Issue 1454 – The Bible – May 22, 2024
The Bible is God’s holy, inspired, and inerrant word. According to Ethnologue, there are currently 7,106 living languages in the world. As of 2020, the full Bible has been translated into 704 languages. The New Testament has been translated into 1,551 languages, and parts of the Bible have been translated into 1,160 additional languages.
The Bible is both the most beloved and reviled book ever written. Countless people have given their lives to preserve it or follow its teachings. Its contents are countercultural and revolutionary. Its message can be shocking, and some of its characters, even the “heroes,” are deeply flawed. You cannot read it and remain unchanged.
It is the best-selling book of all time. But it’s more than a book; it is a collection of 66 source documents compiled into a single-volume library.
The Bible spans many genres. Its covers contain narrative, poetry, wisdom, prophecy, gospels, epistles, and apocalypse. At times, genres within genres exist; for example, an epistle may contain poetry, prophecy, and wisdom literature. The book of Daniel is narrative and apocalyptic but also prophetic.
It spans thousands of years of human history and was written to an audience on three continents (Africa, Asia, and Europe) in three languages (Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic) over the span of about 1500 hundred years. The last word was written in the first century but is relevant today, in the 21st.
It tells of the victories and foibles of men and women, sinners and saints, good and evil, and the best moments and most debased and depraved side of human nature. God is revealed, along with His plan for humanity, the route to reconciliation and the manner in which we are called to live our lives.
Many cultures have attempted to ban or destroy it, but it still exists. That’s amazing.
Who authored it? Over the centuries, it was written by a wide range of men. Wandering shepherds, prophets, kings, holy men, fishermen, doctors, and religious zealots all contributed to its creation. Its consistency over the span of its writing is nothing short of miraculous.
Various men created their work for specific audiences. The Bible wasn’t written directly to us; we must understand what the authors intended the original audiences to hear. Yet, it was written for us; we must apply the timeless truth to our lives.
Men wrote the Bible, but the process was closely overseen by God Himself.
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
In the Bible, we can see the personalities and styles of its various human authors, yet God worked through those men. When we read it, we need to consider both the authors’ divine and human nature.
We are the most blessed of generations. We have the Bible readily available in print, electronic and audio formats. We have a plethora of translations and paraphrases to suit the preferences and reading abilities of almost everyone. We have the wisdom of scholars in many disciplines, and the church’s teachings are available online or in print. We have the most extensive library of theological resources available to us.
Yet, if it sits on the shelf unread, it doesn’t do us any good.
The Bible … have you read it?
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.
__________________________________________
Please like and share this post with friends and your circle of influence. Also, feel free to comment.
Did you know that we have an email version? It has the same great content but in a different format.
Subscribe today: https://mailchi.mp/f27bbeb09c22/gleanings-1
___________________________________________
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the English Standard Version (ESV)