How Did We Get It? Series

Opening Illustration.

Turn to 2 Peter 1:20-21 If you were here last week, you know

we began this 4 part series entitled ‘Text’ (touch series logo, video runs

with books/texting from last week). And last week we discussed why

(touch Why? logo from last week that gives way to the screen with: God

has a story to tell and the three images of the curtain, heart, and

compass) we have the Bible. God has a story to tell. He wanted to

reveal Himself, His love for us, and His purpose and direction.

But now this morning we answer the question: How did we get

the Bible? One of the facts about the Bible that most people don’t know

is: How did we get it?”Did it just drop out of the sky? (touch How logo;

inside it are 4 logos: surgical instruments, a sail boat pushed by a strong

wind, an extended outline, a shelter from a storm—these are only

suggestions; need your input )

When we talk about the question: “How did we get the Bible?,”

there are components we have to examine: Human instrumentality,

Divine Inspiration, Logical Organization, and Miraculous Preservation.

Let’s examine those one at a time. But before we do, let’s read 2 Peter

1:20-21 (touch 2 Peter 1:20-21 logo)

When we think about how we got the Bible, there was.

1. (touch instruments logo) HUMAN INSTRUMENTALITY. V.20

“NO PROPHECY OF SCRIPTURE CAME ABOUT BY THE

PROPHET’S OWN INTERPRETATION.”

If you’ve ever seen “The Ten Commandments,” you know the

scene where God writes the 10 commandments on the two tablets.

(touch 10 commandments logo) That’s taken from (touch open Bible

logo) EXODUS 31:18 “WHEN THE LORD FINISHED SPEAKING TO

MOSES ON MOUNT SINAI, HE GAVE HIM THE TWO TABLETS OF

THE TESTIMONY, THE TABLETS OF STONE INSCRIBED BY THE

FINGER OF GOD.” The words on those tablets were included in the

Bible, but that’s not how the Bible was actually written. The Old

Testament writers wrote on scrolls usually made of sheep skin and the

New Testament writers wrote on pieces of parchment.

And who were these folks who were the human instruments of

God? They came from various backgrounds: shepherds, soldiers,

scholars, statesmen, slaves, masters, fishermen, financiers. Obviously,

they came from various backgrounds. 40 different men over a period of

1500 years.

The writers of the OT make more than 2,000 direct claims to be

speaking the very words of God. Over and over again they would use

phrases like, “THE WORD OF GOD CAME TO ME…” GENESIS

15:1…THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO ABRAHAM IN A VISION”

JEREMIAH 1:11 THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO ME: "WHAT

DO YOU SEE, JEREMIAH?" EZ.36:16 “AGAIN THE WORD OF THE

LORD CAME TO ME” There is little doubt that the prophets of the Old

Testament believed they had received the word of God.

Of course they had to be perfect in their prophecies. If they

weren’t 100% accurate, they would be put to death. So when they said,

“The word of the Lord came to me,” or “This is the word of the Lord”, it

was no empty boast.

So what was the methodology? Did they sit down with a

sheepskin or a parchment roll, take up their quill and say, “All right, Lord,

you speak it and I’ll write it down?” Kind of like dictation? No! If that

was the case, every Scripture would look and sound the same. God

used the individual’s age, background, culture, education, experience,

perspective, and personality to express His words. GOD CLOTHED HIS

WORD WITH THEIR HUMANITY. So when you read the Pentateuch,

you get the flavor of a man, Moses, who was raised in a royal

environment but humbled by being a herdsman for 40 years in the

desert. When you read the Psalms written by David, you get the flavor of

a young, passionate, brash shepherd boy. When you read the gospel of

Luke, you get the straight forward forensic historical analysis of a doctor.

When you read Romans, you get the scholarly exactness of Paul.

But here’s the thing: God used human beings, no doubt about it.

But if that’s our only statement on the matter, then some could conclude

that since the Bible was written by human beings, and since human

beings are flawed, then the Bible must be flawed. But That takes us to

the 2nd critical component of how we got the Bible, and that is:

2. (touch sail boat logo) DIVINE INSPIRATION (touch open Bible

logo) V.21 “NOT BY THE WILL OF MAN, BUT MEN SPOKE FROM

GOD AS THEY WERE CARRIED ALONG BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.”

Notice the 1st part of that verse: “Not by the will of man.” Moses

didn’t just decide to write what he wanted, He wrote what God wanted.