Last Will And Testament-Will And Testament

This is a new series (1-22) of Verse No. in the Bible versus the Quran.

Verse No. 22 in the Old Testament says: God blessed them (the great sea monsters and every winged bird) and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase (multiply) on the earth.

Verse No. 22 in the New Testament says: All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet.  

Verse No. 22 in the Noble Quran says: Allah shall pay them (the hypocrites) back their mockery, and he leaves them alone in their inordinacy, blindly wandering on.    

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The verse No. 22 in the Old Testament is Genesis 1:22

Verse No. 21 in the Old Testament says: And God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it was good.

And verse continues talking about the creation of the heavens and the earth, it says:

God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase (multiply) on the earth.

So, God blessed the great sea monsters and said: Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas.

And God blessed every winged bird and said: let the birds increase (multiply) on the earth. However, in Leviticus 11 God said that we are to detest many birds e.g., the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture etc because they are detestable.

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The verse No. 22 in the New Testament is Matthew 1:22

In the articles 18-20, Saint Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant and because he was a righteous and a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, he did not want to expose her to public disgrace. So, he decided to divorce Saint Mary!

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

In verse Matthew 1:21, the angel continues saying to Joseph:

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins

Verse No. 22 ( Matthew 1:22) says: All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet.

To be accurate, we have in this verse two important points:

” All this took place” and ” the prophet”.

” All this took place” means that all of this story took place.

Then what? to fulfill what the Lord had said through ” the prophet”.

But, who is that “prophet”? Matthew did not tell us. However, this “prophet” is well known; He is Isaiah (7:14).

One has to expect that some hints about this story is mentioned in the Old Testament and that “unknown” prophet prophesizes and foretells about it.

But this is not true and this story of Saint Mary and her marriage etc. is not found in the Old Testament.

However, if what is said by Matthew is true, then the possibility is that the story is removed from the Old Testament and eliminated by those who wrote it; on the basis that they (the Jews) deny both  Saint Mary and the Lord Jesus. 

On the other hand, the Muslims’ faith about Saint Mary, peace be upon her; is that

She lived and died as a “Pure, Untouched, and an Outstanding Virgin Woman”. although the Bible  insists that she was pledged to be married to Joseph, then she married him and then she had babies from him and then those babies are the brothers of God!

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 Verse No. 22 in the Noble Quran is 2:15,

Chapter 2 is Surah AL-BAQARA (THE COW),

Verses 2:8-20 are talking about the hypocrites

Verse 2:8 (See article 15) states that the hypocrites say: ‘we believe in Allah and the last day, ‘ yet they are not believers.

Verse 2:9 (See article 16) says: They think to beguile Allah and those who believe, and they beguile none save themselves; but they perceive not.

Verse 2:10 (See article 17) says: “There is a sickness in their (the hypocrites) hearts which Allah has increased; for them there is a painful punishment because they lie.”

Verse 2:11 (See article 18) says: when it is said to them: Do not corrupt in the land;  they (the hypocrites) say: we are only reformers.

Verse 2:12 (See article 19) says: are not they indeed the mischief-makers? but they perceive not.

Verse 2:13 says: and when it is said to them: believe as the people believe they say: shall we believe as the fools believe? now surely they themselves are the fools, but they do not know

Verse 2:14 says: when they meet those who believe, they say, ‘we, too believe. ‘ but when they are alone with their devils, they say to them: ‘we follow none but you, we were only mocking

Verse 2:15 continues talking about the hypocrites; and says: Allah shall pay them back their mockery, and he leaves them alone in their inordinacy, blindly wandering on. 

The meaning of verse 2:15

Allah will mock the hypocrites in the Hereafter

Allah, Himself, will mock the hypocrites, in the Hereafter, i.e. He will open a gate of Paradise for them and then shut it before their eyes and so the believers will mock them. (Leaving them to wander blindly on in their contumacy) He will leave them in this world blind in their disbelief and error, unable to see either faith or guidance.

In other words, Allah mocks them, requiting them for their mockery, leaving them, that is, giving them respite, in their insolence, that is, in their transgressing the limits of unbelief; bewildered, wavering, in perplexity.

Who is mocking who? The Hypocrites or the Believers?

when the hypocrites meet the believers, they say, ‘we too believe. But

they declare to their leaders: Lo! We are with you, we follow your religion in secret; surely we did but mock. So, they intended to mock the believers in the life of this world. Hence, it is fair enough that Allah will let the believers to mock them in the Hereafter.

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Verse No. 22 in the Old Testament, the New Testament and the Noble Quran in Four different Translations

Verse No. 22 in the Old Testament

Genesis 1:22

New International Version:

22] God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.”

New American Standard Version:

22] God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”

English Standard Version:

22] And God blessed them, saying,(A) “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”

King James Version:

22] And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.

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Verse No. 22 in the New Testament

Matthew 1:22

New International Version:

22] All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

New American Standard Version:

22] Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

English Standard Version:

22] All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

King James Version:

22] Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

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Verse No. 21 in the Noble Quran is Chapter 2:15,

Surah AL-BAQARA (THE COW), 2:15

QARIB: Allah will mock at them and prolong them in sin, blundering blindly.

SHAKIR: Allah shall pay them back their mockery, and he leaves them alone in their inordinacy, blindly wandering on

PICKTHAL: Allah (himself) doth mock them, leaving them to wander blindly on in their contumacy.

YUSUFALI: Allah will throw back their mockery on them, and give them rope in their trespasses; so they will wander like blind ones (to and fro).

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It is very premature to ask this question:

Is the Quran quoted from the Bible?

Wait and you will see.



By: Prof.dr. Ibrahim Khalil

About the Author:

Rudolf Camberos

This is a new series (1-24) of Verse No. in the Bible versus the Quran.

Verse No. 24 in the Old Testament says: God said, Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so.

Verse No. 24 in the New Testament says When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.

Verse No. 24 in the Noble Quran says: their parable is like the parable of one who kindled a fire but when it had illumined all around him, Allah took away their light, and left them in utter darkness– they do not see. 

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The verse No. 24 in the Old Testament is Genesis 1:24

The verse continues talking about the creation of the heavens and the earth; now it is the sixth day of the creation.  The verse says: And God said, “Let the earth produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so.  

So, in the sixth day of the process of the creation of the heavens and the earth, God said: Let the earth produce (bring forth) living creatures after their kind: e.g. cattle and creeping things and beasts, livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so.

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The verse No. 24 in the New Testament is Matthew 1:24

In the articles 18-23, Saint Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant and because he was a righteous man and unwilling to put her to shame, he did not want to expose her to public disgrace. So, he decided to divorce Saint Mary!  But an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.  All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” which means, “God with us.”

Article 23 investigates the prophecy on the basis of :

1) How Does the Bible Use the Word “Virgin”? As a Woman or as a Place?

2) What the “Virgin” deserves according to the Bible?

3) Is the first Matthew’s Prophecy About the Lord Jesus Trustful?

Matthew 1:24 says that When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.

I wonder why the Bible in the Old Testament denies Saint Mary and in the New Testament persists and is adamant that Saint Mary was an ordinary woman, pledged to be married, her man did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he decided to divorce etc.

Nevertheless, the Muslims believe that Saint Mary, peace be upon her; is that

She lived and died as a “Pure, Untouched, and an Outstanding Virgin Woman”. although the Bible  insists that she was pledged to be married to Joseph, then she married him and then she had babies from him and then those babies are the brothers of God!

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Verse No. 24 in the Noble Quran is 2:17,

Chapter 2 is Surah AL-BAQARA (THE COW),

Verses 2:8-20 are talking about the hypocrites

Verse 2:8 (See article 15) states that the hypocrites say: ‘we believe in Allah and the last day, ‘ yet they are not believers.

Verse 2:9 (See article 16) says: They think to beguile Allah and those who believe, and they beguile none save themselves; but they perceive not.

Verse 2:10 (See article 17) says: “There is a sickness in their (the hypocrites) hearts which Allah has increased; for them there is a painful punishment because they lie.”

Verse 2:11 (See article 18) says: when it is said to them: Do not corrupt in the land;  they (the hypocrites) say: we are only reformers.

Verse 2:12 (See article 19) says: are not they indeed the mischief-makers? but they perceive not.

Verse 2:13 says: and when it is said to them: believe as the people believe they say: shall we believe as the fools believe? now surely they themselves are the fools, but they do not know

Verse 2:14 says: when they meet those who believe, they say, ‘we, too believe. ‘ but when they are alone with their devils, they say to them: ‘we follow none but you, we were only mocking

Verse 2:15 says: Allah shall pay them back their mockery, and he leaves them alone in their inordinacy, blindly wandering on.

Verse 2:16 says: these are they who have bartered guidance for error: but their traffic is profitless, and they have lost true direction,

Verse 2:17 continues talking about the hypocrites; and says: their parable is like the parable of one who kindled a fire but when it had illumined all around him, Allah took away their light, and left them in utter darkness– they do not see.

The meaning of verse 2:17

The verse gives their (the hypocrites) parable; it means that:

The likeness of the hypocrites vis-à-vis Muhammad is as the likeness of one who kindles fire, lights a fire in the darkness in order to provide safety for his family, property and person, and when it sheds its light and he sees what is around him and feels secure, at that very moment the Fire is put out.

Likewise, the hypocrites believed openly in Muhammad as well as in the Quran and by doing so they felt their persons, families and properties were safe, avoiding in the process imprisonment or death. But when they die Allah takes away their light, the benefit of their outward faith, and leaves them in darkness facing the hardships of the grave, where they cannot see any comfort.

It is also said this simile refers to the Jews. In this respect, the likeness of the Jews vis-à-vis Muhammad is like a man who raises a flag in a lost battle and by doing so attracts other defeated fighters. But when they gather they put their flag down and, consequently, their benefit and safety immediately vanish.

Similarly, the Jews used to say that Muhammad and the Quran, prior to its revelation, would support them. When it was revealed however they denied it and Allah took away their light, i.e. their desire to believe and the benefit of such belief. This is because although they wanted to believe in Muhammad they did not do so, and consequently they were left unable to see the guidance.

Also, it is said that, their likeness, the way they are in their hypocrisy, is as the likeness of one who kindled, that is, one who lit a fire in darkness, and when it illumined all about him, so that he is able to see, and to feel warm and secure from those he feared, Allah took away their light, extinguishing it and left them in darkness, unable to see, what is around them, confused as to the way, in fear; likewise are those who have found temporary security by professing faith, but who will meet with terror and punishment upon death and in the Hereafter.

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Verse No. 24 in the Old Testament, the New Testament in four different versions of the Bible; and in the Noble Quran in Four different Translations

Verse No. 24 in the Old Testament

Genesis 1:24

New International Version:

24] And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so.

New American Standard Version:

24] Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth after their kind”; and it was so.

English Standard Version:

24] And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so.

King James Version:

24] And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.

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Verse No. 24 in the New Testament

Matthew 1:24

New International Version:

24] When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.

New American Standard Version:

24] And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife,

English Standard Version:

24] When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife,

King James Version:

24] Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:

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Verse No. 24 in the Noble Quran

Chapter 2:17

Surah AL-BAQARA (THE COW)

QARIB: their example is like one who kindled a fire, and when it lit all around him, Allah took away their light and left them in darkness. they could not see.

SHAKIR: their parable is like the parable of one who kindled a fire but when it had illumined all around him, Allah took away their light, and left them in utter darkness– they do not see

PICKTHAL: their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindleth fire, and when it sheddeth its light around him Allah taketh away their light and leaveth them in darkness, where they cannot see,

YUSUFALI: their similitude is that of a man who kindled a fire; when it lighted all around him, Allah took away their light and left them in utter darkness. so they could not see.

==========

It is very premature to ask this question:

Is the Quran quoted from the Bible?

Wait and you will see.



By: Prof.dr. Ibrahim Khalil

About the Author:

Fredric Gerard

This is a new series (1-16) of Verse No. in the Bible versus the Quran.

Verse No. 16 in the Old Testament says: And God made the two great lights, the great light to rule the day, and the small light to rule the night, — and the stars.

Verse No. 16 in the New Testament says: Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, Who is called the Christ. (the Messiah, the Anointed)

Verse No. 16 in the Noble Quran says: they (the hypocrites) think to beguile Allah and those who believe, and they beguile none save themselves; but they perceive not.

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The verse No. 16 in the Old Testament is Genesis 1:16

The verse continues talking about the creation of the heavens and the earth, it says: And God made the two great lights, the great light to rule the day, and the small light to rule the night, — and the stars.

This is the correct translation of the original Hebrew OT (Tanakh).

Also, it is same as in Arabic version of the Bible.

But what about the other English different versions of the Bible.

One has to dishonor such translations in versions like:

New International Version, New American Standard Version, King James Version  and Contemporary English Version

These versions have the courage to ADD “He also made the stars”.

Such words are invented by those who translate the Bible.

Look at these versions of the Bible that are correct:

 Holman Christian Standard Bible

16]  God made the two great lights—the greater light to have dominion over the day and the lesser light to have dominion over the night—as well as the stars.

English Standard Version:

16] And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars.

King James Version:

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.

Darby Translation

16] And God made the two great lights, the great light to rule the day, and the small light to rule the night, — and the stars.

The thing is, the verse says (see English Standard Version and Darby Translation): God made the small light to rule the night, — and the stars.

Or in other words,  God made the small light to rule the night and to rule the stars.

This verse contradicts to the scientific basic knowledge that are well known to any student in primary school.

The verse means that God made the moon to rule the night and to rule the stars.

That is why those who translate New International Version, New American Standard Version, King James Version and Contemporary English Version added “He also made the stars”.

It follows that English Standard Version and Darby Translation are the honorable versions of the Bible and New International Version, New American Standard Version, King James Version  and Contemporary English Version

 are the irrelevant ones.

This is just an example of the many mistakes that are committed willingly or unwillingly by those who translate the Bible.

But why God did not name the sun and the moon and called them the greater light and the lesser light?

It is said that they are not called by their names, because in Old Testament times some people worshiped the sun and the moon as though they were gods.  Are you convinced by this explanation?

One more point:

We are now in the fourth day of the creation of the heavens and the earth.

We have three days passed with three evenings and three mornings.

These first three days with their three evenings and three mornings happened before the creation of the sun and the moon.

How would or could that happened?

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The verse No. 16 in the New Testament is Matthew 1:16

The verse continues talking about the Genealogy of Jesus Christ, and Matthew lists Jesus’ ancestors, the verse says: and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

Upon translating of the last word of Matthew 1:16, New International Version, English Standard Version and King James Version put the word Christ.

However,  New American Standard Version and Holman Christian Standard Bible provide Messiah. Nevertheless, the Amplified Bible offers Christ, the Messiah and adds also the Anointed. Are such words synonyms?

Herein is the definition of each word:

1) Messiah is the promised and expected deliverer of the Jewish people, from Gk. Messias, from Aramaic meshiha and from Hebrew Mashiah, “anointed” (of the Lord)

Jesus Christ, regarded by Christians as fulfilling this promise and expectation.

2) Christ is Jesus of Nazareth, held by Christians to be the fulfillment of prophecies in the Old Testament regarding the eventual coming of a Messiah.

3) Anointed is To put oil on during a religious ceremony as a sign of sanctification or consecration.

Moreover, Matthew 1:16 says that Joseph was the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, Who is called the Christ.  However, Muslims believe that Saint Mary was virgin and no man would touch her.

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Verse No. 16 in the Noble Quran is Chapter 2:1,

Surah AL-BAQARA (THE COW), 2:9

Verses 2:8-20 were revealed concerning the hypocrites (see article 15).

Verses 2:8 says that there are some people who say, ‘We believe in Allah and in the Last Day’ (resurrection after death) but they are not believers.

Verse 2:9 continues talking about those hypocrites and says:

They would deceive Allah and the believers, by manifesting the opposite of the unbelief they hide, so that they can avoid His rulings in this world; and only themselves they deceive, for the evil consequences of their deception will rebound upon them, as they are disgraced in this world when Allah makes known to His Prophet what they are hiding, and they will be punished in the Hereafter; and they are not aware, and they do not know that they are actually deceiving themselves.

In other words, they try to deceive Allah, contravene against Him and denying Him in secret, in their hearts thinking that Allah does not know what is inside their hearts.

It is also said that this means that they were so daring with Allah to the extent that they thought they had deceived Him;

Also, they try to deceive those who believe, Muhammad and his Companions but in fact they deceive none save themselves; but they perceive not.

They do not know that Allah informs His Prophet about that which lies secret in their hearts.

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Verse No. 16 in the Old Testament, the New Testament and the Noble Quran in Four different Translation

Verse No. 16 in the Old Testament

Genesis 1:16

New International Version:

16] God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars.

New American Standard Version:

16] God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also.

King James Version

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.

—————-

Verse No. 16 in the New Testament

Matthew 1:16

New International Version:

16] and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

New American Standard Version:

16] Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.

English Standard Version:

16] and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

King James Version:

16] And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

Amplified Bible

16] Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, Who is called the Christ. (the Messiah, the Anointed)

Holman Christian Standard Bible

16] and Jacob fathered Joseph the husband of Mary,

who gave birth to [a] Jesus who is called the Messiah.

—————-

Verse No. 16 in the Noble Quran

Chapter 2: 9

Surah AL-BAQARA (THE COW)

QARIB: they seek to deceive Allah and those who believe, but they deceive none except themselves, though they do not sense it.

SHAKIR: they desire to deceive Allah and those who believe, and they deceive only themselves and they do not perceive

PICKTHAL: they think to beguile Allah and those who believe, and they beguile none save themselves; but they perceive not.

YUSUFALI: fain would they deceive Allah and those who believe, but they only deceive themselves, and realise (it) not!

==========

It is very premature to ask this question:

Is the Quran quoted from the Bible?

Wait and you will see.



By: Prof.dr. Ibrahim Khalil

About the Author:

Kyle Erwin

This is a new series (1-23) of Verse No. in the Bible versus the Quran.

Verse No. 23 in the Old Testament says: And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.

Verse No. 23 in the New Testament says: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” which means, “God with us.”

Verse No. 23 in the Noble Quran says: these are they (the hypocrites) who have bartered guidance for error: but their traffic is profitless, and they have lost true direction.

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The verse No. 23 in the Old Testament is Genesis 1:23

The verse continues talking about the creation of the heavens and the earth, it says: And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.

Herein, the fifth day of the creation of the heavens and the earth is done.

In that day, God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed, and every winged bird; and God said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.

————————

The verse No. 23 in the New Testament is Matthew 1:23

In the articles 18-22, Saint Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant and because he was a righteous man and unwilling to put her to shame, he did not want to expose her to public disgrace. So, he decided to divorce Saint Mary!

But an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins

Then Matthew 1:22 says: All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet. Hence, one might expect that some hints about this story is mentioned in the Old Testament; but this is not the case and this story of Saint Mary and her marriage etc. is not found in the Old Testament. However, if what is said by Matthew is true, then the possibility is that the story is removed from the Old Testament and eliminated by those who wrote it; on the basis that they (the Jews) deny both  Saint Mary and the Lord Jesus.

What is the Prophecy?

Matthew 1:23 gives the first prophecy about the Lord Jesus and says:

The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” which means, “God with us.”

It is amazing that Matthew did not give the name of the prophet who gave such prophecy.

Anyway, He is Isaiah 7:14 who said:

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel

It is strongly recommended to discover how the Bible uses the word “virgin” in order to recognize if this prophecy is for the Lord Jesus or someone else.

The “virgin” in the Old Testament is a geographical place not a person:

In Isaiah 37:22, 2 Kings 19:21 and Lamentations 2:13 The Virgin is the Daughter of Zion

In Isaiah 23:12, The Virgin is the Daughter of Sidon (Zidon).

In Isaiah 47:1, The Virgin is the Daughter of Babylon.

In Jeremiah 14:17, The Virgin is the Daughter of my people (i.e. daughter of Israel).

In Lamentations 1:15, The Virgin is the Daughter of Judah.

Also, to be precise, the original owner of the prophecy who is Isaiah uses the virgin as the Daughter of Zion, of Sidon and of Babylon once for each.

Hence, which of the above is applicable to Saint Mary?

What the “Virgin” deserves according to the Bible?

Jeremiah 51:22 (New American Standard Bible) says:

And with you I shatter (break in pieces) young man and virgin,

And Ezekiel 9:6

Slaughter (Kill, Slay utterly) the old man, the young man, and the maiden (virgin), and little children, and women…

Hence, the Bible commands to shatter (break in pieces) the virgin and to Slaughter (Kill, Slay utterly) the old man, the young man, and the maiden (virgin), and little children, and women…

This also, is not applicable to the Virgin Saint Mary.

Moreover, the prophecy says that the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel.

This means that the virgin of the prophecy has already a child (will be with child), And (afterward) she will give birth to a son.  Also, they (the people) will call him Immanuel.

In the case of Saint Mary, she has no child before Jesus; also, the people did not call him Immanuel. Throughout the entire Bible, None has called the Lord Jesus Immanuel.  

The interested smart reader might answer this question:

Is the first Matthew’s prophecy about the Lord Jesus is trustful?

The Linguistics meanings of Emmanuel

the name of the Messiah as prophesied by Isaiah, often represented in Christian exegesis as being Jesus Christ.

Immanuel or Emmanuel or Imanu’el (??????????? “God [is] with us” consists of two Hebrew words: ?? (El, meaning ‘God’) and ???? (Immanu, meaning ‘with us’); Standard Hebrew ‘Immanu’el, Tiberian Hebrew.

Moreover, Iman (pronounced as Eaman) in Aramaic as well as in Arabic means faith in or belief, el in Aramaic (in Arabic = Allah or Ilah) means God. So, Immanuel or Emmanuel means: believe or have faith in God or the believer(s) in God.

————————

Verse No. 23 in the Noble Quran is 2:16,

Chapter 2 is Surah AL-BAQARA (THE COW),

Verses 2:8-20 are talking about the hypocrites

Verse 2:8 (See article 15) states that the hypocrites say: ‘we believe in Allah and the last day, ‘ yet they are not believers.

Verse 2:9 (See article 16) says: They think to beguile Allah and those who believe, and they beguile none save themselves; but they perceive not.

Verse 2:10 (See article 17) says: “There is a sickness in their (the hypocrites) hearts which Allah has increased; for them there is a painful punishment because they lie.”

Verse 2:11 (See article 18) says: when it is said to them: Do not corrupt in the land;  they (the hypocrites) say: we are only reformers.

Verse 2:12 (See article 19) says: are not they indeed the mischief-makers? but they perceive not.

Verse 2:13 says: and when it is said to them: believe as the people believe they say: shall we believe as the fools believe? now surely they themselves are the fools, but they do not know

Verse 2:14 says: when they meet those who believe, they say, ‘we, too believe. ‘ but when they are alone with their devils, they say to them: ‘we follow none but you, we were only mocking

Verse 2:15 says: Allah shall pay them back their mockery, and he leaves them alone in their inordinacy, blindly wandering on.

Verse 2:16 continues talking about the hypocrites; and says: these are they who have bartered guidance for error: but their traffic is profitless, and they have lost true direction,

The meaning of verse 2:16

Those are they who have bought error for guidance, that is, they have exchanged the latter for the former; so their commerce has not profited them, that is to say, they have gained nothing from it, indeed, they have lost, because their destination is the Fire, made everlasting for them; nor are they guided, in what they did.

In other words, These are they who purchase error at the price of guidance), they chose disbelief instead of faith and exchanged guidance with error, (so their commerce did not prosper), they did not prosper in their bargain but on the contrary (neither were they guided) to overcome their error.

==========

Verse No. 23 in the Old Testament, the New Testament in four different versions of the Bible; and in the Noble Quran in Four different Translations

Verse No. 23 in the Old Testament

Genesis 1:23

New International Version:

23] And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.

New American Standard Version:

23] There was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.

English Standard Version:

23] And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.

King James Version:

23] And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

————————

Verse No. 23 in the New Testament

Matthew 1:23

New International Version:

23] The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” which means, “God with us.”

New American Standard Version:

23] BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,” which translated means, “GOD WITH US.”

English Standard Version:

23] Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel

King James Version:

23] Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

————————

Verse No. 23 in the Noble Quran

Chapter 2: 1

Surah AL-BAQARA (THE COW)

QARIB: such are those who barter away guidance for error, their trade did not profit (them), nor are they guided.

SHAKIR: these are they who buy error for the right direction, so their bargain shall bring no gain, nor are they the followers of the right direction

PICKTHAL: these are they who purchase error at the price of guidance, so their commerce doth not prosper, neither are they guided.

YUSUFALI: these are they who have bartered guidance for error: but their traffic is profitless, and they have lost true direction,

==========

It is very premature to ask this question:

Is the Quran quoted from the Bible?

Wait and you will see.



By: Prof.dr. Ibrahim Khalil

About the Author:

Murray Damrell

After the Northern Kingdom (Israel) was captured by the Assyrians (722 BC) and the Southern Kingdom (Judah) was destroyed by the Babylonians (586 BC) the Jewish population was deported. Many returned to their homeland upon their release, but others spread throughout the world. Far removed from Judea, many Jews lost their Hebrew mastery as Greek became their main language. This created a growing need for a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures. Alexandria, Egypt, held the largest Jewish community of that era and was also a great center of Greek learning. On request of the Alexandrian Jews – according to tradition (supported by the legend of Ptolemy and other scholars) – some 70 Hebrew scribes traveled to Alexandria in 285-270 BC where they produced a translation now known as the Septuagint. That name derives from the Greek word for 70 and is also designated as LXX (the Latin numeral for 70).

Overall the translation was executed with great care given the means of those days and the challenges that faced translators. Still, when comparing the LXX and the Hebrew (Masoretic) texts a number of small differences between the texts can be noted. Through the Dead Sea Scrolls, many of these differences are now identified as being caused by the fact that translators likely followed a different Hebrew text belonging to what now is called the Proto-Septuagint family.

In addition to the 24 books of the Hebrew Old Testament, the LXX contains additional books as well as add-ons to books circulated in the Greek-speaking world, but were not included in the Hebrew texts. These books are now known as the Apocrypha of the Old Testament.

The LXX was held with great respect in ancient times; Philo and Josephus ascribed divine inspiration to its authors. It formed the basis of the Old Latin versions and is still used intact within the Eastern Orthodox Church. Besides the Old Latin versions, the LXX is also the basis for Gothic, Slavonic, old Syriac, old Armenian, and Coptic versions of the Old Testament.

Significant to all Christians and Bible scholars is the fact that the LXX was quoted both by the writers of the New Testament and by the leaders of the early church. Christians naturally used the LXX since it was the only Greek version available to the earliest Christians, who, as a group, had rapidly become overwhelmingly Gentile and, therefore, unfamiliar with Hebrew. While Jews have not used the LXX in worship or religious study since the second century AD, recent scholarship has brought renewed interest towards it in Judaic Studies. The oldest surviving LXX codices date to the fourth century AD.

The importance of the LXX as evidence for the reliability of the texts of the Old Testament is two-fold:

1) Confirmation of the Masoretic texts: Although there are textual differences between the LXX and the Masoretic texts, generally these differences are small.

2) Confirmation of early texts: The LXX was translated from the Hebrew Scriptures in the years 285-250 BC. It includes all 24 books of the Hebrew Old Testament. Therefore the existence of the LXX proves that the OT was widely available in written form before this time. Therefore the prophecies in the book of Daniel about the Greek and Roman empires as well the extensive prophecies about the Messiah in Daniel, Isaiah and especially Psalm 22 were written well before the actual events happened.



By: Rob VandeWeghe

About the Author:

Lashandra Mowan

Let’s take a look at Ezekiel’s prophecy regarding the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar (Ezekiel 4:1-6):

“Thou also, son of man, take thee a tile, and lay it before thee, and pourtray upon it the city, even Jerusalem: And lay siege against it, and build a fort against it, and cast a mount against it; set the camp also against it, and set battering rams against it round about. Moreover take thou unto thee an iron pan, and set it for a wall of iron between thee and the city: and set thy face against it, and it shall be besieged, and thou shalt lay siege against it. This shall be a sign to the house of Israel. Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house upon it: according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity. For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.”"

According to this prophecy of Ezekiel 390 years would pass to pay for the iniquity of Israel and forty years would pass to pay for the iniquity of Judah. I propose in my book, “The Fourth Day: Why the Bible is Historically Accurate”, that Zedekiah’s reign ended at 390 B.C.; the reason his reign ended then was because Nebuchadnezzar’s forces had set up siegeworks against Jerusalem nineteen months before (2 Kings 25:1). Now do the math; 390 years from the end of the siege brings us to 0 B.C. (or A.D. 0 for that matter). Since many theologians belive that Jesus Christ was crucified in A.D. 33, then the date of birth would have been 0 B.C. since he lived for 33 years.

Now consider the context of the prophecy. Ezekiel was asked to place the punishment of Israel on himself; wasn’t Christ’s purpose to come to Earth and carry the punishment for sin for Israel (and the rest of the world) on the cross? Therefore I believe this prophecy was used as a sign to indicate the time of Jesus Christ’s birth.

I believe this prophecy has another element to it. Consider Ezekiel 4:13:

“And the Lord said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them.” I believe that according to this verse that in the 390 year period the Israelites would be scattered among the Gentile nations and then brought back to Israel at the end of the 390 year period so they wouldn’t have to “eat their bread among the Gentiles”. So how would they be brought back? The New Testament records that Caesar Augustus declares a census and because of this Mary and Joseph, the parents of Jesus Christ, were to go to Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-3): “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius (Greek version of Quiriniuis) was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.” Historians have observed that all the citizens of the vast territory of the Roman Empire were required to return to their original countries within the Empire as part of this census. This act sent peoples that had been separated from their original countries because of enslavement through acts of war to return to their homelands. The fulfillment of this prophecy proclaimed by Ezekiel regarding the 390 years was accomplished by the Roman Empire and the census that brought Jesus Christ to Bethlehem.

According to conventional chronologists this 390 years of “eating with the Gentiles” marked the split of the nation of Israel into two countries during the rule of Rehoboam 390 years before the destruction of the Temple by Nebuchadnezzar. This explanation has several problems. 1.) Reading the context of Ezekiel’s account just sounds like a prophecy rather than a retelling of history as proposed by the conventional chronologists. It sounds like Ezekiel is preparing the Israelites for some awful set of circumstances that are yet to occur. 2.) If the 390 years is describing an event that happens in the past, then what about Judah’s 40 years? Do the 40 years describe an event that has already occurred? There is just not an event that occurs 40 years in the past from the destruction of Jerusalem that happens to Judah that also fits the prophecy. 3.) If the destruction of Jerusalem marks the end of the period, why is Israel still “eating with the Gentiles”? Even when Jerusalem is destroyed, this time of “eating with the Gentiles” has not ended because all of Israel has been relocated either to Assyria or Babylon; so this can not be the fulfillment of this prophecy. The prophecy is only fulfilled when the Israelites came back home during the census of Cyrenius.

Forty Days Now consider the prophecy that impacted the nation of Judah (Ezekiel 4:6):

“And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.”

I believe this prophecy predicted when the tribe of Judah would return to Jerusalem from Babylon as directed by Cyrus the Great; this would have been forty years from 390 B.C., which would be 350 B.C.



By: Darren Thompson

About the Author:

Teresita Holbein

The word canon is derived from the Greek word kanon (“kanon”), a rod, ruler, staff, or measuring rod. The Biblical canon is the list of books recognized by the leaders of the church, based on objective criteria, to be inspired by God and to authoritatively and accurately express the historical relationship between God and His people.

Formal creation of Christian Scripture was achieved slowly. In the early years, the message of Christianity was transmitted orally. Preachers, many of whom had seen Jesus and heard him teach, shared vivid memories and proclaimed the message of His death, burial, and resurrection.

As the years passed, however, and the church spread into Asia Minor and Italy, written records about Jesus and the apostles became increasingly important. For instance, as an aging apostle, Peter urged readers to rely heavily upon what he had written (2 Peter 1). Eventually, those writings would assume a status equivalent to the Hebrew Scriptures.

There is little doubt, that the earliest texts of the emerging New Testament canon were the letters by Paul written around and just after 50 AD. Soon the gospels, the apostolic memoirs, became available as well. These texts conformed to the “rule of faith” – the Christian truth recognized in the early church. As evidenced from the early church writings, by 100 AD all books of what we now call the NT (except for a few letters and Revelation) had implicitly been accepted as part of the canon.

The first known effort to create an official list occurred in 140 AD (known now as Marcion’s canon). This included 10 of Paul’s letters and the Gospel of Luke. Marcion was a gnostic heretic (he believed the God of the OT was not the God of the NT, and he rejected the humanity of Christ). He strongly disliked the Jewish aspect of the gospels. His list was soon viewed heretical by Early Church Leaders, but sparked the need for a formal canon.

That second century conflict, scholars say, shaped the church’s emphasis on authentic apostolic connection as the main determinant of canonical status. Either a book would be written by an apostle/disciple of Jesus (Matthew, John, Peter, Paul) or by somebody closely associated with an apostle/disciple (Luke via his links to Paul, Peter and others, Mark as the “voice” of Peter, James and Jude as the brothers of Jesus). Consequently some highly regarded writings from second and third generation Christians were excluded (this includes many of the Early Church Leaders).

In 397 AD (at the Council of Carthage) a list was finally compiled and found wide acceptance. There was little disagreement, except for the books of James, Jude (both brothers of Jesus, but not known to be disciples during his lifetime), 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John, and Revelation. These books were later accepted and included in the completed New Testament.

Based on his research of the manuscript evidence for the New Testament, the great classical scholar Sir Frederic Kenyon writes:

“The interval then between the dates of original composition and the earliest extant evidence becomes so small as to be in fact negligible, and the last foundation for any doubt that the Scriptures have come down to us substantially as they were written has now been removed. Both the authenticity and the general integrity of the books of the New Testament may be regarded as finally established.”



By: Rob VandeWeghe

About the Author:

Janetta Busby

This article is the first in a series of articles that present the ideas of my print-on-demand book, “The Fourth Day: Why the Bible is Historically Accurate”.

When I was college student, I was introduced to the concept of biblical inerrancy. My pastor, Al Jackson of Lakeview Baptist Church in Auburn, Alabama, drove the point home that the Word of God, the Bible, was “God-breathed”. He explained that since the Bible was “God-breathed” it was created in the same manner as Adam when God breathed life into man in the book of Genesis. The Bible was designed, just like man was at creation, when God instructed over forty authors exactly what to write. The Bible was designed in the sense that the whole book’s purpose is the revelation of the messiah of mankind, Jesus Christ. The Bible points to Christ in very direct ways by giving the specific characteristics of his human life. The prophecies of the Old Testament indicated he would be born in Bethlehem, through the line of Jesse, and by a virgin. The spiritual aspects of Christ are alluded to in the symbols of the atonement sacrifices where animals were put on an altar and then sprinkled with salt, a symbol of eternity, to represent the once-and-for-all sacrifice that the Son of God would make on a cross one day. God coordinated all this information to point to Christ, God’s plan for man’s salvation.

Since the time that my pastor explained these things to me I have taken them to heart and I have studied the Bible with the attitude that the Bible is historically correct as well as spiritually correct. Conservative Christians have adopted this philosophy in every subject covered in the Bible except for one, chronology. Chronology, the study of the historical timeline, has been a subject where it seems the Christian community has conceded defeat. For whatever reason, Christians in the modern era have sought compromise with scholars, many of whom are downright antagonistic to Christian beliefs, so that the timeline of the Bible would have the stamp of authenticity from historians.

An article in Biblical Archaelogy Review effectively demonstrates the level of Biblical antagonism that archeological community can exhibit. Consider an excerpt from the opening paragraph of an article entitled Minimalists on Parade (Biblical Archaeology Review, Jan/Feb 2005, Vol 31, No. 1, Page 16-17): “At a recent conference on reconstructing Israelite history held in Rome, the so-called Biblical minimalist position was upheld by a number of prominent scholars. This position is not monolithic, however, and different minimalist scholars stressed different arguments. Among them:

* The Bible cannot be used as a historical source. [The position that defines a Biblical minimalist.]

* Neither can archaeology, which can only tell us whether ancient Israelites ate from a bowl 20 or 30 centimeters wide. A history of Israel based on archaeology is useless.

* There was no Exodus.

* The famous Tel Dan inscription mentioning David, excavated by Israeli archaeologist Avraham Biran, is probably a forgery; and the Hebrew words in the inscription that read “House [Dynasty] of David” probably mean something else.

* David and Solomon are only symbolic characters, not real characters.

* The Biblical accounts of the United Kingdom of Judah and Israel under David and Solomon are simply later projections into a distant mythic past.

* Judah did not even become a state until about a hundred years after David-if he lived.” One scholar mentioned in this article, Giovanni Garbini of the Universita’ di Roma La Sapienza, makes a particularly provocative comment in this article: “The name Jacob “is clearly an artificial creation of post-exilic age [after the Babylonian Exile]. It was not Jacob who became Israel, but Israel who became Jacob…”. These minimalists, who appear to represent the majority of the archaeological community, don’t regard the Bible as historically accurate. Among their objections: they don’t believe that David, Solomon or Jacob existed and don’t believe the Exodus ever occurred. These positions are as idealogically opposed to the conservative Christian view of the Bible as one can image. So why should we (Christians) seek the counsel of this group in the understanding of such a precious concept as the historical timeline of the Bible? Yet this is what has happened.

Here’s another problem with relying on the scientific community to authenticate the Bible: they have “rational” blinders on. Scientists that have no faith in Christ are limited in their ability to investigate because they assume that certain phenomena are impossible even before the investigation has begun. Since they consider themselves to be “rational” scientists the assumption that an “irrational” event has occurred is implausible. The scientific method basically allows anyone to make an assumption (any assumption), conduct research of known facts or run an experiment and use the research and/or the experiment to validate the assumption. These “rational” scientists when confronted with an “irrational” assumption simply leap over the research and experimental process and declare that the assumption in invalid because they have assumed the “irrational” assumption is just not possible. So why do these “rational” scientists behave this way? Well, consider the following possibility. Let’s say that an “irrational” event is assumed and information is collected or an experiment is performed to confirm its validity. Let’s say that the irrational event has been validated. What would be the response of the “rational” scientist? More than likely, complete denial. Such an outcome would create complete chaos in his philosophy since his “rational” method of investigation, the scientific method, would have been used to prove that an “irrational” event was possible. So what is an “irrational” event? It is just another way of saying a supernatural event, one that is beyond our understanding. Can the scientific process be used to validate an “irrational” event? Jesus Christ thought so. Jesus was explaining this idea of being “born again” to a Pharisee named Nicodemus in the New Testament (John 3:8): “The wind blows where it wishes, and you here its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus was clearly confused by this concept of being “born again” but Jesus was saying that even if you didn’t comprehend or believe this supernatural phenomenon could occur, just like something as intangible as the wind, there would be tangible evidence of it.

Certainly not all scientists believe in this manner, but the great majority of them do. How many of these scientists will view the Bible with no preconceived notions? When these scientists read in the Bible that the Earth was created in seven days they will not consider this as true because they have been trained that the universe is billions of years old. When these scientists read that a man lived to be 969 years old in the Bible they dismiss it as myth or fairy tale because men don’t currently live to be that old. They will not consider the possibility that at one time in history men did live that long. When these men read the account of Noah and a worldwide flood they have always attributed it to “local” flooding. This may have some ring of truth to it since until that time, according to the Bible, the world was one big land mass (the world was all in one place, i.e., local). According to the Bible the continents didn’t divide until the life of Peleg, a descendant of Noah. Again, the scientists certainly are not going to agree with this theory of the land mass shift because they will insist that this geological process needed millions of years to accommodate the movement of the continental land masses. Since these archeologists disagree with Christians in so many fundamental matters described in the Bible how will we ever reach an agreement on a historical timeline?

The present chronological model of the Bible is based on a mixture of Biblical truth and theoretical historical models. I believe it is time that we consider a new approach to Biblical chronology. The model I propose is based solely on the information in the Bible. If the Bible is true then historians will confirm the result of the theologians (assuming the theologians have interpreted the Bible correctly). Why should God’s Word have to be authenticated by men? If the Bible is truly trustworthy the truth of the Bible should be laid out for men to see and respond to its truth. In 1995 David Rohl, an Egyptologist, wrote his book A Test in Time to propose a radically different theory in chronology. He proposed a timeline that was based on some Biblical evidence. In fact, Rohl’s proposed date of Solomon’s reign is consistent with the timeline developed from my literal interpretation of the Bible. What is even more amazing about David Rohl is that he is described among archaeologists as a maximalist, someone who believes the Bible is historically accurate, yet he characterizes himself as a spiritual “agnostic”. If David Rohl is a maximalist then I am a “maximum” maximalist, someone significantly to the right of David Rohl’s view since I believe that the Bible is historically accurate and indeed the very word of God as it claims to be. Therefore I believe my perspective on the chronology of the Bible is unlike anything you have ever heard before.

The purpose of my book, “The Fourth Day: Why the Bible is Historically Accurate”, was to prove a biblical concept that I believe will synchronize the events recorded in the Bible with Egyptian history, Babylonian history, Persian history and Archaeology. The recognition of this concept will allow the reader to tie together all these areas of study in one neat package so that when viewed together there is no discrepancy between the Bible and these other elements of ancient history. The recognition of this concept will also illustrate that the Bible is not only a trustworthy religious document but a trustworthy historical document because of its chronological precision. First, assume that from the beginning of creation to the end of the millennial reign of Jesus Christ is a period of 7000 years; a time period analogous to the 7 day period of creation of the world mentioned in the book of Genesis. Next, recognize that the sacrifice of the Passover lamb in the Old Testament is symbolic of the fact that Jesus Christ was crucified exactly 4000 years after the creation of the world. According to the Mosaic Law each family that observed Passover was to purchase a lamb 4 days prior to the day of Passover and that lamb was to live in that household until the late afternoon of the day when the Israelite priest had to sacrifice the lamb and it was to be accomplished by nightfall. I believe these 4 days were God’s way of illustrating that the lamb of God, Jesus Christ, would be sacrificed on a cross 4000 years after the creation of the world. Therefore, symbolically and in actuality, Jesus Christ was sacrificed on the fourth day.

When you recognize this concept to be true, several significant conclusions regarding history become evident. The Israelite Monarchies of David and Solomon occurred about 180 years later than held by historians. The period of the Persian Empire from Cyrus the Great’s announcement of the rebuilding of Jerusalem until Alexander the Great’s invasion lasted only 21 years (not the approximately 200 year period currently held by historians). Egypt did not have a king (a Pharaoh) for 300 years between the 20th and 21st dynasties. I support these conclusions using the Bible, Astronomy, Archaeology, the writings of ancient historians and the monuments of ancient kings.

In the next installment of this series of articles I will address one of the most provocative discoveries of this approach to history; the discovery that the Persian Empire described in the book of Daniel only lasted for 21 years and not the 200 years claimed by historians.



By: Darren Thompson

About the Author:

Dane Nimura

Most people find it difficult to devote time to reading the Bible. They know it is important, but yet they do not make a conscious effort to allot some time to spend with the Word of God. The modern-day pace of life just does not allow enough time for such luxuries, they complain.

But this is where modern-day technology can come to the rescue. To help people who cannot find time to read books, the same books are now being converted to an audio format, known as Audio Books. A narrator reads the entire content of the book and this is recorded in a variety of formats including cassette tapes, CD ROMs, DVDs and MP3 files. These formats can be played on their respective players like the cassette, CD, DVD and MP3 players. Most of these formats can also be played on the computer.

Now the Bible is also available as an Audio Book. This makes it extremely convenient to cover large portions of the Bible within a relatively short period of time. In fact, by listening to your Audio Bible for just 30 minutes a day, you can cover the entire New Testament in 45 days. And you can do that while going through your normal everyday activities! Just think about that! The entire New Testament in 45 days, and you don’t have to read a word, rather just listen to it being read, while going about your daily routine.

Moreover, some people just don’t like reading books. Such people have a hard time reading the Bible too. The Audio Bible would be a great resource for them to study the Word of God.

This is not a substitute for reading God’s Word. But it is definitely an invaluable aid that will enhance your relationship with the Word of God.

Audio Bibles are also a great way to share God’s Wisdom with small children who cannot read the Bible yet. Children will love the dramatized version of the audio Bible. Their favorite stories will come to life and enhance their interest in reading the Bible for themselves.

We are truly a blessed generation gifted with so many technological aids to help us in our study of the Word of God.



By: Daniel Sudhakar

About the Author:

Warren Richmeier

The New Testament is the name given to the second half of the Christian Bible, the first half known to Christians as the Old Testament.

Being the Hebrew Bible, is called by the Jews as Tanakh. It is sometimes called the Greek Testament or Greek Scriptures or the New Covenant.

The New Testament records the life of Jesus Christ. It also deals with the early church and the meaning of faith in Jesus. The New Testament was written in Greek, which was widely spoken during the time of Jesus. However, Jesus and His disciples spoke Aramaic.

The authors of the New Testament did not deliberately try to create a Christian Bible. The early church already had a Bible, the Old Testament of Judaism. However, differing views of Christian faith during the A.D. 100′s led the church to form the New Testament canon. It needed the canon as authority against unacceptable religious views.The church also wanted to preserve the authentic story of Jesus’ life and death.

Books of the New Testament: The New Testament consists of 27 books organized into four sections–the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, the Letters, and Revelation. The number of books and their order are the same in the Roman Catholic and Protestant versions.

The Gospels consist of four books: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They appear as the first books in the New Testament, though they are not the earliest works in the canon. The word gospel comes from the Old English word god spell, which means good news.

The early church probably accepted the four Gospels as authentic, even though the authors were unknown. Gradually, the church associated the Gospels with two of Christ’s apostles, Matthew and John, and two companions of apostles, Mark and Luke. Traditionally, they are considered to be the authors of the Gospels.

The Gospels describe the life of Jesus: Matthew, Mark, and Luke have similarities of detail and arrangement. They are called the Synoptic Gospels. The word synoptic comes from a Greek word that means see together.

The Synoptic Gospels differ from the Gospel of John in several ways. In the Synoptic Gospels, for example, Jesus expresses His teachings chiefly in short sayings and in brief stories called parables. In John, He teaches through long statements.

Although the Synoptic Gospels generally deal with the same events, each of the four Gospels regards Jesus differently. Matthew describes Him as the lawgiver who tells how Christians and their church should act. Mark shows Him as the Saviour who triumphs through suffering. Luke presents Jesus as the Saviour of all people. John concentrates on Jesus’ divine nature.

Many scholars believe that Mark was the earliest Gospel, written just before or after the Romans captured Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Matthew and Luke were written a little later. The contents of these two Gospels indicate that both authors knew Mark’s Gospel but not each other’s. John was written last, perhaps in the A.D. 90′s.

The Acts of the Apostles is one book. It continues the story told in Luke and was written by the same author. Acts tells about the expansion of the early church. The story opens in Jerusalem, where the apostles gather after Jesus is raised from the dead. The book ends in Rome, where Saint Paul, the church’s first great missionary, preaches to the Jews while a Roman prisoner.

The Letters make up 21 books: These books contain some of the earliest writings in the New Testament, though they appear in the canon after the Gospels and the Acts. The Letters are also known as the Epistles, from a Greek word meaning to send.

The first 13 letters are called the Pauline Letters because most of them were written by Saint Paul. The last 8 are called the General Letters. Early church leaders wrote them, but scholars do not know who the authors were or disagree on who they might have been.

The Pauline Letters preserve Paul’s preaching. He wrote the letters to Christian congregations he had founded. Most of the letters were probably written in the A.D. 50′s and early 60′s. Paul’s letters discuss problems of faith and conduct.

The General Letters were written over a number of years until about A.D. 125. They deal with problems faced by second- and third-generation Christians.

Revelation is one book: It is also called the Apocalypse, from a Greek word meaning to reveal. A man named John wrote the book, but he is probably not the same person who wrote the Gospel of John.

Revelation begins as letters “to the seven churches that are in Asia.” It then gives a symbolic description of God’s final triumph, through Christ, over evil and death. This description comes from a series of visions of the future sent by God to the author through an angel.

Development of the New Testament: The first generation of Christians preserved memories of Jesus’ teachings, deeds, and Crucifixion largely by word of mouth. The story of Jesus was not written down in the Gospels until the second generation of the church.



By: Paul Hata

About the Author:

Tomas Amster