You Asked For It: Can You Trust the Bible?
July 13, 2025Geof Morin (Guest Speaker, President/CEO of Biblica) presented today's message, "You Asked For It: Can You Trust the Bible?" A video of today's message is here on YouTube. This series started with folks being asked to submit scriptures that they would like explained/explored. So, it's quite literally: "You asked for it!"
Today's scripture is 2 Timothy 3:16-17, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
One of Geof's last slides showed the odds of any one man fulfilling the Messianic prophecies of the Bible in the 1st Century. The numbers were first published by Peter Stoner in a book called Science Speaks in 1958.Among the many interesting things Stoner points out is right at the beginning of his book. He points out that in a science book of 1898, Young's General Astronomy, there are many errors that have been realized since. But in a book thousands of years old, the Bible, there are no such errors. Let's start with Creation. Once you understand that the Hebrew word for day (yom, יוֹם) isn't just a 24-hour period, the issue goes away. Like we use the word day in many ways, including phrases like "back in the day," the original Hebrew was used the same way. It's perfectly legit to translate "yom" in the Creation story as an era or a period of time.
Here are some other scientific truths mentioned in the Bible:
- Shape of the Earth: Isaiah 40:22
- Gravity: Job 26:7
- Atmospheric circulation: Ecclesiastes 1:6
- Ocean currents: Psalm 8:8
- Hydraulic cycle: Ecclesiastes 1:7 and Isaiah 55:10
- Second law of thermodynamics: Psalm 102:25-27 and Romans 8:21
Here is a little more detail about Stoner's calculation at the first level regarding 8 Messianic prophecies:
1. The Messiah will be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). The average population of Bethlehem from the time of Micah to the present (1958) divided by the average population of the earth during the same period = 7,150/2,000,000,000 or 2.8×105.
2. A messenger will prepare the way for the Messiah (Malachi 3:1). One man in how many, the world over, has had a forerunner (in this case, John the Baptist) to prepare his way? Estimate: 1 in 1,000 or 1×103.
3. The Messiah will enter Jerusalem as a king riding on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9). One man in how many, who has entered Jerusalem as a ruler, has entered riding on a donkey? Estimate: 1 in 100 or 1×102.
4. The Messiah will be betrayed by a friend and suffer wounds in His hands (Zechariah 13:6). One man in how many, the world over, has been betrayed by a friend, resulting in wounds in his hands? Estimate: 1 in 1,000 or 1×103.
5. The Messiah will be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12). Of the people who have been betrayed, one in how many has been betrayed for exactly 30 pieces of silver? Estimate: 1 in 1,000 or 1×103.
6. The betrayal money will be used to purchase a potter’s field (Zechariah 11:13). One man in how many, after receiving a bribe for the betrayal of a friend, has returned the money, had it refused, and then experienced it being used to buy a potter’s field? Estimate: 1 in 100,000 or 1×105.
7. The Messiah will remain silent while He is afflicted (Isaiah 53:7). One man in how many, when he is oppressed and afflicted, though innocent, will make no defense of himself? Estimate: 1 in 1,000 or 1×103.
8. The Messiah will die by having His hands and feet pierced (Psalm 22:16). One man in how many, since the time of David, has been crucified? Estimate: 1 in 10,000 or 1×104.
Here's a reference to the 300+ prophecies: Jesus Fulfilled Over 300 Prophecies Mathematically Proving That He is the Messiah.
Lastly, outside of a totally academic approach to trusting the Bible, we might also look at the impact it has had on human beings and human societies. Consider just one such notion, the notion of what it introduced to the world. While you'd think some of these ideas were self-evident, they certainly weren't at the time. The Bible introduced these ideas to mankind:
- A Universal God (a God to all people)
- An invisible, incorporeal God
- A moral God
- A God beyond nature
- A God who loves and wants to be loved
- Universal human worth
- Universal human rights
Bonus
Trickle Down Prosperity
I totally missed an opportunity last week to further highlight a verse in Jeremiah that Pastor Patrick did reference in his message. It's Jeremiah 29:7, "Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper." In the translation that Patrick used, the final phrase was something like "it's welfare will determine your welfare."
The interesting thing is that whether translated as welfare or prosperity or any of other possible translations, the Hebrew word is shalom (שָׁל֑וֹם). You know, peace! Shalom can mean a multitude of things such as completeness, soundness, welfare, and, of course, peace.
The meaning is clear. Supporting the shalom of others around you brings shalom to you, too. This should give pause to those among us who simply want to bring down those of a "higher station." We can't lose sight of the fact that much of the good life we have to enjoy directly resulted from those of a higher station. Unless nefarious activities are involved (in which case they should be prosecuted), those people got rich because a great many folks want and benefit from what they have to offer.
Another interesting take on the messages in Jeremiah 29:7 offered by Erick Erickson is to focus on where you live, in the case of this passage, the city. It's good to worry about the welfare of those around you and perhaps not so much the greater world like DC or national news or headlines. Maybe just work on supporting your local food bank (or similar); they could use your time and/or your money.
Bonus2
Following Yonder Star
I know many of you out there are waiting with bated breath (short for abated breath) to see what I offer next for a Christmas movie. Wait no longer!...
Following Yonder Star is a Hallmark movie, but there's no third wheel. There's also some actual praying (uncommon even for Hallmark movies).
There's some talk of an upcoming Star of Bethlehem to appear in the night sky on Christmas Eve, including a visual that shows a planetary alignment (which is one theory as to what the Star of Bethlehem actually was). But it would not have "come together" as shown in the movie (which was way too fast). If you want to read more on that, here's an article: Physicist: 'Star of Bethlehem' may have been planetary alignment.There is a fall from grace, of course. That is from "Guiding Grace," a successful 14-season TV show about the perfect mom from which the movie's heroine, Abby, comes crashing down.
Hope can come in unexpected ways.
It's even got the side-storyline of a Christmas pageant loaded with adorable kids.
There was almost no room in the inn. There definitely was no room at the 5-star resort.
Another lesson the movie shares is "things are not always as they appear" or "don't believe everything you read or hear" or "make sure you get the full picture." Of course, that's the hallmark of a Hallmark Christmas movie: a big misunderstanding.
Here's a rather complete review: Following Yonder Star Review: Finding Meaning Amidst the Snow.
There will be an alignment of most of the planets on August 9-12, 2025. The varying dates depend on location on the globe for best viewing. Planetary Alignments Explained: Don’t Miss the 6-Planet Parade on August 10, 2025.