The Bible Book by Book.
by Josiah Blake Tidwell.
Preface to Second Edition.
In sending forth this second edition of The Bible Book by Book it has seemed wise to make some changes in it. The descriptive matter has been put in paragraph instead of tabular form; the a.n.a.lyses have been made shorter and less complex; the lessons based on the Old Testament books have been omitted or incorporated in the topics of study which have been increased, It is believed that the make-up of the book is better and more attractive.
The author feels a deep grat.i.tude that the first edition has been so soon sold. He indulges the hope that it has been found helpful and sends out this edition with a prayer that it may prove more valuable than did the former.
J.B. Tidwell
Preface to First Edition.
The aim of this book is to furnish students of the Bible with an outline which will enable them to gain a certain familiarity with its contents. While it is intended especially for students in academies, preparatory schools and colleges, the needs of cla.s.ses conducted by Women"s Societies, Young People"s Organizations, Sunday School Normal Cla.s.ses, Y. M. C. A. and Y. W. C. A. and advanced cla.s.ses of the Sunday Schools have been constantly in mind. Its publication has been encouraged not only by the hope of supplying the needs mentioned but by expressions that have followed public lectures upon certain books, indicating a desire on the part of Christians in general for a book that would, in a brief compa.s.s, give them some insight into the purpose, occasion and general setting of each of the books of the Bible.
The work has been done with a conviction that the students of American schools should become as well acquainted with the sources of our religion as they are required to do with the religions of ancient heathen nations, and all the more so, since the most of our people regard it as the true and only religion, and still more so, since "it is made the basis of our civilization and is implied and involved in our whole national life." It is believed by the Author that a knowledge of the simple facts of the history, geography and chronology of the Bible is essential to a liberal education and that to be familiar with the prophecies, poetry, and ethics of the scripture is as essential to the educated man of today as was a "knowledge of Greek history in the time of Pericles or of English history in the reign of Henry the VIII." And, in order that such knowledge may be gained, effort has been made to put into the book only a minimum of matter calculated to take the student away from the Bible itself to a discussion about it and to put into it a maximum of such matter as will require him to study the scripture at first hand.
Having intended, first of all to meet the needs of those whose advantages for scripture study have been limited, the information has been put in tabular form, giving only such facts as have been carefully gathered from reliable sources, with but little attempt to show how the conclusions were reached. It is expected that the facts given may be mastered and that an interest may be created which will lead to further study upon the subjects treated. And to this end some of the studies have been made sufficiently complicated for college work and instruction for such work given in suggestions for teachers, leaders and cla.s.ses. Besides the studies of the books there have been introduced some matters of general interest which have been found helpful as drills for academy pupils, and which will be found interesting and helpful to all cla.s.ses of students.
The general plan is the outgrowth of the experience of a few years of teaching, but the material presented lays little claim to originality.
It has been gathered from many sources and may in some cases seem almost like plagiarism, but due acknowledgment is here made for all suggestions coming from any source whatsoever, including Dr. George W.
Baines, who read all the material except that on the New Testament.
Let it be said also, that in preparing these studies the Author has proceeded upon the basis of a belief in the Bible as the Word of G.o.d, a true source of comfort for every condition of heart and a safe guide to all faith and conduct whether of individuals or of nations. It is hoped therefore that those who may study the topics presented will approach the scripture with an open heart, that it may have full power to make them feel the need of G.o.d, that they may make its provisions real in their experience and that it may bring to them new and changed lives.
If the pastors shall deem it valuable as a book of reference for themselves and to their members who are desirous of pursuing Bible study, or if it shall be found serviceable to any or all of those mentioned in paragraph one of this Preface, the Author will be amply rewarded for the effort made.
J. B. TIDWELL.
Waco, Texas, August, 1914.
Chapter I.
Why We Believe The Bible.
There are two lines of proof of the reliability of the scriptures, the external and the internal. These different kinds of evidences may be put down, without separation, somewhat as follows:
1. The Formation and Unity of the Bible. There are sixty-six books written by nearly forty men, who lived at various times, and yet these books agree in making a perfect whole. These writers were of different cla.s.ses and occupations. They possessed different degrees of training and lived in widely different places and ages of the world.
The perfect agreement of their writings could not, therefore, be the result of any collusion between them. The only conclusion that can explain such unity is that one great and infinite mind dictated the scripture.
2. The Preservation of the Bible. That the Bible is a divine book is proven in that it has survived the wreck of empires and kingdoms and the destruction of costly and carefully gathered libraries and that, too, when there was no special human effort to save it. At times all the const.i.tuted powers of earth were arrayed against it, but it has made its way against the tide of fierce opposition and persecution.
3. Its Historical Accuracy. The names of towns, cities, battles, kings, empires and great events, widely apart in time and place, are given without a blunder. The ruins of cities of a.s.syria, Egypt and Babylon have been unearthed and tablets found that prove the accuracy of the Bible narrative. These tablets corroborate the stories of the creation and fall of man, of the flood, the tower of Babel, the bondage in Egypt, the captivity, and many other things. This accuracy gives us confidence in the reality of the book.
4. Its Scientific Accuracy. At the time of the writing of the Bible. there were all sorts of crude and superst.i.tious stories about the earth and all its creatures and processes. It was humanly impossible for a book to have been written that would stand the teat of scientific research, and yet at every point it has proven true to the facts of nature. Its teachings areas to the creation of all animal life is proven in science, in that not a single new species has come into existence within the history of man and his research or experiment. David said the sun traveled in a circuit (Ps. 19:6), and science has proven his statement. Job said the wind had weight (Job 28:25) and science has finally verified it. That the earth is suspended In s.p.a.ce with no visible support is declared by Job, who said that "G.o.d hangeth the earth upon nothing", Job 26:7.
Besides these and other specific teachings of science which correspond to Bible utterances, the whole general teachings of the scripture is sustained by our investigations. Many theories have been advanced that contradicted the Bible (at one time a French Inst.i.tution of Science claimed that there were eighty hostile theories), but not a single such theory has stood. Wherever a teaching of science contradicting the Bible has ever been advanced, it has been proven false, while the Bible was found to correspond to the facts.
5. Its Prophetic Accuracy. At least sixteen prophets prophesied concerning future events. They told of the coming destruction of cities and empires, calling them by name. They told of new kingdoms.
They told of the coming of Christ, his nativity, the place of his birth, and the result of his life and death and made no mistake.
Christ himself showed how their old prophecies were fulfilled in Him.
He told the destruction of Jerusalem and the nature of his Kingdom and work, all of which has been shown to be true. No other but a Divine book could have foretold the future in detail.
6. The Richness and Universality of Its Teachings. Its contents are fresh and new to every age and people. Its teachings furnish the highest standards for right human government and for personal purity of character. Its virtues are superior to all others. Every generation finds new and wonderful treasures in it, and while hundreds of thousands of books have been written about it, one feels that it is still a mine, the riches of whose literary excellence, moral beauty and lofty thought have scarcely been touched.
7. The Fairness and Candor of Its Writers. In portraying its heroes, the Bible does not attempt any gloss. Their faults are neither covered up nor condoned, but condemned. This is unlike all other books.
8. Its Solution of Man"s Difficulties. What is the origin of the world? What is the origin of man? How came sin in the world? Will there be punishment of sin that will satisfy the unfairness and inequalities of life? Is there redemption for weak and helpless man?
Is there a future life? These are some of the questions that have troubled man in all ages. The Bible alone answers them in a simple yet adequate way. It alone gives us the knowledge of the way to secure happiness. Its remedies alone furnish a certain balm for bruised human hearts.
9. Its Miracles. The Bible, which records how G.o.d sent his son and others on special missions, also tells how He attested their work by signs or miracles. These miracles were performed in the presence of creditable witnesses and should, therefore, be believed. Moreover, they are so different from the superhuman deeds of ancient mythology as to stamp them as divine and true and at the same time to discredit all the false.
Bible miracles are never for mere exploitation or for personal profit to the one who performs the miracle. They are for the good of others.
The blind and deaf and lame are healed. The sick and dead are raised.
Lepers are cured and sins forgiven. Moreover, those who perform the miracle claim no power of their own, but attribute it all to G.o.d and only perform the miracle that G.o.d may be exalted.
10. Its Spiritual Character. It is evident that man alone could not have conceived the lofty ideas of the scripture. All his experience proves that he can not produce anything so far beyond himself. These high truths therefore, have come from a greater than man.
11. Its Fruit. No other book will do for man what the Bible does. The spread of its truths makes man better. Wherever the Bible goes civilization and enlightenment follow. This is so, no matter what the former condition of the people. Where everything else fails, the Bible succeeds in lifting men out of ignorance and shame.
12. Its Own Claims to Divine Origin. (1) It clearly claims to be the the word of G.o.d. (a) All scripture is given by inspiration Of G.o.d. 2 Tim. 3:16. (b) G.o.d spake unto the fathers by the prophets, Heb. 1:1.
(c) Holy men of G.o.d spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 2 Peter 1:21. (d) He spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, Luke 1:70.
(e) Which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake. Acts 1:16. (f) G.o.d showed by the mouth of all his prophets. Acts 3:18. (g) By the revelation of Jesus Christ, Gal. 1:12. (h) Not as the word of men, but as it is in truth the word of G.o.d, 1 Thes. 2:13. (2) It claims to be a good book and to be given for man"s good. Both of these claims have been amply justified. But it could not be a good book and claim what is not true. This it would do if it ware not the Word of G.o.d.
Chapter II.
The Names of G.o.d.
Several names are used for G.o.d, each having its own significance, and every Bible reader should in some general way know the meaning of each name. We cannot always distinguish the exact meaning, but the following, while not all, will be of use in reading the English translation.
1. G.o.d. This comes from one word and two of its compound or forms and will mean accordingly: (1) The Strong one used 225 times in the Old Testament; (2) The Strong one as an object of worship; (3) The Strong one who is faithful and, therefore, to be trusted and obeyed.
This last is a plural term and is used 2300 times in the Old Testament. It is the name used when G.o.d said. "Let us make man" and "G.o.d created man in his own image," etc., Gen. 1:26-27. It was by this name that G.o.d the Trinity covenanted for the good of man before man was created.
2. LORD. Small capitals in the old version and translated Jehovah in the in the revised translation. It means: (1) The self-existing one who reveals himself; (2) G.o.d as Redeemer. It was under this name that he sought man after the fall and clothed him with skins. Gen. 3:9-17; (3) G.o.d who makesand keeps his covenants. It is used more than 100 times in connection with the covenants, as in Jer. 31:31-34 where he promises a new covenant.
3. Lord. Small letters except the L and always denotes G.o.d as Master in his relation to us as servants. There are two kinds of servants- hired and bought servants, the latter being always superior and more beloved. The servant is expected to obey and is guaranteed protection and support for his service.
4. Almighty G.o.d. This means a Strong-breasted one, the Pourer or Shredder forth of spiritual and temporal blessings. It refers to G.o.d: (1) As a nourisher, strength-giver, satisfier and a strong one who gives; (2) As the giver of fruitfulness which comes through nourishment. He was to make Abraham fruitful, Gen. 17:1-8; (3) As Giver of chastening. This he does in the way of pruning that there may be more fruit.