Truth, it's the
most important thing.
00:00:01.40\00:00:04.41
A successful
meaningful relationship
00:00:04.44\00:00:06.59
can't be built without it.
00:00:06.62\00:00:08.65
Government, schools
00:00:08.68\00:00:10.05
and the police are
eviscerated without the truth.
00:00:10.08\00:00:12.54
And the court system?
00:00:12.57\00:00:14.36
Truly is a shame
unless it's founded on truth.
00:00:14.39\00:00:18.61
But what is truth?
00:00:18.64\00:00:20.37
And is there an
absolute standard
00:00:20.40\00:00:22.48
when it comes to truth?
00:00:22.51\00:00:24.75
Some have come
to believe there is
00:00:24.78\00:00:26.57
and claim that the standard
of truth is found in the Bible.
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The majority of human beings
00:00:31.10\00:00:32.59
on this planet
claim to be Christian.
00:00:32.62\00:00:35.48
And yet it seems more and more
Christian pastors and teachers
00:00:35.51\00:00:38.97
as well as
adherence are no longer sure
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if the Bible can be
trusted as an authoritative
00:00:41.33\00:00:44.26
and truthful recounting of
God's history with mankind.
00:00:44.29\00:00:48.67
If those who claim to
be followers of Christ,
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don't even believe in
the veracity of the Bible,
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it's no wonder the skeptic would
call question on its validity.
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Today, it's getting
harder to find a credible voice,
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who will stand in its defense.
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But Jesus went way
beyond standing for the truth.
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In fact, He calls it a great
deal of thunder in the Holy Land
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by claiming to be the truth.
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And now, talking
stones are giving us
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a reason to believe.
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Hello, I'm Charles Byrd.
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I'll admit it, some of Jesus'
teachings seem a bit strange.
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One of them is found
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in the story of His
triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
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He was heading into Jerusalem
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with crowds of
supporters chanting,
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"Blessed be the King that
cometh in the name of the Lord,
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peace in heaven and
glory in the highest."
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The Pharisees
were not at all happy
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and demanded that
Jesus rebuke His disciples.
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But Jesus would not and shared
with them a strange teaching.
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"I tell you that, if
these should hold their peace,
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the stones would
immediately cry out."
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And no matter how strange
that teaching appears to be,
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today it seems that doctrine,
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that prophecy has come true.
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For the majority of
professed Christians
00:03:02.14\00:03:04.20
no longer embrace the truth.
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And now the stones
are indeed talking.
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Andrea is standing
by in Egypt to explain.
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Thanks, Charles.
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As long as people
are free to think,
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they will always be
skeptics and doubters.
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So if I lived 20 lifetimes,
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I would never be able to
come up with enough answers
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for all of their equivocations.
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But today, I
spent some amazing time
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inside the Cairo
museum here in Egypt,
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because I wanted to
see one of the stones
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that perhaps Jesus talked about.
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In fact, this museum houses
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the oldest known
extra biblical evidence
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that supports the
biblical narrative.
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A talking stone,
discovered in 1896
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in Pharaoh Merneptah's
mortuary temple in Thebes,
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the victory stele
recounts in poetic verse
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the
accomplishments of Merneptah.
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One line mentions Israel as
dwelling in the land of Canaan.
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In a jury trial the two most
desired things are corroboration
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from incredible eyewitnesses
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and hard
evidence the smoking gun,
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fingerprints or DNA.
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The Merneptah's stone
gives us an eyewitness account
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that both confirms
the biblical narrative
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and discredits the mere
speculations of doubters.
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A popular theory among biblical
scholars today is that Israel
00:04:27.20\00:04:31.46
emerged from
peoples indigenous to Canaan
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in the mid 1100s or
the 12th century BC.
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If this is true,
then biblical history
00:04:37.98\00:04:40.68
and chronology
prior to around 1150 BC
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would have to be adjacent.
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The Exodus story would be
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just as some
have supposed a myth.
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And the story of the
judges leading Israel
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before the kings
were established fiction.
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But this stele from
1208 BC is important
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because it confirms
that the children of Israel
00:05:04.47\00:05:07.50
were already
established in Canaan
00:05:07.53\00:05:09.51
during the time of the Judges.
00:05:09.54\00:05:11.84
Archaeology and talking stones
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give me reasons to believe.
00:05:14.55\00:05:18.63
But there's another
reason I believe in the Bible.
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I believe because of what
I've seen it do in my life
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and the lives
of those around me.
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I've seen what some
consider just a book,
00:05:27.90\00:05:31.50
take the strongest and
most powerful man I know,
00:05:31.53\00:05:35.64
my own father to his
knees in humble repentance.
00:05:35.67\00:05:41.15
But even if it hadn't
changed me or my family,
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I'd still have to believe
in the accuracy of the Bible
00:05:44.55\00:05:47.26
because of Daniel 2.
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While it is one
prophecy among many,
00:05:49.58\00:05:51.49
it blows my mind with
its accuracy and its details.
00:05:51.52\00:05:55.77
The fact that our Lord gave
us prophecy in order to give us
00:05:55.80\00:05:59.01
some sort of evidence
and logic to stand on,
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makes Him a God I can trust.
00:06:02.15\00:06:05.44
Yes, He wants us to
believe based on our faith,
00:06:05.47\00:06:08.62
but when our emotions
and feelings are questioned,
00:06:08.65\00:06:12.91
we can still point
the truth of prophecy.
00:06:12.94\00:06:16.77
Besides the
multiple proven prophecies,
00:06:16.80\00:06:19.58
the Bible matches history.
00:06:19.61\00:06:22.02
It is the only religious
volume that has 66 books
00:06:22.05\00:06:25.78
written by over 40 authors
on three different continents
00:06:25.81\00:06:29.70
and yet it has no contradictions
or inconsistencies
00:06:29.73\00:06:33.12
based on incontrovertible
historical evidence.
00:06:33.15\00:06:36.80
Furthermore, there is no other
book in the realm of history
00:06:36.83\00:06:40.95
that passes cultural
boundaries like the Holy Bible.
00:06:40.98\00:06:44.38
Its principle and values
apply to every generation,
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every gender, every culture
00:06:47.83\00:06:49.93
and it still
encourages the individual.
00:06:49.96\00:06:53.56
I've always said
that if the Bible
00:06:53.59\00:06:55.57
was just made up
by a group of men
00:06:55.60\00:06:57.98
with nothing more than
their own human wisdom,
00:06:58.01\00:07:01.14
then maybe we
should be worshipping them.
00:07:01.17\00:07:03.96
There is no way the Bible is
not the inspired word of God.
00:07:03.99\00:07:10.11
Thanks, Andrea.
00:07:10.14\00:07:11.69
I'm also in favor
of critical thinking.
00:07:11.72\00:07:14.14
It's not a bad thing to check
the facts, confirm evidence.
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This is how a good jury makes
a balanced and fair decision.
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Unfortunately, in some cases
things are not always so clear.
00:07:22.62\00:07:26.41
At these times juries are forced
to settle on sufficient evidence
00:07:26.44\00:07:30.34
that leads in to a
place beyond reasonable doubt.
00:07:30.37\00:07:33.98
And for me, I guess silence
00:07:34.01\00:07:35.38
is not a
reasonable reason to doubt.
00:07:35.41\00:07:38.41
What am I talking about?
00:07:38.44\00:07:40.67
I'm talking about the fact that,
00:07:40.70\00:07:42.07
there're some
critically educated people
00:07:42.10\00:07:43.98
will often use
arguments from silence
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as reasons for not believing.
00:07:46.81\00:07:49.19
And people can make fun of me
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because faith
plays a part of my life.
00:07:50.62\00:07:52.66
Well, I think it's even
funnier that this opposition
00:07:52.69\00:07:54.90
from silence
informs their faith.
00:07:54.93\00:07:57.68
Let me explain.
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Some folks have chosen
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not to believe in
the story of Jesus.
00:08:00.53\00:08:03.03
They say that the
Bible is not accurate
00:08:03.06\00:08:04.93
and thus can't be trusted as
a correct retelling of history.
00:08:04.96\00:08:09.45
But what reason did they
gave for this assumption.
00:08:09.48\00:08:13.08
Well, in the
biblical story of Jesus,
00:08:13.11\00:08:14.70
the Bible recounts
at a person named Pilate
00:08:14.73\00:08:17.41
was the governor of Judea.
00:08:17.44\00:08:19.13
You know, the scripture
tells us he was governor during
00:08:19.16\00:08:21.71
the 15th year of the
reign of Tiberius Caesar.
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He's portrayed in sacred
read as the reluctant judge.
00:08:25.59\00:08:29.18
He knew that for envy,
00:08:29.21\00:08:30.70
the priests and
rulers of the Jews
00:08:30.73\00:08:32.38
brought Jesus to him asking,
00:08:32.41\00:08:34.42
now demanding
that He be crucified.
00:08:34.45\00:08:37.88
Now the Bible
doesn't present Pilate
00:08:37.91\00:08:40.59
as some forgotten
footnote of history.
00:08:40.62\00:08:43.59
He's mentioned a 50
times in the four gospels
00:08:43.62\00:08:46.41
and three times
in the Book of Acts
00:08:46.44\00:08:48.59
and once in
Paul's letter to Timothy.
00:08:48.62\00:08:51.16
And still,
scholars have long debated
00:08:51.19\00:08:54.03
how to interpret
Pilate's portrayal
00:08:54.06\00:08:56.20
from the biblical account
00:08:56.23\00:08:57.60
since they had no convincing
00:08:57.63\00:08:59.22
extra biblical
evidence that he ever existed.
00:08:59.25\00:09:02.19
And because of the silence
in the historical record,
00:09:02.22\00:09:04.77
some Bible scholars have argued
00:09:04.80\00:09:07.02
that the historical accounts
in the gospels were inaccurate.
00:09:07.05\00:09:11.28
With some even believing
00:09:11.31\00:09:12.68
that Pilate was just
a mythical character.
00:09:12.71\00:09:15.83
But all that
changed in June of 1961,
00:09:15.86\00:09:19.14
when a team of
Italian archaeologists
00:09:19.17\00:09:21.09
led by Dr. Antonio Frova,
00:09:21.12\00:09:23.37
discovered a
limestone block while excavating
00:09:23.40\00:09:25.99
an ancient Roman amphitheater
here in Caesarea Maritima
00:09:26.02\00:09:29.60
or Caesarea on the sea.
00:09:29.63\00:09:32.04
On the face is an
engraved inscription
00:09:32.07\00:09:34.95
which is part of a larger
dedication to Tiberius Caesar.
00:09:34.98\00:09:38.65
This stone clearly says
00:09:38.68\00:09:40.18
that it was from Pontius
Pilate, prefect of Judea.
00:09:40.21\00:09:43.91
The discovery of the
Pilate's stone is significant
00:09:47.39\00:09:49.80
because it's the
only universally accepted
00:09:49.83\00:09:52.12
archaeological
find with an inscription
00:09:52.15\00:09:54.61
mentioning the
name Pontius Pilate.
00:09:54.64\00:09:57.35
Until 1961, it wasn't
known that this stone existed.
00:09:57.38\00:10:00.64
So some people
chose to doubt the Bible.
00:10:00.67\00:10:04.37
Here is the extra biblical
confirmation to the story,
00:10:04.40\00:10:08.22
thus adding credence
to the gospel accounts.
00:10:08.25\00:10:11.42
But for those who want to doubt,
00:10:11.45\00:10:13.71
I'm not sure this will do
much to help them believe.
00:10:13.74\00:10:16.67
You see, it's easy to doubt,
people do it all the time.
00:10:16.70\00:10:20.35
As a young man growing
up in these uncertain times,
00:10:20.38\00:10:23.13
I don't need any help doubting.
00:10:23.16\00:10:24.90
I can do that fine by myself.
00:10:24.93\00:10:27.19
I need reasons to believe.
00:10:27.22\00:10:30.21
And this talking
stone cries out to us,
00:10:30.24\00:10:33.30
encouraging us to
believe the story of Jesus.
00:10:33.33\00:10:37.22
These stones do
encourage us to believe, Levi.
00:10:37.25\00:10:39.85
I'm standing in
front of theI srael museum
00:10:39.88\00:10:41.40
here in Jerusalem because
there's one more talking stone
00:10:41.43\00:10:44.09
I'd like to mention.
00:10:44.12\00:10:45.49
It's in reference to
perhaps the most important
00:10:45.52\00:10:47.48
and essential
figure in the books of
00:10:47.51\00:10:49.25
1st and 2nd
Samuel, Kings, Chronicles,
00:10:49.28\00:10:51.66
as well as the Psalms.
00:10:51.69\00:10:53.48
That person is David.
00:10:53.51\00:10:54.89
Until very recently, there was
no evidence outside of the Bible
00:10:54.92\00:10:58.08
for the existence of King David.
00:10:58.11\00:11:00.25
Even the many archaeological
digs in the city of David
00:11:00.28\00:11:02.71
have failed to turn up so
much as the mention of his name.
00:11:02.74\00:11:05.96
Therefore, most modern scholars
have come to the conclusion
00:11:05.99\00:11:08.77
that the Bible
is not an entirely
00:11:08.80\00:11:10.79
reliable historical document.
00:11:10.82\00:11:12.95
Then, on July 21, 1993
a team of archaeologists
00:11:12.98\00:11:17.24
led by Professor Avraham Biran,
00:11:17.27\00:11:19.67
excavating Tel Dan
in northern Galilee,
00:11:19.70\00:11:22.24
found a triangular
piece of basalt rock
00:11:22.27\00:11:24.14
measuring 23 x 36 centimeters
inscribed in Aramaic.
00:11:24.17\00:11:28.60
It was subsequently identified
as part of a victory pillar
00:11:28.63\00:11:31.67
erected by the king of Syria,
00:11:31.70\00:11:33.46
probably a 100 years
after David would have ruled.
00:11:33.49\00:11:36.57
The inscriptions
include the words "Bet Dahveed,"
00:11:36.60\00:11:39.64
Bet means house or dynasty.
00:11:39.67\00:11:42.06
This stele claims
a military victory
00:11:42.09\00:11:44.02
over the house
or dynasty of David
00:11:44.05\00:11:46.15
and it's the
first near contemporary
00:11:46.18\00:11:47.77
in his reference
to David ever found.
00:11:47.80\00:11:50.01
It strongly indicates
that a king called David
00:11:50.04\00:11:52.67
established a
dynasty here in Israel.
00:11:52.70\00:11:55.25
So once again a talking stone
thunders a word of affirmation
00:11:55.28\00:11:58.64
crying out to the
doubters and skeptics.
00:11:58.67\00:12:00.44
It's true.
00:12:00.47\00:12:01.84
The Word of God presented
00:12:01.87\00:12:03.24
in the pages of the
Bible can be trusted.
00:12:03.27\00:12:06.08
So for me, I believe
the Bible is the truth.
00:12:06.11\00:12:09.17
My faith has led
me to see this book
00:12:09.20\00:12:10.97
as a reference guide
for my uncertainties.
00:12:11.00\00:12:14.02
I know it's not best to live
one's life based on feelings,
00:12:14.05\00:12:16.60
but one of the reasons I
believe it's the truth is
00:12:16.63\00:12:19.45
because when I read it, I
feel the sense of fulfillment
00:12:19.48\00:12:23.19
and there's a
void that is filled.
00:12:23.22\00:12:25.24
The Bible is one of
the oldest books on earth
00:12:25.27\00:12:27.41
and many people besides
myself know that is the truth.
00:12:27.44\00:12:30.81
The words in the
Bible are so powerful
00:12:30.84\00:12:32.88
and pregnant with relevancy.
00:12:32.91\00:12:36.84
And one more
thing about the Bible
00:12:36.87\00:12:38.24
that I find intriguing, although
it's written so long ago,
00:12:38.27\00:12:42.02
it refers to the daily issues
00:12:42.05\00:12:43.66
that we have to live
with to this very day.
00:12:43.69\00:12:46.51
The Bible is indeed
relevant for our lives today
00:12:46.54\00:12:50.07
and I'm also excited
about these discoveries.
00:12:50.10\00:12:52.50
These, these talking stones,
00:12:52.53\00:12:54.62
that lends credibility
to the biblical narrator.
00:12:54.65\00:12:59.49
And even though I'm very
excited about their discoveries,
00:12:59.52\00:13:03.33
I feel it necessary to
sound up a note of caution.
00:13:03.36\00:13:07.30
Ever since the
introduction of higher criticism
00:13:07.33\00:13:09.62
or critical scholarship,
a new standard for veracity,
00:13:09.65\00:13:13.30
a new yardstick has
been set forth to find
00:13:13.33\00:13:16.33
what is and is not truth.
00:13:16.36\00:13:19.38
These critics will suggest
and unless there is independent,
00:13:19.41\00:13:22.73
authentic and
verifiable corroboration
00:13:22.76\00:13:25.33
for the facts on a
particular Bible story,
00:13:25.36\00:13:27.92
then it most likely is not true.
00:13:27.95\00:13:30.69
The problem with this
method of validation is
00:13:30.72\00:13:33.31
that it puts man on
the seat of judgment
00:13:33.34\00:13:35.30
as the arbiter of truth.
00:13:35.33\00:13:37.39
This is just as
foolish as a 15-year-old child
00:13:37.42\00:13:40.61
saying to a 40-year-old parent,
00:13:40.64\00:13:42.51
"Unless you can give me
a third party confirmation
00:13:42.54\00:13:45.03
when you're
warning that drinking
00:13:45.06\00:13:46.43
and driving is dangerous,
00:13:46.46\00:13:48.02
or that driving through a
red light is really harmful,
00:13:48.05\00:13:50.51
I won't believe it."
00:13:50.54\00:13:52.39
If a child has
been fed and clothed,
00:13:52.42\00:13:54.69
loved and protected,
00:13:54.72\00:13:56.09
educated and encouraged
by a parent for 15 years,
00:13:56.12\00:13:59.74
this child is going to
have to choose to trust.
00:13:59.77\00:14:02.35
Is going to have
to exercise faith
00:14:02.38\00:14:05.01
based on the past
performance of the parent.
00:14:05.04\00:14:07.73
While it will
take faith to believe
00:14:07.76\00:14:10.01
the warnings
given by the parent.
00:14:10.04\00:14:11.72
It's not a leap of
faith, just a step of faith.
00:14:11.75\00:14:15.98
And this faith
is not blind faith
00:14:16.01\00:14:17.76
since it's based on the past
love and care of the parent.
00:14:17.79\00:14:22.52
And regarding
our Heavenly Father,
00:14:22.55\00:14:24.75
we're not the first
people on this planet.
00:14:24.78\00:14:27.68
Others, many others
have lived before us
00:14:27.71\00:14:30.54
and have experienced God.
00:14:30.57\00:14:33.10
They have left us written
histories of their experience
00:14:33.13\00:14:35.65
with a supernatural being
00:14:35.68\00:14:37.83
who has shown great
love and care for us.
00:14:37.86\00:14:41.70
And since this book
claims that the God of creation
00:14:41.73\00:14:46.46
came to this very planet to
reveal to us His love and truth,
00:14:46.49\00:14:50.80
perhaps we should take advantage
of the opportunity if affords.
00:14:50.83\00:14:55.39
Listen, the best
opportunity for anchoring
00:14:55.42\00:14:58.25
our faith doesn't come
from the skeptic or critic.
00:14:58.28\00:15:01.96
It doesn't even
come from an eyewitness
00:15:01.99\00:15:04.40
to the goodness and love of God.
00:15:04.43\00:15:07.04
It comes from
something even better.
00:15:07.07\00:15:09.52
Something that appeals to logic
00:15:09.55\00:15:11.21
and reason as well as the heart,
00:15:11.24\00:15:14.15
something that even Jesus
used to guide Himself, prophecy.
00:15:14.18\00:15:20.40
Andrea will explain.
00:15:20.43\00:15:23.53
Prophecy is the
ultimate anchor for our faith.
00:15:23.56\00:15:27.25
It is not based
on feelings or bias.
00:15:27.28\00:15:30.06
It is the one thing that above
all others provides testable
00:15:30.09\00:15:34.29
and provable
evidence that there is a God
00:15:34.32\00:15:37.01
who indeed knows the
end from the beginning.
00:15:37.04\00:15:40.95
Prophecy is God's
foretelling of history.
00:15:40.98\00:15:44.24
Prophecy is His
story, before it even happens
00:15:44.27\00:15:49.45
and Jesus believed in prophecy.
00:15:49.48\00:15:52.22
He quoted from
the Prophet Isaiah,
00:15:52.25\00:15:54.66
it was from the
writings of the Prophet Moses
00:15:54.69\00:15:57.13
that Jesus gained
strength to overcome
00:15:57.16\00:15:59.14
Satan's
temptations in the wilderness.
00:15:59.17\00:16:01.97
And he also
encouraged his followers to read
00:16:02.00\00:16:05.51
and understand the
prophetic book of Daniel.
00:16:05.54\00:16:09.89
How can one read
the prophecy of Daniel 2
00:16:09.92\00:16:12.92
and not be impressed
with the foreknowledge of God?
00:16:12.95\00:16:16.39
The story line had all
the drama one could ask for.
00:16:16.42\00:16:20.01
Daniel, a young Hebrew captive
in the court of Nebuchadnezzar,
00:16:20.04\00:16:23.78
King of Babylon
is going to be killed
00:16:23.81\00:16:26.75
along with the other wise men.
00:16:26.78\00:16:29.38
And what was
their transgression?
00:16:29.41\00:16:31.63
They failed the king.
00:16:31.66\00:16:33.74
Nebuchadnezzar had
simply wanted them to tell him
00:16:33.77\00:16:36.73
what he had dreamed in
his own bed the night before
00:16:36.76\00:16:40.37
and also tell him
what the dream meant.
00:16:40.40\00:16:43.61
But after
spending time in prayer
00:16:43.64\00:16:45.50
with his three companions,
00:16:45.53\00:16:47.41
the Lord of all
creation revealed to Daniel
00:16:47.44\00:16:51.08
what the king had
dreamed and what it meant.
00:16:51.11\00:16:56.03
The king had
dreamt of a great image
00:16:56.06\00:16:58.56
of different kinds of metal.
00:16:58.59\00:17:00.85
Each metal
represented a world kingdom.
00:17:00.88\00:17:04.25
Babylon was
represented by the head of gold,
00:17:04.28\00:17:07.49
but Babylon was
not to stand forever.
00:17:07.52\00:17:10.45
In fact, it only
lasted about 70 years.
00:17:10.48\00:17:14.17
Babylon was then overthrown
by the Medes and the Persians
00:17:14.20\00:17:17.25
represented by the chest
and arms of silver in 538 BC.
00:17:17.28\00:17:22.87
The belly and thighs of bronze
00:17:22.90\00:17:24.82
represented the kingdom of
Greece that began in 331 BC
00:17:24.85\00:17:29.03
when Alexander the
Great conquered the Medes
00:17:29.06\00:17:31.93
and the Persians in
the battle of Arbela.
00:17:31.96\00:17:34.90
And the kingdom
that followed Greece
00:17:34.93\00:17:36.62
was the iron
monarchy of the Roman Empire
00:17:36.65\00:17:39.33
which ruled the world
from 168 BC to AD 476.
00:17:39.36\00:17:45.92
And no mere man could
have made such startling
00:17:45.95\00:17:48.96
and exact
predictions foretelling
00:17:48.99\00:17:51.04
world history for
the next 2600 years.
00:17:51.07\00:17:56.46
Now, for the skeptic
00:17:56.49\00:17:57.86
it's possibly unscientific
to think of divinity
00:17:57.89\00:18:01.46
tracing the
future before it happens.
00:18:01.49\00:18:04.33
So some schooled in
critical thought tell us that,
00:18:04.36\00:18:07.86
instead of Daniel
writing this account
00:18:07.89\00:18:09.99
sometime in the first
half of the 6th century BC,
00:18:10.02\00:18:13.69
the Book of
Daniel was ghost written
00:18:13.72\00:18:16.21
at the outbreak of the
persecution of the Jews
00:18:16.24\00:18:19.07
under the Seleucid
rule around 167 BC.
00:18:19.10\00:18:23.45
But even if that
were true and it's not.
00:18:23.48\00:18:27.39
The mystery
author would still have
00:18:27.42\00:18:29.29
had an amazing rate of success
00:18:29.32\00:18:31.64
in the prophecies of this
book recommended by Jesus.
00:18:31.67\00:18:35.83
For example, instead
of logically predicting
00:18:35.86\00:18:38.40
another world
empire to follow Babylon,
00:18:38.43\00:18:41.25
Medo-Persia,
Greece and then Rome,
00:18:41.28\00:18:45.43
the author
foretold a divided kingdom.
00:18:45.46\00:18:49.73
For the vision
revealed that the image's feet
00:18:49.76\00:18:52.31
would be made of iron and clay,
00:18:52.34\00:18:54.86
partly strong and partly weak.
00:18:54.89\00:18:57.61
True to the prediction
the Mediterranean world
00:18:57.64\00:19:00.51
fractured and fell apart.
00:19:00.54\00:19:03.19
Many have tried
to reunite Europe
00:19:03.22\00:19:05.62
through the
intermarriage of royal families,
00:19:05.65\00:19:08.57
through wars like
those of Charlemagne,
00:19:08.60\00:19:10.91
Napoleon, and Hitler,
00:19:10.94\00:19:13.01
and more recently through
the mingling of currency.
00:19:13.04\00:19:16.51
And yet Europe
and all its neighbors
00:19:16.54\00:19:18.68
have remained
divided to this day
00:19:18.71\00:19:20.66
in direct fulfillment
to the prophetic vision.
00:19:20.69\00:19:25.51
"They shall not
cleave one to another,
00:19:25.54\00:19:28.34
even as iron is
not mixed with clay."
00:19:28.37\00:19:32.07
But in even more
important prophecy
00:19:32.10\00:19:34.78
contained in this
book endorsed by Jesus
00:19:34.81\00:19:38.65
was the prophecy concerning
the long looked for Messiah.
00:19:38.68\00:19:43.59
Absolutely, did you
know the Book of Daniel
00:19:43.62\00:19:46.11
predicted the
very year the Messiah,
00:19:46.14\00:19:47.71
the Anointed would come?
00:19:47.74\00:19:49.57
The timeline of
this prophecy starts
00:19:49.60\00:19:51.53
or anchors on a
historical event.
00:19:51.56\00:19:53.92
"Know therefore and
understand" Daniel writes,
00:19:53.95\00:19:56.51
"That from the going
forth of the commandment
00:19:56.54\00:19:58.26
to restore and
to build Jerusalem
00:19:58.29\00:20:00.01
unto the Messiah the
Prince shall be seven weeks,
00:20:00.04\00:20:03.06
and threescore and two weeks."
00:20:03.09\00:20:05.60
This prophetic
timeline starts from the command
00:20:05.63\00:20:07.78
to restore and build Jerusalem.
00:20:07.81\00:20:10.29
That command was made
in 457 BC by Artaxerxes.
00:20:10.32\00:20:14.72
The actual decree can
be found in Ezra 7:11-26.
00:20:14.75\00:20:19.14
This decree fortified
that Jews with full political
00:20:19.17\00:20:21.70
and monetary
support that restored
00:20:21.73\00:20:23.61
the Jewish
nation hold once again.
00:20:23.64\00:20:26.60
Now in the Bible,
00:20:26.63\00:20:28.05
one prophetic day
equals one literal year.
00:20:28.08\00:20:31.25
You can read about
that in Ezekiel 4:6.
00:20:31.28\00:20:34.32
So 7 weeks plus 3
score weeks plus 2 weeks
00:20:34.35\00:20:38.31
equals 69 prophetic weeks.
00:20:38.34\00:20:41.07
Each week has 7 days, 7 x
69 equals 483 literal years.
00:20:41.10\00:20:48.79
And right on time in 1827
00:20:48.82\00:20:51.05
this prophecy came
true in the person of Jesus
00:20:51.08\00:20:53.60
when He was anointed by
the Holy Spirit as baptism.
00:20:53.63\00:20:57.31
Perhaps that's why
Jesus said in John 5:39,
00:20:57.34\00:21:00.43
"Search the scriptures,
00:21:00.46\00:21:01.83
for in them ye
think ye have eternal life
00:21:01.86\00:21:04.71
but they are they
which testify of me."
00:21:04.74\00:21:08.03
The doctrine or
teachings of Jesus
00:21:08.06\00:21:09.76
include a very real belief
00:21:09.79\00:21:11.27
in the authenticity
of the Book of Daniel.
00:21:11.30\00:21:13.52
And according to Jesus,
prophetic scripture is something
00:21:13.55\00:21:17.23
we should search out
and pay attention to it.
00:21:17.26\00:21:20.30
Prophetic scripture
points us to eternal life,
00:21:20.33\00:21:22.96
because it points
us to the life giver.
00:21:22.99\00:21:26.21
"Think not that I am come to
destroy the law or the prophets,
00:21:26.24\00:21:29.81
I am not come to destroy,
but to fulfill," Jesus said.
00:21:29.84\00:21:34.20
Jesus didn't come to
diminish the prophetic gifts,
00:21:34.23\00:21:36.87
He Himself was a
provider of prophecy.
00:21:36.90\00:21:39.31
For example,
Jesus was sitting here
00:21:39.34\00:21:41.59
on the Mount of
Olives overlooking Jerusalem,
00:21:41.62\00:21:44.23
His disciples pointing
at the beauty of the temple
00:21:44.26\00:21:46.57
when He said to them,
"'Do you see all these things?'
00:21:46.60\00:21:49.69
I tell you the truth, not one
stone will be left on another,
00:21:49.72\00:21:53.77
every one will be thrown down."
00:21:53.80\00:21:56.76
This prophecy also
came true in AD 70,
00:21:56.79\00:21:59.46
when the Roman General Titus
00:21:59.49\00:22:01.26
not only took
Jerusalem by conquest,
00:22:01.29\00:22:03.70
but completely
leveled the Temple Mount
00:22:03.73\00:22:05.43
pushing all the stones off
into the marketplace walkway
00:22:05.46\00:22:08.38
on the western side
of the Temple Mount.
00:22:08.41\00:22:11.25
This so filled the area
that all pictures of Jerusalem
00:22:11.28\00:22:14.55
show that Jews praying at
the top of the western wall.
00:22:14.58\00:22:18.08
Much of this debris
has now been removed
00:22:18.11\00:22:20.24
revealing one
of the very streets
00:22:20.27\00:22:21.80
that Jesus would have walked on.
00:22:21.83\00:22:23.80
Now don't get too distracted
by all this archaeology.
00:22:23.83\00:22:26.93
What's important is that
the prophetic word of scripture
00:22:26.96\00:22:30.01
gives us reason
to believe the Bible.
00:22:30.04\00:22:32.80
Prophecy gives us
a solid foundation
00:22:32.83\00:22:35.07
upon which to
build a rational faith.
00:22:35.10\00:22:39.53
It does Steven.
Think with this way.
00:22:39.56\00:22:42.73
If I told you that in 7 years
00:22:42.76\00:22:44.61
you'd be the first non-astronaut
to stand on the moon,
00:22:44.64\00:22:48.17
you'd probably be very doubtful.
00:22:48.20\00:22:50.50
And then if I added
another layer of prophecy
00:22:50.53\00:22:52.58
and told you that because
of your subsequent notoriety,
00:22:52.61\00:22:55.40
you'll start a new clothing
line that would make you
00:22:55.43\00:22:57.08
a billionaire
clothier in just three years
00:22:57.11\00:22:59.75
from landing on the moon.
00:22:59.78\00:23:01.46
You most likely
wouldn't believe me.
00:23:01.49\00:23:04.33
After all, I have no
connections with NASA
00:23:04.36\00:23:06.78
or anyone who works there.
00:23:06.81\00:23:08.18
I don't know the
president or the vice president
00:23:08.21\00:23:10.67
and so for you to be
skeptical of my predictions,
00:23:10.70\00:23:13.08
it would be completely
understandable, even reasonable.
00:23:13.11\00:23:17.63
But if by some
chance you actually
00:23:17.66\00:23:19.51
were the first non-astronaut
00:23:19.54\00:23:21.10
to stand on the moon,
would you be going to take
00:23:21.13\00:23:23.47
my second
prediction more seriously?
00:23:23.50\00:23:27.17
Probably. But here's a
question that needs an answer.
00:23:27.20\00:23:30.37
If after 3 years
from landing on the moon,
00:23:30.40\00:23:32.64
you actually did become
00:23:32.67\00:23:34.50
a billionaire
retail seller of clothes,
00:23:34.53\00:23:37.23
would it be reasonable
for you to believe in me.
00:23:37.26\00:23:42.35
This is why
prophecy is more powerful
00:23:42.38\00:23:45.14
as an anchor for our
faith than archaeology.
00:23:45.17\00:23:48.00
In the Book of Matthew alone,
00:23:48.03\00:23:49.56
17 times it stated
that specific events
00:23:49.59\00:23:53.29
were a fulfillment of prophecy.
00:23:53.32\00:23:55.47
Here's an
example, in Matthew 27:35,
00:23:55.50\00:23:58.47
as Jesus is hanging on
the cross being crucified,
00:23:58.50\00:24:01.85
it says, "They
parted His garments
00:24:01.88\00:24:04.20
casting lots that
it might be fulfilled
00:24:04.23\00:24:07.00
which was spoken by the prophet,
00:24:07.03\00:24:08.70
they parted My
garments among them,
00:24:08.73\00:24:11.11
and upon My vesture
did they cast lots."
00:24:11.14\00:24:14.65
The prophet
being referred to here
00:24:14.68\00:24:16.36
is the Psalmist
David and Matthew
00:24:16.39\00:24:18.47
is quoting from Psalm 22.
00:24:18.50\00:24:20.62
In this one
Messianic Psalm alone
00:24:20.65\00:24:23.34
are several amazing
correlations with the death
00:24:23.37\00:24:26.32
and crucifixion of Christ.
00:24:26.35\00:24:28.76
Psalm 22:1
starts with these words,
00:24:28.79\00:24:31.82
"My God, My God, why
hast thou forsaken Me?"
00:24:31.85\00:24:36.31
at 3 in the afternoon
00:24:36.34\00:24:39.76
Jesus cried out,
00:24:39.79\00:24:41.19
"My God, My God, why
hast Thou forsaken Me?"
00:24:41.22\00:24:44.98
And the Psalmist goes on to say,
00:24:45.01\00:24:46.77
"I am despised of the
people, they laugh me to scorn,
00:24:46.80\00:24:50.15
they shake the head saying,
00:24:50.18\00:24:51.87
He trusted on the Lord
that He would deliver Him,
00:24:51.90\00:24:54.73
let Him deliver Him
seeing He delighted in Him."
00:24:54.76\00:24:58.36
And Matthew records,
00:24:58.39\00:25:00.10
"And they that
passed by reviled Him,
00:25:00.13\00:25:02.51
wagging their heads
saying He trusted in God,
00:25:02.54\00:25:05.56
let Him deliver Him
now, if He will have Him,
00:25:05.59\00:25:08.51
for He said, I
am the Son of God."
00:25:08.54\00:25:11.87
And then David writes,
00:25:11.90\00:25:13.43
"They part My
garments among them
00:25:13.46\00:25:15.87
and cast lots upon My vesture."
00:25:15.90\00:25:19.20
Matthew 27:35 says,
"When they crucified Jesus,
00:25:19.23\00:25:23.07
they parted His
garments by casting lots."
00:25:23.10\00:25:27.08
In verse 16 David said,
00:25:27.11\00:25:29.10
"They pierced My
hands and My feet."
00:25:29.13\00:25:32.28
He can't be
talking about himself here
00:25:32.31\00:25:33.83
since this
never happened to him.
00:25:33.86\00:25:35.86
With prophetic eye, he's seeing
00:25:35.89\00:25:38.02
what Thomas and the
other disciples saw.
00:25:38.05\00:25:40.92
They watched the
crucifixion, they saw the wounds
00:25:40.95\00:25:44.12
that the nails left in
hands of our dear Savior.
00:25:44.15\00:25:47.92
And finally David wrote,
"I'm poured out like water
00:25:47.95\00:25:51.25
and all my bones
are out of joint,
00:25:51.28\00:25:53.72
my heart is like wax,
00:25:53.75\00:25:55.22
it's melted in the
midst of my bowels."
00:25:55.25\00:25:58.79
It was reported by John
that when one of the soldiers
00:25:58.82\00:26:01.78
with a spear pierced the
side of Jesus after He had died,
00:26:01.81\00:26:05.25
that "forthwith came
there out blood and water."
00:26:05.28\00:26:11.34
Today, we only
had time to look at
00:26:11.37\00:26:13.02
a few of the numerous prophecies
00:26:13.05\00:26:15.29
that were fulfilled
in the life of Christ.
00:26:15.32\00:26:17.96
There are many, many more.
00:26:17.99\00:26:19.92
A prophetic principle
says that the more details
00:26:19.95\00:26:22.33
you put into a prophecy,
00:26:22.36\00:26:24.18
the less likely
it is to come true.
00:26:24.21\00:26:26.94
And that is precisely
why the life of Christ
00:26:26.97\00:26:29.69
is completely unbelievable
00:26:29.72\00:26:31.91
when measured by
mere scientific methods.
00:26:31.94\00:26:34.96
Professor Peter
Stoner, calculated
00:26:34.99\00:26:37.13
the probability of
just 8 Messianic prophecies
00:26:37.16\00:26:40.35
being fulfilled
in the life of Jesus.
00:26:40.38\00:26:42.86
His estimated calculated
as conservatively as possible
00:26:42.89\00:26:46.17
and reviewed by the
American Scientific Affiliation,
00:26:46.20\00:26:48.79
said that it is 1 in
10 followed by 28 zeros.
00:26:48.82\00:26:54.34
No casino in Las
Vegas would bet money
00:26:54.37\00:26:56.59
if those numbers
were against the house.
00:26:56.62\00:26:59.31
Keep in mind that Jesus did
not just fulfill 8 prophecies,
00:26:59.34\00:27:03.69
He fulfilled 108.
00:27:03.72\00:27:06.66
The chances of
fulfilling just 48 prophecies
00:27:06.69\00:27:09.35
causes the
likeliness to decrease
00:27:09.38\00:27:11.81
to 1 in 10
followed by 157 zeros.
00:27:11.84\00:27:16.59
Accidental
fulfillment of these prophecies
00:27:16.62\00:27:19.20
is simply beyond the
realm of possibility unless,
00:27:19.23\00:27:25.46
unless those events were
foreknown in the mind of God,
00:27:25.49\00:27:29.07
planned in advance to
leave for future generations
00:27:29.10\00:27:32.29
the fingerprints
of divine origin.
00:27:32.32\00:27:35.99
Listen friends,
we have in our hands
00:27:36.02\00:27:39.88
all the
prophetic evidence we need,
00:27:39.91\00:27:42.32
all the proof necessary to build
a strong yet rational faith
00:27:42.35\00:27:46.48
in the inspiration
of these sacred pages.
00:27:46.51\00:27:50.07
Prophecy is so solid a
foundation that Jesus taught
00:27:50.10\00:27:54.11
it is of more value to our faith
00:27:54.14\00:27:56.14
than seeing one
raise from the dead.
00:27:56.17\00:27:59.26
Jesus believed in
the whole Old Testament
00:27:59.29\00:28:02.01
and He invites us to
study it for ourselves.
00:28:02.04\00:28:05.25
Jesus commissioned His followers
00:28:05.28\00:28:06.88
to the outpouring
of the Holy Spirit
00:28:06.91\00:28:09.21
to write the New Testament
00:28:09.24\00:28:10.61
to share with
mankind the precious truths
00:28:10.64\00:28:13.59
He had
personally revealed to them.
00:28:13.62\00:28:16.53
This is the Living Word of God
00:28:16.56\00:28:19.40
and this is the
doctrine of Jesus,
00:28:19.43\00:28:22.99
"The words that
I speak unto you,
00:28:23.02\00:28:25.19
they are spirit,
and they are life."
00:28:25.22\00:28:29.43