Lesson Two – The Bible is the Word of God
INTRODUCTION
:A. We have seen in our last lesson that there is indeed a God and that God did create the heavens and the earth. We have also seen in the unique nature of man something that is not material or animal. Surely God manifests himself in us and the rest of his creation.
B. In the lesson to follow, we want to see that, having made man in his image (having intellect, wisdom, judgment, moral consciousness, etc.), God revealed himself and his will to men and that the Bible is that revelation.
I.
WHAT DO WE MEAN BY "REVELATION?"A. The scriptures claim that they are inspired of God (God-breathed) and that they came not from human wisdom or impulse (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21).
B. REVEAL - From the Greek word, apokulupto, which means to unveil, uncover. REVELATION - "A laying bare, making naked" - Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon.
C. Man's finite nature makes it impossible for him to discover on his own God’s infinite will. Our limited wisdom, therefore, makes it necessary for God to reveal himself to us (Isa. 55:8-9). God’s revelation removes the covering (Man's limitations), bridging the gap between human wisdom and divine wisdom - telling man of his origin, purpose, and destiny.
II.
CAN MAN KNOW GOD APART FROM SOME REVELATION?A. We cannot know God by nature.
1. It is true that we can know that God is through his handiwork (Psa. 19:1-4; Rom. 1:20). But what does God’s creation tell us about God’s will?
2. From his earliest history, man, with all his wisdom and all of his observation of nature, has worshiped the creature rather than the creator (Rom. 1:25). Man sees the beauty of nature and the power that God gives nature, and without revelation, nature is all we know of God. Therefore, man worships nature and all of its beings which are God’s creation. Worship is determined by lusts and appetites.
B. We cannot know God by intuition.
1. (Prov. 14:12; Jer. 10:23). Man can’t direct his own steps.
2. The gospel is God’s power to salvation (Rom. 1:16). If man had some inner light, what would be the need of the gospel?
C. We cannot know God by human wisdom.
1. (1 Cor. 1:21; 3:19). The only way we can know God is through the preaching and studying of his word.
2. With all the vaunted accomplishments of the Roman Empire, the celebrated philosophers of Greece, the moral and spiritual degradation of that generation is graphically pictured in Romans 1. Even Plato realized the inadequacy and limitation of human philosophy and wisdom when he said, "We will wait for one, either God or a God inspired man to teach us our religious duties and to take away the darkness from our eyes."
D. Without a revelation from God to man, man by his own resources could never have known God and his will for man.
III.
WHY WE BELIEVE THE BIBLE TO BE THE WORD OF GOD, HIS REVELATION OF HIMSELF TO MAN.A. UNITY. Not one, but 66 books written by about 40 men over a period of approximately 1500 years. They had different backgrounds, spoke several languages, lived in different areas, yet their writings made a complete and harmonious whole. There are links or threads of evidence that tie all of these books together and prove that they all stemmed from one mind, the mind of God. There is one underlying theme of the Bible. That theme is of man's reconciliation to God through Christ.
B. ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE.
1. General evidence.
a. Common origin of civilization - The Fertile Crescent.
b. Jewish history as recorded in the Bible as compared with other contemporary histories.
2. Special evidence.
a. Early writing. Until fairly recently it was thought that writing was not known until after the time of Moses. The Code of Hammurabi, the Weld Prism, and the Pre-flood Tablets have now proven the use of writing in Abraham’s day, and in some cases, much earlier.
b. Early use of metals. Until recently the "Iron Age" was supposed to be from 1200 BC onward. Now the "Iron Age" has been pushed back another 1500 years to 2700 BC.
c. The flood. Geologists are daily finding evidence that large areas of the earth were once covered by water. Many other ancient histories record great floods.
d. Solomon’s wealth has been established by extensive digging and searching in the Palestine area.
e. The building of the great Egyptian cities of Pithon and Ramses was by slave labor about the time of the Exodus. At Pithon the bricks which are in the lower walls are full of straw; the higher you go, the less straw you find until there is none in the top (Compare Ex. 5).
f. King Belshazzar of Babylon (Dan. 5). For many years all Babylonian records give no such name, listing Nabonidus as the last king before the Persian invasion. However, the British Museum discovered a number of clay tablets that listed Nabonidus as having a son, Belshazzar, who ruled jointly with him and was killed in the Persian conquest. (See Archaeology and the Bible, J.A. Thompson for more.)
C. SCIENTIFIC ACCURACY.
1. Although over 1900 years old, the Bible contains none of the geographical, historic, and scientific mistakes and inaccuracies that characterize the writings of its times.
2. The Bible, though not a science text-book, contains an intriguing amount of scientific "fore-knowledge."
a. The rotundity of the earth (Prov. 8:27; Isa. 40:22).
b. The suspension of the earth (Job 26:7).
c. The paths of the sea...Matthew Fontaine Maury charted the currents of the sea after reading Psa. 8:8.
D. STYLE. The writers of the Bible were completely impartial, unlike others. The worst moments of the greatest heroes of the Bible are presented in glaring candidness. Such as Noah’s drunkenness, Abraham’s lie, Jacob’s deceit, David’s adultery, Peter’s cowardice, Paul’s blasphemy, etc.
E. THE BIBLE’S MORAL STANDARD is proof of its inspiration. The Old Testament writers lived in a country surrounded and influenced by heathens whose religions and immoralities are shocking to think about. The New Testament writers were surrounded by the immoralities and vices of pagan Rome and Greece. Yet the moral standard they set forth is far above anything known to their generations. How can the skeptic account for the fact that the world’s greatest literature and highest moral standard comes not from the geniuses of Rome, the philosophers or of Greece, or the scholars and moralists of today, but from a handful of Jewish fishermen who never went to college and never had another book published? What is the basis for the Bible’s moral standard?( Mat. 22:37-40; Rom. 13:8ff ).
F. FULFILLED PROPHECY.
1. Concerning Ishmael( Gen. 16:10-12; 17:20 ).
2. Concerning Israel.
a. Balaam’s prophecy( Numbers 23:9-10; 24:17-18 ).
b. Concerning Israel’s downfall( Deut. 28:14-64 ).
i. 400 years before their king( vs. 36 ).
ii. "Hiss & byword"( vs. 37; Jer. 29:18 ).
iii. Captors speak a strange tongue( vs. 49-50 ).
iv. Siege, cannibalism, death( vs. 49-57 ). Literally fulfilled in the Syrian siege( 2 Kings 6:24-31 )and the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.
v. Many Jews would perish( vs. 62 ). 1,200,000 died in the destruction of Jerusalem.
vi. Slavery( vs. 68 ). 99,000 Jews were sold by Rome.
3. Concerning the nations.
a. Babylon( Isa. 13:17-22 ).
b. Cyrus and the Medo-Persian Empire( Isa. 41:21-27; 44:6-21; 44:22-5:7 ).
G. SURVIVAL. No book has been so loved and so cherished as the Bible. Yet no book has come under greater attack than this book. Voltaire boasted that by the end of his life or shortly thereafter, the philosophers of his day would cause men to forget the Bible. Today who remembers Voltaire?
CONCLUSION
:Jesus said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall never pass away" (Mark 13:31 ). We believe that the word of God is in our possession right now. We believe that it is complete( 2 Tim. 3:16-17 ). We believe that it is truly what it claims to be( 1 Thes. 2:13 ). We believe that it is verbally inspired( 1 Cor. 2:13, 16 ). IT IS GOD’S COMMUNICATION, HIS REVELATION TO MAN.
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL ON THE PROPHETS
I.
ISRAEL.A. The Land Promise( Gen. 15:18 ).
1. Not possible yet( vs. 16 ).
2. The time of fulfillment( Acts 7:3-7, 17 ).
3. Passages demonstrating the fulfillment( Josh. 21:42-45; 23:14-16; 2 Sam. 8:3; 1 Kings 4:21; Neh. 9:7-8 ).
B. Other warnings( Deut. 6:10-15; 8:19-20; 29:1, 24-29;Jer. 18:1-12; Josh. 23:12f. ).
C. Scattered but not consumed( Jer. 5:18; 30:11 ).
D. The restored remnant.
1. Obedience would bring restoration( Deut. 30:1-10 ).
2. Remnant would remain( Isa. 10:20-23; Jer. 23:1-4 ).
70 years would be the limit of their captivity( Jer. 25:11-12; 29:10 ).
3. Both Israel and Judah restored under 1 king( Ez. 37 ).
vs. 1-14
. the dry bones.vs. 15-28
. two sticks and one king.E. Always a people, never a kingdom( Jer. 19 ).
II.
THE NATIONS.A. Egypt( Isaiah 19; Ezekial 29, 30 ).
1. Ezekial 30:13-15
- Destroy the idols of Memphis( vs. 13 ).
- No( Thebes ) to be broken up and fired( vs. 14 ).
- The multitude of No to be cut off( vs. 15 ).
- No more a prince in Egypt( vs. 13 ).
2. Isa. 19:5-10. Land to be less productive( Ez.30:12 )
B. Ninevah( Nahum; Isa. 10:12-14; Zeph. 2:13-15 ).
1. Nahum
- 1:10. Destroyed while they were drunk.
- 1:8; 2:6. To be destroyed in overwhelming flood.
- 3:13. Would be burned.
- 3:19. Totally destroyed and become desolate.
- 3:10. Captivity.
2. Isa. 10:12-14; Zeph. 2:13-15. Changed & desolate.