TITLE: The Bible is From God – Internal Proof (2 of 4)
TEXT: 2 Timothy 3:16-17
PROPOSITION: The Bible has internal evidence to prove that it is from God.
Introduction:
Take a sheet of paper and a green marker
Color the sheet – green – then put 100 in each corner
Don't do this – DO NOT take this to the store and try to buy food
It is counterfeit – How can you tell?
The real bill has some “internal” proof that it is genuine.
Define – Inspiration
Goodpasture - “When the Bible claims to be “inspired,” what is meant by that term? The English term “inspiration” derives from the Latin inspirare, which means “to breathe upon or into something.” The five English words, “given by inspiration ofGod,” in the King James Version of 1611 actually are translated from the single Greek adjective, theopneustos, which is derived from two Greek root words (theos—God, pneo—to blow or breathe). Pneuma, meaning “spirit,” comes from the verb pneo. Pneustos, then, might mean “spirited,” and theopneustos would mean God-spirited,God-breathed, filled with the breath of God, the product of the divine breath (or Spirit), or given by God through the Spirit. The word implies an influence from without, producing effects that are beyond natural powers. “The book that is in this sense inspired is one into which something of another spirit or mind has been breathed; in other words, its author has been overshadowed by a power outside himself”
The very nature of inspiration makes the Bible infallible.
The Bible is infallible – inerrant
The Bible is NOT false, NOT mistaken, NOT defective
Unity
40 writers
Variety of backgrounds – farmers, tree trimmers, kings, priests, fishermen, tax collectors, doctors, religious scholars, shepherds
Over a period of 3,000 years – different cultures, nations, political situations
All have the same theme – God's Plan for Redemption
Factual Accuracy
Names of kings, leaders, cities, nations
Places – nations, territories, regions, cities
GPS – directions, lay of ground, nearby cities
Hittites
They are mentioned over 40 times in the Bible. (Exodus 23:28; Joshua 1:4)
Critics said the Hittites did not exist.
1906 Hugh Winckler discovered the capital
Huge law library of 10,000 clay tablets – called now the Hittite Code
We can now confirm what the Bible said
We know the extent of their territory – we have a map
We know they interacted with Israel
We have a carving of them invading Israel
Flax
For many years critics said that flax did not exist at the time of Israel.
Flax is a plant with very strong fibers – clothing, rope, reinforcement for bricks and mortar
Rahab hid the spies in the flax on her roof – Joshua 2:6
Then – in Egypt – at the treasure cities of Pithom and Raamses – (see Exodus 5)
The lower levels of the bricks were full of flax (made clay stronger)
Middle levels of the buildings – more mud, less flax
Upper levels of these buildings contained almost no flax
Bow 7 Times
Tell-el-Armarna Tablets (written in 1450 BC) tell about bowing 7 times when meeting a superior.
Genesis 33:3 – Jacob bowed 7 times to Esau – a sign of respect
Claims
2 Timothy 3:16-17 – by inspiration of God
2 Peter 1:20-21 – holy men of God spoke as they were moved
1 Corinthians 2:12-13 – God has revealed them to us
Psalm 119:89 – Your word is settled in heaven
Matthew 22:31 – spoken to you by God
2 Samuel 23:2 – Spirit spoke, His word was in my tongue
Acts 1:16 – Holy Spirit spoke by the mouth of David
THE BIBLE IS FROM GOD!