptions
recommended applying a mixture made of human excrement combined with other substances...
This text of Egyptian medical remedies was written at about the same time as the first books of the Bible, which
included the Mosaic Law. Moses, who was born in 1593 B.C.E., grew up in Egypt. (Exodus 2:1-10) As a member of
Pharaoh's household, he was "instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians." (Acts 7:22) He was familiar
with "the physicians" of Egypt. (Genesis 50:1-3) Did their ineffective or dangerous medical practices
influence his writings?
No. On the contrary, the Mosaic Law included sanitary regulations that were far ahead of their time. For example, a law
regarding military encampments required burying excrement away from the camp...
"And a peg should be at your service along with your implements, and it must occur that when you squat outside, you
must also dig a hole with it and turn and cover your excrement."--Deuteronomy 23:13
This was a profoundly advanced preventive measure. It helped keep water free from contamination and provided protection
from fly-borne shigellosis and other diarrheal illnesses that still claim millions of lives each year in lands where
sanitary conditions are deplorable...
The Mosaic Law contained other sanitary regulations that safeguarded Israel against the spread of infectious diseases. A
person who had or was suspected of having a communicable disease was quarantined. (Leviticus 13:1-5) Garments or vessels
that came in contact with an animal that had died of itself (perhaps from disease) were to be either washed before reuse
or destroyed. (Leviticus 11:27, 28, 32, 33) Any person who touched a corpse was considered unclean and had to undergo a
cleansing procedure that included washing his garments and bathing. During the seven-day period of uncleanness, he was
to avoid physical contact with others.--Numbers 19:1-13
This sanitary code reveals wisdom not shared by the physicians of surrounding nations at the time. Thousands of years
before medical science learned about the ways in which disease spreads, the Bible prescribed reasonable preventive
measures as safeguards against disease. Not surprisingly, Moses could speak of Israelites in general in his day as
living to 70 or 80 years of age.
"In themselves the days of our years are seventy years;
And if because of special mightiness they are eighty years,
Yet their insistence is on trouble and hurtful things;
For it must quickly pass by, and away we fly."--Psalm 90:10
You may acknowledge that the foregoing Biblical statements are scientifically accurate. But there are other statements
in the Bible that cannot be proved scientifically. Does that necessarily put the Bible at odds with science?
Accepting the Unprovable
A statement that is unprovable is not necessarily untrue. Scientific proof is limited by man's ability to discover
sufficient evidence and to interpret data correctly. But some truths are unprovable because no evidence has been
preserved, the evidence is obscure or undiscovered, or scientific capabilities and expertise are insufficient to arrive
at an uncontested conclusion. Might this be the case with certain Biblical statements for which independent physical
evidence is lacking?
For example, the Bible's references to an invisible realm inhabited by spirit persons cannot be proved--or
disproved--scientifically. The same can be said of miraculous events mentioned in the Bible. Not enough clear geologic
evidence for the global Flood of Noah's day is available to satisfy some people. (Genesis, chapter 7) Must we
conclude that it did not happen? Historical events can be obscured by time and change. So is it not possible that
thousands of years of geologic activity has effaced much of the evidence for the Flood?
Granted, the Bible contains statements that cannot be proved or disproved by available physical evidence. But should
that surprise us? The Bible is not a science textbook. It is, however, a book of
truth. We have already considered strong evidence that its writers were men of integrity and honesty. And when
they touch on matters related to science, their words are accurate and completely free from ancient
"scientific" theories that turned out to be mere myths. Science is thus no enemy of the Bible. There is every
reason to weigh what the Bible says with an open mind...