Journeys Along God's Path: World Bible School

The Greatest Book in the World!

by Keith Sharp

If ever there were a people endangered of being buried alive beneath the accumulated mass of their own writings, it is we Americans. We are today deluged by an almost infinite array of books making an almost infinite number of claims about an almost infinite variety of subjects. The Library of Congress had on record as of 1970, 13,896,506 books, and this number grows daily. One is reminded of the inspired observation of the sage of old :

...of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
(Ecclesiastes 12:12)

This is a book report. But the volume I am to describe is completely unique in all history. This one book has had more influence on men and has done more good for mankind than the totality of all other volumes ever recorded. I want to introduce to you the greatest book in the world.

Who Wrote This Wonderful Book?
Approximately forty men over a period of around 1550 years, from Moses in can 1500-1450 B.C. to John in A.D. 64-96 took part in penning "the Book." These men not only lived in various ages, they came from exceedingly diverse walks of life--a great deliverer and lawgiver, a shepherd-warrior-king, a priest, a wise and wealthy king, a statesman, a herdsman, a fisherman, a medical doctor, a tax collector, a lawyer, and so on. They wrote about such various subjects as law, history, love stories, poetry, prophecy of the future, biography, evidences, conditions of churches, advice on how to live, and so forth. Yet they all wrote with perfect harmony and unity. Impossible? If they had written without divine aid, yes. For example, do you think ten men today, from the same profession and period of time, all writing separately about just one subject, would agree on every particular? What about forty men from various walks of life and separate times, writing about a wide array of subjects?

Such "unity in diversity" is possible with this great "Book of books," the Bible, because God is its ultimate author. The Bible was written by inspiration (2 Timothy 3:16-17). "Inspiration" is from a Greek word, "theopneustos," meaning "God-breathed." This means the Bible is the Word of God.

This great volume was also given by revelation (Ephesians 3:1-6). "Revelation" is an "unveiling" or "uncovering." The Gospel was a mystery - that is, "something hidden." But the Holy Spirit uncovered the mystery to the apostles and prophets, who in turn wrote it down for us to read and understand. Every word of this original revelation was God-given ( 1 Corinthians 2:9-13).

Furthermore, the Bible was given by prophecy (11 Peter 1:20-21). When God commissioned Moses and Aaron to go to Pharaoh, Aaron was to be "instead of a mouth," that is, a "spokesman" for Moses, whereas Moses was to be "instead of God" to Aaron (Exodus 4:15-16). When the commission was repeated, Aaron was termed a "prophet," while Moses was "a god" (Exodus 7:1-2). Thus, the prophets of God, who wrote the Bible, were God's mouths or spokesmen.

What is "the Book" About?
It is divided into two great categories: the Old Testament and the New Testament (Hebrews 9:15).

The Old Covenant consists of thirty-nine separate books which may be placed into five categories: law, history, poetry & wisdom, major prophets and minor prophets. The New Testament is composed of twenty-seven books which may also be divided into five categories: life of Christ, history of the spread of the Gospel, special letters, general letters and prophecy. Despite the extreme diversity of this "divine library," it has a steel cable of unity tying the whole together. God's twofold physical promise to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3,7), that his seed should become a great nation and inherit the land of Canaan, provides the outline for the greater part of the Old Testament, while the spiritual part of that promise, "in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 12:3), completes the Old Covenant and ties it to the New Testament.

This grand promise also helps introduce the very theme of the Bible. In Christ we are "Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise" (Galatians 3:26-29). Jesus Christ, preeminent in all things, the promised Savior of the world, is the theme of the Bible (Colossians 1:19). Christ is the great Keynote of God's rapturous Song of Redemption, and every note in the song is in perfect harmony with that Keynote.

How Good is This Book?
It is the one perfect book in all the world (Psalm 19:7a), for the Bible is absolutely pure, or flawless (Psalm 119:14) and is absolutely complete (2 Timothy 3:15-17).

It is the only book which has the power to save your soul (Romans 1:16; James l:21). Nor has that power diminished over the centuries (1 Peter 1:22-25). This great book of God stands as the unbreakable anvil that can withstand all the hammer blows of infidelity. As John Clifford so beautifully penned in his poem, "The Hammer and The Anvil":

"Last eve I passed a blacksmith's door
And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;
When looking in, I saw upon the floor,
Old hammers worn with beating years of time.
" 'How many anvils have you had,' said I
'To wear and batter all these hammers so?'
'Just one,' said he, then said with twinkling eye,
'The anvil wears the hammers out you know.'
"And so, I thought, the anvil of God's word
For ages skeptics blows have beat upon;
Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard,
The anvil is unharmed--the hammers gone!"

Will you not make this marvelous book, the Bible, your rule of life and guide to Heaven?

© 2000 World Bible School
Austin, Texas USA

Bicky Lawson
WBS Webmaster
6/30/00

	The Greatest Book in the World!
	by Keith Sharp

	If ever there were a people endangered of being buried alive beneath the accumulated mass of their own writings, it is we Americans. We are today deluged by an almost infinite array of books making an almost infinite number of claims about an almost infinite variety of subjects. The Library of Congress had on record as of 1970, 13,896,506 books, and this number grows daily. One is reminded of the inspired observation of the sage of old :
	...of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. (Ecclesiastes 12:12)
	This is a book report. But the volume I am to describe is completely unique in all history. This one book has had more influence on men and has done more good for mankind than the totality of all other volumes ever recorded. I want to introduce to you the greatest book in the world.
	Who Wrote This Wonderful Book? Approximately forty men over a period of around 1550 years, from Moses in can 1500-1450 B.C. to John in A.D. 64-96 took part in penning "the Book." These men not only lived in various ages, they came from exceedingly diverse walks of life--a great deliverer and lawgiver, a shepherd-warrior-king, a priest, a wise and wealthy king, a statesman, a herdsman, a fisherman, a medical doctor, a tax collector, a lawyer, and so on. They wrote about such various subjects as law, history, love stories, poetry, prophecy of the future, biography, evidences, conditions of churches, advice on how to live, and so forth. Yet they all wrote with perfect harmony and unity. Impossible? If they had written without divine aid, yes. For example, do you think ten men today, from the same profession and period of time, all writing separately about just one subject, would agree on every particular? What about forty men from various walks of life and separate times, writing about a wide array of subjects?
	Such "unity in diversity" is possible with this great "Book of books," the Bible, because God is its ultimate author. The Bible was written by inspiration (2 Timothy 3:16-17). "Inspiration" is from a Greek word, "theopneustos," meaning "God-breathed." This means the Bible is the Word of God.
	This great volume was also given by revelation (Ephesians 3:1-6). "Revelation" is an "unveiling" or "uncovering." The Gospel was a mystery - that is, "something hidden." But the Holy Spirit uncovered the mystery to the apostles and prophets, who in turn wrote it down for us to read and understand. Every word of this original revelation was God-given ( 1 Corinthians 2:9-13).
	Furthermore, the Bible was given by prophecy (11 Peter 1:20-21). When God commissioned Moses and Aaron to go to Pharaoh, Aaron was to be "instead of a mouth," that is, a "spokesman" for Moses, whereas Moses was to be "instead of God" to Aaron (Exodus 4:15-16). When the commission was repeated, Aaron was termed a "prophet," while Moses was "a god" (Exodus 7:1-2). Thus, the prophets of God, who wrote the Bible, were God's mouths or spokesmen.
	What is "the Book" About? It is divided into two great categories: the Old Testament and the New Testament (Hebrews 9:15).
	The Old Covenant consists of thirty-nine separate books which may be placed into five categories: law, history, poetry & wisdom, major prophets and minor prophets. The New Testament is composed of twenty-seven books which may also be divided into five categories: life of Christ, history of the spread of the Gospel, special letters, general letters and prophecy. Despite the extreme diversity of this "divine library," it has a steel cable of unity tying the whole together. God's twofold physical promise to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3,7), that his seed should become a great nation and inherit the land of Canaan, provides the outline for the greater part of the Old Testament, while the spiritual part of that promise, "in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 12:3), completes the Old Covenant and ties it to the New Testament.
	This grand promise also helps introduce the very theme of the Bible. In Christ we are "Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise" (Galatians 3:26-29). Jesus Christ, preeminent in all things, the promised Savior of the world, is the theme of the Bible (Colossians 1:19). Christ is the great Keynote of God's rapturous Song of Redemption, and every note in the song is in perfect harmony with that Keynote.
	How Good is This Book? It is the one perfect book in all the world (Psalm 19:7a), for the Bible is absolutely pure, or flawless (Psalm 119:14) and is absolutely complete (2 Timothy 3:15-17).
	It is the only book which has the power to save your soul (Romans 1:16; James l:21). Nor has that power diminished over the centuries (1 Peter 1:22-25). This great book of God stands as the unbreakable anvil that can withstand all the hammer blows of infidelity. As John Clifford so beautifully penned in his poem, "The Hammer and The Anvil":
	"Last eve I passed a blacksmith's door And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime; When looking in, I saw upon the floor, Old hammers worn with beating years of time. " 'How many anvils have you had,' said I 'To wear and batter all these hammers so?' 'Just one,' said he, then said with twinkling eye, 'The anvil wears the hammers out you know.' "And so, I thought, the anvil of God's word For ages skeptics blows have beat upon; Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard, The anvil is unharmed--the hammers gone!"
	Will you not make this marvelous book, the Bible, your rule of life and guide to Heaven?