2 Timothy 3:16-17, New International Version

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

It is easy to look at the number of humans that were involved and the timespan over which the Bible was written and wonder how it is possible that the entire Bible could be the Word of God. The truth is, however, that every single book, every single chapter, and every single word is His. He did not merely inspire a human to write a book and then the human wrote what he believed the Lord wanted. No, every word in the Bible is precise and specifically chosen by the Lord Himself.

Consider this analogy, a king wants to build a new palace and because of this he brings in builders, engineers and designers. He talks with the engineers first and tells them exactly the design that he wants, and they create the building plans. He then talks with the builders who take the plans and begin to build exactly to the specification that the king had laid out. Finally, he brings in the interior designers who begin to fill each room with furniture and decorations that the king has selected, placing them in precisely the location that the king had specified. During this building process multiple people would have been involved and multiple steps taken. However, the palace is not a product of the engineers, the builders, or the designers. The palace is completely the work of the king and represents the vision that the king had for it. The Bible is a result of the same process. In this case, the Lord our God used various people during different periods of time to document the message, the information and the instruction that He wants to convey to us.

We must remember that, though the Bible does contain historical information, it is not simply a history book. The Bible also contains facts and information, but it is not intended to be used to prove or disprove anything and it is not intended to be used to help you win a debate. The Bible is God revealing Himself to us through His Words, through His Son Jesus Christ, and through the presence of His Holy Spirit. It was given to us by the Lord so that we can know Him more deeply and draw closer to Him.

In the Bible we read many stories and hear about many people. However, every story and every event ultimately points to one person and that person is Jesus. Each story, while it can be used as an individual story, is only one part of a much larger story. It tells us how much God loves us and how much we need God. He loves each of us so much and was willing to make the most amazing sacrifice to show us His love and provide a way for us to be reunited with Him.