Background of the Bible

"And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God" (Nehemiah 6:16).

How did the Bible come into existence? Who wrote it? What was happening as it was being written? All these questions and more are answered here in the Background of the Bible.

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Western Thinking About Middle East Misses Key Factor

Say "Middle East" to people in other parts of the world, and they will think in terms of countries such as Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, etc. Recent events have forced the average Westerner to become...
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The Biblical Origins of the Arab Peoples

Why is there so much unrest in the Middle East? Why is there constant strife between the Israelis and Palestinians? The answers to these questions didn't begin with the formation of the state of Israel in 1948. The history of...
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What Do We Do Now?

In the wake of the war with international terrorism and the subsequent Allied response, a new kind of protracted conflict is shaping up. We are threatened with the shadows of an apocalypse of long duration. How do we cope?
Two Bibles stacked on a table
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Which Bible Should I Use?

"Which Bible should I use?" is a question frequently asked among our members. And with all the confusion regarding English translations, it is a question worthy of examination.
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The Bible and Archaeology: Jesus Christ—The Early Years

For years critics of the Bible viewed the historical accounts of the Gospels as little more than a fraud. However, a wealth of archaeological discoveries paints a picture that confirms many of the details surrounding Christ's birth.
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The Bible and Archaeology: The Intertestamental Period—Daniel's Prophecies Come to Pass

As the period covered by the Old Testament drew to a close, Daniel wrote a series of prophecies about events that would soon transform the Middle East. Read how his astounding prophecies were fulfilled in remarkable detail.
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The Bible and Archaeology: The Kingdom of Judah—Exile and Restoration

In this issue we pick up the story with conditions and circumstances that allowed the descendants of the Kingdom of Judah to return to their homeland.
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The Bible and Archaeology: The Downfall of Judah—Exile to Babylon

We continue with an examination of the last years of Judah as a kingdom.
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The Bible and Archaeology: The Later Kings of Israel—A Kingdom's Downfall

The previous issue presented archaeological evidence that confirms and clarifies the biblical record of the early kings of the northern 10 tribes of Israel after the death of Solomon. We continue the story with the later kings and downfall of...
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The Bible and Archaeology: The Early Kings of Israel - A Kingdom Divided

This series in The Good News will continue covering archaeological discoveries relating to the later kings of the house of Israel. It is astonishing how much evidence supporting the biblical record has been uncovered by the spade of diligent archaeologists.
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Seeds of Separation

For numerous reasons the roots of Israel's disunity go as far back as Egypt. God knew from the beginning that good intentions don't always produce good actions.
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The Bible and Archaeology: King Solomon's Reign - Israel's Golden Years

What has archaeology revealed about King Solomon's reign in the 10th century B.C.? Remarkably, there is much evidence to corroborate the biblical account.
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The Sabbath in Acts: Luke's Record of Paul's Understanding

Luke had been a companion of Paul. He would have understood the apostle's teaching concerning the Sabbath. What does his written record show?
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Back to (All) the Bible

More and more scholars are re-examining the widely-held disregard for God's law.
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Scholars Take Up Paul's Cause

A new willingness is evident among scholars to admit that the traditional characterization of Paul as a rebel against the law is deeply flawed.
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The Bible and Archaeology: The First Mention of Israel

An archaeological find from the 19th century clearly establishes Israel as a nation inhabiting Palestine in the 13th century BC.
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The Bible and Archaeology: Archaeology and the Book of Judges

During this period of more than 300 years, God periodically raised up judges to rescue and rule over Israel as the Israelites struggled with indigenous peoples over control of the land.
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Famous Battles at Megiddo

Many battles have taken place in Megiddo, the place where the armies will gather in the end times.
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The Bible and Archaeology: The Red Sea or the Reed Sea?

For many years scholars have disagreed over the identity of the sea the Israelites crossed and thus the site of the drowning of Pharaoh's army. Three routes for the Exodus have been proposed and continue to be debated.
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Jericho: The Lesson of Not Coming Into Sin

Ancient Israel had to learn a painful, tragic lesson at Jericho. What should Christians today learn from their experience?
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