Part 3

Summery

We have now learnt:-

• The Bible claims to be God's Word. This claim is true.
• The Bible is wholly (not partly) the Word of God and free from error.
• The remarkable harmony all through the Bible is one evidence of this.
• In view of the way it was produced over a long period of time its claim must be true.
• God has preserved the Bible since the first century to our days - so the message of God's Word applies to us.

Further evidence of the Divine origin of the Bible will be seen in later lessons when we study examples of fulfilled prophecy in relation to people, nations and places.

A deeper study of the Bible reveals a remarkable harmony between its various parts even in little details that are mentioned.

The Bible Alone Reveals God's Purpose

Nature declares God's power and glory but the Bible alone reveals His purpose.

Read: Acts 14 v 17; Psalm 19 vs.1-6; - The Divine mind is to be found in the Bible.

Read: Psalm 19 v 7-11; Psalm 119. - God declared His purpose in the beginning

Read: Genesis 1 vs. 26-31; Isaiah 45v 18. - God declared His purpose to Moses.

Read: Numbers 14 v 21. - God declared His purpose to the prophets.

Read: Daniel 2 v 44; Habakkuk 2 v 14.

Note: THEY ALL WROTE IT DOWN AND PAUL SUMMARISES IT IN 1 Corinthians 15 vs. 22-28. Before going on, note the complete harmony throughout the bible.

The Divine Purpose

The purpose of God was contained in various promises which will be considered later. In each case these promises were confirmed.

 

Gods Promise	Given	Repeated
Promise to Abraham	Genesis 12v1	Hebrews 6 v 13-19
Promise to David about a future king	2 Samuel 7v12-16	Luke 1 v31-33
The promise to set up the Kingdom of God	Daniel 2v44	Acts 17v31

 

Why have all these records been preserved?

READ: Romans IS v 4; 2 Timothy 3 vs. 14-17

Conclusion & Questions

The Bible and Ourselves

You have been asked to turn up many passages so that you may see for yourself what the Bible is and why we may have confidence in it. However, the only way to gain full confidence in the Bible and its message is to read it for yourself. Moreover, since the whole Bible is the inspired Word of God, it is essential to read it all and to read it regularly and systematically. If we are really convinced that the Bible is the word of God it will be a pleasure to do this.

The tables to be found in "The Bible Companion" are invaluable, these tables are duplicated in the Reading Plan on this website. By following them we read the Old Testament once and the New Testament twice each year.

By so doing our confidence and faith in the Bible, our knowledge and our desire to obey its commands increase continually. We come to share the feelings of David "O, how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day. How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through thy precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end".

Questions

Please feel free to consider these questions;

• 1. How many books are contained in the Old Testament? (a) 66 (b) 27 (e) 39 (d) 44
• 2. Name TWELVE men who were employed by the Spirit of God in writing the Bible.
• 3. What have the following books in common? Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians.
• 4. "The Bible is the Word of God". Support this statement by Bible quotations
• 5. Explain what is meant by "inspiration".
• 6. In what way does the message of the Bible apply to you? And having considered them, we encourage you to contact us with your answers or any other comments, questions or requests to view more lessons from this course.