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12 Proofs the Bible is the Word of God

Justin Johnson

Christians believe the Bible is the word of God. Whether or not others believe, it reigns as the most significant book in history. But what proof is there that the Bible is not just another religious text? Why do Christians believe it is the written revelation of God?

To determine this we must start by reading it. How can we know it is God’s words unless we first hear what it says. Then, we can consider if it possesses the unique qualities of a book written by God.

Qualifying Criteria

There are certain necessary criteria that we can expect if a book was God’s. These initial criteria disqualify most books from consideration as the words of God (fiction, biography, textbooks). Many don’t realize that there are very few books pass these tests. How does the Bible fare?

Does it claim to be the word of God?
Yes, all over. 2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:21; Gen 1:3; Exo 19:8; Amos 3:8, etc.

Does it align with known history?
Yes, it covers a period of 1400 years. More than half of the Bible contains verifiable history.

Does it record divine miracles?
Yes, many. (Foolishly, some reject the Bible for passing this test.)

Does it speak of the transcendent (spirituality, truth, wisdom, love, justice, goodness, faith)?
Yes, it is most known for this. Billions of people have benefited from it for this very reason.

The Bible passes all qualifications with flying colors, which means it has the potential qualities of being of God. Still the question remains, how do we know it is not just a book written by men fraudulently claiming to be God’s?

Proofs of God’s Revelation

Beyond meeting these rare criteria, the Bible has unique qualities that not only make it one of a kind, but together prove that it must be the revealed word of God.

1. It’s Brevity

Shakespeare said, “Brevity is the soul of wit.” If so, then the Bible is the beginning of wisdom. The Bible is a collection of 66 small books of about 31,000 verses. That may seem large until we consider the diverse genres it contains, and how much it says in so few words. Men could only say a fraction as much in a book 30 times as long. (For comparison, the Hindu scriptures contain a billion verses.)

2. It’s Simplicity

Children can learn truth from the Bible, and yet its wisdom is deep. It makes wise the simple, and does not require experts and gurus to unlock its secrets. Instead it requires mere faith to continually benefit from its lessons.

3. Israel

Though some civilizations boast of their size, influence, and history, the Bible was revealed to and through the small despised scattered nation of Israel. It records their national failures, corruption, downfall, and judgment from God. Even if a people could write a book about their own people, they would not write it the way the Bible depicts Israel. The Bible should not exist due to Israel’s historical struggles, but the Bible prevails with truth that influences the world even today.

4. General Prophecy

True prophecy can only be of God. Most of the Bible text consists of prophetic revelation and the record of its fulfillment much later just to prove the book is of God. There is none else that can tell the future like this. The Bible prophecies names, cities, people, and events (e.g. Jericho, Josiah, Assyria). Many of these places and events are foreign to modern history, but they described future events during the 1400 years that the Bible was revealed.

5. Babylon Prophecy (Specific prophecy)

The Bible prophesied Babylon’s fall, named the empire that would destroy it, named the king who would conquer it (100 years before his birth), the year it happened, and the strategy of their defeat. This was all foretold in the Bible before the rise of Babylon as a wonder of the ancient world.

6. Prophecy of Empires (National Prophecy)

The Bible prophesied the rise and fall of the Persian, Greek, and Roman world empires by name centuries before they appeared.

7. Alexander the Great (Personal Prophecy)

One of the many people whose lives are prophesied in the Bible includes the well known Alexander the Great, his conquests, early death, and how his empire would be divided. All fulfilled as written in Biblical and secular history.

8. Israel’s Return (Unlikely Prophecy)

Small nations do not return, once they are destroyed. Yet, the Bible prophecies Israel’s destruction, captivity, and their return down to the year.

9. Prophetic Types (Historiographical Prophecy)

This form of prophecy precludes the writer from knowing what he writes is prophecy. The written details of an historical account foreshadow a future event or person. There are dozens of types in Biblical history that can only be witnessed after the future event and history has already long been written.

10. Prophetic Knowledge (Undiscovered Prophecy)

The Bible contains knowledge not discovered by men until much later. This knowledge could only be revealed by God. It reveals the universe had a beginning (not proven by men until the 20th century), innumerable stars, the wind/water cycle, paths in the seas, sanitation, marriage, and more.

11. Prophecies of Jesus (Messianic Prophecy)

The most well known figure in history was prophesied in the Bible centuries before he was born. Details about his birth, life, message, miracles, type of death, at whose hands, under what circumstances, in what year, and how he would be treated by others is all given in hundreds of prophecies.

12. Wisdom of God in Salvation (The Mystery Revealed)

The Bible reveals the secret of how God would save the world, the means of which no man could have invented or fulfilled.
That we are all sinners is proven by scripture, guilty of offending God. We need God to save, else we face the consequence of our sin in death and judgment after we die.

The mystery of the gospel is that God was in Jesus Christ, dying for our sins, providing reconciliation, and defeating death through his resurrection. This allows a Holy God to give eternal life to sinners who trust the Lord Jesus Christ and his righteous work to save.

That the Bible reveals God our only Saviour and the only righteous means of salvation is proof that the Bible is Holy. It is the revealed word and will of God given for us to believe.

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This article was first taught as a lesson you can watch here. It is also a brochure that you can Download and print to hand out as a tract.

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Published: August 1, 2024
Last Modified: August 17, 2024
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