Why put so much emphasis on the Bible?

The arrangement of the scriptures.

The scriptures are put together as two books, the Old Testament and the New Testament, there is 400 years in time between the last book of the Old Testament and the Gospel of Matthew. The word "Testament" has the meaning of "Covenant", the Old Testament was written "under the Law" while the New Testament "was written under Grace."

There are thirty nine books in the Old Testament and twenty seven books in the New Testament

When were they written

The Gospels were mainly written after many of the epistles, however, they were placed at the beginning of the New Testament, before Acts, for complexness, they show the life and death of the Lord before the church spread around the world.

Why do we put so much emphasis on the Bible?

1 Peter 1:18-21.

"18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God."

2 Peter 1:20,21.

"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."

2 Timothy 3:16,17.

"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, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

Hebrews 4:12,13.

"12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do."

The Bible or the scriptures have been down played, attacked by many people for centuries. During the early Roman era it was very dangerous to even be a Christian, often ending up in the fighting area, to fight or be set upon by wild animals. Until the leadership came under Constantine, who became a Christian leader.

It is interesting to note that the Devil used the Word of God in his first attack on Mankind in the Garden of Eden, Satan put doubt into the Words of God, he modified:- Genesis 3:1-4.

"1 Now the serpent was more subtile than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:"

It was the normal behaviour of Satan throughout history, to very quietly change the Word’s of God, to change the meaning.

Why do we put so much emphasis on the Scriptures?

It is as a result that we now understand and know about God, about the conditions of Mankind and God, about Salvation, about Jesus, why he came and the result, about Sin, and our future life on earth and after we have died.

So what do we kneed to know about the Bible.

The Author

The bible was written by over 40 people and it was written over 1600 years. Each writer cone'so; from various ways of life.
The Old Testament was written by :- Priests: e.g. Zechariah; A Prophet: e.g. Jeremiah; a Shepherd: e.g. Amos; A King: e.g. David; a Servant: e.g. Nehemiah;
The New Testament was written by:- various Fishermen, a Tax collector, a Pharisee: e.g. Paul.

It was written in three languages, Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic.
It was also written in various countries, in Asia, in Africa and in Europe.

Finally, it was written on various types of material, various skins of animal, parchment made from trees.

The first five books of the Bible, the pentateuch, were written in the desert of the Sinai Peninsula, while Daniel wrote his book while in the courts of Babylon as a prisoner of the Babylonians.

However, with all these variations there is only one theme throughout the scriptures, - that is God and Jesus.

The Bible is consistent, the first chapters start with a special tree of life, but Adam disobeys God and sins, the rest of the scripture tells us the history of Mankind, then how man can get back to perfection, it ends with the same tree of life which is now available in heaven, and man can eat of that tree, certain people have sort God and now God has changed them to live back as He intended, in heaven with Him and Jesus.

Where does the Bible come from?

We are told that it comes from God and is God breathed.
2 Peter 1:21

"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"

In the Old Testament, the first five books of the Old Testament, the Pentateuch, we find 680 claims that it was the "Word of God." In the Historic Books, there are 418 claims, and in the Prophetic Books, there are 1300 claims, while in the poetic books, there were 195 claims that the writing is actually the "Word of God."

While in the New Testament there are 300 direct references to it being the "Word of God" and 1000 were indirectly,
For example: Hebrews 1:1,2

"1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;"

Jeremiah 23:25-30.

"25 I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.
26 How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart;
27 Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal.
28 The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD.
29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
30 Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbour."

Man made theories concerning the author of the Bible.

1) There are many people who just claim that it is a normal book, it is written by men and therefore does not have any connection to the spiritual world.

2) A second theory is that the Bible is only partially inspired by a spiritual being, the basic teaching, the spiritual parts, is divine in source. However the rest of the Bible was written by men and is very suspect. The problem with this is why do men and women want to spend so much of their time studying the scriptures.
1 Corinthians 2:10-16.

"10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
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.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ."

3) The next explanation is similar to the previous, the Bible contains the Word of God but also many myths and stories. They will often explain all the miracles recorded to be natural.

4) The Mechanical Source.- God dictated all the words in the scripture to the writer, this means that the text would all be virtually the same, no effect on the text by each writer. Their own personal way of life would not show in the words. This can easily be disproved as each book by a writer is so different to the next, the words were from God but it also shows the personal attitude and mind of the writer.

5) The most obvious version is the Verbal inspiration. God has put the ideas and words into the mind of each writer and then the writer has written the words out, with his own personal feeling and style.
2 Thessalonians 2:11-13

"11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:"

The writers were not automatic writing machines, Luke spent hours collecting his information by talking to many people,making sure his writing was very accurate.
Luke 1:1-4.

"1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,
2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;
3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed. "

1 Corinthians 2:12,13.

"12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe."

Hosea 1:1.

"1 The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel."

Joel 1:1.

"1 The word of the LORD that came to Joel the son of Pethuel."

"10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;"

Can we add or change the text?

"18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus."

It is very certain that the scripture is now complete, God wrote into it a very severe warning, do not add or take away. I often wonder about all the translations,and how they compare to the original text that we have. Are they as accurate as possible.

2 Peter 1:19-21.

"19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; where unto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
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."

How accurate is the Bible.

There are more copies or partial copies of the scriptures than any other ancient text:- 25,000 copies of full copies or partial copies.
6000 copies of the Greek language.
10,000 copies of the translation to Latin.
100 copies in other languages.
In addition we have many copies of the early church leaders letters and writings with many quotes from the scriptures and therefore we have access to these to compare with the scriptures.

What is even more interesting is that if you compare each copy, the only error noted is in the occasional spelling, 99% agree with each other.

The prediction of much later events is very accurate, for example, the rebirth of the nation of Israel, found in Ezekiel chapters 4-6, using all the various dates and calendars we find that the scriptures predicted it to be May 15th 1948, , this is the date that the British created the nation of Israel.

The death of Jesus on the cross, found in Daniel 24:24-27, this gives March 30th 33 AD.

1 Peter 1:24,25.

"24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you."

God’s Word is for ever, but so is everyone who ever existed, the question is where will you spend "forever," with God or in eternal punishment, the Lake of fire, the place designed for the Angels who rejected God..

Hebrews 4:11-13

"11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edgedd sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do."

Jeremiah 23:23-29

"23 Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?
24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.
25 I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.
26 How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart;
27 Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal.
28 The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD.
29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?"

We study the scriptures,the Word of God, to find out what is wrong and bad and what He considers right, He will tell us what is right and wrong.
Do not take the Bible as a book and so take it for granted, it is the Word of God.
1 Peter 1:21-23.

"21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."