This God who is so evident in everything about us, has chosen to communicate many things about Himself. Through natural laws we learn of His intelligence, His power, His faithfulness, His love of beauty, His basic moral laws, etc.
Does He communicate on a more explicit, personal basis?
There is a book that outsells all other books year after year and claims to be inspired by God Himself. Of course, the fact that it is a best seller does not prove its authenticity. What makes this book so unusual?
This is a miracle book. It was written over a period of some 1500 years, by 40 different authors, in three languages. It is made up of 66 smaller books. With such diversity there is a common theme that runs through all the books from Genesis to Revelation. It is remarkable that so many books by so many authors over such a period of time have such perfect unity of purpose and theme.
This Book reveals the nature and character of God. It reveals the purpose of man, and his condition before God. The Bible is a textbook of how God expects man to live his life before Him. It reveals a wonderful plan that God has for man that far exceeds our brief tenure on earth.
This Book predicted hundreds of events long before their actual occurrences. Over 300 prophecies were given about a man named Jesus hundreds of years before He was born. These prophecies accurately predicted His place of birth and many facts relating to His life and death.
To justify its claim to be inspired by God Himself, it must be true in all aspects and without error in its proclamation. It must be true in its revelation about who God is and what He is like. It must agree with what we observe in nature. It must be accurate about the deep secrets of man’s heart. This is proven by my own experience. It must give reason and purpose for man’s existence (Jer. 29:11). This it does by reminding us that God is the center of the universe, and that all things were made by Him and for Him (Col. 1:16). This is the opposite of man’s philosophy which places man at the center of the universe. If we were truly honest with ourselves, we would know that this cannot be, since we are so limited in our power and intelligence.
Another proof of the supernatural aspects of this Book is the lives that have been changed as a result of reading and obeying its commands. Such a Book demands my total allegiance.