Why Test the Bible’s Accuracy?

How do you view the Bible? Some firmly believe that it is God’s revelation to man. Others believe that it is just an ordinary book. Still others are undecided. If you have any doubt about the Bible’s origin, there are compelling reasons why you should examine it and settle the issue.

UNTIL the 18th century, the Bible was widely respected as the Word of God in lands of Christendom. But from the 19th century onward, a growing number of educators, scientists, and even theologians and church leaders began publicly expressing doubt about the Bible’s accuracy.

As a result, Bible criticism has become so widespread that many pass judgment without even knowing the Bible’s contents. In place of the Bible, many people in Christendom now look to philosophies of men. Still, modern philosophy has not produced a safer or happier world. That is one good reason to examine the Bible and see whether its guidance leads to happiness and success.

Another reason for testing the Bible’s accuracy is the wonderful prospect it holds out for mankind. For example, Psalm 37:29 states: “The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it.” (Revelation 21:3-5) What effect do such promises have on you? Surely they are reason enough to examine the Bible and see if it can be trusted.

This magazine has always upheld the truthfulness of the Bible and has often set forth proof of its accuracy. There are a number of areas in which the Bible’s accuracy can be tested. Various issues of The Watchtower will help you answer these questions: Do the known facts of ancient history match the Bible? Are its predictions accurate? Is its advice practical, or have modern educators and philosophers proved that the Bible is out-of-date?

Geography is another area in which you can test the Bible’s accuracy. Pagan myths often conflict with geographic facts. For instance, many ancient peoples told stories of journeys to the so-called world of the dead. Regarding the ancient Greeks, the book A Guide to the Gods explains: “The earth was seen as a flat surface surrounded by a vast tract of water called Ocean. Beyond this lay the Afterworld, a gloomy wasteland dotted with dark and fruitless plants.” When this proved to be a myth, pagan philosophers had to relocate their so-called afterworld. “A suitable place was found, under the earth, connected to this world by various caverns,” explains author Richard Carlyon. Today, we know that this also is a myth. No such underworld or passage exists.

Unlike myths of ancient peoples, the Bible does not contain the mistaken view that the earth is flat. Instead, it states the scientific truth that the earth is a circular object resting on nothing. (Job 26:7; Isaiah 40:22) What about the other geographic descriptions mentioned in the Bible? Are they mythological, or is it possible to visualize with accuracy Biblical events when visiting present-day Egypt, including the Sinai Peninsula, and modern-day Israel?

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“There is One who is dwelling above the circle of the earth.”​—Isaiah 40:22

“He is . . . hanging the earth upon nothing.”​—Job 26:7