Patterns of Evidence: The Moses ControversySample

Today’s passage is quite clear that what Moses had written from God was read aloud by Joshua and understood by all the people. In only six verses, we have an account of a common language written, read, and comprehended, all for the purpose of educating and encouraging God’s people to follow His instructions for their blessing, favor, provision, and protection. This same Word is available to us today for the very same purpose.

Watch today’s clip as the unique nature of the Bible, specifically the Torah, and its writing is explained.

Here are four facts to consider about Scripture:

• Over 1500 years, forty authors are responsible for the sixty-six books of the Bible. Scribes originally penned the words onto large parchments contained in heavy scrolls. 
• To maintain accuracy in the copies that were originally created, when a page was completed the copy was placed onto an original and if the center word on the page did not match up exactly, the copy page was burned and the scribe would begin again. 
• Only four hundred words in the New Testament are in question regarding their original composition, which creates a 99.9% accuracy rate. But none of those words relate to actual doctrine.
• Twenty-four thousand known copies of the original New Testament are still in existence today, with the oldest copy being only one hundred years from the original.  Many other known ancient texts span up to five hundred years from the original to the oldest copy, allowing for more potential deviation.

Wycliffe Bible Translators provide these facts about the current availability of Scripture around the world:

· Approximately 550 languages have the complete translated Bible.

· Approximately 1,300 languages have access to the New Testament and some portions of Scripture in their language.

· Approximately 2,300 languages across 130 countries have active translation and linguistic development work being done today.

If the Bible was just a humanly inspired book, then why do you suppose in its formative years, it was so meticulously handled with such careful oversight and artistry? Even today, what other book is under constant translation in multiple languages with people dedicating many years of their lives to this painstaking work?

With the understanding that the original authors and scribes took such great care for the perfection of the text to be passed on accurately, how then might you better respect and revere your own Bible?