1. Is the Bible the inspired word of God?
A. If it is not, then it cannot be trusted, for it has professed a lie, and is fraudulent. If it cannot be trusted in every point, how can it be trusted in any point?
B. However, if it is the word of God, it is authoritative, trustworthy and should be treated with reverence, respect and dignity.
2. Various efforts have been made and are being made to undermine people's faith in the Bible.
A. Atheist deny all the Bible.
B. Modernist accept only the part of the Bible that pleases them.
C. Modern speech translations have contributed to people's loss of confidence in the Bible with the insertion of denominational creeds and conflicting doctrines. Stay with a translation that has been tested and proven to be reliable and trustworthy. The KJV and ASV have been time tested and thus trustworthy.
3. Why should we believe the Bible? Are there sufficient reasons to put our confidence in it?
I. THE BIBLE SHOULD BE BELIEVED BECAUSE OF ITS UNITY.
A. The Bible is made up of sixty-six books, yet one in harmony and thought. It was written by about forty different men over about sixteen hundred years.
B. These men lived in different periods of history, followed different occupations, living under various customs, governments and in differing geographical locations.
C. Living in different sections of the world and writing independent of each other makes it impossible for them to have conspired together, but then combined produced a volume of harmony and continuity.
D. The Bible declares that these men spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
2Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (KJV)
II. THE BIBLE SHOULD BE BELIEVED BECAUSE OF ITS SCIENTIFIC ACCURACY.
A. Jeremiah said, "The host of heaven cannot be numbered."
Jer 33:22 As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me. (KJV)
The ancients at one time thought they could be numbered and that they had numbered them. Today, most astronomers if not all, have no hope ofnumbering the stars.
B. Two observations.
Job 26:7 He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing. (KJV)
1. He speaks of stretching out the north over the empty place. It was discovered that there was a place in the north void of stars.
2. He speaks of the earth hanging upon nothing. It was discovered around 1650 that the earth is held in place by invisible forces.
C. Isaiah spoke of the circle of the earth. It wasn't until the 15th century that it was actually discovered that the earth is round.
Isaiah 40:22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: (KJV)
D. Psa. 8:8 speaks of the paths of the sea. It wasn't until around 1854 that the paths of the sea were discovered.
Psalms 8:8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. (KJV)
III. THE BIBLE SHOULD BE BELIEVED BECAUSE OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SUPPORT.
A. The treasure city of Pithom, built for Rameses II, by the Hebrews during their bondage in Egypt, has been unearthed near Tel-el-kebir. The walls of the houses were found to be made of sun baked bricks, some with straw and some without,
Ex. 1:11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. (KJV)
Ex. 5:7 Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves. (KJV)
B. There has been concern regarding the accuracy of II Kings 18:14 where the King of Assyria made Hezekiah, King of Judah pay a tribute of "three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold". When the Assyrian records of this transaction were discovered, they stated that eight hundred talents of silver, not three hundred as in II Kings 18:14, were given, while the amount of gold was not the same. Later discoveries revealed that there was no mistake or conflict. They revealed that while the standard for calculating talents of gold was the same, it was not so with the talent of silver. It is now realized that it took exactly eight hundred Assyrian talents of silver to equal three hundred Hebrew talents.
2 Kings 18:14 And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended; return from me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. (KJV)
IV. THE BIBLE SHOULD BE BELIEVED BECAUSE OF THE FULFILLMENT OF ITS PROPHECIES.
A. It was prophesied that Christ would be born of a virgin.
Isaiah 7:13 And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (KJV)
It was fulfilled in
Luke 1:26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. (KJV)
Also note
Matt 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. (KJV)
B. It was prophesied that Christ would be born in Bethlehem,
Micah 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. (KJV)
fulfilled in,
Matt 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. 7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. (KJV)
C. It was predicted that a forerunner would prepare the way for the Lord.
Isaiah 40:3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. (KJV)
Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. 2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: (KJV)
It was fulfilled as predicted.
John 1:22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? 23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. (KJV)
Mark 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; 2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. 5 And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; 7 And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. (KJV)
D. It was foretold that Jesus would ride into Jerusalem "upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass". Zech. Chapter 9&10.
It was fulfilled in
Matt 21:1 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, 2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. 3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. 4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. 6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. 9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. (KJV)
E. It was prophesied that the price of betrayal would be thirty pieces of silver and that the betrayer would return the sum.
Zech 11:12 And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. 13 And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD. (KJV)
The fulfillment is recorded in
Matt 27:3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. 5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. 6 And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. 7 And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. 8 Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. 9 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; 10 And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me. (KJV)
F. Isaiah foretold that Jesus would suffer in silence as a lamb.
Isaiah 53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. (KJV)
It stands fulfilled in
Mark 15:2 And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said unto him, Thou sayest it. 3 And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered nothing. 4 And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee. 5 But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled. (KJV)
V. THE BIBLE SHOULD BE BELIEVED BECAUSE OF ITS CLAIM.
A. 2Tim 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (KJV)
B. 2 Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.(KJV)
C. 1Cor 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. (KJV)
1. The Bible is a precious book indeed.
A. Abraham Lincoln said, "I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. All the good from the Saviour of the world is communicated to us through the book."
B. Napoleon said, "The bible is no mere book, but a living creature, with a power that conquers all that oppose it."
C. Thomas Huxley declared, "The Bible has been the magna charta of the poor and oppressed. The human race is not in a position to dispense with it." (quotes from Halley's Bible Handbook, p. 18,19).
2. Its value can be realized:
A. In the salvation it offers.
B. The direction of life it offers.
C. The hope it extends.
3. When the Bible says " 'Thou shalt' or 'Thou shalt not' it is only saying do thyself no harm." (Knight's Treasury of Illustrations, p. 10).
4. "What glory glides the sacred page, Majestic like the sun! It gives a light to every age It gives and borrows none." Cowper (Knight's Treasury of Illustrations, p.11)
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