Discourse on the Bible:

[iris89]

Discourse on the Bible:

INTRODUCTION:

There are many different writings and books that various groups have considered/believed to be holy books, but why so. Many have been considered holy books based on human tradition such as the Egyptian Book of the Dead, the Rig Veda, etc., and others for which divine inspiration are claimed, but which are actually just knockoffs from the Bible such as the writings of David Korash, the Book of Morman, the Quran (Koran), etc. However, there is only one book, actually a book of books, the Bible which actually was written by man acting as scribes who were given the thoughts of God (YHWH) and put them into the words of men.

Specifically, the Bible is NOT the product of one committee or strongman. It has over 40 individual writers who wrote under divine inspiration/guidance much as transcribing secretaries today taking transcription and then later typing it out. In other words one real author, God (YHWH), and many scribes each of whom wrote in his own style over a period of approximately 1,600 years. All of what people call or consider inconsistencies are really not such, but most often just a problem of translation and/or understanding, i.e., lack of understanding of what the original writer writing in his own language and culture meant/said in his original writing. What is remarkable, is the writers over such a period of time all wrote in harmony when even most posters on threads on this forum can not even stay on track or subject over a period of a few days and/or weeks at most with the original subject of the thread. This fact of harmony over a period so great as to almost stagger the imagination shows that it had one guiding force or author who divinely inspired its writers as humans of their own volition can not keep on track over short periods of time.

To wit, the Bible is the ONLY book God (YHWH) ever inspired men to write as his scribes. In other words, God is its author and men only put his thoughts given to them by divine inspiration into their own words, the words of men. Not only that, all the other writers of later so called religious guidance books borrowed from it and made changes in accord with their strong man or so called prophet. Take the example of Joseph Smith who borrowed from it to write the Book of Mormon, but failed to give credit or source to the Bible and twisted some borrowed things into bizarre distortions. Other examples are of course the bizarre writings of David Koresh the Prophet of the Branch Dividians of Waco, Texas; and the Quran, and the Book of Wiccim.

INSPIRED BY GOD (YHWH) AND NOT BY HUMANS:

All other so called 'holy books' have been inspired by men such as the Rig Veda which is a collection of early writings about nature and life by the early inhabitants of India, or the so called Egyptian Book of the Dead which is of similar nature but deals more specifically with the items of nature that the early Egyptians considered gods such as the sun, frogs, and other things of nature. Now the Bible is a quite different entity which does NOT consider things of nature as gods, but only the Creator of Heaven and Earth a god, Almighty God (YHWH) which Exodus 20:3 says, "Thou hast no other Gods before Me." (Young's Literal Translation; YLT). Clearly showing there is but one true God (YHWH) through whom all came into being at his discretion.

This fact, that the Bible was inspired by God (YHWH) is testified to at 2 Timothy 3:16-17, "Every scripture inspired of God `is' also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness. 17 That the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work." (American Standard Version; ASV); and this is affirmed, also, at 1 Thessalonians 2:13, "And for this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when ye received from us the word of the message, `even the word' of God, ye accepted `it' not `as' the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also worketh in you that believe." (ASV).

MAN WROTE UNDER INSPIRATION FROM GOD (YHWH):

As shown at Exodus 20:1-2, "`And God speaketh all these words, saying, 2 I `am' Jehovah thy God, who hath brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of a house of servants." (YLT); and reaffirmed at Isaiah 7:7, "thus saith the Lord Jehovah, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass." (ASV); and the fact that these divinely inspired individuals wrote not their own words, but simply put the thoughts of God (YHWH) into the words of men as testified to by God's (YHWH's) own son, Jesus (Yeshua) at John 14:10, "Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I say unto you I speak not from myself: but the Father abiding in me doeth his works." (ASV).

Clearly men were moved to write by God's (YHWH's) spirit as testified to at 2 Peter 1:20-21, "this first knowing, that no prophecy of the Writing doth come of private exposition, 21 for not by will of man did ever prophecy come, but by the Holy Spirit borne on holy men of God spake." (YLT); and 1 Thessalonians 2:13, "And for this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when ye received from us the word of the message, `even the word' of God, ye accepted `it' not `as' the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also worketh in you that believe." (ASV).

Unlike other so called 'holy books' that were written as men observed nature or were moved by self interest, the Bible was written by men who were moved by God's (YHWH's) spirit as testified to at Acts 3:21, "whom the heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, whereof God spake by the mouth of His holy prophets that have been from of old." (ASV); and at Acts 28:25, "And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Spirit through Isaiah the prophet unto your fathers," (ASV).

NOW WHAT DOES INSPIRATION MEAN:

The dictionary definition, "The infusion or arousal within the mind of some idea, feeling, or impulse, especially one that leads to creative action. 2. The state or quality of being inspired, 3. Divine influence exerted upon the mind or spirit; especially , the divine influence underlying prophetic or scriptural revelation. [source = Funk & Wagnalls Standard College Dictionary, ISBN # 0-308-10309-2). Now of all these definitions, the one of interest is the third dealing with divine influence

being exerted. This is further defined by Ezekiel 1:3, "the word of Jehovah came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of Jehovah was there upon him." (ASV). This divine inspiration is further testified to at Habakkuk 2:2, "And Jehovah answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tablets, that he may run that readeth it." (ASV); and at Daniel 7:1-2 & 7, "In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel hath seen a dream, and the visions of his head on his bed, then the dream he hath written, the chief of the things he hath said. 2 Answered hath Daniel and said, `I was seeing in my vision by night, and lo, the four winds of the heavens are coming forth to the great sea;" and "7 Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booty unto them?" (ASV).

PROPHECY PROVES THE BIBLE TO BE OF DIVINE ORIGIN:

Whereas, other so called 'holy books' that are NOT knockoffs of the Bible deal mostly with nature and if they deal with prophecy, they deal with it in very general terms; whereas, the Bible gives very specific prophecies that have all come true at the predicted time. As 2 Peter 1:21 says, "For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit." (ASV); and at Isaiah 46:9-10, "Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; `I am' God, and there is none like me; 10 declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not `yet' done; saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure;" (ASV). Also, this is testified to at many other places in the Bible such as at Deuteronomy 18:22 (part of the Torah), "that which the prophet speaketh in the name of Jehovah, and the thing is not, and cometh not -- it `is' the word which Jehovah hath not spoken; in presumption hath the prophet spoken it; -- thou art not afraid of him." (ASV); and at John 14:29, "And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe." (ASV).

AS an example of this fulfillment of prophecy as given in God's (YHWH's) word, the Bible, just consider some of the prophecies given centuries before the incarnation of his Son, Jesus (Yeshua) that were fulfilled by him as follows:

Prophecy Fulfilled When Jesus Was Crucified:

[ 1. Betrayed by a friend - Psalms 41:9 - John 13:18-27 - 460 BCE ]]

[ 2. Thirty (30) of silver thrown in Temple - Zechariah 11:13 - Matthew 27:3-5 - 518 BCE ]

[ 3. Betrayed for thirty (30) pieces of silver - Zechariah 11:12 - Matthew 26:14-15 - 518 BCE ]

[ 4. Potters field bought for thirty (30) pieces of silver&Zechariah 11:13 - Matthew 27:6-10 - 518 BCE ]

[ 5. Forsaken by His disciples - Zechariah 13:7 - Mark 14:27-50 - 518 BCE ]

[ 6. Falsely accused by false witnesses - Psalms 35:11-21 - Matthew 26:59-61 - 460 BCE ]

[ 7. Remained silent before accusers - Isaiah 53:7 - Matthew 27:12-14 - 732 BCE ]

[ 8. Was wounded and bruised - Isaiah 53:4-6 - 1 Peter 2:21-25 - 732 BCE ]

[ 9. Spit upon and beaten - Isaiah 50:6 - Matthew 26:67-68 - 732 BCE ]

[ 10. Was mocked - Psalms 22:6- 8 - Matthew 27:27- 31 - 460 BCE ]

[ 11. Fell under the cross (stauros) - Psalms 109:24- 25 - John 19:17, Luke 23:26 - 460 BCE]

[ 12. Had hands and feet pierced - Psalms 22:16 - John 20:24-28 - 460 BCE ]

[ 13. Was crucified with thieves - Isaiah 53:12 - Matthew 27:38 - 732 BCE ]

[ 14. Prayed for His enemies - Isaiah 53:12 - Luke 23:34 - 732 BCE ]

[ 15. His own people rejected him - Isaiah 53:3 - John 19:14-15 - 732 BCE]

[ 16. Was hated without cause - Psalms 69:4 - John 15:25 - 460 BCE ]

[ 17. Friends stood aloof - Psalms 38:11 -Luke 22:54; Luke 23:49 - 460 BCE ]

[ 18. People wag their heads - Psalms 22:7; Psalms 109:25 - Matthew 27:39 - 460 BCE]

[19. He was stared at by people - Psalms 22:17 - Luke 23:35 - 460 BCE]

[ 20. Gamblers divided his clothes - Psalms 22:18 - John 19:23-24 - 460 BCE ]

[ 21. He became very thirsty - Psalms 22:15 - John 19:28 - 460 BCE ]

[ 22. He was given gall & vinegar - Psalms 69:21 - Matthew 27:34 - 460 BCE ]

[ 23. He committed himself to God - Psalms 31:5 - Luke 23:46 - 460 BCE ]

[ 24. His forsaken cry - Psalms 22:1 - Matthew 27:46 - 460 BCE ]

[ 25. His bones not broken - Psalms 34:20 - John 19:32-36 - 460 BCE ]

[ 26. Was buried in tomb of a rich man - Isaiah 53:9 - Matthew 27:56-60 - 732 BCE ]

[ 27. A darkness came over the land - Amos 8:9 - Luke 23:44-45 - 804 BCE ]

[ 28. His heart was broken - Psalms 69:20;Psalms 22:14 - 460 BCE ]

[ 29. His side pierced - Zechariah 12:10 - John 19:34-37 - 648 BCE ]

Prophecies Fulfilled Concerning His Birth:

[ 1. Born of the seed of women - Genesis 3:15 - Galatians 4:4 - 1513 BCE ]

[ 2. Born to a virgin Hebrew - Isaiah 7:14 - Matthew 1:18-25 - 732 BCE ]

[ 3. Children are killed by Herod - Jeremiah 31:15 - Matthew 2:16-18 - 580 BCE ]

[ 4. Born of the family line of Jesse - Isaiah 11:1 - Luke 3:32 - 732 BCE ]

[ 5. Born into the Tribe of Judah - Genesis 49:10 - Revelations 5:5 - 1513 BCE ]

[ 6. Born in Bethlehem - Micah 5:2 - Matthew 2:1-6 - 717 BCE ]

[ 7. Seed of David - Jeremiah 23:5 - Luke 3:31 - 580 BCE ]

[ 8. Seed of Jacob - Numbers 24:17 - Luke 3:34 - 1473 BCE ]

[ 9. Seed of Isaac - Genesis 21:12 - Luke 3:23-34 - 1513 BCE ]

[ 10. Seed of Abraham - Genesis 22:18 - Matthew 1:1 - 1513 BCE ]

Prophecies on his Personality:

[ 1. His zeal for this Father (YHWY) - Psalms 69:9 - John 2:15-17 - 460 BCE ]

[2. His existence before creation - Micah 5:2 - 1 Peter 1:20 - 717 BCE ]

[ 3. He shall be called Lord - Psalms 110:1 - Acts 2:36 - 460 BCE ]

[ 4. Called Immanuel (God with us) - Isaiah 7:14 - Matthew 1:22-23 - 732 BCE ]

[ 5. Anointed by the Spirit (HS) - Isaiah 11:2 - Matthew 3:16-17 - 732 BCE ]

[ 6. He is a Prophet - Deuteronomy 18:18-19 - Acts 3:18-25 - 1473 BCE ]

[ 7. He will be a Priest - Psalms 110:4 - Hebrews 5:5-6 - 460 BCE ]

[ 8. He will be a Judge - Isaiah 33:32 - John 5:22-23 - 732 BCE ]

[ 9. He will be a King - Psalms 2:6 - John 18:33-37 - 460 BCE ]

Prophecies Concerning his Public Ministry:

[ 1. Will be preceded by a messenger - Isaiah 40:3 - Matthew 3:1-3 - 732 BCE ]

[ 2. He would perform miracles - Isaiah 35:5-6 - Matthew 9:35 & 11:4 - 732 BCE ]

[ 3. Ministry to begin in Galilee - Isaiah 9:1-2 - Matthew 4:12-17 - 732 BCE ]

[ 4. Would teach with parables - Psalms 78:1-4 - Matthew 13:34-35 - 460 BCE ]
[ 5. He would preach in temple - Malachi 3:1 - Matthew 21:10-12 - 443 BCE ]

[ 6. Enter Jerusalem on a donkey - Zechariah 9:9 - Matthew 21:1-7 - 518 BCE ]

[ 7. Stone of stumbling to Jews - Isaiah 28:16; Psalms 118:22 - 1 Peter 2:6-8 - 732 BCE ]

[ 8. Light to Gentiles - Isaiah 49:6 - Acts 13:46-48 - 732 BCE ]

Prophecies Concerning his Resurrection and Ascension:

[ 1. Raised from the dead - Psalms 16:8-11 - Acts 2:24-31 - 460 BCE ]

[ 2. Only begotten Son of God (YHWH) - Psalms 2:7 - Acts 13:32-35 - 460 BCE ]

[ 3. Ascended to God (YHWH) - Psalms 68:18 - Ephesians 2:8-10; John 6:26 - 460 BCE ]

[ 4. Seated at the Right Hand of God (YHWH) - Psalms 110.1 - Hebrews 1:3-13 - 460 BCE]

Another remarkable prophecy that was very specific was the one given at Isaiah 44:28-29, "That saith of Cyrus, `He is' my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure, even saying of Jerusalem, She shall be built; and of the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid." (ASV); and Isaiah 45:1, "Thus saith Jehovah to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him, and I will loose the loins of kings; to open the doors before him, and the gates shall not be shut:" (ASV), which secular history shows was fulfilled over two hundred years in the future as it does of the prophecy about how Cyrus would capture Babylonia at Isaiah 44:27, "that saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers;" (ASV). This fact can be verified in most world history books and in "Ancient Near Eastern Texts," edited by J. Pritchard, 1946, and of course in the Bible.

See Part 2 - Discourse on the Bible:

[iris89]

Part 2 - Discourse on the Bible:


CANDOR OF BIBLE SCRIBES SHOWS THEIR TRUTHFULNESS:

Unlike writers of so called other 'holy books' the writers (scribes) of the Bible showed outstanding candor in their writings even testifying to their own shortcomings under divine guidance as shown at Numbers 20:12, "And Jehovah saith unto Moses, and unto Aaron, `Because ye have not believed in Me to sanctify Me before the eyes of the sons of Israel, therefore ye do not bring in this assembly unto the land which I have given to them.'" (YLT); and at Jonah 1:1-3, "Now the word of Jehovah came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. 3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah; and he went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah." (ASV) clearly here the prophet Jonah is testifying in candor to his own lack of faith and wrong doing; and at Mark 14:66-67 and 71-72, "And Peter being in the hall beneath, there doth come one of the maids of the chief priest, 67 and having seen Peter warming himself, having looked on him, she said, `And thou wast with Jesus of Nazareth!'" and "and he began to anathematize, and to swear -- `I have not known this man of whom ye speak; 72 and a second time a thingy crew, and Peter remembered the saying that Jesus said to him -- `Before a thingy crow twice, thou mayest deny me thrice;' and having thought thereon -- he was weeping." (YLT). Examples such as these are found throughout the Bible of candor on the part of the writers (scribes) which is definitely not found in the Egyptian Book of the Dead, the Rig Veda, the so called holy book of the Zoroastrians, etc.; once more showing the great difference between the Bible, which is the only book ever inspired by God (YHWH) and so called other 'holy books.'

BIBLE DIRECT GLORY TO GOD AND NOT TO MEN:

Unlike many other so called 'holy books' the Bible directs glory to God (YHWH) and not to men such as the Egyptian Pharaohs, many ancient rulers, and the Roman Emperors that claimed to be gods. This is made vividly clear at Psalms 113:3-5, "From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same Jehovah's name is to be praised. 4 Jehovah is high above all nations, And his glory above the heavens. 5 Who is like unto Jehovah our God, That hath his seat on high," (ASV); and at Isaiah 40:22-23, "`It is' he that sitteth above the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in; 23 that bringeth princes to nothing; that maketh the judges of the earth as vanity." (ASV); and at 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, "For behold your calling, brethren, that not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, `are called': 27 but God chose the foolish things of the world, that he might put to shame them that are wise; and God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong; 28 and the base things of the world, and the things that are despised, did God choose, `yea' and the things that are not, that he might bring to nought the things that are: 29 that no flesh should glory before God. 30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who was made unto us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption: 31 that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." (ASV); and at many other places such as Revelation 7:12.

ARCHAEOLOGY HAS CORROBORATED MANY BIBLE ACCOUNTS:

So many Bible accounts have corroborated

so many Bible accounts that it would require many books to significantly deal with them all. However, but a few of these are Genesis 19:24-25, "and Jehovah hath rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from Jehovah, from the heavens; 25 and He overthroweth these cities, and all the circuit, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which is shooting up from the ground." (YLT) has been corroborated by Geologist recently when they ascertained that the area mentioned had been involved in a catastrophic explosion followed by rain of sulphur. Also, a recent expedition found extensive underwater remnants of a civilization that flourished and died app. 4,000 years ago that now is submerged beneath the south end of the Dead Sea.

Another example is Joshua 1:4, "From this wilderness and Lebanon, and unto the great river, the river Phrath, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great Sea -- the going in of the sun -- is your border." (YLT). This has been confirmed by the discovery at an excavation at Boghazkeui, Turkey, the ancient site of the Hittite capital where over 10,00 clay tablets in the Hittite cuneiform script and other languages have been found.

Another example is 1 Kings 14:25-26, "And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem; 26 and he took away the treasures of the house of Jehovah, and the treasures of the king's house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made." (ASV). This was verified by a finding in 1830 of writings on the outer wall of Egyptian temple at Karnak that when deciphered was found to be a record of Shishnak's victory.

Another example is 2 Kings 3:4-5, "Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep-master; and he rendered unto the king of Israel the wool of a hundred thousand lambs, and of a hundred thousand rams. 5 But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel." (ASV). This was verified with the finding of the Moabite stone in 1868 [now preserved in the Louvre, Paris] which gives King Mesha's version of his revolt against Israel.

Another example is 2 Kings 18:13, "Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fortified cities of Judah, and took them." (ASV). In 1847 to 1851, Layard excavated Assyrian King Sennacherib's great palace at Kuyunjik, and uncovered clay cylinders, now called King Sennacherib's Prism, giving his boastful version of the invasion of Judah, [now preserved in the British Museum].





Another example is Acts 17:22, "And Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said, Ye men of Athens, in all things, I perceive that ye are very religious." (ASV). The Ares, or 'Mars Hill," rocky hill northwest of Acropolis of Athens still remains to confirm the Beble record of setting for Paul's discourse, and a plaque there contains a copy of a part of his speech.

Now if any want to know more, go and read one of the many books written on archaeology corroboration of Bible accounts, many can be found in any large metropolitan library.

THE BIBLE IN HARMONY WITH TRUE SCIENCE:

Let's review a few examples such as Genesis 1:11 & 21 & 25, "And God saith, `Let the earth yield tender grass, herb sowing seed, fruit-tree (whose seed `is' in itself) making fruit after its kind, on the earth:' and it is so." And "21 And God prepareth the great monsters, and every living creature that is creeping, which the waters have teemed with, after their kind, and every fowl with wing, after its kind, and God seeth that `it is' good." And "And God maketh the beast of the earth after its kind, and the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, and God seeth that `it is' good.", all of which we all now know to be true do to the findings of scientist.

And Job 26:7, "He is stretching out the north over the empty place, hanging the earth upon nothing." (New World Translation; NWT). For many centuries it was believed that the sun revolved around the earth, and one so called Christian group, actually a counterfeit Christian group, actually burned an individual at the stake on orders from Rome, one Giordano Bruno, executed in 1600 for a belief and teaching of the Copernican's system, the belief that the earth revolved around the sun, as they taught as truth the Ptolemaic system, the belief that the sun revolved around the earth, can you imagine that. Also, some religious groups and so called 'holy books' stated that the earth was supported by a giant turtle, can you imagine such nonsense; but the Bible contains no such nonsense in the legitimate canonical books. And Isaiah 40:22, "`It is' he that sitteth above the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in;" (ASV). For many centuries it was believed that the earth was flat and if you traveled too far you would fall off, but the Bible correctly said, "above the circle of the earth" revealing that it was a globe. Once more proving the Bible always was in harmony with true science. Of course this was NOT true for the many so called 'holy books,' the knockoffs from the Bible excluded.


ITS PRESERVATION IN FACE OF SEVERE OPPOSITION SHOWS THAT IT TRULY IS THE WORD OF GOD:

The fact that the Bible still exist after such severe opposition throughout the ages is testimony to the fact that it is the word of God (YHWH). This fact was foretold in advance at Isaiah 40:8, "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of our God shall stand forever." (ASV); and 1 Peter 1:25, "'The saying of Jehovah endures forever." Well, this is the 'saying,' this which has been declared to you as good news." (NWT). Through the ages many efforts were made to eliminate the Bible and many individuals were burned at the stake for either publishing, distributing, and/or possessing a copy of the Bible, but we still have it as God (YHWH) made provisions for its preservation and today it has been translated into over 2,000 languages and more copies are in existence of it than any other book on earth; in fact more copies of it have been printed than all other so called 'holy books' sure says a lot.

ALL OF THE BIBLE IS VALUABLE:

That all of the Bible is beneficial and NOT outdated is brought out at Romans 15:4, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that through patience and through comfort of the scriptures we might have hope." (ASV); and John 20:31, "but these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in his name." (ASV).

JESUS (YESHUA) AND THE APOSTLES FREELY QUOTED FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT:

Jesus (Yeshua) and his apostles clearly quoted from the Old Testament [Hebrew Testament] clearly showing that they considered all of it as the inspired word of God (YHWH) as it truly is. This is clearly shown at Luke 4:17-21, "And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was written, 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor: He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down: and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 And he began to say unto them, To-day hath this scripture been fulfilled in your ears." (ASV); and at Luke 24:27 & 44-45, "And beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself." And "And he said unto them, These are my words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must needs be fulfilled, which are written in the law of Moses, and the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me. 45 Then opened he their mind, that they might understand the scriptures;" (ASV). Also, there many more scriptures showing that Jesus (Yeshua) and his apostles clearly quoted from the Old Testament.

In fact, many of these scriptures contain examples for our benefit today, one example being shown in Luke 17:26-30, "And as it came to pass in the days of Noah, even so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27 They ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise even as it came to pass in the days of Lot; they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29 but in the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all: 30 after the same manner shall it be in the day that the Son of man is revealed." (ASV).

BIBLE TO BE VIEWED AS A UNIFORM WHOLE:

The Bible is shown to be clearly a uniform whole at 2 Timothy 3:16, "All Scripture is Inspired of God and beneficial." (NWT); therefore, the reading of it on a regular basis is important. This is testified to at Matthew 4:4, "But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (ASV); and Deuteronomy 6:4-7, "Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, one Lord, and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and strength. These commandments which I give you this day are to be kept in your heart; you shall repeat them to your sons, and speak of them indoors and out of doors, when you lie down and when you rise." (The New English Bible; NEB); and 2 Timothy 3:15, "You know how, when you were a small child, you were taught the holy Scriptures; and it is these that make you wise to accept God's salvation by trusting in Christ Jesus." (Living New Testament; LNT); and Acts 17:11, "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so."

FOR THE RIGHT INTERPRETATION OF THE BIBLE, WE MUST LOOK TO GOD (YHWH):

We must look to God (YHWH) for the correct interpretation of the Bible and not to men as testified to at Genesis 40:8, "They replied, 'We have each had a dream and there is no one to interpret it for us.'" (NWT); and Daniel 2:28, "but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he discloses to king Nebuchadnezzar what is to happen in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your brain in bed are these:" (The Bible, A New Translation, by James Moffatt, D.D., D.Litt., M.A.; ANT); and Matthew 11:25, "And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall war in battle with an exceeding great and mighty army; but he shall not stand; for they shall devise devices against him." (ASV).

Remember that the 'RIGHT' explanation is always harmonious with the rest of God's (YHWH's) word as brought out at 2 Timothy 3:16-17, "Every inspired scripture has its use for teaching the truth and refuting error, or for reformation of maners and discipline in right living, so that the man who belongs to God may be efficient and equipped for good work of every kind." (NET); and Acts 15:14-15, "Symeon hath rehearsed how first God visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. 15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written," (ASV). Also, as brought out by Matthew 16:4, "An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of Jonah. And he left them, and departed." (ASV); and Matthew 24:35, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." (ASV).

EVENTS IN FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY POINT OUT MEANING:

Actually, events in fulfillment of prophecy point out Bible meaning as shown by Matthew 1:18 & 22-23, "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Spirit." And "22 Now all this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, And they shall call his name Immanuel; which is, being interpreted, God with us." (ASV); and Acts 2:4 & 14-21, "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." And "But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spake forth unto them, `saying', Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and give ear unto my words. 15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose; seeing it is `but' the third hour of the day. 16 but this is that which hath been spoken through the prophet Joel: 17 And it shall be in the last days, saith God, I will pour forth of my Spirit upon all flesh: And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams: 18 Yea and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days Will I pour forth of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show wonders in the heaven above, And signs on the earth beneath; Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke: 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the day of the Lord come, That great and notable `day'. 21 And it shall be, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." (ASV).

Remember, personal interpretation may lead to twisting of scriptures as shown by 2 Peter 3:15-16, "and the long-suffering of our Lord count ye salvation, according as also our beloved brother Paul -- according to the wisdom given to him -- did write to you 16 as also in all the epistles, speaking in them concerning these things, among which things are certain hard to be understood, which the untaught and unstable do wrest, as also the other Writings, unto their own destruction." (ASV). Also, adding to or taking away from the words of the Bible is wrong as shown at Revelation 22:18-19, "I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book:
19 and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book." (ASV).

CONCLUSION:

As can be seen from the foregoing, the Bible is truly the word of God (YHWH) and NOT of man as are all the other books in existence. It is the only book God (YHWH) has ever inspired to be written and that God (YHWH) used divinely inspired men to record his thoughts in the words of men. So as we can see, the proposition stated in the introduction has been proved past any reasonable doubt to all individuals who are honest with themselves. Of course there will be many individuals who will not accept this, and this is to be expected; and that is why we have the saying you can lead a horse to water, but you can not make him drink. These are the ones who want to believe myths and legends and figuratively say, 'my mind is made up, please do NOT confuse me with facts.'

Your Friend in Christ Iris89