We must trust the Bible as God’s Word because…
I. Narrated (vv. 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 19, 21, 24)
The Bible is verbally narrated by the Holy Spirit.
Knowing: The first reason we can trust the Bible is God spoke it. It can be too easy to glide over the words, “The Lord said. . .” But to do so impoverishes us. This is remarkable!
Being: That the Lord of heaven and earth would go to such lengths to speak to us with language we can understand should melt our hearts with love.
Doing: To be intellectually honest in approaching Scripture requires one of only three possible choices, 1) admit the Bible is God’s word and submit to its authority; 2) admit the Bible is God’s word and rebel against its authority; 3) deny the Bible’s claims to be God’s word and reject it altogether.
II. Confirmed (vv. 11, 13, 16-20)
The Bible is objectively confirmed.
Knowing: God loves us so much he not only made sure his word was written down for us in language we can understand throughout the ages, he confirmed it was from him by objective signs appealing to our senses.
Being: But God was doing more than just confirming Moses’ authority to inscripturate God’s word to the Israelites at that time. He explained to Moses he was providing these phenomenal signs so “the people may hear when I speak with you and may also believe you forever” (v.9). Through this event with Moses, God defined for the coming ages how a prophet’s words would be accepted into Scripture, or canonized. For a prophet’s words to be accepted as divinely authoritative for all times, required “eyewitness testimony of God’s approval of a writer of Scripture by a credible number in the community” (Robert Vasholz).
Doing: Is this not a beautiful display of the Father’s love! He so cares for your comfort and instruction, he stooped and accommodated himself to our frail faith by providing objective, eyewitness testimony to the veracity of what he wrote down for us. And often the biblical writer confirmed the ultimate truth of what he wrote by his martyrdom. In view of this, we must ask ourselves if we take the Bible as seriously as God is about confirming it to us?
III. Fulfilled (vv. 10, 14, 22)
The Bible is personally fulfilled in Jesus.
Knowing: Moses and Aaron consecrated themselves in order to be the emissaries of God’s word to his people and the people had to be consecrated to receive it. While it is not specified in our text the coming ceremonial laws will clarify that consecration, setting apart as holy, will only occur by shedding the blood of an innocent victim. Remember just a few chapters before we studied was necessary to consecrate a firstborn son—slaughtering a lamb.
Being: Clearly, God was telegraphing to his people that ultimate confirmation of his word would require the shedding of blood. However, more would be needed than confirmation to make it possible for God truly to call us his fought for, treasured possession, crowned and holy. He would have to provide the perfect sacrifice to consecrate them. His Word would have to become flesh to provide atonement for our sins in order not merely to confirm his word but conform us to his Word. It would cost the Father his Son and the Spirit would have to apply the accomplishments of the Son’s blood to us and the Son would have to unite us to himself that we might be regarded as God’s very sons and daughters.
Doing: This is the song we will sing into all of eternity, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain” (Rev. 5:9). We will only be able to sing it there in heaven because Jesus sealed our salvation with his blood. In view of how intentionally and sacrificially God has confirmed his Word to you, how can you give it even higher authority and value in your life?