The book
(note: I originally wrote this in 1993, shortly after I became a follower of Jesus. The fun discovery is that it dates the event of my salvation, which I had not remembered that I had ever recorded!)
Many times I picked up the book, read a paragraph or two and set it down without a second thought. I found the literature to be interesting, but cumbersome with its details and difficult language. Using these and other excuses as my rationale, I set the book aside, and instead devoted my attention to other, more “contemporary” authors. All the while, this book and its author waited patiently for me to return to it. Years went by and the book gathered dust, but still within reach, knowing that I someday would read the book in a way that I never before had thought possible.
Then it happened. A series of events took place that changed my life. On January 10, 1993, I turned my back on the life I had led for 21 years and opened the book I had spent so long avoiding. This time it would be different. Before, its gold-stamped title had intimidated me. Now, the words Holy Bible beckoned me, invited me. There was something about those two words that effused authority and reliability that compelled me to, for the first time, “dig in.”
As soon as I first opened the Bible with an intent to read for comprehension, I was overwhelmed with its content. I didn’t know any better than to just begin at the beginning. From the first sentence, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth,” I was captivated. This single assertion confronted and refuted the worldview I had come to casually adopt. I had grown up with a generalized, safely-within-a-box view of God. I may have acknowledge a belief that God was real and even that God was the Creator, but that mental assent was never subject to real scrutiny, and in the pervasiveness of evolutionary teaching/indoctrination, I never thought too deeply on the matter. Yet, now, here in print staring me in the face…I was compelled to explore further.
As I read on and Genesis gave way to Leviticus, and the Law gave way to the Prophets, and as the Old Testament gave way to the New Testament and the Gospels and the Epistles and ultimately the Revelation, I found many passages to be relevant to my life and applicable to my personal situations. I felt like the author had written the book expressly for me. A passage out of the book of Psalms summarized my experience of reading the Bible: “Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path” (119:105).
Surely, I had many questions. I highlighted things I didn’t understand. I made a decision early on, though, that the presence of a question mark in my thinking was not the indication of a stop sign. Instead, it was a green light to keep reading, keep learning, keep growing.
In learning about the Bible, I found the book’s history to be as amazing as the stories within its covers. While Tolstoy may have written War and Peace in 5 to 10 years, the writing of the Bible took over 1500 years to complete. The stories within the Bible cover more than 4000 continuous years of history. The Bible stands alone in literary achievement.
The Bible is easily the most accessible book in the world. Regardless of the hotel at which you may be staying in North America, when you open that desk drawer, the Bible will be nestled in the corner, waiting to be opened. No other book has been printed as widely, translated as worldly, and studied more thoroughly.
Authorship of the Bible is another factor of the book’s writing that is unparalleled in literary history. Books that require a corroboration of two or three or even a dozen authors are usually considered authoritative. Proportionately, then, the Bible is indisputable in its assertions. During the fifteen-plus centuries it took to complete the Bible, sixty generations of people came and went, and 36 authors completed its text.
These authors were no literary giants, either. Their occupations ranged from tax collector to physician to professional fishermen to tentmakers. Other authors were kings, musicians, farmers, servants, gatekeepers, poets, and carpenters. Not only did the authors have widely varied backgrounds, they had little or no knowledge of the others’ existence and writings. In some instances, the authors themselves were in the dark as to the meaning of their own words. Evidence of this fact comes from the first book of Peter:
“…the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted …” (1:10,11).
Despite all of the authors’ disparities of time, social and political status, and financial standing, the words of the Bible are unified in its theme and reflect an evidence of God’s individual authorship.
As I sit here typing on a computer, the authors were afforded no such luxury. Moses contributed his five books while leading a population of oppressed people from the Egyptians across the desert. The apostle Paul wrote epistles while imprisoned by the Romans for being a Christian. The words of the Bible were written on reed plant, animal skins, stone, clay, wood, metal, pottery and other materials. The authors wrote God’s words on whatever surface possible, often facing persecution and martyrdom for completing their assigned task.
Neither the Bible’s history nor its number of printings would be relevant if it weren’t for the content of the book. Within its pages are dramas, books of laws, “how-to” books, counseling books, action/adventures, epic love stories, mysteries, poetry, songs, history books, parables, and prophesies. In fact, the only genre not represented in the Bible is fiction.
Two of the many stories in the Bible hold special meaning for me. The first tale is found in 1st and 2nd Samuel in the Old Testament. Deep in the valley of Elah, the men of Israel were struggling in a heated battle with the Philistines. From the back of the Philistine formation strode Goliath, the giant of the army. He challenged any Israelite to fight him one on one.
As the Israelites cowered in fear, the Philistines marched forward, claiming more and more land as their own. Finally, the young lad David, in the valley only to deliver supplies to his older brothers, stepped forward to meet Goliath in the center of the valley. Calling upon the name of God, David drew five rounded stones from the ground and prepared for Goliath’s attack. As the giant drew near, David drew the first stone in his sling, spun the small weapon over his head, and cast it toward his opponent. David’s stunning victory over Goliath instantly crushed the will of the Philistines.
Though minute details may differ, nearly everybody can recount this story, whether or not they be “people of faith.” But this is just the beginning of David’s story. David proceeded to become the most popular and most powerful king that Israel had ever seen. Even so, the complete story of King David is not filled with victory and success. For example, David, once king, sees a beautiful lady named Bathsheba from the rooftop of his home and decides he must have her for his own. After learning that she is married, he sends off her husband to the front lines of his army to be killed. David impregnates her and later marries her once she is widowed. Their deeds do not go unpunished, and their son dies at an early age.
I value the story of David because I am able to apply the lessons that David learned to my own life. I find it comforting when I witness God forgiving David for his mistakes in life and still accomplishing great things through him. David’s story provides me with encouragement and a peace of mind in the assurance of God’s grace.
The second story is not only the most popular from the Bible, it is easily the most important. The story of Jesus Christ, regardless of the number of times that I read it, moves me like no other story every written. Every one of the 66 books has a name for Jesus Christ from which I can apply to how He affects my life. I can read four different, but agreeing Gospels of the life of Jesus (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). The authors of the Bible account for His blameless life, and his willingness to die for the sins of the world. In the book of Revelation, I read about His foretelling of the cataclysmic encounter with Satan, His assurances of victory, and His promises to return to all who call upon His name.
I realize that a lot of what was just written may alienate many readers, because they don’t see all of this when they read the Bible. I understand because I’ve been there. I was making God convenient to my life. Convincing myself that my lifestyle was justifiable to God. He was never a factor in my life.
As soon as I accepted that He was my King, things changed. Once I turned control of my life over to Jesus, I read the book with a new perspective. Now I open the Bible, knowing that the words were authored by God, as inspired through others. I know that He will not lead me astray as He fulfills His promises. In the Bible, God gives me assistance on everything from finance to romance, from family disputes to neighborly disputes. He has trained me to listen for His voice, to follow His guidance.
I don’t expect everybody to agree with me. I hope that at some point in life, the skeptic will open the Bible, considering that the words in the Bible are more than just words. I took a risk and tried it once, and my life has never been the same since. I have a peace of mind that before was missing. “Strongholds” that once controlled me no longer do, because He satisfies me with His love and grace. I believe the Bible is more than just words. These words of the Bible are the Gospel, God’s good news for His people. I know this; in fact, I stake my life on it.
