Where Did Our Amazing Bible Come From?
Hebrews Wrote Our Amazing Bible
Our amazing Bible is the most influential book ever written. No other literary work rivals the Bible in its moral relevance, its longevity, or its religious depth. Christianity and Judaism consider it the foundational text and accept it as divinely inspired scripture.
We can read our amazing Bible today because the Hebrews wrote it and preserved it.
It was difficult to live the Hebrew religion. Other religions were much more entertaining. But the Hebrews persisted in keeping records of the words of the prophets. Those records became the amazing Bible we enjoy today.
The Hebrews are a peculiar people. They practice a unique religion.
Let me tell you a little about the religions of the non-Israelites living in Palestine during the Old and New Testament times. The Bible calls these people Gentiles.
Idolatry Surrounded The Hebrews
First, let me explain that Gentiles believed in many gods.
One popular god was Baal. Baal was a metal statue that stood in the middle of his temple. They heated this statue until it was red-hot. Part of the ceremony was for a priest to place a child or infant in the statue’s arms to be burned alive. Drums accompanied this ritual, chanting, dancing, and music. This, to me, is a strange form of entertainment.
If the audience became bored with that entertainment, they could attend the temple of the fertility goddess (Isis, Aphrodite). At this temple, public prostitution accompanied erotic music and dancing. They recruited both men and women for these naked performances. This was real-life pornography.
In some cities, girls could not marry until they had served as prostitutes for the fertility goddess. Prostitution was a major source of income for pagan priests.
When the people were tired of just watching, they could go to the Groves. There they could get drunk, strip naked, and join in the orgy.
It’s amazing that with that kind of carnal entertainment so readily available, how many Israelites maintained their relatively sedate religion.
Israelite Religion Was Unique
- The Israelites believed in prophets, and their prophets kept records. You must remember that writing was not easy. They did not have computers. They kept most records on papyrus or leather, which they rolled onto sticks. These are called scrolls. The ink was homemade. The writer repeatedly dipped the stylus pen (sometimes a feather) into the homemade ink.
A lot of hard work went into keeping these records.
2. Many Hebrews taught their children to read or at least memorize and recite the words of the prophets.
3. Rabbis were teachers, not entertainers. The religion of Jehovah was boring compared to other religions of the day.
4. The Hebrews preserved the prophetic records. Many scribes were employed to copy and re-copy the words of the prophets.
5. Jewish scribes also translated the books from Hebrew into other languages, like Aramaic and Greek.
6. The Jews are also responsible for our New Testament. Jesus and all the apostles were Jews. Christianity began as a sect of Judaism.
Let’s Thank The Hebrews For Our Amazing Bible
We can trace the foundation of Christianity to the Israelites. They paved the way for our Christian beliefs.
The Hebrews diligently kept the records of the holy prophets. They preserved the records through centuries of wars and persecutions. Babylon, Greece, and Rome all tried to burn their books and destroy their temples. Yet, the Jews remained undeterred.
It is because the Hebrews preserved prophetic records that we even have our amazing Bible.
Therefore, we should thank the Hebrews.
Check out this video: Can we Trust the Bible-One Hope
See my post about faith
I realize some of you are angry because the Jews crucified our Lord. But we can’t disregard the Hebrews’ contribution to our Bible and to Christianity.
