Internal Evidences of Inspiration
Internal Evidences of Inspiration The Bible contains its own proof of its divine origin. It vindicates itself. Frequently well-meaning but poorly informed people have said, "We cannot prove the truthfulness of the Bible by the Book itself", and "It will do no good to read the Bible to an infidel, as he doesn’t believe it anyway. He must be convinced with outside evidence". There is an abundance of external evidence but it is not needed to establish the divine origin of the Bible. No stronger arguments are needed than those which lie within the Book itself. An infidel will come as near being convinced by this internal evidence as by any external proof. The Unity of the Bible The Bible consists of sixty-six books written by about forty different men over a period of sixteen hundred years. It was written by kings, soldiers, shepherds, farmers and fishermen. It was begun by Moses in the lonely desert of Arabia and finished by John on the Isle of Patmos. Some of it was written in kings’ palaces, some in shepherds’ tents, some beside still waters and part of it was written in prison. Part of the Bible was written by highly educated men and part of it was written by unlettered fishermen. It was written in different languages and different countries. Yet, when all the books of the Bible are brought together they blend into one great whole. They are a unit, hence The Book. There are no contradictions; there is no discord. It is never necessary to rewrite the Bible and bring it up to date. It is always up to date and was free of errors from the beginning. These men could have written such a book only by divine guidance. Just as the materials for Solomon’s temple joined perfectly together because they were prepared under the direction of a great architect, so the books of the Bible blend harmoniously because they were written under the direction of the Holy Spirit of God. When one of the world’s outstanding encyclopedias was published, the publishers had to bring out an additional volume the following year to correct the errors which got into the first edition. The great scholars of the world had worked faithfully but mistakes were found just as they are found in all human productions. Skeptics have been unable to find even one error in the Bible. There are no mistakes and contradictions. It must, therefore, be that God directed its writing.
"Many years ago I entered the wonderful temple of God’s revelation. I entered the portico of Genesis and walked down through the Old Testament Art Gallery where the pictures of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and Joshua; Samuel and David and Daniel hung on the wall. I entered the music room of the Psalms where the Spirit swept the keyboard of nature and brought forth the dirge-like wail of the weeping prophet, Jeremiah; to the grand impassioned strains of Isaiah until it seemed that every reed and harp in God’s organ of nature responded to the tuneful touch of David, the sweet singer of Israel. I entered the chapel of Ecclesiastes where the voice of the preacher was heard and passed into the conservatory of Sharon where the lily of the valley’s sweet scented spices filled and perfumed my life. I entered the business room of the proverbs and passed into the observatory room of the prophets where I saw many telescopes of various sizes, some pointing to far-off events but all concentrated upon the Bright and Morning star which was soon to rise over the moonlit hills of Judea for our salvation. I entered the audience room of the King of Kings and caught a vision from the standpoint of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John; I entered the Acts of Apostles where the Holy Spirit was doing His office work in the forming of the church; I passed into the correspondence room where sat Paul, Peter, James, Jude and John penning their epistles. I stepped into the Throne Room of Revelation where all towered into glittering Peaks. I got a vision of the King seated upon His throne in all His glory, and I cried:
’All hail the power of Jesus’ name,
Let angels prostrate fall,
Bring forth the royal diadem
And crown Him Lord of All.’" The Style of the Writings. The Record of Doubt.
If the books of the Bible had been forgeries they would not have recorded the fears and doubts of their heroes. We are told how Peter denied the Lord thrice, how, when in prison, John’s faith was so weak that he sent to inquire if Jesus were really the Christ. We read that the brothers of Christ did not believe in Him at first and tried to prevent Him from preaching; we read that Jesus was twice rejected by the people of His home town. We read that the apostles fell asleep in Gethsemane and that they ran away when Christ was arrested. A false account would not have included these things. Every admission of doubt is an assurance of a correct account. The Record of Wrong-doing.
False books exalt their heroes. Their follies and sins are not mentioned. But in the Bible the truth is told. Abraham is called the father of the faithful; yet, when he lied, God had that recorded. When Moses, after leading Israel for forty years, sinned and was prevented from entering Canaan, God said, "Tell it all". Aaron, the high priest made a golden calf for the people to worship; King Saul was cruel and sinful; Elijah ran from Jezebel and the apostles possessed human weaknesses. H. L. Hastings in telling how God reported the evil deeds of His servants says, "When the Lord undertakes to tell His story of a sinful man, He does not select a poor, miserable beggar, and show him up; He does not even give the name of the thief on the cross, nor the wretched outcast who bathed the Savior’s feet with her tears; but He takes King David from the throne, and sets him down in sackcloth and ashes and wrings from his heart the cry, "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy loving-kindness; according to the multitude of Thy mercies blot out my transgressions.’ And when he is pardoned, forgiven, cleansed, and made whiter than the snow, the pen of inspiration writes down the whole dark, damning record of his crimes; and the king on his throne has not the power, nor wealth, nor influence enough to blot out the page; and it goes into history for the infidels to scoff at for three thousand years. Who wrote that?"
Familiar details. The Bible abounds in familiar details which a literary forger would never think to invent. The woman wiping Jesus’ feet with her hair; John outrunning Peter to the tomb but waiting outside while the impetuous Peter rushed in; Rhoda running to tell of Peter’s knock without first letting him in; Paul sending for his books and coat; the linen cloth that had been around the Savior’s head lying apart from the shroud. These simple, personal details simply mean that we are reading an honest and truthful account of what really happened. The books of the Bible bear no earmarks of forged documents. The Picture of Christ.
How could a set of forgers paint such a picture of a God-man that the world has since worshipped Him? Did Shakespeare invent such a character? Did the combined wisdom of Goethe, Dante and Milton do it? How impossible that a set of forgers could picture a man with such wisdom, majesty and love that all the world would bow at His feet! No one could picture Christ as do the Bible writers save those who were close to Him in the flesh.
"Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in an obscure village. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty, and then for three years He was an itinerant teacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never owned a home. He never had a family. He never went to college. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place where he was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness.
"He had no credentials but Himself. He had nothing to do with this world except the power of His divine manhood. While still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against Him. His friends ran away. One of them denied Him. He was turned over to His enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed upon a cross between two thieves. His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth while He was dying His coat. Then He was taken down and laid in a borrowed grave through the love of a friend.
"Nineteen wide centuries have come and gone. Today He is the centerpiece of the human race and the leader of the column of progress. I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, and all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as has that one solitary life." (Phillips Brooks.) What the Book Means to Human Hearts.
"This book contains...the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, it histories are true and its decisions immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveller’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword, the Christian’s charter. Here paradise is restored, Heaven opened and the gates of Hell disclosed. Christ is its grand object, our good its design and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be open at the judgment and will be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, rewards the greatest labor, and condemns all who trifle with its holy contents." (Anonymous.) The Bible
"Blessed Bible, how I love it!
How it doth my bosom cheer!
What hath earth like this to covet?
Oh, what stores of wealth are here!
"Man was lost and doomed to sorrow,
Not one ray of light or bliss
Could he from earth’s treasures borrow
Till his way was cheered by this.
"Yes, I’ll to my bosom press thee,
Precious Word, I’ll hide thee here,
Sure my heart will ever bless thee,
For thou sayest ’Good cheer’.
"Speak my heart and tell thy ponderings,
Tell how far thy rovings led,
When this Book brought back thy wonderings,
Speaking life as from the dead.
"Yes, sweet Bible, I will hide thee,
Hide thee richly in this heart;
Thou through all my life will guide me,
And in death we will not part!
"Part in death! No, never, never!
Through death’s vale I’ll lean on thee;
Then in worlds above forever
Sweeter still thy truths shall be."
-Anonymous