A Case for the Bible, The Story Continues: Where’s Jesus, Evidence from Science, Saved Lives and Ruth 1-4

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This week’s class presentation will continue our focus on seeing Jesus in the Old Testament. Then, for the apologetics portion of the class, we will look at the evidence from science and saved lives. We will end with our Bible study in the book of Ruth chapters 1-4. This website will post basic answers for the Bible study the week following the class for your review.

As Christians, it is more important than ever to know what we believe, and why we believe it, and then apply that to who we are on a consistent basis, and this can only be done effectively if we know what God’s Word teaches, especially the big picture that always points to Jesus! All class sessions include a time for prayer and reflection, an “apologetics” presentation, and a Bible study section.

You will find the presentation notes and the Bible study survey format questions here, and basic answers to the Bible study will be posted during the week following each class for your review and as a leader’s guide.

Watch this week’s class presentation:

2025 A Case for the Bible, The Story Continues

Presentation Notes

Review and Discuss

Prayer Cards: Do you have anyone that you are hoping to share what you are learning with? Write that person(s) name down on your prayer card along with any other prayer request you might have (exchange with your table group at the end of the evening).

  1. Where is Jesus in the Old Testament? Give the main tag line for each book: Jesus is…
  2. Memory Verses:

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.” Genesis 3:15 (NASB)

Fulfilled…

From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He.  John 13:19 (NASB)

“The blood [of the lamb] shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.” Exodus 12:13 (NASB)

Fulfilled…

“The next day he [John the Baptist] saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”  John 1:29 (NASB)

SEEING JESUS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

Every book of the Bible points to Jesus! He is The Word

Jesus in the Old Testament…

See Allen Parr’s presentation on “How Jesus Is Hidden In Every Book of The Old Testament”

A Christian Apologetic Tool
MAPS-S

S = Science Evidence and -S=Saved Lives

Science Evidence

  • Even though the Bible is not a book of science, when it speaks of things we have just come to know today, it is never incoherent or mythological
  • The Bible always authentic in its scientific illustrations
  • The Bible gave accurate scientific and medical facts thousands of years before their discoveries
  • The evidence for creation versus evolution for the origin of life; the evidence of a worldwide flood; and the cosmological and teleological arguments all support the God of the Bible and the truths of Scripture

Scientific truths found in the Bible

Anatomy truths: God knit us together in our mother’s womb.

(Psalm 139:13)

  • In contrast, the Muslim Quran and Charles Darwin both say we begin as a clot. However, we know today the detail and intricacy involved in the formation and structure of the cell and the development of the embryo and the skeletal system, all based on the instructions coded in our DNA.

Astronomy truths: The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. (Psalm 19:1) …as countless as the stars of the sky and as measureless as the sand on the seashore… (Jeremiah 33:22)

  • In c. 150 BC scientists proclaimed that they had counted all of the stars and numbered them at 1,056; but with the invention of the telescope, we now know there are, indeed, too many to be counted.

Geological truths: He (God) suspends the earth over nothing (gravity and the orbits).

(Job 26:7)

  • In contrast the Quran says the mountains stabilize the earth. The Hindu Vedas say that the earth rests on the back of an elephant that stood on the back of a turtle in an endless cosmic sea of milk. The early Greeks believed that Atlas carried the earth on his back.

Medical truths: For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised…

(See Genesis 17:12)

  • This is now known to be the best day to avoid infection and is the only day in which the blood-clotting factor is at its highest level.
  • God directed circumcision to be done on the 8th day after the birth of the baby and today we know that this is the only day that vitamin K and Prothrombin are at their highest levels and therefore would be the safest day in which to perform this procedure.

Health truths: Bacteria and virus avoidance is found in early Hebrew practices given by God in the Law concerning sanitation and eating regulations—See Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy.

  • We know today that the regulations for eating, cleansing, and contamination avoidance that was given in God’s Law has been justified in modern times with the discovery of the microscopic world.

Nutrition and Dietary truths: God directed the best way for humans to eat as seen in all of the food regulations given in the Mosaic Law, as well as in the Garden of Eden and after the Flood, See Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and reference the story of Daniel and his friends in chapter one of the book of Daniel.

  • Today’s modern medicine recommends this “Mediterranean” style of eating, and is continuously proven to be the best form of nutritional health.

Laws of Nature truths: Genesis 1:1 shows how God laid it all out in the very first verse of Scripture: In the beginning (time); God (force); created (energy); the heavens (space); and the earth (matter).

  • Herbert Spencer, who died in 1903, was famous for applying scientific discoveries to philosophy. He listed five knowable categories in the natural sciences: time, force, energy (or motion), space and matter – all found in this first verse of the Bible!

A few more examples…

  1. The earth is a sphere, and the heavens stretch out (Isaiah 40:22)
  2. Free float of earth in space (Job 26:7)
  3. Creation made of invisible elements (Hebrews 11:3)
  4. Each star is different (1 Corinthians 15:41)
  5. Light moves (Job 38:19-20)
  6. Air has weight (Job 28:25)
  7. Winds blow in cyclones and there is a water cycle (Ecclesiastes 1:6-7)
  8. Blood is the source of life and health (Leviticus 17:11)
  9. Ocean floor contains deep valleys and mountains (2 Samuel 22:16; Jonah 2:6)
  10. Oceans contain currents and springs (Psalm 8:8; Job 38:16)

In addition, the existence of God and the Creation account of Genesis are supported by…

  1. the Cosmological Argument (evidence found in the creation of the universe such as its fine tuning and the “Big Bang”)
  2. the Teleological Argument (evidence of design in nature and in our own bodies such as the DNA information code).

Saved Lives

The final “S”

What is your story? Tell it to others!

Or, you can use any of these famous atheists turned Christian, because of the evidence!

  1. Warner Wallace (Cold-Case Christianity)
  2. Lee Strobel (The Case for Christ)
  3. Nabeel Qureshi (Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus)
  4. C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity)
  5. Josh McDowell (More Than A Carpenter)

A Case for the Bible, The Story Continues…

Summary of evidence

  • Consistent internal evidence of a cohesive historical document spanning at least 1500 years of time with 40 different authors from various walks of life, yet a singular mega-theme runs through all of the 66 individual books.
  • Confirmation by both Christian and non-Christian scholars as a reliable and valid historical document of antiquity.
  • Deemed a literary masterpiece by both Christian and non-Christian scholars.
  • Supported by Jewish history that was well established centuries before the time of Jesus.
  • Strict Scribal copying rules (4000+) over the centuries that contributes to the accuracy of transmission.
  • Multiple eyewitness testimony reported in primary sources, inside and outside the Bible.
  • Testimony from non-Christian historians and hostiles that support the Biblical record.

The Verdict:

The Case for the reliability, historicity and authenticity of the Bible has been made beyond a reasonable doubt!!!

To help you remember this landslide of evidence use this memory tool:

A Tool: MAPS-S

M=Manuscripts: Over 25,000 (and growing) early manuscripts with 5800 (and growing) in the original Greek language and the scholarly field of textual criticism finding 99.5% agreement within them indicating a match to the autograph, and with early lectionaries and quotations from the 1st – 3rd century leaders we can assert 100% accuracy.

*Remember: Bibles today, like NASB, NIV or KJV, have only been translated once from the original language.

A=Archeology: Over 25,000 (and growing) archeological finds that have confirmed Biblical accounts. None have been found that disprove any historical account in the Bible.

P=Prophecy: 300 (plus) specific and incidental prophecies from the Old Testament that were fulfilled in the life and times of Jesus Christ.

  • If even 8 of these prophecies were fulfilled in Jesus it would be equivalent to 1 chance in 10 to the 17th power or 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000!
  • None of the Old Testament prophecies have been disproven, and many are still to come (apocalyptic).

S=Science: The Bible makes no claims that are considered scientific absurdities and has amazing scientific authenticity in the areas of anatomy, astronomy, geology, medicine, health, nutrition, and the Laws of Nature vs. other so-called Holy Books.

The Creation account in Genesis is also supported by the evidence found in the “Cosmological and Teleological Arguments.”

S=Saved Lives: Millions of saved lives are seen through the centuries evidenced by changed lives confessed by the saving work of Jesus’ death and resurrection—individual stories like yours cannot be disputed.

SUMMER HOMEWORK:

Continue reading through the Old Testament history, 1 Samuel through Esther, use the hermeneutical method and choose Basic, Going Deeper or Advanced.

Basic:  Read each chapter and write out chapter by chapter titles (may include subtitles)

Going Deeper: Add a short summary under your titles, 3-5 sentences

Advanced: Look for these things to put in your summary notes:

a. Look for Covenants: Abrahamic (unconditional promise of a Nation, Land and Blessing) or Mosaic (Conditional promise of protection for obedience; loss of protection for disobedience)

b. Look for Jesus? Is there anything in this chapter that foreshadows or pictures Jesus; or is there any prophecy in the chapter (Messianic or other types)?

c. The Shelf: Note any questions, insights or comments you have about the chapter.

Please join us each week as we continue making a case for the Bible and Christianity!

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You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in!  Join us as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.

Click into the resource page of this website to view many of the top Christian thinkers and apologists along with some of their work; connecting to these types of resources is essential in your Christian growth.

Please let me know what you think: Give feedback, ask questions or send concerns in the comment section of the blog.

Teri Dugan

TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com

1 Peter 3:15

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