“The word [of God] is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.” (Deuteronomy 30:14).
How do you know that the word of God that you read is real and not part of some fiction or myth? How do you know that you can depend upon it as real truth?
First, the Bible has a chain of events in real history that demonstrate its narratives are something other than made-up stories. This means that the Bible records a series of stories about history that flow chronologically from one to the next to outline not a few stories about key characters, but a long chain of events covering centuries of real-world history. We see this from the writings of Moses all the way through the return of Judah from Babylonian exile. Since these accounts make up an unbroken chain of events we have the ability to look back into historical documents and through archaeology to confirm the existence of the people, places, and events that are described in the Bible.
Second, the stories of the Bible were contemporary to the people who heard them, read them, and lived them. This is not true of religious myths. For instance, Moses wrote his accounts about the exodus from Egypt while the Israelites were in the desert with him. He wrote about something that they all saw and experienced. His stories were contemporary to his readers. The Gospels have the same characteristics, as does the book of Acts and Paul’s letters. These documents were not written hundreds of years later about an ancient past, but were written contemporary to the people who lived when the events themselves happened.
The Bible is not a myth, nor does it fall under the category of being a series of myths. The Bible is unique and falls under a class by itself for its accuracy, truthfulness, and ability to change lives through its testimony. What else should we expect from a God who lives and works in and through the real world we live in? It is, after all, not possible for God to work in the world and not leave any evidence that he is the one doing the things that he has done.
Memory Verse
“In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?” (Psalm 56:4).
Application
Do you have doubts about the Bible? Take those doubts to God in prayer, name them specifically, and ask the Lord to reveal to you the truth about what you read or our doubting. Trust that in time he will answer you.
