Journey Through Time

            The Holy Bible: God’s Holy, precious, Book!  What a marvelous instrument we hold in our hands, what a wonderful privilege to store it in our hearts.  Can we, like David, say, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11)?  When we open His book, can we say, like Samuel, “Speak, for your servant hears . . . ” (I Samuel 3:9c)?

            Precious though the Bible is to those who believe it, there are skeptics who have rightly stated that there are older writings from older civilizations, but wrongly conclude that when the book of Genesis was written by Moses that he copied from the earlier writings.  Because of a desire to discredit the Bible, they fail to take into account the fact that all civilizations had their beginnings through the descendants of Noah.  And righteous Noah would have passed to his sons the story of creation as it had passed to him through ten generations from Adam.  As the centuries passed, remnants of the true events were interwoven with myths that developed as many began to worship the creation rather than the true Creator.  To account for what they did not understand, they created false gods to fill the innate desire in their hearts to worship.

            So, while these older civilizations, the Babylonians, Egyptians and Assyrians, were developing, God was busy preparing a people for Himself through the descendants of Abraham, Israel by name.  And through them, specifically the writer Moses, the true events of creation would again be revealed.  And through them, a Savior would be brought into the world, providing a way of redemption.  It is easy to see why the book of Genesis is vital to the understanding of God’s complete revelation to man.

A Book for our Learning and Pleasure

            While the Bible has not been given to us for entertainment, we will be entertained as we learn God’s relationship with His people.  We are given insight into the lives of ancient people, and access to the mind of God.  It is as relevant today as it was at the time it was given. We find romance in the story of Ruth and Boaz; adventure with David and his “mighty men;” mystery and suspense with the Witch of Endor and Samuel.  If we like stories of kings and castles, we will enjoy reading of Kings David, Solomon and other kings.  In the book of Job we find a heartbreaking situation that will bring tears to our eyes.  We can travel vicariously with Paul and his fellow laborers.  When our hearts are heavy, we find comfort and assurance of God’s love through the giving of His Son, and through the sacrifice of our Savior.

The Bible is a library of books, written by shepherds, farmers, tax collectors, kings, fishermen, and at least one physician.  Though written over a period of some 1600 years by 40 different writers, it has but one author, God.  Peter explains this in II Peter 1:21, when he said, “For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”