42 page booklet
No other book has a history like that of the Bible. Its origin, authorship, and antiquity surpass anything ever written. In spite of its continuous opposition its existence is nothing short of miraculous. The diversity and beauty of its teachings make the Bible the most meaningful and significant book ever penned. A collection of sixty-six separate books, written by some forty different writers, living centuries apart, speaking different languages, and brought up under different civilizations make it a most unique compilation. Over 1,500 years elapsed between the first chapters written by Moses and the concluding words written by the Apostle John.
No other historical record dates as far back as the Bible. Its internal evidence must be studied in order to understand its origin, authorship, and even its credibility. This fact-filled booklet examines these issues and concludes that the Bible is a reliable source of truth. The test of prophecy is applied and found trustworthy. Spurious passages are revealed as well as the value of our English translations. Every Christian should understand these facts so the basis of their faith on the word of God will be sound.
Weight: 3 oz
Dimensions: 8.5 × 5.5 × .0625 in
Below is a detailed, chapter-by-chapter summary of Fascinating Facts for Bible Students (published by the Associated Bible Students of Central Ohio, © 2013) .
Introduction
Begins with Isaiah 55:11, underscoring that God’s Word “shall not return…void” but will accomplish His purpose.
Chapter One: The Authorship and Credibility of the Bible (pp. 1–8)
Presents the Bible as a unique 66-book collection by about 40 authors over 1,500 years.
Argues that its internal harmony, absence of prejudicial coloring, fulfilled prophecies, and transparent records attest to its trustworthiness.
Describes the divine commissioning of Moses to inscribe the Law and subsequent prophetic writings (Exodus 17:14; Deut. 31:9–26; 2 Tim. 3:15–16) and the Hebrews’ meticulous care in copying texts to prevent corruption.
Notes New Testament origins in eyewitness accounts (1 John 1:1–3) and apostolic letters, culminating in the Revelation to John around A.D. 100.
Chapter Two: Author of the Judeo-Christian Bible is the Author of Science (pp. 9–12)
Defines science as “systematic knowledge…gained by observable facts.”
Shows the Bible records scientific truths centuries or millennia before their “discovery” by human researchers:
Earth suspended on nothing (Job 26:7), long before space science confirmed it.
Round earth (“circle of the earth,” Isaiah 40:22; Prov. 8:27) vs. ancient flat-Earth myths.
Valleys of the sea (Psalm 18:15; Job 38:16) anticipating ocean trenches.
“Paths of the sea” (Psalm 8:8) prefiguring ocean currents (Matthew Maury).
Rules for rain and lightning (Genesis 8:22; Job 28:26) centuries before meteorology.
Stellar dynamics (Orion, Pleiades, Arcturus in Job 38:31–32) confirmed by modern astronomy.
Chapter Three: The Test of Prophecy (pp. 13–16)
Emphasizes prophecy as a divine “touchstone.” An omniscient God alone can “declare the end from the beginning” (Isa. 46:10).
Lists hundreds of fulfilled Old Testament prophecies concerning Christ—e.g., birthplace (Micah 5:2), virgin birth (Isa. 7:14), crucifixion details (Ps. 22; Isa. 53).
Reviews prophetic judgments on Tyre, Sidon, Babylon, and especially Israel’s scattering and regathering (Ezek. 37; Jer. 31; Amos 9), all historically realized.
Covers New Testament forecasts, notably Jesus’ prediction of Jerusalem’s siege and the church’s escape (Luke 21:20–24) fulfilled in A.D. 70.
Chapter Four: The Historic Journey of God’s Written Word (pp. 17–26)
Traces Old Testament preservation—from Mosaic recording in the Tabernacle ark through Davidic, prophetic, and Masoretic copying, confirmed by the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Chronicles the Septuagint translation (3rd century B.C.), Jerome’s Latin Vulgate (A.D. 405), and the Bible’s concealment in the medieval Latin Church (“clothed in sackcloth”).
Highlights the secret copying efforts of Wycliffe, Hus, and others; Gutenberg’s 1455 Latin Bible; Tyndale’s 1526 English New Testament; the Geneva and King James versions; and the interplay of church and state shaping each translation.
Chapter Five: Relative Values of Ancient Manuscripts (p. 27)
Examines the age, quality, and textual reliability of key discoveries—Codex Sinaiticus, Alexandrian, Vaticanus—by Prof. Constantine Tischendorf, showing how manuscript evidence converges on an authentic text.
Chapter Six: Professor Constantine Tischendorf’s Spurious Passages (p. 31)
Identifies later interpolations—such as the Johannine comma (1 John 5:7–8) and other additions—highlighting how comparative manuscript study exposes non-original readings.
Chapter Seven: Importance of Careful Scrutiny (p. 35)
Urges rigorous textual criticism: collating variant manuscripts, examining context, and using internal and external evidence to safeguard the integrity of the biblical text.
Chapter Eight: The English Bible Translated — A Chronology of Principal Translations (p. 39)
Outlines major English versions: Wycliffe (1384), Tyndale (1526), Coverdale (1535), Great Bible (1539), Geneva (1560), Bishop’s (1568), King James (1611), and subsequent revisions.
Chapter Nine: Other Fascinating Facts About the Bible (p. 41)
A compendium of miscellany—statistics on global translations, manuscript counts, notable numeric patterns, and lesser-known historical anecdotes underscoring the Bible’s uniqueness
This booklet weaves historical, scientific, prophetic, and textual evidence to make a compelling case for the Bible’s divine origin, meticulous preservation, and enduring relevance. If you’d like more depth on any one chapter—manuscript details, prophetic case studies, or translation history—just let me know!
