There are some historical facts that skeptics of the Bible would like you to not notice. In fact, they try to outright deny them, but what do you do when the history you try to rewrite comes back and validates itself?

Daniel, Alexander the Great, Josephus’s Antquities of the Jews and more.

That is what I am discussing in today’s episode.  For a more in-depth look into the topic, head to the podcast or video links above.

KEY POINTS

– Daniel’s 5 prophecies in Daniel 9:25-26

  1. There will be an official decree or command for Jerusalem to be restored & rebuilt
  2. Jerusalem would be rebuilt
  3. Jerusalem would be destroyed again.
  4. Within a 483 year period of the decree for Jerusalem to be rebuilt, someone claiming to be the Messiah would come.
  5. After Daniel’s 69th week, the person claiming to be Messiah would be cut off … on behalf of others.
  • Discussing when these were fulfilled.
  • Discussing the claims that Daniel was written in 164 B.C. and the idea of “that is how the prophecies were fulfilled.”
  • Ezekiel 14:14 (written in 571 B.C.) speaking of Daniel as a known leader.
  • Josephus’s account of “Alexander Visits Jerusalem” 11.337 of Antiquities of the Jews

– Proofs that Jesus Existed in History

  1. Josephus referencing Jesus and his brother James, Flavious Josephus’s, Antiquities of the Jews – Boox XVIIIm Ch 3.3
  2. Tacticus, Annals 15:44
  3. Suetonius, Claudius 25
  4. Pliny the Younter, Letter to Trajan

Because these sources are embarassing to the critics, “They have provoked many attacks, especially the two Josephus instances” but they “prove conclusively that any denial of Jesus’s historicity is maundering sensationalism by the uninformed and/or the dishonest.” Paul Maier, Professor of Ancient History

– Luke’s historical claims of a Judas and a second taxing in Acts 5:36-37 are verified in Josephus’s Antiquities of the Jews.

William Ramsey is regarded as one of the greatest archaeologists ever to have lived. He believe that the Book of Acts was a product of the mid-second century.  While researching Asia Minor “he was compelled to consider the writings of Luke.”  As a result he was forced to do a complete reversal of his beliefs due to the overwhelming evidence uncovered in his research.

Ramsay concluded, “In all matters of external fact the author of Acts is seen to have been minutely careful and accurate as only a contemporary can be.”

– The Bible passes the bibliographical test of a piece of historical literature.

  1. With 5,500 texts that are in agreement with each other with such a short interval between the originals and the existing manuscripts, the Bible is an authoritative piece of ancient literature.
  2. The Illiad is the second most authoritative piece of ancient literature as it has 643 copies in existence.
  3. The History of Thucydides (460-400 B.C.) is included and it’s manuscripts are scarce.