In our previous article “is the Bible True or is it a fairy tale?” we showed how first hand witnesses had written the Bible and how it had not changed over the years. But what proof do we have that it is the Word of God and not some human invention?
Today we easily doubt that God is the author of the Bible because we do not see or hear Him. But do remember that before the Bible was written, the people of God could go up to the Tabernacle to meet God. There, they would see God’s presence in form of a cloud of smoke and hear His voice.
At that time, God commanded to Moses to write down the commandments so that the people would remember Him. Tradition teaches that Moses wrote the first books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. These 5 books are called the Law of God because it is God who dictated them to His prophet Moses in front of all the people of Israël.
A book of truth
One particular thing about the Bible is that it is a book of truth. Many historical books such as the chronicles of ancient kingdoms and empires would not mention their defeats at war or their misdoings. The truth would be hidden or else removed to only give an account of glory and power.
God on the other hand finds His glory in the power of Truth.
His word, the Bible doesn’t hesitate to mention the sins of His people,
the victories but also the defeats against its enemies,
the courage and the cowardice of its patriarchs Abraham or Moses,
the strength but also the bad temper of its most powerful judge Samson,
the beauty …and the weaknesses of its most respected king David,
the ups and downs of many prophets…
Even archaeologists are having trouble understanding why the Bible does not praise the most popular cities of those times like Samaria, Sodom or Gomorrah. Instead the Bible prefers to speak about the small kingdom of Judah and the small towns of Silo, Bethlehem or Jerusalem where the one true God was worshipped. The answer is because the Bible is not the work of men but the Word of God.
A book of prophecies
It is a book written by men such as prophets and scribes, but nevertheless inspired by God to write His will for His people. That is how these prophets where able to write about the birth, life and death of Jesus, God made man, hundreds of years before the events took place.
Prophets like Isaiah wrote in much detail that Christ would be born in Bethlehem. Or that He would have to suffer and die for our sins. And even that Christ would come back to life three days later.
Compare for yourself the prophecy of Isaiah 53 and of the Gospel of Luke and Matthew.
Book of Isaiah chapter 53 (600 BC)
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Life of Christ (0-33 bc)
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V2: He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant:
V2-3: There is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men,
V 4-6: He has carried our grief… stricken by God … the punishment for our peace fell upon Him:
V 7-8: He was beaten… taken from prison and from judgment:
V 9: And they made his grave with the wicked:
V 9: But with the rich at His death because he had done no violence:
V 10: He shall prolong His days:
V 11: My righteous Servant shall justify many for He shall bear their iniquities:
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Jesus was born as a baby and grew up. (Luke 2.1-20; 40)
Jesus was born in a stable. When he started his ministry in his hometown of Nazareth, no one believed in Him. (Luke 2.6+7; Luke 4.1-30)
Jesus died on a cross carrying our sins at such point that God turned away from Him. (Matthew 27.46)
Jesus was mocked, beaten and condemned to death. (Luke 22.63)
They crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. (Luke 23.33)
Jesus was buried in Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb. (Luke 23:50-56)
Jesus was raised from the dead. (Luke 24.1-12)
“Just as the Son of Man (Jesus-Christ) did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20.28) |
Isaiah and many other prophets tell us that the Messiah would come to take the sins of many. This Messiah we know to be Jesus. Yet these prophecies were written hundreds of years before! How could the prophets know what would happen if God had not spoken to them?
There are many wonders about God to be discovered in the Bible books.
The biggest of all is that He loves you.
That is why He made sure you could find out all about Him in His Word, the Bible.
