THE SURENESS OF THE WORD

INTRODUCTION: In the last lesson on the inspiration of the Bible we approached it from the standpoint of the question, "If God wrote a book, what would it be like?" The Bible fit every criteria given for a God-given book. In this lesson we will investigate the question of inspiration further. We will see that we can be sure of the Word, that it is from God and that what we have in the Bible today is the same as was given by the Holy Spirit to the inspired writers.

BODY

I. WE NEED TO AFFIRM THAT THE BIBLE CLAIMS INSPIRATION FOR ITSELF.

A. Every word of Scripture is like the voice of God speaking to us.

1. 2 Timothy 3:16_17_ " 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 complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 

a. The literal meaning of the phrase, "inspiration of God", in the original Greek means, "God-breathed" It signifies that the Scriptures are breathed by God, that they are the literal words of God.

2. 2 Peter 1:20_21_ " knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, {21} for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

B. It is the "Word of God."

1. 1 Corinthians 2:13_ " These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

2. 1 Corinthians 14:37_ " If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord.

3. It is not just the general thoughts of God, but His Word. The Holy Spirit guided the writers in such a way that each word written contained the mind of God.

a. Note what Jesus said about the importance of the word, down to the jot and tittle (Jewish punctuation), thus showing that God did not just inspire the thoughts of the Bible, but the words. (Matthew 5:18-19)

b. Notice that Jesus made an argument concerning his divinity from the use of just one Greek word. (John 8:57-59)

C. The Old Testament claims to be the Word of God.

1. Many of the books of the Old Testament declared in their first couple of verses that it was God speaking through the particular prophet.

a. Hosea 1:1; Amos 1:3; Malachi 1:1

2. Inspired men in the Old Testament declared that what they said was from God.

a. 2 Samuel 23:2_ " "The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me, And His word was on my tongue.

b. Jeremiah 1:9 - Then the LORD put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to me: "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.

D. The New Testament writers claimed the same Inspiration from God in their writings.

1. 1 Corinthians 14:37_ " If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord.

2. John 16:13_ " "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

A. The Word set a high standard for it's own inspiration.

1. Deuteronomy 13:1-5

2. The same can be said for any volume that claims to be from God. If it's predictions of future events are not fulfilled it cannot be from God. 

B. Just a few of the prophecies in the Bible that have been fulfilled.

1. The destruction of Tyre

a. In Ezekiel's day Tyre was a powerful city state built just off the coast of Lebanon on an impregnable rock island. It was a powerful maritime force. It had never been conquered.

b. However, the prophet Ezekiel predicted that: 1. Nebuchadnezzar would destroy it. 2. Many nations would rise against it 3. It would be made a bare rock 4. Fishermen would spread their nets over the site 4. It would never be rebuilt and never found again. (Ezekiel 26:3-21)

c. It is possible that Ezekiel could have guessed about Nebuchadnezzar defeating Tyre. But it is out of the realm of possible for Ezekiel to have "guessed" successfully about the complete destruction of Tyre. Every prophecy about Tyre came true!

2. The cities of Nineveh (Nahum 1:8, 10; 2:6; 3:10-13), Babylon (Isaiah 13; Jeremiah 14:23). Nineveh was predicted to fall quickly and Babylon would be completely destroyed and would become nothing but a place for shepherds to tend their flocks.

a. In his book, Evidence That Demands a Verdict, Josh McDowell goes into detail to show from ancient records that both sets of prophecies were fulfilled in fine detail.

b. Today, the once proud cities of Nineveh and Babylon stand desolate, all according to the word of God.

3. The dating for the beginning of the Christian era.

a. Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel 2 to date the beginning of the Christian era.

b. Daniel traced the rise and fall of three world empires and the foundation of a great fourth (Babylon, Persia, Greek, Roman). He then pinpoints exactly when Jehovah would set up the everlasting kingdom, during the reign of the fourth great empire. (Daniel 2:44).

4. The kingdom would begin at Jerusalem and would include both Jews and Gentiles (Isaiah 2:1ff)

C. But by far the greatest prophetic evidence for the inspiration of the Scriptures is those surrounding the ministry of Christ.

1. Jesus was to be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1)

2. Herod would kill the children (Jeremiah 31:15; Matthew 2:16)

3. Jesus would be preceded by a messenger, who was John the Baptist (Isaiah 40:3; Malachi 3:1; Matthew 3:1-2)

4. Isaiah 53 - This chapter relates in detail the suffering and vicarious (one dying for another) death of the messiah.

5. In all, there are some 60 prophecies in the Old Testament that were fulfilled in Jesus. If we consider only eight of the major ones, the chances of chance fulfillment of all of them would be 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000.

A. There is universal agreement among all, believers and critics, concerning some facts about Jesus.

1. There was a man named Jesus.

2. He was a great teacher, to whom miracles were attributed.

3. He was taken while in Jerusalem, tried, and executed.

4. On the Sunday following his crucifixion his body was gone from the tomb.

B. The Bible predicted the resurrection of the Messiah.

1. Psalms 16:10 - For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

2. Isaiah 53:10 - Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.

C. What possible reason be for the empty tomb on the third day?

1. Could the disciples have stolen the body in the night?

a. This cannot be true. First, the tomb was securely guarded by professional soldiers, Romans, who would be vigilant because of the death penalty for their sleeping on duty. Secondly, how could men who had all scattered into hiding in fear so quickly summon up the courage to face these Roman soldiers. Finally, why would men all die, and in some cases horribly, for what they knew to be a total lie?

2. Could the enemies of Jesus have taken the body?

a. Why? It was in their interest to keep Jesus in the tomb. They were the ones who came asking Pilate to place the guard on the tomb. And why, when faced with the preaching on the resurrection of Jesus, didn't they produce the body of Jesus to show it a lie?

3. Could Jesus have been just faking death or be revived after being placed in the tomb and then move the stone away and slip away in the night?

a. How could a man who had suffered the horrible things that happened to Jesus before the cross, so much that he collapsed while carrying the cross, was nailed to the cross in his hands and feet, suffered for several hours, then was declared dead after having his side and heart pierced, then have enough energy to revive and move a huge burial stone out of the way and escape?

4. Could it be that the disciples came to the wrong tomb and that Jesus was still in the grave?
a. Remember, the Roman soldiers had been with the genuine tomb of Jesus since he had been placed there. They verified that the real one was empty. And besides, why didn't the enemies of Jesus declare this fact later?

5. The fact is that there is only one possible explanation for the empty tomb on the Lord's day following the death of Jesus- Jesus was raised from the dead! He came forth to ascend back to the Father! Jesus validated the message of the Bible, from beginning to end! It was all about a coming messiah who was going to die for the sins of mankind and then be raised up eternally! Up from the grave he arose!

STUDIES OF BASICS:
Intoduction
Existence of God
Creation of Mankind
Epistles- Christ's Messages to the Church
Book of Acts
The Inspiration of The Bible
The Inspiration of The Bible (Part 2)
The Life & Mission of Christ
The New Testament
The Book of Revelation -- Victory