BIBLICAL MEDITATION
Notes
Transcript
INTRO: BIBLICAL FACTS
Nathan - the penguin project
The Bible was
written over 1,600 years (beginning in about 1,400 B.C.)
by more than 40 individuals from many backgrounds (prophets, fishermen, kings, philosophers, scholars, poets)
who lived in 10 different countries on three continents (Asia, Africa, Europe),
writing in 3 languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek)
about God and His interaction with 2,930 different characters from more than 1,550 different places.
Worldwide, there are full Bibles in 530+ languages and portions of the Bible in about 2,900 languages. A full Bible translation in a person’s native/heart language is available for 70% of the world’s population. In whole or in part, the Bible is accessible to 98% of the world’s population in a language in which they are fluent.
93% of all Americans own a Bible, in-fact most households in America have 4.
In the first 10 months of 2024, 13.7 million Bibles were sold in the United States. (This is an increase from 9.7 million Bibles sold in 2019 and 14.2 million sold in 2023)
It is the number one best selling book of all time with a total of 7.5 billion in print (nearly one copy for every person on the globe!).
It takes 70 hours to read the Bible aloud (at “pulpit rate”). Reading the Bible silently with an average reading speed of 250-300 words a minute takes 54 hours. People reading 800 words a minute can read the Bible in a day. If you’re short on time, read Philemon; it only takes a minute!
‘God has revealed everything He wants to reveal, and everything that is good for me to know is in the Bible. If it is not in the Bible, I am content not to know it.
David Martyn Lloyd-Jones (Welsh Preacher and Writer)
SLIDE 1: The Bible contains everything a person needs to know to live a meaningful life?
45% Strongly agree
21% Somewhat Agree
15% Somewhat Disagree
18% Strongly Disagree
DISCUSSION POINT 1: THE RELIABILITY OF SCRIPTURE
1. RELIABILITY EVIDENCE FROM FULFILLED PROPHECY AND HISTORIC RECORDS:
a. Jesus
Jesus' identity, name, birthplace, triumphal entry, betrayal, suffering, death and burial all were foretold in the Old Testament seven hundred years before He was born.
Over 300 prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus
If only 48 prophecies about a person were fulfilled the odds would be 1 in 10 to the 157th power.
b. Nations / Cities
God's prophets also predicted the downfall of many nations…Ammon, Edom, Moab, Phisitia, and cities such as Babylon, Nineveh, Tyre and Sidon. And not one of these cities exists today.
c. Kings
When I say of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd,’ he will certainly do as I say. He will command, ‘Rebuild Jerusalem’; he will say, ‘Restore the Temple.’ ”
About 150 years before Cyrus, king of Persia, was born, Isaiah predicted his birth, gave his name and told that he would release the Jews from captivity.
Then at the Lord’s command, he shouted, “O altar, altar! This is what the Lord says: A child named Josiah will be born into the dynasty of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests from the pagan shrines who come here to burn incense, and human bones will be burned on you.”
Josiah, one of Judah's kings, was named 300 years before he was born.
d. Daniel
But you, Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal up the book until the time of the end, when many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase.”
i. 1968 180,000 people traveled across the ocean 50 million travel across the Atlantic ocean alone.
2024 1.4 billion people traveled internationally
ii. Between the time of Christ and 1750 knowledge doubled (1,700 years)
iii. Between 1750 and 1900 knowledge doubled (150 years)
iv. Between 1900 and 1950 knowledge doubled (50 years)
v. Between 1950 and 1960 knowledge doubled (10 years)
vi. In year 2000 knowledge was doubling every 2 months
vii. Ti. In 2008 knowledge was doubling every 32 hours
viii. Today (2025) knowledge is doubling every 12 hours
2. RELIABILITY EVIDENCE FROM ARCHAEOLOGY:
a. For years there has been no record, outside the Bible, that refers to the existence of the Hittite people. Therefore people said the Bible couldn't be trusted. But excavations in Turkey have now shown that the Hittite Empire was huge.
i. The Ebla Tablets
Collection of 1,800 clay tablets, 4,700 fragments, and thousands of chips from Ebla, Syria.
Discovered in Syria in the 1960's. They included the names of Ur, Sodom and Gomorrah. Cities that Biblical opponents claimed did not exist.
These tablets also disqualify the notion that since writing was not practiced in the 1400's B.C., Moses could not have written the first five books of the Bible. Yet these tablets were written about 1,000 years before Moses.
ii. The Nuzi Tablets
5,000 tablets Found in present day Iraq.
Record the names of all the Assyrian Kings.
Talk about customs that are noted in Genesis and includes stories of Sarah, Hagar, and Abraham.
iii. The Dead Sea Scrolls
Discovered 900 scrolls, near Qumran in caves near the Dead Sea in 1947 by a shepherd
Considered one of the most important discoveries in archaeological history
Include the Hebrew Bible, prayer, hymns, legal docs and religious writings
They enabled us to reconstruct the world of Jesus.
b. We have 6,000 hand written Greek Manuscripts, 10,000 hand written Latin Manuscripts, 24,000 handwritten manuscripts in other languages.
3. RELIABILITY EVIDENCE FROM SCIENCE:
a. For years scientist did not understand the phenomenon of rain.
He draws up the water vapor
and then distills it into rain.
The rain pours down from the clouds,
and everyone benefits.
Rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full. Then the water returns again to the rivers and flows out again to the sea.
b. For Centuries people believed the earth was flat. But in Isaiah the Bible tells us the earth is round.
God sits above the circle of the earth.
The people below seem like grasshoppers to him!
He spreads out the heavens like a curtain
and makes his tent from them.
c. Job many centuries ago said that the earth is suspended by nothing.
God stretches the northern sky over empty space
and hangs the earth on nothing.
4. RELIABILITY EVIDENCE FROM IMPACT AND PERSONAL TESTIMONY:
a. Read the Muslim Koran, the scriptures of Hinduism, or the writings of Buddhism and you will have no answers to the questions:
i. Where did the universe come from?
ii. How did the human race originate?
iii. What is wrong with the world?
iv. Why is there suffering in the world?
v. What is the answer to people's sense of guilt?
vi. How can people live upright lives?
vii. What will happen to the world?
b. Only the Bible answers these questions.
c. How many life saving testimonies have you heard from these other religions?
d. We are hearing about visions and dreams of Jesus showing up in unbelievers lives a lot
DISCUSSION POINT 2: THE RESULTS OF MEDITATING ON SCRIPTURE
For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
“The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry.
It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.
You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.
Despite plenty of access to Scripture, most people who identify as Christian don’t read or listen to their Bible consistently throughout the week.
The Key is to read it not just own it!
1/3 of Americans read the Bible at least once a week,
2 out 5 Americans read the Bible less than once a year or never
49% of Elders read the Bible at least once a week
24% of Millennials read once a week
This disengagement from consistent reading has left many people Biblical illiterate and easy prey for Satan to deceive them.
SLIDE 2: The following are reasons why people might read the Bible
It brings me closer to God - 55%
I need comfort - 16%
I have a problem I need to solve or I need direction - 16%
I know I am supposed to - 6%
It’s part of my studies at school - 3%
Not sure / none - 4%
CBE STUDY:
The Center of Bible Engagement compiled extensive research into a document titled “Understanding the Bible Engagement Challenge: Scientific Evidence for the Power of 4.”
The study included 40,000 people 8-80 years old.
SLIDE 3: Spiritual Disciplines and Risk Behaviors Among U.S.
If you read the Bible at least 4 times per week you are:
74% less likely to be involved in Gambling,
61% less likely to be involved in pornography,
68% less likely to be involved in sex outside of marriage,
57% less likely to be involved in getting drunk.
30% less likely to feel lonely
32% less likely to have anger issues
40% less likely to struggle with bitterness in relationships
60% less likely to feel spiritually stagnant
There is no statistical difference between those who read or listen to scripture 2-3 times a week and those who don’t read or listen at all.
*Consistent Church Attendance, Consistent Prayer Life, and Consistent Scripture Reading, all cut down on risky behaviors that negatively impact our lives.
Those Reading the Bible 4 or more times a week are:
228% more likely to share their faith with others.
231% more likely to disciple others.
407% more likely to memorize scripture.
ILLUSTRATION: Telescope
The Bible is like a telescope. If a man looks through his telescope he sees worlds beyond; but if he looks at his telescope, he does not see anything but that. The Bible is a thing to be looked through to see that which is beyond; but most people only look at it and so they see only the dead letter. - Phillip Brooks
CONCLUSION:
The Case for Christ - Lee Stroble
Read and proclaim scripture
Skeptical? Try it!
Struggling? Read it daily!
Start Today by Adopting a plan to read or listen to
