Any book that chronicles a credible record of historical events must undergo the test of accuracy. Because the Bible presents religious truth affords no reason why it should be allowed to avoid this test. However, the Bible welcomes the test of accuracy in spite of the long time span of its multiple authors. If what the diverse human authors record about history fails to accord with fact, then what the Bible teaches about religion becomes questionable. If what the diverse human authors record about history accords with fact, then what the Bible teaches about religion deserves validity.

The Bible has passed multiple tests of historical accuracy with the unique record of no mistakes. In fact, the entire collection of sixty-six books has no rival among religious books for historical accuracy. For example, consider how the nineteenth century critics challenged the accuracy of the biblical record concerning the Hittites, the Horites of Sargon II, and Sodom and Gomorrah. Critics condemned the biblical record as myth until archaeological excavations completely authenticated the biblical record. One Egyptian tablet actually recorded a fierce battle between Ramses II and the Hittites at Kadesh on the Orontes River. The Bible proved accurate; the critics proved false.

Earlier Bible scholars also had doubted the accuracy of Bible statements concerning Belshazzar because no known secular historical records listed this ruler. But in 1853 archaeologists found an inscription in Ur which confirmed the Bible record about Belshazzar. Archeology has continued to confirm biblical records but, more importantly, has never produced one contradiction..

As early as 1929 Robert Dick Wilson, the renowned Bible professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, told his class, "I have acquired knowledge of every language spoken by the nations which the Israelites contacted. Genesis 12 contains an amazing list of facts about the ancient world. Not one statement has ever been proven false." This scholarly affirmation summarizes the proven fact of the unique accuracy of the biblical record. No other sacred book equals the Bible for historical accuracy.

The science of archeology continues to confirm the historical accuracy of the Bible by factual and external evidence gained by scientific excavations. Archeology continues to confirm that the Bible is unique in its accurate historical statements. No matter what the accuracy test, the Bible has vindicated its validity.

Harry Thomas Frank has written an excellent summation of the accuracy of the Bible, saying, "If, for example, the recovery of ancient Middle Eastern life had shown that the Biblical writers were either incorrect in what history they do report or had sought to falsify it, there would be serious repercussions concerning the veracity of other Biblical statements. Just the opposite has in fact happened. Archaeological recovery of ancient life has tended at point after point to show with what faithfulness the Biblical writers recorded contemporary events. This indicates that the Bible as a primary historical document is a trustworthy guide to those events and situations which it describes." [DISCOVERING THE BIBLICAL WORLD, Hammond Inc., Maplewood, N.J., 1975, p.17].

Fair judgment requires a reasonable explanation for the unique accuracy of the Bible's record of human history.

Common sense cannot accept the explanation that some scholar or scholars edited the biblical record and removed all the mistakes.

Common sense cannot accept the explanation that this diverse group of authors who wrote over such a long time span possessed human ability shared by no others so that they made no mistakes.

Common sense can accept the explanation that the inspiration of God preserved the human authors from mistakes because the Bible is what it claims to be: the Word of God.

Common sense can discover no alternative for the validity that this unique accuracy gives the Bible.

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