Can I trust the Old Testament?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The Bible testifies to its own trustworthiness (Proverbs 30:5; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). Archeological evidence has also confirmed this testimony. For example, Genesis 19 tells of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the site where those cities were located shows evidence of violent destruction. Nearly every culture has a great flood account, confirming the truth of Genesis 6. The Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered in the 1940s, showed reliable transmission of the Old Testament books over thousands of years. Besides archeological discoveries, fulfilled prophecy also shows that the Old Testament can be trusted. The many Messianic prophecies (Isaiah 9, 53; Micah 5:2; Zechariah 9:9, 11:12-13) were fulfilled with specificity in Christ (Matthew 4:13-16; Acts 8:32-35; Luke 2:4-7; John 12:14-15; Matthew 27:3-10). The Old Testament can be trusted because it is God’s Word.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Proverbs indicates that “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him” (Proverbs 30:5). The many prophecies of the Old Testament, such as those about the Messiah, were proven true by Christ’s life, death, and resurrection in the New Testament.
• That so many cultures have a flood account supports the validity of Genesis 6.
• The Genesis 19 account of God's destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is supported by geological evidence.
• The trustworthiness of the Old Testament is seen in the many messianic prophecies that were later fulfilled in Jesus Christ (Isaiah 9, 53; Micah 5:2; Zechariah 9:9, 11:12-13).

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Jesus and some apostles quoted the Old Testament, showing that they trusted it (Matthew 4:4, 22:37; Luke 4:18-19; Acts 2:16-17; Romans 1:17).
• Paul assured Timothy that “all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Paul was undoubtedly referring to mainly the Old Testament since it was what would have been thought of as completed Scripture.
• The specificity of Jesus' fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies—including such details of where the Messiah would be born—is too compelling to be coincidental (Matthew 4:13-16; Acts 8:32-35; Luke 2:4-7; John 12:14-15; Matthew 27:3-10).

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Trust is hard because lying is wide-spread: we’ve probably all been burned by claims of nonstick “miracle” pans that fry eggs with no oil, the newest diet that claims to melt belly fat “overnight,” or the copper bracelet that “cures” even the worst arthritis. But we’ll never be wrong when we trust the Bible. The wisdom in Scripture is far above what mere human beings could imagine—and that’s because its author is God. That divine authorship is also attested to by the Bible’s fulfilled prophecies. What all this tells us, archeology has confirmed: we can trust God’s Word.

Yet according to Barna data (in conjunction with the American Bible Society) only a bit more than 40% of the U.S. population use the Bible. Believers should certainly be within that percentage and should help increase it by telling others about the greatest book they’ll ever read.

Have you read the Bible today? If not, why not? Wisdom awaits.

UNDERSTAND

• Jesus and the apostles frequently quoted the Old Testament, showing that they trusted it.
• Archeological findings have verified Old Testament accounts.
• Fulfilled prophecy is further proof that the Old Testament is trustworthy.

REFLECT

• What are some reasons that you trust the Old Testament?
• What books of the Old Testament have been especially significant in your life?
• What specific evidence—fulfilled prophecy, archaeology, or Jesus’ affirmation—most strengthens your trust in the Old Testament?

ENGAGE

• Why might some Christians give less attention to the Old Testament than the New Testament, and how can we uphold the importance of the Old Testament?
• What are some archeological findings that support Old Testament historical accounts?
• What are some strategies can we use to engage with Bible skeptics on the reliability of the Old Testament?