This evening at 6pm, I met up with Joshua and we went to view the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition. It was fantastic although it was only a short tour. The curators were Americans and they were from Arizona working for the Bible Museum of some kind in Arizona too. The two professors we heard from all came from the History department in the University of Arizona.
The accuracy of the bible has been preserved for more than 99% from generation to generation. The stories of how William Tyndale lost his life so that he could translate the bible from Greek to English and later to be strangled on the stake and burn to death was remarkable. His last words were that the Lord would open the eyes of the King of England. The photo on the right is where it all began. Cave number 4. A shepherd boy went in search for his sheep and came to Cave number 4. He threw rocks in to scare the sheep he thought was hiding in there. When he heard sounds of pots crashing upon each rock he threw in, he entered the cave. The rest is history. It was not until the scrolls were sold to some archeologist that they found out it was the original Hebrew text for the Bible we have now.
The photo on the left shows where other scrolls are found. This was destroyed when the Romans came into area. The Jews were desperately hiding the scrolls. Some of them in the pots and some in the ground. Those in the pots were thrashed by the Roman soldiers and those in the ground were either destroyed by the air or by earthquakes.
However with infrared technology, some of the writings were restored. This is what it looks like in the small piece and when enlarge using infrared technology, clear hebrew words could be read.
This was passed down through many, many generations. The scribes took lots of pain to copy these words and today it is 99% accurate even after passing through so many generations. Isn't God wonderful?
The Bible is the inspired word of GOD and it is with His spirit that these words were penned.
When the Jews were captured and later dispersed to various parts of the Middles East, they lived through different empires. Some lived through the rule of the Greeks etc. So the Greek Bible was translated from the Hebrew text by Jews who kept the Old testament alive and well in the Hebrew Language. So God's word is preserved.
Many people gave up their lives to get the word of GOD translated so that we can enjoy knowing GOD personally. The bible translator on the right is William Tyndale. At a young age he was already studying in Oxford. A linguist who could speak French, Greek, Hebrew, German, Latin, Italian and Spanish fluently like a native speaker he went on to work with Martin Luther to work on translating the Greek Bible to German. But fearing for his life, Martin Luther advised him to invent a language and use that to translate the Bible. And he invented English. Accordingly William Shakespeare used William Tyndale's translation when he wrote McBeth and it was Shakespeare that polished up the English language we use today. But it started with William Tyndale. Tyndale was caught by the King of England and put on the stake and strangled to death before burning him. Before he was strangled, he shouted loudly a prayer that said, "God, please open the eyes of the King of England." I believed God did save the Queen then. Not the King?
There were many translators that gave up their lives in order to let us read and understand Christ personally. I thank God for all of them.
If the Bible is indeed true and real, then every word in it is literally God's breath. If this be so, then everything written happened and was completed and those not yet completed will soon happen.
That means indeed Christ came and died for sinners. We celebrate Christmas and Good Friday to commemorate this Christ. Then it is true that if we believe in this fact, we can be like the thief who believed when Jesus was hung on the cross and be saved! Indeed then Christ promises to return and He will.
As I study the book of Daniel about Christ's first and second coming, I have to ask myself how I am living my life.
Recent encounters with suicide and death and many people I met from my past, all points to one thing: That God is faithful. He has to move me away from my comfort zones I built in order for me to see how much I need Him. I thank GOD that when I obey His voice and His leading, I got in return what I thought I didn't have.
Strangely at the exhibition, I met another old face. This time it is Bee Hin. He used to teach my doctrines when I was only 15 and he was 17. Today he has forgotten about me. He went into full time ministry only to leave at 19 after he entered army. Many interesting stories about him. His wife and son were also at the exhibition. Although both Bee Hin and his wife cannot remember me, I could remember everything we did as a teenager very vividly. Interesting, don't you think. How come my memory of things of the past is so clear but the present is so hazy. Hahaha.
I guess I chose what I want to remember.
Have a good weekend. Will be thinking about where to go this Sunday. Keep close to God.
Many people gave up their lives to get the word of GOD translated so that we can enjoy knowing GOD personally. The bible translator on the right is William Tyndale. At a young age he was already studying in Oxford. A linguist who could speak French, Greek, Hebrew, German, Latin, Italian and Spanish fluently like a native speaker he went on to work with Martin Luther to work on translating the Greek Bible to German. But fearing for his life, Martin Luther advised him to invent a language and use that to translate the Bible. And he invented English. Accordingly William Shakespeare used William Tyndale's translation when he wrote McBeth and it was Shakespeare that polished up the English language we use today. But it started with William Tyndale. Tyndale was caught by the King of England and put on the stake and strangled to death before burning him. Before he was strangled, he shouted loudly a prayer that said, "God, please open the eyes of the King of England." I believed God did save the Queen then. Not the King? There were many translators that gave up their lives in order to let us read and understand Christ personally. I thank God for all of them.
If the Bible is indeed true and real, then every word in it is literally God's breath. If this be so, then everything written happened and was completed and those not yet completed will soon happen.
That means indeed Christ came and died for sinners. We celebrate Christmas and Good Friday to commemorate this Christ. Then it is true that if we believe in this fact, we can be like the thief who believed when Jesus was hung on the cross and be saved! Indeed then Christ promises to return and He will.
As I study the book of Daniel about Christ's first and second coming, I have to ask myself how I am living my life.
Recent encounters with suicide and death and many people I met from my past, all points to one thing: That God is faithful. He has to move me away from my comfort zones I built in order for me to see how much I need Him. I thank GOD that when I obey His voice and His leading, I got in return what I thought I didn't have.
Strangely at the exhibition, I met another old face. This time it is Bee Hin. He used to teach my doctrines when I was only 15 and he was 17. Today he has forgotten about me. He went into full time ministry only to leave at 19 after he entered army. Many interesting stories about him. His wife and son were also at the exhibition. Although both Bee Hin and his wife cannot remember me, I could remember everything we did as a teenager very vividly. Interesting, don't you think. How come my memory of things of the past is so clear but the present is so hazy. Hahaha.
I guess I chose what I want to remember.
Have a good weekend. Will be thinking about where to go this Sunday. Keep close to God.
