The Bible As A Historical And Scientific Reference

Some people say that the Bible is boring to read or hard to understand. The Bible is not a book written to entertain you. The Bible is a historical document with all of the answers to the creation of the earth, genealogies, geography, important records and guidance. It is a book from God written to teach us and help us understand the world we live in and how to live as a Christian in it.

“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” Romans 15:4

Is all reading in the Bible action-packed drama? No, it is not. Important record books are not action-packed reading, but you can find some great action in the Bible. The Bible is used for very useful genealogies throughout, here is just an example:

“25 And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters. 26 And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.” Genesis 11:25-26

The genealogies are very useful and important because they record the generations and history and proves that the Bible is not just some made-up book, it also helps prove prophecies like the generations leading up to Jesus. The Bible is also used as a true science book on how the earth, sun, moon and stars were formed and how they exist with the moon not reflecting the sun’s light, but giving off it’s own light. It also shows how God created a way for us to keep track of time:

“14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: 15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:14-18

The Bible serves as the best historical document, carefully detailing different kings and kingdoms and is very specific to the time certain events concerning these kings took place. The Bible and other historical documents agree on many of these things which makes it even more fascinating and more proof it is not a collection of stories but a specific document with specific people and what they did at a specific time:

“And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; and they built forts against it round about. 2 And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.” 2 Kings 25:1-2

The Bible is also an ancient geographical record and also a record of inheritance. The geography that the Bible records is very useful to our study and Biblical archaeology today:

“12 And this land, which we possessed at that time, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, and half mount Gilead, and the cities thereof, gave I unto the Reubenites and to the Gadites. 13 And the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, being the kingdom of Og, gave I unto the half tribe of Manasseh; all the region of Argob, with all Bashan, which was called the land of giants.” Deuteronomy 3:12-13

These Bible verses may not be the most interesting for some to read but they are extremely important documentation. Some people love reading about genealogies and geography and other people like action better but what is true is that it all is important:

“16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

The most important thing that the Bible teaches us is the way to be saved and that is Jesus:

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6