The Bible -- Its Origin (Part 2)

II.                   THE SUPERNATURAL ORIGIN OF SCRIPTURE

We will now proceed to study the two areas which intertwine to make the Bible such an amazing book.  Unless we understand both of these areas, namely Inspiration and Revelation, we will never grasp the truth about the origin of the Bible.   Our goal will be to let the Bible speak for itself on these two subjects.

A.                 INSPIRATION

Key Verse: II Timothy 3:16

1.         The word “inspiration” means “God-breathed”.  All Scripture is God-breathed.  On the original parchments every sentence, every word, every line was placed there in complete agreement with the will of God.  The veritable author of the Bible is God.

2.         Inspiration is the process by which human authors are used by God to write accurately that which is revealed and recalled.

3.         God used human authors to write down the words He wanted.  He watched over them as they wrote so no errors would be recorded.  II Peter 1:19-21 and Hebrews 1:1-4 indicate that the men who penned the Scriptures were varied, chosen by God from different cultures, classes, ages, and professions.  Among them were prophets, kings, officials, ministers, shepherds, priests, fishermen, theologians, judges, and a tax collector.  Consider some of the individuals and notice how well-suited their lives and personalities were for their writing:

     David was a shepherd boy, who wrote most of the Psalms.  Perhaps the most beloved Psalm David wrote was Psalm 23, the Shepherd Psalm.

    Moses was a man raised in the courts of the Egyptian leaders.  He later became the leader of Israel.

    Solomon was a wise and worldly king of Israel.  He wrote the book of wisdom, Proverbs.

    Daniel was a prophet, who was prepared in the courts of a Babylonian king.  He wrote on international history and prophecy.

    Paul was a brilliant man who was trained in law.  He wrote concerning the legal aspects of justification in the book of Romans.

4.         The Scriptures were written by forty different men during a 1500 year period, yet there is not the contradiction one would expect to find.  Instead there is a continuous thread in it’s message.

How did these men know what to write?  Where did they get the material?  The answer to these questions is found by studying the meaning of “revelation”.

B.                 REVELATION

                        Key Verse: II Peter 1:20-21 

1.                  Revelation is the activity of God in communicating truth to the mind of the Bible writer.

2.                  A clear translation of the key verse reads: “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture comes forth from one’s own ideas.”  God revealed His ideas to each writer.

3.                  God used various methods and instruments to reveal the Scriptures to His chosen authors:

Direct Voice.  God visibly wrote certain truths Himself (Exodus 31:18).

Dreams.  God used men’s dreams to reveal prophetic truths (Daniel 2:1-49).

Men.  The personal experiences and spiritual lives of individuals were used by God (Psalm 51).

Natural World.  The universe which God created declared Him (Psalm 19:1-6; Romans 1:19-23).

Historic Events.  God used the events of men to reveal His will.  (Genesis through Esther).

C.                 SUMMARY OF TERMS

Revelation is God’s activity in giving truth to the human mind.  Inspiration is God’s activity in producing a record of His revealed and recalled truth.