I believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God. There are a lot of questions on how to define that or apply it, but at its core, it means that the Bible we have was planned, edited, produced and overseen by God. That is all in the past tense. Also, in the past tense is the molding and the gathering of the books, establishment of the Cannon, and the breaking down into chapters and verses. All of that would be more current in the matter of inspiration, but I still believe that God had a hand through the work of the Holy Spirit and molding this book.
I could go a lot of directions with this, but I thought I was having this morning started with realizing how appropriate the first verse of the Bible is. Actually, it started with thinking about how much of the Bible is written in figurative language, with hyperbole and metaphor and such. From there I went to Genesis 1:1. I thought it an appropriate way to start a book that is describing to us who God is, and how we can come to live in His presence for eternity.
Genesis 1:1 (KJV) In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.At first, I told myself, this is an incredibly literal statement, but then I took another look. It’s possible when you consider the magnitude of God and the awesomeness of creation that the phrase “heaven and earth” is meant in a figurative sense. It is not figurative in the sense that it was some mysterious ether that He created, but the fact that there are no words in any human language that can describe the grandeur of His creation.
So yes, this verse is an awesome way to start out the salvation history that God wants to communicate to us with.
How about at the other end?
Revelation 22:21 (KJV) The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.Since the focus of God’s salvation history was the incarceration, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, this is a powerful way to finish.
Could I have picked better verses out of the entire text of the Bible to start and finish with? I doubt it. I will just trust the God who is in charge even to the point of ordering the books that we have today.
I remember a saying that people used to crowing when they were playing cards as they laid down their winning hand, “Read them and weep”. It’s a bit different for us as God lays down his winning hand, includes us in the pot, and moves on to return in victory. We would say, “Read them, and rejoice.”
homo unius libri
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Comments are welcome. Feel free to agree or disagree but keep it clean, courteous and short. I heard some shorthand on a podcast: TLDR, Too long, didn't read.