The Greatest Book in the World

We are today overwhelmed by an almost infinite number of books about an almost unlimited variety of subjects. The Library of Congress, the world’s largest library, contains more than 29 million books, and this number grows daily. One is reminded, “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 ca. 1500 – 1450 B.C. to John in A.D. 64-96, took part in writing “the Book.” These men not only lived in various times, they came from exceedingly different 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.

What is “the Book” about? The authors wrote about many different subjects, such as law, history, love stories, poetry, prophecy of the future, biography, evidences, conditions of churches, advice on how to live, and so forth.

Yet these men 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 detail? What about forty men from various walks of life and separate times, writing about a wide assortment 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

“Inspiration” is from a Greek word, “theopneustos,” meaning “God-breathed.” This means the Bible is the Word of God.

Also, this great volume was given by revelation (Ephesians 3:1-7). A revelation is an “unveiling” or ‘uncovering.” The Gospel was a mystery, that is, “a hidden purpose or counsel” (J.H. Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. 420). 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 (2 Peter 1:19-21). When God commanded Moses and Aaron to go to Pharaoh, Aaron was to be “as a mouth,” that is a “spokesman” for Moses, whereas Moses was to be “as God” to Aaron (Exodus 4:15-16). When the command was repeated, Aaron was called a “prophet,” while Moses was “as God.” (Exodus 7:1-2) Thus, the prophets of God, who wrote the Bible, were God’s mouths or spokesmen.

The Book of God is divided into two great categories: the Old Testament and the New Testament (Hebrews 9:15). The Old Testament 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, spread of the Gospel, special letters, general letters and prophecy.

But, despite the extreme diversity of this “divine library,” it has a steel cable of unity tying it all 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 Old Testament, while the spiritual part of that promise, “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3), completes the Old Testament 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, the fullness of God’s plan to save the world, is the theme of the Bible (Colossians 1:19). Christ is the great Keynote of God’s beautiful 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 19:7), for the Bible is absolutely pure, or flawless (Psalm 119:140) and is absolutely complete (2 Timothy 3:16-17). It is the only book which has the power to save your soul (Romans 1:16; James 1:21 ). Nor has that power lessened 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 unbelievers. 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 the 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?