What is the Bible, anyway? (2)

Jonathan Prater

Firm Foundations • Sermon • Submitted 4 months ago • Presented 4 months ago

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A young woman who was soundly converted immediately began to read her Bible. A friend who disbelieved the Scriptures and took delight in ridiculing them asked her, "Why do you spend so much time reading a book like that?"

"Because it’s the Word of God," replied the girl.

"Nonsense! Who told you that?" scornfully asked the unbeliever.

After a moment’s silence the girl asked, "Who told you there’s a sun in the sky?"

"Nobody,” replied the scoffer, "I don’t need anybody to tell me. The sun tells me."

"Yes," said the girl in triumph, "and that’s the way God tells me about His Word. I feel His warmth and sense His presence as I read His wonderful word The Bible is Historical

Historians tell us that the first book of the Bible to be written down was likely Job around 1400 B.C

The last recorded book of the Bible was Revelation sometime around 85AD

Just because there are people in the world that deny the historical accuracy of the Bible or work to disprove it does not negate the facts it contains.

Luke 1:1–3 “Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,”

John 20:31 “but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

Part of the tension that many people have with the Bible is that it is a historical book, and we need to remember that as we read it. The Bible was written in specific places at specific times in specific contexts. The Bible tells us stories of real people and real events like King David, Sampson, Paul, and other real people who lived in real places like Babylon, Palestine, the Jordan Valley, and other places and lived through real events like the Babylonian Occupation, the Rule of Nero, and real famines and droughts.

We must remember friends, that this book is full of history; and we need to treat it as such. Just because someone chooses to ignore or not believe history does not make it false or irrelevant or change it’s impact.

For example, history tells us that Elvis Presley died on 8/16/77. Now there are sone people out there who did not believe that. They swore Elvis was still alive and was in hiding. They even claimed sightings and other phenomenon to try and support that history was wrong. But here’s the thing, denying Elvis’ death did not will him back to life; it did not produce new music, or recreate his concerts.

A poll in 2015 conducted by ABC found that 54% of people believe in a global flood in the story of Noah. But just because 46% of people do not believe it does not erase it from history nor negate the effect that flood has had on this Earth and humanity.

We must remember that part of the reason this history was recorded was so that we could believe in the work of God. History does not disprove God- it proves his work in the world!

The Bible is Prophetic

Prophecy- (1) the foretelling or prediction of what is to come; (2) something that is declared by a prophet, especially a divinely inspired prediction, instruction, or exhortation

Revelation 1:1–3 “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.”

J. Barton Payne’s Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy lists 1,239 prophecies in the Old Testament and 578 prophecies in the New Testament, for a total of 1,817. These encompass 8,352 verses.

“The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy”. This means that prophecy at its very heart is designed to unfold the beauty and loveliness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In the present age, therefore, the Spirit of God is not only to glorify Christ but to show believers things to come as they relate to His person and majesty. Christ is not only the major theme of the Scriptures but also the central theme of prophecy.” THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST – John F Walvoord, Moody Press, 1966

One of the tensions that we live in as a people is that the Bible is not only historical, it is also prophetic- meaning that the Bible has a lot to say about things that have not happened yet. It takes faith to live in the tension between history and prophecy. The Bible does not just tell us what did happen- it also tells us what is going to happen; it paints a picture of the Kingdom of God that is to come.

Which is interesting what you think about it, that it takes faith to stand on the history that is recorded in the Bible, and faith to stand on the prophecy in the Bible

But it is important for us to remember what this prophecy is all about. (Walvoord Quote). The point of prophecy is not merely to tells us the future or to tell us what will happen to us or in our lives- the point of prophecy is to reveal the character, will, and desire of Jesus.

This is the difference in going to the Bible for prophecy and going to a physic to hear your future- one is all about you and the other is all about Jesus.

The Bible is Spiritual’

"The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold of me." -- Martin Luther

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

When we consider the nature of what the Bible reveals, it can only have come to us from God. Holy Scripture is not a catalogue of human thoughts regarding God and eternity, but the record and explanation of God’s redemptive acts in history. The Bible tells the story of how God created the world, how mankind fell into sin, and then what God has done in history to redeem a people for himself. Given the redemptive-historical nature of this material, who else could have authored the Scriptures but the God whose actions are recorded in it? - Richard Phillips

The Bible is more than just a book that is meant to transfer information- it is meant to transform human beings.

Romans 12:1–2 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

There is an intersection of spiritual and physical in the Scriptures. Yes, God wants to change our sinful behaviors and action, but firstly and primarily God wants to transform who we are; not just mask our brokenness. Therefore, the Bible must be a spiritual practice.

The Bible casts the goodness of God on display so that we might examine our lives against it

The Bible establishes truth so that when we are rocked by the lies of the world we can establish ourselves on the unchanging truth of Christ.

The Bible is God’s Word

Think of this First, the Bible is not just one single book. This is a more common misconception than many people realize, especially with people who do not come from a Judeo-Christian background. Rather than being a single book, the Bible is actually a collection of 66 books, which is called the canon of scriptures. These 66 books contain a variety of sorts it has history, poetry, prophecy, wisdom literature, letters, and apocalyptic.

2nd, these 66 books were written by 40 different authors. These authors came from a variety of backgrounds: shepherds, fishermen, doctors, kings, prophets, and others. And most of these authors never knew one another personally.

3rd, these 66 books were written over a period of 1500 years. Yet again, this is another reminder that many of these authors never knew or worked together with one another in writing these books.

4th, the 66 books of the Bible were written in 3 different languages. In the Bible, we have books that were written in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic.

And finally, these 66 books were written on 3 different continents: Africa, Asia, and Europe. Once again, this is a testament to the varied historical and cultural circumstances of God’s people.

So we have 66 books, written by 40 different authors, over 1500 years, in 3 different languages, on 3 different continents. What’s more, this collection of books shares a COMMON STORYLINE, the creation, fall, and redemption of God’s people; a COMMON THEME, God’s universal love for all of humanity; and a COMMON MESSAGE, salvation is available to all who repent of their sins and commit to following God with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength. Also these 66 books contain no historical errors or contradictions.

The Bible is God’s manual for human flourishing

2 Timothy 3:16–17 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

If someone were to ask you why you read the Bible what would your answer be? Well if you’re looking for a good answer it can be found in 2 Tim 3:16 because I want to be equipped for every good work. You see, God’s word reveals God’s will

God’s Word is Inerrant- it contains no mistakes or mishaps.

There has never been and will never be a moment when God said “I should not have said that” or “I changed my mind”

God’s Word is Authoritative- It should be our primary source for how to live

The Bible tells us obvious answers like is murder ok? Should I tell a lie? The Bible also leads us to make Christ like decisions that are not obviously answered in the Bible by awakening the Spirit of God in us and revealing to us the character and desires of God for us and our world.

For example, a few years ago I had a conversation with someone who told me that the Bible does not say that we should not look at pornography- And in this person’s defense, to a point they are right. There is no verse that says thou salt not look at porn- but if I begin to place together what the Bible says about lust, about valuing women, about sexual relationships in the confines of marriage. Then I examine how many women are exposed to rape, drugs, abuse, and other heinous things; it does not take long to come to a pretty obvious conclusion that this is in no way God’s desire for his people.

The challenge is that many times the Bible is not our primary source of decision making- many people make their decisions and then look to the Bible to justify their actions.