THE Bible declares that it was written by inspiration of God (2 Tim. 3:16), that holy men of old spake as the Spirit of God moved them (2 Peter 1:21). It is also shown that there is a controversy going on between the Lord, the Saviour, and Azazel, or Satan, the one trying to save, and the other to destroy man; and that the Book is a revelation of these facts, and a history of the plan of salvation, or, in other words, a revelation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, written for the guidance of all those who should wish to seek salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. This being so, then the evidence of its divine origin must be ample in the fact of its preservation during the ages of its existence, and in the counter evidence of an evil influence seeking its destruction. If there is an actual warfare between the hosts of righteousness and of sin, and if the Bible is to point man onward toward righteousness and save him from sin, then the evidence must be plain and positive of a superior influence guarding and preserving the precious word from destruction, and there must be an equal volume of evidence showing the existence of an influence instigating the destruction of the record. Does this evidence exist?
The Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible, were written in B.C. 1491. Moses wrote them, or the greater part of them. We have to come down 600 years this side of the lifetime of Moses before we find any authentic record of other books being in existence. At that time we find the poems of Homer and Hesiod, but we are obliged to pass on down 400 years, to the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, or 1,000 years after Moses' time, before we find historical works, those of Herodotus and Thucydides. Its great antiquity, and the fact that it existed alone, as a written oracle, for so many centuries, is a strong presumptive evidence of its divine origin, while the fact that it still exists by the millions of copies, and is translated into over 100 different languages, in the face of the fact that all other ancient works have disappeared, except a few untranslated Egyptian books, proves that a supernatural care has guarded its existence.
The Israelites were its custodians. This people were often persecuted and dispersed, yet the Holy Bible was always preserved. Israel was enslaved by the Midianites in B.C. 1256 (Judges 6:1); again by the Syrians in B.C. 856 (2 Kings 13:3, 7); Judah by the Egyptians in B.C. 972 (2 Chron. 12:1-9); again by the Babylonians B.C. 607 (2 Kings 24:8, 10, 14); and Samaria by Assyria, B.C. 730 (2 Kings 17:5, 6); so that, in time, all Israel, and all its three landed divisions, went into slavery. And it is even asserted that after the seventy years' captivity in Babylon the ark itself was burned, yet the Bible or Scriptures were saved (Dan. 9:2; Neh. 8:1, 2; 2 Macc. 2:13). The forces of evil have made many and desperate attempts to destroy the writings from off the earth, but signally failed each time. Among these may be mentioned the attempt of Antiochus Epiphanes, who burned every copy he could find. 1 Macc. 1:56, 57. Yet God miraculously preserved his word. 1 Macc. 1:63; 2:27. Jezebel attempted to destroy the prophets of God, and with them the holy writings, yet Josiah and Hilkiah, the high priest, found a hidden copy. 2 Kings 22:8; 2 Chron. 34:14.
The internal evidences of its inspiration are numerous. Among some of them is the elevating influence it exerts on man, causing him to develop a nature unnatural to humanity. If the book was written by a human being, it would be simply an epitome of human nature, but it presents a standard of morality above, that of mortal man, hence must have been indicted by a mind dwelling in a condition, and familiar with a life superior, to the existence and knowledge of humanity. This the book declares to be the immortal (not subject to death) existence of a spirit world where God dwells, and the Scriptures hold out the hope of such a life to all who follow its guidance. It is therefore justly said to be the record and means of God's favor, or grace, to man. John 17:17.
The belief in this book, and the following of its teachings, made Israel a superior nation to any that were contemporary with it. "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for?" Deut. 4:6, 7. When its teachings are followed, purification of life always follows, a complete change of opinions and habits results (Zeph. 3:1-7). See the description of the condition of Israel, with their change after the book of the law was found by Hilkiah, the priest, in 2 Kings 22:8-13 and 2 Chron. 34:30-33. So Jeremiah says: "Is not my word like a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?" Jer. 23:29. The study of and the belief in the Scriptures results in the same change of the life, the effect being an utter destruction of selfishness, the natural condition of the human heart. This alone is an indubitable proof of its spiritual or divine origin, for no natural being could conceive of or formulate the details of a plan which would produce such results. All works of similar character not pointing to and elucidating the precepts of the Bible, never have affected, nor can effect, anything higher than an outward civility, which is simply dissimulation, or hypocrisy—an attempt to appear what one is not.
Then, too, the perfect harmony and agreement of all its parts and relations, prove its spiritual origin. Written by men occupying different social positions, with varying mental calibers, and living in dissimilar stations, at different periods of the world's history—beginning with Moses, a learned Egyptian by adoption, followed by David, a shepherd; Solomon, a king; Daniel, a statesman; Ezra, a priest; Amos, a herdsman; Matthew, a tax gatherer; Luke, a physician; Paul, a learned Pharisee, and Peter and John, poor fishermen, we have a galaxy of writers living during a period of 1,500 years, all writing of God, his plans8designs, and purposes, and all agreeing with and amplifying the writings of every other,—Moses framing laws; Joshua writing history; David, psalms; Solomon, proverbs; the prophets, prophecies; the evangelists, biographies; Paul and others, letters; yet all speaking the same thing from different standpoints. The law of Moses abounds in ceremonies, and was adapted to only one nation. Deut. 16:16. The New Testament writers preach a religion having few and simple ceremonies, a religion capable of universal application (Mark 16:15), yet the two systems, so dissimilar in special usages, agree with each other in all material points (Heb. 7:18, 19). How is it possible to account for this amazing harmony of purpose, except we believe the statement of God: "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 2 Peter 1:22.