If you have been following my website for any length of time you probably know that I love to use quotations from famous people to add credibility to my blog posts. While quotations from famous people don’t prove that the Bible is a divinely inspired book, they do add a certain level of credibility that the Bible may just be a special book. Not only that but since the world loves to use their experts to try to disprove the veracity of the Bible, I believe it is important to use experts on the other side of the aisle to demonstrate why the Bible is like no other book ever written.
For example, while there are many scientists that put their faith in science and don’t believe in the value of the Bible, there are also many scientists today, as well as in the past, who strongly feel the Bible is a friend of science and divinely inspired. In fact, some of the greatest scientists of the past, men such as Newton, Boyle, Faraday, Kepler, and Kelvin, were strong proponents of the divine nature of the Scriptures. Again, while this doesn’t prove the Bible it should cause one to perhaps reconsider at least checking out the Bible.
I believe that one of the most powerful proofs of the historical nature of the Bible is the field of archaeology. Archaeology, over the last 150 years, has been a wonderful friend to the Bible; showing numerous biblical accounts as historically accurate. Critics of the historical accuracy of the Bible no longer have a leg to stand on thanks to the numerous archaeological excavations that have take place in the last 150 years. These digs have proven so many biblical accounts to be spot on, in my opinion, it is hard to argue with the archaeological facts of the historical nature of the Bible. In fact, while archaeology hasn’t proven all biblical accounts to be accurate, simply because they have not unearthed finds to validate these accounts, I believe because the track record of the Bible is so strong that we should give the Bible the benefit of the doubt in these cases.
May the following quotes, from people familiar with the nature and field of archaeology, give you a flavor why this field of science (archaeology) provides us with solid apologetic evidence for the historical accuracy of Scripture.1
“We’re not asking people to believe what the Bible says about God, just “because it says so.” No. We want people to believe the Bible because of the wealth of good evidence that has demonstrated the Bible to be trustworthy…hundreds of fulfilled prophecies…thousands of archaeological discoveries…numerous details in the Bible that have been corroborated by extrabiblical historical sources, and so on.” – Charlie Campbell
“Archaeological work has unquestionably strengthened confidence in the reliability of the Scriptural record. More than one archaeologist has found his respect for the Bible increased by the experience of excavation in Palestine.” – Millar Burrows
“Again, and again throughout history, the archaeological evidence has supported the biblical record, not contradicted it. The evidence is clearly on the side of the Bible. Be wary of the latest news story claiming to debunk some key aspect of Christianity on the basis of recent findings that have yet to be studied in detail by qualified scholars.” – Robert Velarde
“It may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a biblical reference. Scores of archaeological findings have been made which confirm in clear outline or exact detail historical statements in the Bible. And, by the same token, proper evaluation of biblical descriptions has often led to amazing discoveries.” – Nelson Glueck
“Ever since scientific archaeology started a century and a half ago, the consistent pattern has been this: the hard evidence from the ground has borne out the biblical record again and again-and again. The Bible has nothing to fear from the spade.” – Paul Maier
“It is not too much to say that it was the rise of the science of archaeology that broke the deadlock between historians and the orthodox Christian. Little by little, one city after another, one civilization after another, one culture after another, whose memories were enshrined only in the Bible, were restored to their proper place in ancient history by the studies of archaeologists …. The overall result is indisputable. Forgotten cities have been found, the handiwork of vanished peoples has reappeared, contemporary records of biblical events have been unearthed and the uniqueness of biblical revelation has been emphasized by contrast and comparison to newly understood religions of ancient peoples. Nowhere has archaeological discovery refuted the Bible as history.” – John Elder
“The book of Acts cites at least eighty-four historical facts verified by later research and archaeology. Luke’s accuracy regarding details, names, and places has been acknowledged by numerous historians.” – Alex McFarland
“The Bible’s historical accuracy is a reminder that while “the heavens declare the glory of God,” there’s also plenty of evidence among the rubble and ruins.” – Charles Colson
1 All of these quotes are from: Charlie H. Campbell, Apologetics Quotes (Carlsbad, California: The Always Be Ready Apologetics Ministry, 2020).