By Stanley Horton
My Harvard professor said Exodus 37:17-24, which describes sevenfold
lamps, was in error because such lamps did not exist in Moses’
time. Later I took part in an archaeological expedition in Dothan
in Israel and watched workmen uncover a sevenfold lamp dating from
1400 B.C., right from Moses’ time.
Critics once said the Hittites never existed because the Greeks
and Egyptians didn’t mention them. Then a whole Hittite civilization
was discovered. The Greeks and Egyptians did mention them but got
the name so twisted no one recognized it. The Bible had it right.
That did not satisfy the critics. They said, "That may be
true, but the Horites are fiction." Others said Sargon never
existed. Some even said King David never existed. But Horites were
proved to be the same as Hurrians. Sargon’s palace has been
excavated. Recently, an ancient inscription was discovered that
mentions David’s name and kingdom.
Again and again the Bible has been proved true. It is the critics
who are in error due to their unbelief and insufficient knowledge.
Other supposed errors include chronological difficulties caused
because the Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all used different
systems of measuring time or dating. One cause of apparent contradictions
is that one passage may use round numbers; another may give the
exact figure, depending on the purpose of the writer.
Most of the errors critics talk about are copyists’ errors.
Because the books of the Bible were copied by hand it was easy to
make spelling mistakes, misread a word, or leave out a word or a
line. By comparing the many ancient copies that have been discovered,
scholars can determine the original reading in the vast majority
of cases. These cases where we can’t be sure are mostly differences
in spelling or word order. None of them affect the teachings of
the Bible in any way.
Remember also that the Bible uses everyday language because it
was written for the common people, not for scientists. Actually,
scientific language did not develop until modern times. Most of
us still use the language of appearance, just as the Bible does.
Who says, "What a beautiful earthset," even though we
know that it is the earth’s turning that causes the sunset?
The Bible is a wonderful revelation of God and His plan. It will
not lead us astray.
For more on this subject, see Bible Doctrines, by Menzies
and Horton.
Stanley Horton, Th.D., is distinguished professor
emeritus of Bible and theology, Assemblies of God Theological Seminary;
coordinator of the Pentecostal Textbook Project; and general editor
of Logion Press, Springfield, Mo.
