THE BOOK OF ALL BOOKS
We live in a time when skepticism regarding God’s existence is increasing. Those who profess atheism are writing books, giving lectures, and teaching in some universities that believing in God is a thing of the past and for the ignorant.
Nevertheless, for those whose minds are open, honest, and objective there is powerful, abundant evidence for God’s existence. The God of which I speak is the God of the Bible.
Just one piece of evidence for God’s existence is the Bible, itself. Some argue that it is circular reasoning to use the Bible as evidence for what the Bible teaches about the existence of God. However, in the courts of our land, those accused of violating law are allowed to take the stand and speak in their own defense. By the same principle, the Bible should be admissible as one piece of evidence for the existence of God. The Bible should be allowed to “speak for itself.”
The argument for God’s existence based upon the Bible might be constructed as follows: 1) If the Bible is a book that cannot be accounted for upon natural grounds, then there must have been a supernatural, guiding power behind the production of the Bible; 2) the Bible cannot be accounted for upon natural grounds; 3) therefore, there must have been a supernatural, guiding power behind the production of the Bible. I affirm that the only being able to produce such a remarkable book is God.
What does the Bible claim for itself? “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (II Timothy 3:16-17).
One line of evidence that the Bible is inspired of God is prophecy. Only God knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:9-10). Skeptics choose to ignore literally hundreds of prophecies about the birth, life, mission, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Some of these prophecies were made a thousand years before Christ came. It was predicted that Jesus would be born of a virgin, would die for the sins of others, and would be buried in a rich man’s tomb (Isaiah 7:14; 53:4-6, 9). It was further prophesied that Jesus would arise from the dead, ascend to heaven, and establish an everlasting kingdom, the church (Psalm 16:8-11; Acts 2:25-31; Daniel 7:13-14; Colossians 1:13, 18). These prophecies are a small sample of the ones made concerning Christ.
Many additional prophecies were made in Old Testament times concerning other people, nations, and events which came to pass. That such prophecies were made is indisputable.
How can one account for hundreds of prophecies fulfilled upon natural grounds? I maintain that one cannot, and that there must have been supernatural intervention—God—to produce the Bible.
The Bible is the Book of all books. Read it. Study and meditate upon it, and your faith will be increased that the Scriptures truly are inspired of God.
