There is Nothing or No one more beautiful, valuable, significant nor satisfying that God. His Glory is to be desired above all else, because only He can truly fulfill the desires of our hearts. After all He created our hearts to be in perfect harmony with Him. Everything else we experience of hope, joy, delight, and beauty are experienced best through having an intimate relationship with Him. But what is His Glory? The perfect harmonious, immutable manifestations of His attributes displayed in all He created. He further gifted us with the Living Word of God in Scriptures to help us see His Glory. But can we really trust the Bible as the Living Word of God? How has He left His indelible imprints on our Bible, so we might know it is truly His Words written? Furthermore, why is any of that important?
Jonathan Edwards dissertation, The End for Which God Created the World, presents deep truths from God’s Word. This dissertation concludes that God Created the World to display His glory and to share that Glory with His creation. The greatest joy of “the creature” is experiences God’s fullness and magnifying His Glory.
He Wrote:
“Thus, it is easy to conceive, how God should seek the good of the creature, consisting in the creature’s knowledge and holiness, and even his happiness, from a supreme regard to Himself as his happiness arises from that which is an image and participation of God’s own beauty. And consists in the creature’s exercising a supreme regard to God, and complacence in Him; in beholding God’s glory, in esteeming and loving it, and rejoicing in it, and in His exercising and testifying love and supreme respect to God: which is the same thing, with the creature’s exalting God as his chief good, and making Him his supreme end.”[1]
The Living Word of God
Therefore, if union with God is the greatest end and the guarantee of our greatest joy, we should desire to know His Word. Yet, we live in a world where which tries to say “my truth is truth but may not be the same as yours. We each have our own truth.” That is unless of course you say that Jesus and the Bible are true. Then they say, “you are a bigot or idiot.” The sad part is there are many within the church who do not believe that the Bible is the inerrant word of God. However the word itself speaks of itself.
The entirety of Your word is truth,
And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever. Psalm 119:160
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. 2 Timothy 3
As Peter wrote:
16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto 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. 2 Peter 1:
Jesus also confirmed the truth of the Old Testament. He quoted it throughout His ministry. He also said,
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Matthew
Hence either the entire Bible is true, or all just a fairytale. There is no in-between. We either believe that God inspired His word to be written and preserved by Himself or not.
Trust the Bible Because of It Miraculous Consistency
The Bible was written through 40 different men, over a period of 1600 years, across three continents and in 3 languages. Yet, they perfectly harmoniously all proclaim the same truth which is the one eternal story of redemption. For that many men to proclaim the same truth proclaimed through so many different voices, yet all miraculously consistent. Each book of the Bible confirms the rest—that is scripture interprets scripture as all is consistent in message. Imagine getting 40 men together in the same room and have them all write about something they just witnessed. Now spread them across the world, with different and during different historical ages.
Furthermore, some would have said that it was impossible that Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible. (Even though these were narrated to Him by God.) Their argument was to say no one knew how to write at that time. Yet, God had arranged that Moses grow up in the King’s palace as royalty in Egypt. There he had learned to write.
The Dead Sea Scrolls Provide More Proof to Trust the Bible
The early writers wrote their manuscripts on papyrus, a tall water plant that was soaked, pressed, and dried to form paper. However, due to heat and dampness, the manuscripts didn’t have much of a shelf life. Every so many years, people meticulously hand copied the originals in order for others to read and circulate them. When, in 1947, a shepherd boy wandered into a mountain cave in the Qumrān desert of Israel, he found two large clay jars that contained ancient scrolls—now called The Dead Sea Scrolls—Old Testament scripture 1,000 years older than any manuscripts we previously had. Because they had been sealed in the jars and stored in the dry, desert cave, the manuscripts survived in perfect condition, and were made of leather, papyrus, and copper.
It was to be one of the most important archeological discoveries of the 20th century and astonished the world. For the next nine years, scholars and archeologists found manuscripts in 12 nearby caves. Over 900 texts were discovered, some fragile and in pieces, written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. … When Biblical scholars compared these manuscripts with modern translations, they were 99.5% accurately the same. The.5% differences proved to be minor spelling and grammar—nothing that changed the meaning of the sentences or words.[2]
Historical and Archaeological Proof to Trust the Bible
The Bible is full of dates, times, names, cities, reading like a detailed history book at times. Why is that amazing? Well, when one places so much detail, it can be disproven were it not true. Yet even those parts some wanted to deny have been confirmed through archaeological digs. Nothing in the Bible has been Archaeologically nor historically shown to be inaccurate.
Historians in Jesus day included Cornelius Tacitus, Flavius Josephus, Suetonius, Pliny the Younger, and Thallus wrote about the travels of a “Jesus of Nazareth, His miracles, and the persecution of the early Christian Church. All confirming the historical facts in the Bible. This despite their not being believers themselves.
Furthermore, the prophecies of the Old Testament all came true exactly as predicted. No other religion can say that is true. Many of the prophecies were proclaimed hundreds and thousands of years before their fulfillment—yet none have failed to be true. Even the most detailed history of governments stood true.
All of These Do Not Compare to this Proof We can Trust the Bible
John the Baptist had spent his life proclaiming the coming of Jesus Christ. He also witnessed the voice of God saying, “this is my son, in whom I am well pleased” as he baptized Jesus. Yet, after all this when sitting in jail, John the Baptist had one moment of doubt. Perhaps he too had wondered if Jesus had come to set the people free from Roman suppression. But that was not the plan for that moment. The mystery not understood by the Jewish nation was that God had a plan for the Gentiles. He had told them throughout the Old Testament, but they had not heard. Yet now John the Baptist, sitting all alone in jail had a question.
20 John’s two disciples found Jesus and said to him, “John the Baptist sent us to ask, ‘Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?’”21 At that very time, Jesus cured many people of their diseases, illnesses, and evil spirits, and he restored sight to many who were blind. 22 Then he told John’s disciples, “Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard—the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.” Luke 7
We Have Seen Lives Transformed
No Other Proof Compares to the Fact that the Bible Transforms lives, shining light into the darkness.
5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 2 Corinthians 4:
All of this, all of life is as noted by Jonathan Edward, in the “Miscellanies” in the Works of Jonathan Edwards, vol 13
“God is glorified not only by His glory’s being seen, but by its being rejoiced in. When those that see it delight in it, God is more glorified than if they only see it. His glory is then received by the whole soul, both by the understanding and by the heart. God made the world that He might communicate, and the creature receive, His glory; and that it might [be] received both by the mind and heart. He that testifies his idea of God’s glory [doesn’t] glorify God so much as he that testifies also his approbation of it and his delight in it. Jonathan Edwards Miscellanies”[3]
18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:
Ultimate Proof that We can Trust the Bible
12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4 (NKJV)
The real proof that we can trust the Bible as the Living Word of God is how it transforms a broken sinner such as I. When I am frightened, angry, frustrated, or depressed; all I need to do is spend time alone with God in His Word and my heart transforms. Joy replaces desperation as I recognize I have everything that I need in Him and that He is my Joy. Nothing else can transform a heart like His Word, because it is living and powerful. It cuts deep into the crevices of my heart and soul. There I have found a steadfast, abiding joy. I believe because I have felt His comforting arms holding me in the darkest nights. Awakened by His singing a lullaby or speaking His Word into my mind and heart in the middle of the night, I feel His love.
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.
Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
For Prayer or Comments
If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here
Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here
Previous
DISCLOSURES
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2021
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Credits
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Photo licensed through Goodsalt.com
[1] Edwards, Jonathan, The End For Which God Created the World, https://www.monergism.com/dissertation-concerning-end-which-god-created-world-jonathan-edwards, accessed 12/10/2022
[2] Dr. Lissa Forney, What is the Bible and Why Should We Study It.
[3]John Piper, God’s Passion for His Glory: Living the Vision of Jonathan Edwards https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/3991633-god-is-glorified-not-only-by-his-glory-s-being-seen