How can it be that a plan for the government of the world, ensuring peace and blessings for all nations of the earth, outlined so many centuries ago in the Bible, proves to be exactly what the nations of the 21st century need? Why, too, is the Bible unique in this, for there is nothing like it in the pronouncements of any other religion or human literature? Again, someone must have known the world needs which would arise. An all-seeing Mind is needed to explain it. It must be God. No other explanation makes sense.
The moral factor
In the pagan centuries before Christ men worshipped natural phenomena like the sun, moon, and stars, and sometimes even animals. In cruder rites it was thought the god required the sacrifice of children in the fire. The Old Testament allusions to the worship of Molech, and Micah’s question, “Shall I sacrifice the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” (6:7) are examples. The legendary gods of Greece and Rome appear like glorified men and frequently exhibited the vices of men. In the Roman world oriental cults of a mystical nature, often associated with licentious rites involving sacred prostitution, grew in influence as belief in the legendary gods waned. The gods of modern Eastern religion appear remote, inhabiting a sphere of philosophical perfection which is far removed from the daily experience of ordinary people.
But the portrait of God in the Bible offers a totally different view and is unique in the world. God has supreme power and authority, for He is Creator of heaven and earth and also of the human race; but He is above all a God possessing definite moral qualities and maintaining them in His dealings with mankind. We cannot do better than reproduce God’s own description of Himself, given to Israel through Moses.
“The Lord, a God full of compassion and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy and truth … forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin: and that will by no means clear the guilty …” (Exodus 34:6,7, RV)
This portrait of a God of holiness and truth, who yet remembers the weakness of those who seek to serve Him and extends forgiveness to those who humble themselves before Him, is unswervingly maintained throughout the writings of the Old Testament for 1,000 years and then reappears in the New Testament in the 1st century AD, and nowhere else in the world’s literature.
It is profoundly reinforced in the New Testament by the appearance of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who manifests all the moral attributes of His Father, while consistently recognising the Father’s supremacy. His devotion to truth, his fearless unmasking of evil, his compassion for human weakness, and his devotion to the service of God, putting aside his own will – all these and more are unique in human experience. Such a portrait is not found anywhere else in the world, but only in the Bible.
The question is, where did it come from? Judging by the evidence of the past, no man nor any human authority would have thought out this view, nor would they have been able to maintain it over a period of many centuries. The strong impression remains that we need God to explain the portrait of God found in the Bible.
God in the world
But there is still one thing more. The God of the Bible is not remote from mankind, inhabiting a sphere of spiritual perfection far removed from the experience of men and women, for He is vitally involved in human history. Having created the human race, He was confronted by almost universal rejection of His will, and proceeded to create His own people, by making promises to Abraham and his descendants, by bringing them into a land of their own and there subjecting them to a special discipline in religious and social life designed to form a “people for His name”. For over 1,000 years He cared for them, sending prophets constantly to warn them of the consequences of their evil ways and to make promises to the faithful few. When eventually they were driven out of their land because of their stubborn rebellion, He manifested Himself in a Son, born of woman. Through him God established the means of redemption from sin and death of individual men and women, and caused the good news of it to be spread over the world. Then, as a climax, having governed the rise and fall of nations, He has promised to establish His own government for the whole earth to ensure the welfare of mankind. In short, this is a portrait of a God thoroughly involved in human life, influencing actual historical events, and bringing mankind’s career to a designed end, when the whole earth will honour His name.
Now there is no such God as this in any religion in the world, nor is any conception like it found in any human writings of any age or of any country. It is unique to the Bible. The divine activities described are unparalleled anywhere else. But who conceived this view in the first place? And how was it consistently maintained for 1,500 years – the same God, the same moral qualities, the same practical purpose – from Moses, 1400 BC, to the Apostle John, 1st century AD? No human mind or group of minds could have achieved this. A superior Mind must have supervised it all. The existence of the God of heaven as the Bible portrays Him is positively demanded by the facts. The Bible is the expression of His will and purpose.
“To this man…”
We have seen how the Bible reveals God’s plan for all nations of the world and for the future welfare of all mankind. We now contemplate the remarkable fact that the Bible has a message for every individual man or woman who is willing to take notice.
All through the turbulent centuries of Israel’s history, the word of God was constantly assuring them of His special care for the men and women who “feared him”, that is reverenced Him. A most striking illustration is found in Isaiah, where God reminds Israel that He is the great Creator of the heavens and the earth. He then goes on:
“But to this man will I look, even to him that is poor (humble) and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my word.” (Isaiah 66:1,2)
Now this message was delivered at a time when the nation of Israel were in deep trouble. Their Northern kingdom had been destroyed by the Assyrians, who had also invaded the land of Judah. Their society was corrupt, with oppression of the weak by the wealthy and the powerful, there was increasing idolatry and growing immorality due to the nation’s abandonment of the laws of God. Yet at this time of national crisis God delivered a message for every individual man who could find it in his heart to humble himself, to confess his sins, and to give reverent heed to the word of God.
Now Jesus does just the same. Concerned as he is with God’s purpose for man, involving resurrection and judgement and the government of all nations as a climax, he is yet conscious of the needs of the individual:
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden (i.e. with a sense of sin), and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
This message of hope and encouragement for every individual man and woman is reinforced on every page of the New Testament.
What a marvellous concept is this: the God of heaven, the Ruler of nations and kingdoms, can also look with favour on the individual who honours His name and seeks to do His will. As a conception of God it is unique in the world. The Bible alone reveals it.
Conclusion
Our conclusions can be brief. The Bible is a book unique in the world. It could not have been written solely by man. It must be a word from God.
As such it is of vital significance. It should be read with reverent attention and eager interest. It answers all our problems, warning us of the dangers that beset us, giving us hope of help now and of a new life in the kingdom of God. No other book in the world can do this. To neglect it, to treat it with indifference, would be an act of folly. Let us rather be wise and give heed to this word of truth and life in a world of darkness and doubt.
