THE
WORD OF GOD Page 1
( Heb.4:12 )
I) The Bible, Derived
from biblion, “scroll,” “ roll,” or
“book” ( Lk.4:17 ).
A) Definition : The sacred book of Christianity. –
1st officially assembled by Eusebius (264-340) under Constantine around 325
A.D. (fifty hand written copies of the “Sacred Scriptures”)
1) Byblos – Ancient
Phoenician city from which
papyrus was exported. – Split and flattened, woven and glued together swamp reeds
(why no original copies exist) .
2) Biblos—Greek word for paper or book;
Biblia- plural, collection of
books.
B) -Description
: Composed by human writers inspired by God (2Tim.3:16) ---
Ex.24:4, Deut.4: 2, Prov.30: 6,
Rev.22:19, 2Sam.23: 2, Jer.26: 2,
I Cor.2:13
1)
A single book, with unity of content and message. (
This fact is miraculous )
a) No contradictions or errors
in the original Text. ---Degree of
accuracy exceeds 99%, this is greater than any
other book from
the ancient world. (Concerning historical, scientific, medical,
geological, and all other verifiable
facts).
b)
Discernable theme and doctrines throughout. (God, sin, death,
salvation,
eternal life, etc.)
c)
Christ is the center and heart of the Bible (Jn.5:39, Ro.1:2+3,
Rev.19:10)
2) A
collection of 66 separate books. (A gradual process superintended
by God).
a) Written by over 40
different authors. -- Many different walks of life –
Kings, Prophets, Priests, Military
Leaders, Peasants, Philosophers,
Fisherman, Tax collectors, Poets, Musicians, Statesman,
Scholars,
Doctors and Shepherds.
(1) Most known, some unknown.
(2) Most of the authors never
met each other.
b)
Written over a period of 1,600 years, covering approximately
6,000 yrs.
3) Two
distinct sections uniquely connected (Old and New testaments).
a)
Old Testament—39 books ( 24 in Hebrew bible ) divided into
5 sections.
(1) Law—5 books. ( Gen. to
Deut. )
(2) History—12 books. ( Josh.
to Esth. )
(3) Poetry—5 books. ( Job to
Song )
(4) Major prophets—5
books. ( Is. to Dan. )
(5) Minor prophets—12 books. ( Hos. to
Mal. )
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b)
New Testament—27 books divided into 5 sections.
(1)
Gospels—4 books ( Mt. to Jn. )
(2)
History—1 book ( Acts )
(3)
Pauline letters—13 books ( Ro. to Philem. )
(4)
General letters—8 books ( Heb. to Jude )
(5)
Prophecy—1 book ( Rev. )
II)
The origin of the Bible,
A) The Old Testament, (The
Hebrew sacred scriptures). --- Completed and compiled by Ezra and 120 other priest and
scribes around 450 B.C. , no later than 250 B.C. (The Septuagint Greek
translation of the entire Old Testament was made in 250 B.C. is the same as we
have today)
1) The Law—Torah, also known as the Pentateuch
(the 1st 5 books of
the bible)
a) Oral Tradition—aggadah- lore or inner tradition. Passed down from
the beginning of time by the patriarchs,
sages, and wise men. From
father to son and teacher to student scrupulously
preserving every detail.
(1)
Abraham was a contemporary of Shem (for most of
Abraham’s 175 yrs.).
(2)
Shem was a contemporary of Lamech (grandson) and
Methuselah.
(3)
Lamech and Methuselah were contemporaries of Adam.
b) Written Law—halakhah – rule of practice or outward tradition.
(1)
Judeo- Arab tradition holds that Enoch invented
writing
( Enoch was a contemporary
of Methuselah ).
(2)
Archeological discoveries confirm that written language predates the flood. Excavations of
ancient Babylon have unearthed records and references
to pre-flood writings and inscriptions that had survived and were the subject of interest and study to
ancient
kings and scholars. Some seals and tablets with inscriptions and
pictographs remain today.
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(3) Archaeological evidence that is helpful in
establishing the origin
of the Bible can be found in two major forms.
Textural or written
documents (
extrabiblical texts ) and artifact evidence ( artifacts
of a previous society
testifying directly of a biblical event ). More
and more such
evidence is coming to light. It can be a very
gratifying experience to research what archeology has to contribute
to the question of the historical accuracy of the Bible. Suffice it to say
that “no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a single,
properly understood
biblical statement” (Nelson Glueck a
Reformed Jewish Scholar, Archaeologist).
c) Age old Hebrew and Christian tradition
holds that Moses was guided by God to assemble ancient
documents to create the book of Genesis (Haley’s Bible Hand book). He also had access to
the oral traditions and Gods direct revelation.
d) The books of Exodus (32:16),
Leviticus (1:1), Numbers (1:1),
and Deuteronomy (31:24-26) all make
explicit claim to being inspired
by God and given by God directly to Moses.
Genesis makes no such
claim. However, Genesis too was considered to be
part of the
“Book of Moses” (see 2Chr.35:12; Neh.13:1), and by virtue of this
association carries the same divine authority.
(“The New Evidence That Demands A
Verdict” Josh McDowell).
2) The Prophets – The rest of the entire Old Testament (also known as
the “Writings”)
a) Beginning with Joshua, holy men
inspired by God put down in writing
a record of events and revelations used
by God to mold and direct His
chosen people,Israel, to prepare them and the
rest of the world for the
coming of the Messiah.
These books have come down to us
today essentially unchanged
(order only).
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THE CANON
I)
Definition:
The word canon comes from the root
word reed
(English word cane, Hebrew form ganeh, and Greek
form kanon).
The reed was used as a
measuring rod, and came to mean “standard.”
II) Bible, Canonicity of: Canonicity
refers to the normative or authoritative
books inspired by God for inclusion in Holy Scripture. Canonicity is
determined by God. It is not the antiquity, authenticity, or religious
community that makes a
book canonical or authoritative. A book is
valuable because it is canonical, and not
canonical because it is or was
considered valuable. It’s authority is established by God and merely
discovered by God’s people.
(“Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics” Geisler)
The Incorrect View The Correct View
The Church is Determiner of Canon
The Church is Discoverer of Canon
The Church is Mother of
Canon The Church is Child
of Canon
The Church is Magistrate of
Canon The Church is Minister
of Canon
The Church is Regulator of Canon The Church is Recognizer of Canon
The Church is Judge of Canon The Church is Witness of
Canon
The
Church is Master of Canon The Church is Servant of Canon
III) Principles of Canonicity: Granted that God gave authority and
hence
canonicity to the Bible: How did believers discover the books that God
had
approved? What marks of inspiration guided the church fathers
as they identified and
collected the inspired books? Five foundational
questions must be considered for the discovery process:
A)
Was the book written by a prophet of God? - If it was
written by a
recognized apostle or prophet, its place in the canon was
secured. (Gal.1:1)
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B)
Was the writer confirmed by acts of God?-
(Ex.4:1-9), (Heb.2:3+4), (2Cor.12:12)
C)
Does the message tell the truth about God? -Only
immediate
contemporaries had access to
the supernatural confirmation of
the prophets message.Others had to depend on
other tests.
Authenticity was one such test. That is, does the book tell the
truth about God and His world as known from previous revelations?
God cannot contradict
himself (2Cor.1:17-18),
nor can He utter what is false (Heb.6:18).
D)
Did it come with the power of God? - Another
test for Canonicity is a
books power to edify
and equip believers. (Heb.4:12), (2Tim.3:17),
(1Pet.1:23).
E)
Was it accepted by the people of God? Not every prophet or message
was received immediately (2Chron.36:11-16), (Gal.1). This
acceptance
had two stages: initial acceptance and subsequent
recognition. (1Thess.2:13),
(Deut.31:26), (Josh.24:26).
CONCLUSION: Tests for canonicity were not mechanical means to
measure the amount of inspired literature, nor did the Holy Spirit say “This
book is inspired; that one is not.”
That would be disclosure not
discovery. The Holy Spirit providentially guided the examination process and
gave witness to the people as they read or heard.
It is important to distinguish
between the determination and the discovery of canonicity. God is solely
responsible for determining; God’s people are responsible for discovery. That a
book is canonical is due to divine inspiration.
How it is known to be canonical is due to a process of human recognition. Was a
book (1) written by a spokesperson for God, (2) who was confirmed by an act of
God, (3) told the truth, (4) in the power of God and (5) was accepted by the
people of God? (“Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics” Geisler). If a
book met the 1st test it was usually accepted right away. Others
were reviewed over time and accepted as they met the other tests.
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HOW TO TAKE A STAND FOR THE BIBLE
When we talk with people every day
about things that really matter, we as Christians will naturally want to refer
to the Bible as our arbiter. This is where the real problems begin.
There are two main positions that
most average people take on the Bible:
I)
Apathy or Indifference: Who
cares? Nothing really matters ultimately. It’s not like anything is ever really
going to change anyway. That old book is irrelevant.
II)
Intense Hatred + Attempts to Disprove Scripture: That book
is full of errors and lies. It’s been tampered with for thousands of years by
religious fanatics and Jewish zealots to make it say what they want it to say.
Anyone who believes in that is weak, not able to think for themselves, they
need a crutch because they can’t handle reality. The whole things a myth and
besides its all been disproved by science and historical research. You people
worship it like its god when all it is really
is “The Paper Pope.”
The 1st thing to do when
under attack is to remain calm, because you know the truth and they do not. I
John 4:4 “Greater is the Holy Spirit in you than the spirit (devil) in them.”
THE BIBLE
DOES NOT NEED TO BE DEFENDED, ONLY EXPOUNDED.
I)
1st present the
internal evidence of the Bible itself ;
A)
Some 40 writers over some 1,600 yrs. wrote 66 separate
books,
B)
Many different types of people from all walks of life,
C)
Many did not ever know or see the others,
D)
No contradictions or errors,
One should expect a mismatch of
disharmony in writing, but this is not the case in the Bible. There is
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oneness
and unity throughout. The fact is that it would be impossible to duplicate
this feat today even with the aide of modern super computers. THINK OF IT , if
you were to take all the books ever written throughout all of history and enter
them into your computer. Then set the program to assemble any 66 of them into a
single volume. What do you think the chances are that you would end up with a
volume like the Bible? One with discernable themes throughout. One with continuity
of thought and with unmistakable consistent doctrines all pointing
to a central ultimate life changing truth summed up in the history
and life story of one person . Let me say it , NO CHANCE. There is zero possibility
that man using his very best resources could ever duplicate what God has given
us in the Bible.
II) Next explain how God has proven
the Bible through Fulfilled
Prophecy: The Bible stands
alone in literature, including all of the so-called “holy books” of other
religions, when predictive prophecy is considered. Fulfilled prophecy is one of
the greatest testimonies to the supernatural character of the Bible. It is
estimated that when the Bible was first completed about one fifth of it
contained predictions of the future. Much of this prophecy has come to pass
while some still remains to be fulfilled. Here is just a sampling of some
examples of the astounding literal and precise fulfillment of Bible prophecy.
A) Is.13:17-21+
Jer.25:12-14 --- Mighty Babylon to become an everlasting wasteland.
Many nations and kings would come
against her and enslave her people.
“ Babylon was largely
destroyed first by Cyrus the Persian king. Some portions of the city, notably the palaces, were spared
because they were so magnificent. …The ruins created a nitrous chemical
reaction in the soil, turning once fertile land into a barren non-arable
desert, exactly as God had said.
After Cyrus’ reign ended,
Xerxes (Cyrus’ son-in-law) plundered the city still further. Alexander the
Great conquered the Medes and Persians and sought to restore Babylon. However, he found restoration too
costly and gave it up as a hopeless task.
After Alexander’s death, when
his kingdom was divided among his four generals, Babylon went to decay. … As each of these
kings conquered Babylon,
the natives became slaves to them. Again this is what Jeremiah had said …
History tells us that by the first century of the Christian era, Babylon had
become a foul-smelling, putrefying ruin—only a place for wild animals. (FP-HHE
17)
B) (Nahum)
- Nah.1:8, 2:3b, 5, 6, 8, 13, 3:7, 13 --- Nineveh
, Assyria’s capital city to be destroyed in specific and remarkable
ways.
“ I have
called your attention to these particular verses for a reason. When Nineveh was destroyed in
612 B.C. , about 100yrs after Nahum and
Zephaniah (Zeph. 2:13-15) pronounced doom against it, the destruction fulfilled
the prophecy exactly. Nabopolassa, the Babylonian king and Cyaxeres, the king
of Media, joined forces to rise
page 8
against Nineveh.
They sent demolition experts into the city to destroy the aqueduct which brought water into the city, and to
divert the river at the same time. This duel
engineering project caused a flood of water to pour over the city.
Now recall
the two verses we read? ‘With an overflowing flood he will make an end of his
adversaries (Nah. 1:8) and the river gates are opened; the palace is dissolved’
(Nah. 2:6)
You see, the
walls and buildings were largely made of sun dried bricks composed essentially
of mud. The flood- waters beating against the foundations dissolved them and
the buildings and walls crumbled. Remember these predictions were made some
years before the actual destruction took place.
Archaeologists tell us that the evidence
thy have uncovered in their excavations indicates that,
along with
the flood waters, the city was burned with fire. Remember Nahum’s prophecy? ‘I
will burn your chariots with fire . . . fire has devoured your fortresses’
(Nah.2:13; 3:13) (FP-HHE,21)
C) Isa.34:5-12; Ezek.25:12-14;
Obad.10-14- Edom
to be completely destroyed,
Edom never
to be inhabited again, for his treatment of his brother Israel.
“This is a very
vivid description of the Edomites standing by, gloating while Nebuchadnezzar’s
armies led Israel
away captive. Then we can see them rushing into the gates to plunder and add to
the ruin in an exhibition of their hatred. The few fugitive Jews who tried to
escape were rounded up by the Edomites and turned over to the Babylonian
captors. This is precisely what happened, and, yet, since Obadiah prophesied at
least 200 yrs. before the destruction of Jerusalem,
this prophecy is remarkable in its fulfillment and exactness.
Another fascinating verse is verse 19, “Those
of the Negev [south] shall possess Mount
Esau…”
After
Nebuchadnezzar captured Judah
and led its people into a Babylonian exile, the Edomites moved north into Judah to take
over the land that had once been occupied by the now exiled people. As the
Edomites did this, the Nabataeans—a war-like people from the southern Negev or desert region—came up to replace the Edomites in
their old home.
This distinct fulfillment of verse 19 could not possibly have been known by
Obadiah, but God inspired him to write the prophecy years in advance.
… And
incidentally, history tells us that after 70A.D., when the Romans sacked Jerusalem, the Edomites
disappeared. Today, just as Isaiah has prophesied, the land is devastated, a
desert a ruin, occupied only by wandering Bedouin tribes of Arabs. Woe to all
who treat God’s chosen people wrongly! Edom is a perpetual lesson.
(FP-HHE,28,29)
D) Ezek.26:3-14, 19 – Tyre to be punished and
judged in precise
and unpredictable ways.--- Once again this prophecy was fulfilled
exactly as God’s man had
foretold. It is actually eerie when you consider
what actually took place and
just how accurately it was spelled out.
The Bible is truly unlike any other book known to man.
There are
many more examples we could look at, but I think the point
is made.
Now lets
turn our attention to one other topic of prophetic fulfillment.
E) Prophecies concerning Jesus Christ --- The Old Testament contains over
300 references to the Messiah that were
fulfilled in Jesus. Here are a few :
page 9
FULFILLED
MESSIANIC PROPHECY
Born of a
virgin--- Is.7:14 +
Mt.1:18, 24, 25, (Lk.1:26-35)
Born at
Bethlehem--- Mic.5:2 + Mt.2:1,
(Mt.2:4; Lk.2:4-7; Jn.7:42)
Presented with gifts--- Ps.72:10,
(Is.60:6) + Mt.2:1,11
Herod kills children--- Jer.31:15 +
Mt.2:16
Shall be a prophet--- Deut.18;18 +
Mt.21:11, (Lk.7:14, Jn.4:19; 6:14;
7:40)
King--- Psalm 2:6, (Jer.23:5; Zech.9:9) + Mt.27:37, (Mt21:5; Jn.18:33-38)
Preceded by messenger---
Is.40:3, (Mal.3:1) + Mt.3:1,2 (Mt.3:3; 11:10; Jn.1:23)
“Light” to the Gentiles---
Is.60:3 (Is.49:6) + Lk.2:32; Jn.12:46
shall not remain in the grave---Ps.16:10 + Acts 2:31
In addition to these remarkable
examples, here are 29 more specific prophecies
concerning the Messiah as
described in the Old Testament hundreds of years
before their actual
fulfillment most of which took place on a single day!
(Ps.41:9 + Mt.10:4), (Zech.11:12 +
Mt.26:15), (Zech.11:13 + Mt.27:5),
(Zech.11:13 + Mt.27:7), (Zech.13:7
+ Mk.14:50), (Ps.35:11 +Mt.26:59,60),
(Is.53:7 + Mt.27:12), (Is.53:5 + Jn. 19:1-3, 34), (Is.50:6 + Mt.26:67),
(Ps.22:7,8 + Mt.27:29),
(Ps.109:24,25 + Jn.19:17; Lk.23:36),
(Ps.22:16 + Lk.23:33),
(Is.53:12 + Mt.27:38), (Is.53:12 + Lk.23:34),
(Is.53:3 + Jn.7:5,48), (Ps.69:4 +
Jn.15:25), (Ps.38:11 + Lk.23:49),
(Ps.109:25 + Mt.27:39), (Ps.22:17 + Lk.23:35),
(Ps.22:18 + Jn.19:23,24),
(Ps.69:21 + Jn.19:28), (Ps.69:21 + Mt.27:34),
(Ps.22:1 + Mt.27:46), (Ps.31:5 + Lk.23:46),
(Ps.34:20 +
Jn.19:33), (Ps.22:14 + Jn.19:34),
(Zech.12:10 + Jn.19:34), (Amos 8:9 + Mt.27:45),
(Is.53:9 + Mt.27:57-60)
What an incredible book, what an
incredible God, what an incredible Savior!
page 10
III)--Lastly point out how the Bible
has Changed lives of People, Tribes, and
Nations : Ps.119:130
--- “The Word gives light to the simple.”--- The Bible has altered the course of human
history with its life changing message and effectual truths. The U.S.A. was
founded on Biblical standards and grew great. Now that it has fallen away it is
crumbling.
Those who will
put their faith in God’s Holy Word will always find it worthy of that faith as they unfold God’s love
letter to His world. Daniel Webster said “If there is anything in my thoughts
or style to commend, the credit is due to my parents for instilling in me an
early love for the Scriptures. If we abide by the principles taught in the
Bible, our country will go on prospering and to prosper; but if we and our
posterity neglect its instructions and authority, no man can tell how sudden a
catastrophe may overwhelm us and bury all our glory in profound
obscurity.” How true these words ring
today in light of recent events.
Let us continue in our study of God’s Word as
we exercise and grow our faith. May we be found worthy and ready to -Take a stand for the Bible!
