The Story of the Bible pt. 1

Ta biblia ta hagia, "the holy books"), which derived from biblion ("paper" or "scroll,” the ordinary word for "book"), which was originally a diminutive of byblos ("Egyptian papyrus"), possibly so called from the name of the Phoenician port from which Egyptian papyrus was exported to Greece.

Biblical scholar Mark Hamilton states that the Greek phrase Ta biblia ("the books") was "an expression Hellenistic Jews used to describe their sacred books several centuries before the time of Jesus," and would have referred to the Septuagint. The Online Etymology Dictionary states, "The Christian scripture was referred to in Greek as Ta Biblia as early as c.223."

1) What does the Bible have to say about itself?

Exodus 31:18 – When He (God) had finished speaking with him upon Mount Sinai, He gave Moses the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written by the finger of God.

Exodus 32:15-16 - Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, tablets which were written on both sides; they were written on one side and the other. The tablets were God's work, and the writing was God's writing engraved on the tablets.

Deuteronomy 4:13 - So He (God) declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, that is, the Ten Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone.

Deuteronomy 9:10 - The LORD gave me the two tablets of stone written by the finger of God; and on them were all the words which the LORD had spoken with you at the mountain from the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly.

If you were to give a title summarizing the above verses, what would it be? God is the author of the Bible.

2600 times in the Bible, you see this refrain – “The Lord says” or in the King’s English “Thus saith the Lord!”

Hebrews 1:1 - God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways …

Luke 1:70 – As He (God) spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old …

Numbers 12:6-8 – He (God) said, “Hear now My words: if there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, shall make Myself known to him in a vision I shall speak with him in a dream. Not so, with My servant Moses, he is faithful in all My household; with him I speak mouth to mouth, even openly, and not in dark sayings, and he beholds the form of the LORD.

Jeremiah 1:1-4 – The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, to whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign …. Now the word of the LORD came to me saying …
Micah 1:1 – The word of the LORD which came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

If you were to give a title summarizing the above verses, what would it be? God spoke His Word to men.

The men God spoke to – Shepherds (Amos), fishermen (Peter), kings (David, Solomon), priests (Ezekiel, Ezra), government officials (Daniel), and a doctor (Luke.)

Mark 12:36 – David himself said in the Holy Spirit, 'THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I PUT YOUR ENEMIES BENEATH YOUR FEET."

2 Timothy 3:16 – All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness

II Peter 1:21 – for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

If you were to give a title summarizing the above verses, what would it be? God’s Holy Spirit inspired men to write down His Word.

Define inspire/inspiration – expire means to breathe out. Inspire means to breathe in

Literal translation in II Timothy – God breathed – God breathed His Word into man. What image does that produce? Mouth to mouth resuscitation. Gives life.

Hebrews 4:12a – For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword.

If you were to summarize the above verse, what would you write?

God’s Word is full of life and energy

Active – literal translation energy
Review our summaries. Put them together to write an overall summary of what the Bible says about itself.

The Bible was authored by God and was spoken to men whom inspired by God’s Spirit wrote down His Word. God’s Word is not dead, but is full of life and energy.

Last sentence is very important. The words that God spoke to Moses, Jonah, Ezekiel, Matthew, Paul did not “die” when a book was completed. God’s was not just for the person/people/nations He was speaking to a thousand years ago. He is speaking to us as well in Jonah, Micah, Genesis, Nahum, Romans, Colossians, etc. To say otherwise, is to say God’s Word is dead. To believe otherwise, is to believe that God’s Word is dead. If that’s the case, might as well throw the Bible in a trash can.

2)Why did/does God speak to humanity through the Bible? What is He saying to humanity?

Psalm 119:11 – Your word I have treasured in my heart that I may not sin against You.
II Timothy 3:16-17 – All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
Matthew 4: 4 – But He (Jesus) answered and said, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'"
Hebrews 4:12 – For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

If you were to summarize the above verses, what would you say? Purpose of God’s Word – Draw humanity to obedience to Him so that they might find life and purpose.
Disobedience – death and uselessness