The Bible at first sight appears to be

“The Bible, at first sight appears to be a collection of literature – mainly Jewish. If we inquire into the circumstances under which the various biblical documents were written, we find that they were written at intervals over a space of nearly 1400 years. The writers wrote in various lands, from Italy in the west to Mesopotamia and possibly Persia in the east. The writers themselves were a heterogeneous number of people, not only separated from each other by hundreds of years and hundreds of miles, but belonging to the most diverse walks of life. In their ranks we have kings, herdsmen, soldiers, legislators, fishermen,

statesmen, courtiers, priests and prophets, a tentmaking rabbi, and a Gentile physician, not to speak of others of whom we know nothing apart from the writings they have left us. The writings themselves belong to a great variety of literary types. They include history, law (civil, criminal, ethical, ritual, sanitary), religious poetry, didactic treatises, lyric poetry, parable and allegory, biography, personal correspondence, personal memoirs and diaries, in addition to the distinctively biblical types of prophecy and apocalyptic. ” (F. F. Bruce in Protestant Christian Evidences, by Bernard Ramm, Moody Press, 1954, p. 88, as cited by Josh Mc. Dowell in Evidence that Demands a Verdict, Campus Crusade for Christ, © 1972, 1979, p. 17)

“…The writers had different purposes for writing. Isaiah wrote to warn Israel of God's coming judgment on their sin, Matthew wrote to prove to the Jews that Jesus is the Messiah, Zechariah wrote to encourage a disheartened Israel who had returned from Babylonian exile, and Paul wrote addressing problems in different Asian and European churches. ” (Pat Zukeran, Authority of the Bible, http: //www. leaderu. com/orgs/probe/docs/auth-bib. html)

“For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1: 21).

THE UNITY OF THE BIBLE

“Men spake from God, truth in this, the Holy being moved by then Spirit” to be Bible is (2 Pet. 1: 21) “Inspired of God” “If. Tim. 3: 16)is any (2 there a unity of the expected. If God was revealing Himself, then there should be some unity about the revelation, since it was the same Being Who was being revealed. ” (H. H. Rowley, The Unity of the Bible, “Revealed…in the Spirit” (Eph. 3: 5) The Westminster Press, publ. “We speak…in words…which the 1953, p. 8) Spirit teacheth” (1 Cor. 2: 13)

THE UNITY OF THE BIBLE I. ITS UNITY SEEN IN ITS MAIN THEME: REDEMPTION

UNITY IN ITS MAIN THEME: REDEMPTION NEEDED: Gen. 3: 1 -6; Rom. 3: 23 ULTIMATELY REALIZED (Revelation) PLANNED: Gen. 3: 15; 12: 3; Isa. 53 PROCLAIMED & EXPLAINED (Acts & Epistles) PROVIDED IN CHRIST (The Gospels)

Jesus of these, and in other cases that said that -“In all • could be added testifies of him (John 5: 39). The Old Testament to them, the single • hypothesis that (John 5: 46). of God is to Moses wrote of him the finger be found in expectation and in fulfill • Ps. 118: 22 -23 applies to him (Matt. 21: 42). ment is adequate, whereas if this is • denied no single explanation 14: 27). can He is the subject of Zech. 13: 7 (Mark of all • be would fulfill everything written of the Son of Man He found, but a variety of unrelated suggestions must be made in the vain in the prophets (Lk. 18: 31 -32). • effort to account for eachwas written about That he fulfilled everything that separate fragment of Moses and the prophets and the him in the law ofthe whole, and none of the suggestions is really adequate for the psalms (Luke 24: 44 -47). work that is demanded of it. ” (H. H. Rowley, p. 13)

The inspired writers of the New Testament testified • That Ps. 110: 1 spoke of Jesus (Acts 2: 34 -35). • Jesus is the prophet of whom Moses wrote in Deut. 18: 15, 18 -19 (Acts 3: 20 -22). • "To him [Jesus of Nazareth] all the prophets bear witness that every one who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name" (Acts 10: 43). • "Beginning from this scripture (Isa. 53: 7) preached unto him Jesus" (Acts 8: 35). • That Ps. 2: 7 and 16: 10, and Isa. 55: 3 spoke of Christ (Acts 13: 32 -37).

THE UNITY OF THE BIBLE I. ITS UNITY SEEN IN ITS MAIN THEME: REDEMPTION II. THE UNITY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT IS A UNIT WITH REGARDS TO PROMISES AND PROPHECIES, AND THEIR FULFILLMENT

Isaiah Ezra 740 -690 B. C. 539 -445 (? ) B. C. Destruction of Jerusalem & first temple Rebuilding walls of Jerusalem & temple

“. . . Jehovah stirred up the “Thus saith Jehovah spirit of Cyrus king of Perto his anointed, to sia, so that he made a procla. Cyrus, whose right mation throughout all his hand I have holden, to kingdom. . . All the kingdoms subdue nations of the earth hath Jehovah, before him. . . he shall the God of heaven, given me; build my city, and he hath charged me to shall let my exiles go build him a house in Jerusafree…” (Isa. 45: 1, 13) lem. . . ” (Ezra 1: 1 -2)

Isaiah Ezra 740 -690 B. C. 539 -445 (? ) B. C. Destruction of Jerusalem & first temple Rebuilding walls of Jerusalem & temple Babylon, ca. 538 // Cyrus (Medo-Persia)

“…Men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1: 21). Isaiah Ezra 740 -690 B. C. 539 -445 (? ) B. C.

Gen. 15: 13, “. . . Know of a surety that thy seed shall be sojourners in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years. ”

Gen. 50: 24, “And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die; but God will surely visit you, and bring you up out of this land unto the land which he swear to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. ”

“This kind of unity…attests to the fact that there was a Superintending Intelligence behind it. So many writers, over so many years, covering so many themes, simply could not have been so harmonious by mere coincidence. ” (Bert Thompson, Ph. D. , In Defense of the Bible’s Inspiration, [Part I], Apologetics Press, Inc. , © 1998, p. 23)

OLD TESTAMENT Genesis 12: 1 -3 LAND GREAT NATION BLESS ALL

THE UNITY OF THE BIBLE I. ITS UNITY SEEN IN ITS MAIN THEME: REDEMPTION II. THE UNITY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT UNDESIGNED COINCIDENCES

PHARAOH’S EXALTING JOSEPH (Gen. 41: 39 -44) “…Take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. ” (Gen. 41: 34) “Only the land of the priests bought he not: for the priests had a portion from Pharaoh. . . wherefore they sold not their land. ” (Gen. 47: 22) “And Joseph made it a statute. . . that Pharaoh should have the fifth; only the land of the priests alone became not Pharaoh's. ” (Gen. 47: 26) “And Pharaoh said unto Joseph. . . I have set thee over all the land of Egypt …. and he gave him to wife. . . the daughter of Poti-phera priest of On. ” (Gen. 41: 41 -45)

PHARAOH’S EXALTING JOSEPH The priests were held in such high esteem by Pharaoh that their lands were exempted when the fifth part of all other peoples’ lands was to become Pharaohs. It is, therefore, natural that Pharaoh’s giving Joseph a priest’s daughter as wife would be a sign of great honor.

THE ARK IN OBED-EDOM THE GITTITE’S HOUSE “So David would not Gittite = one from Gath (1 remove the ark of Jeho. Sam. 17: 4; 2 Sam. 21: 19) vah…into the city of David; but. . . carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite. ” (2 Sam. 6: 10) Obed-edom takes Gath-Rimmon: A city part in moving the ark given to the Levites -from his house (1 the Kohathites (Josh. Chrn. 15: 1 -24) and is 21: 20, 24), those set listed among the apart that "they should Kohathites (1 Chrn. bear the Ark upon their 26: 4). shoulders. " (Num. 7: 9)

THE ARK IN OBED-EDOM THE GITTITE’S HOUSE These texts are all unrelated in that they do not deal with the same subject matter. However, they all make mention of things related to one another – and they all agree! We find the apparently trivial designation of “the Gittite” to be coincidentally – and harmoniously – connected with other facts related to Gittites.

THE UNITY OF THE BIBLE I. ITS UNITY SEEN IN ITS MAIN THEME: REDEMPTION II. THE UNITY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT III. THE UNITY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT IS A UNIT WITH REGARDS TO PROMISES AND PROPHECIES, AND THEIR FULFILLMENT

PROPHECIES MADE AND FULFILLED IN N. T. : • Prophecies of John the Baptist and his work (Lk. 1: 13 -17) -- Fulfilled (Matt. 3: 1 -12) • Prophecies of Jesus and his work (Lk. 1: 31 -35) - Fulfilled (Matt. 1: 8 -25) • Jesus’ prophecies of his death, burial and resurrection (Mk. 8: 31; 9: 31) - Fulfilled (Matt. 27; Mk. 15) • Prophesy of Peter's denial (Matt. 26: 31 -35) - Fulfilled (Matt. 26: 69 -75) • Paul's imprisonment prophesied (Acts 20 -21) - Fulfilled (Acts 22 ff)

THE UNITY OF THE BIBLE I. ITS UNITY SEEN IN ITS MAIN THEME: REDEMPTION II. THE UNITY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT III. THE UNITY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT UNDESIGNED COINCIDENCES

The day of Mark 1: 21 -34 The Sabbath (Mk. 1: 21) “At even…they brought to him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with demons” (Mk. 1: 32) Jesus’ miracles re. demon possessed and Peter’s wife’s mother (Mk. 1: 2131) Why was there a clear pause between the first two miracles and those of vs. 32 ff? ?

The day of Mark 1: 21 -34 The Sabbath (Mk. 1: 21) “At even…they brought to him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with demons” (Mk. 1: 32) Jesus’ miracles re. demon possessed and Peter’s wife’s mother (Mk. 1: 21 -31) “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for thee to take up thy bed. ” (Jn. 5: 10)

HEROD AND HIS Matt. 14: 1: "At that season Herod the tetrarch heard the report concerning Jesus, and said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead. . . " SERVANTS Why would Herod speak to his servants about this? Lk. 8: 1 -3: “…He went about through cities and villages, preaching. . . and certain women …Mary that was called Magdalene… and Joanna the wife of Chuzas Herod's steward. . . who ministered unto them of their substance. ”

HEROD AND HIS SERVANTS Herod was very likely to discourse with his servants on a subject about which they were better informed than he himself was.

THE UNITY OF THE BIBLE I. ITS UNITY SEEN IN ITS MAIN THEME: REDEMPTION II. THE UNITY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT III. THE UNITY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT IV. THE UNITY OF THE TWO TESTAMENTS

OLD TESTAMENT NEW TESTAMENT

OLD TESTAMENT Genesis 12: 1 -3 LAND GREAT NATION BLESS ALL

The Linkage of Old Testament Promises and Prophecies with Fulfillment in the New. Babylon Medo-Persia Greece Daniel 2: 44, “In the days of these kings shall. . . God. . . set up a kingdom. . . ” Est. Ezek. Neh. Ezra ? Hag. Zech. Rome Mal.

OLD TESTAMENT ?

“But there is something lacking in that salvation history (of the Old Testament, sw). It is an unfinished history of salvation. Down to the end of OT times, hope still lay over the horizon. On its last pages Israel still is in a posture of expectation and hope, which is looking for its complete fulfillment. The OT announces a long history of promise, of hope, and also of disappointment, until the ‘fulness of time’ would come and the One predicted would appear. In this sense the OT has a torso like character; it is an unfinished story that receives its further fulfillment in the NT. There is the promise of a leader who will be servant of God's people (Isa. 52: 13; 53: 12; Eze. 37: 24 -28), of a new covenant to be written on men's hearts (Jer. 31: 31 -34), and the gift of God's Spirit… (Joel 2: 28 -32). ”(Gerhard F. Hasel, The Unity of the Bible, www. , 1973, p. 13)

“That it might be fulfilled” in Matthew 1: 22; 2: 15; 2: 23; 4: 14; 8: 17; 12: 17; 13: 35; 21: 4; 26: 56; 27: 35

Why the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53 is not the Nation of Israel: • He is portrayed in detailed features as a human personality. Could Israel have been personified in poetic language lacking any hint of allegory? (cf. Gal. 4: 21 -24). • He is an innocent sufferer (vs. 9, 12). Was Israel an innocent sufferer? (v. 8) • “For the transgression of my people was he stricken” (v. 8). If the servant is the nation, how could he be stricken for Israel? • He is a voluntary sufferer (vs. 9, 12). Was Israel a voluntary sufferer?

Why the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53 is not the not of Israel: "Judaism does Nationeven • Hisclaim toredemptive response to suffering is be the and spiritual in nature ( vs. 5, 11). Can this be said of Israel? these hopes. It has no • His suffering is vicarious, that is, substitutionary Messiah to offer, no (vs. 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12). Has Israel suffered to Suffering Servant redeem other nations (52: 15)? that can gather to Himself the things • His suffering ends in death (vs. 8, 10, 12). Have the sufferings of Israel ended the Servant in predicated of in death? the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah. . . ” (Rowley, p. 118)

The Suffering of the “Suffering Servant” and the Suffering of Jesus Isaiah 53 With his stripes we are healed (v. 5) Jesus By whose stripes ye were healed (1 Pet. 2: 24) He is the propitiation for He shall see the travail of our sins; and not for ours his soul, and shall be only, but also for the satisfied (v. 11) whole world (1 Jn. 2: 2)

The Suffering of the “Suffering Servant” and the Suffering of Jesus Isaiah 53 As a lamb that is led to the slaughter (v. 7) He shall bear their iniquities…. He poured out his soul unto death (vs. 11 -12) Jesus. . . the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world (Jn. 1: 29) Philip. . . beginning from this Scripture, preached unto him Jesus (Acts 8: 35) This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many unto remission of sins (Matt. 26: 28)

The Suffering of the “Suffering Servant” and the Suffering of Jesus Isaiah 53 Jesus Thou shalt make his soul The Son of man came…to an offering for sin (v. 10) give his life a ransom for many (Matt. 20: 28) He bare the sin of many Who his own self bare (v. 12); He shall bear their our sins in his body upon iniquities (v. 11) the tree (1 Pet. 2: 24)

OLD TESTAMENT Genesis 12: 1 -3 LAND GREAT NATION BLESS ALL

Gal. 3: 29, “And if ye are Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, heirs according to promise. ”

The Linkage of Old Testament Promises and Prophecies with Fulfillment in the New. Babylon Medo-Persia Greece Daniel 2: 44, “In the days of these kings shall. . . God. . . set up a kingdom. . . ” Est. Ezek. Neh. Ezra ? Hag. Zech. Rome Mal.

The Linkage of Old Testament Promises and Prophecies with Fulfillment in the New. Babylon Medo-Persia Greece Daniel 2: 44, “In the days of these kings shall. . . God. . . set up a kingdom. . . ” Est. Ezek. Neh. Ezra Hag. Zech. Mal. Rome Col. 1: 13, “Who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love. ”

THE UNITY OF THE BIBLE I. ITS UNITY SEEN IN ITS MAIN THEME: REDEMPTION II. THE UNITY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT III. THE UNITY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT IV. THE UNITY OF THE TWO TESTAMENTS TYPOLOGY

Typology type tupos antitype antitupos Rom. 5: 14, “Adam…a figure (tupos) of him that was to come. ” Heb. 9: 24, “Like in pattern (antitupos) to the true. ” 1 Cor. 10: 6, 11, “These things were our examples (tupos)…. happened unto them by way of example (tupos). ” 1 Pet. 3: 21, “also after a true likeness” (antitupos; ASV footnote: “in the antitype”)

Typology: Christ’s service in the true tabernacle (Heb. 9: 24) • Certain elements of the Mosaic system were “a shadow of the things to come” (10: 1). • The things of the earthly tabernacle were “copies of the things in the heavens” (9: 22 -23). • The first tabernacle was a “a figure for the time present” (9: 9).

Typology: Christ’s service in the true tabernacle (Heb. 9: 24) Priesthood TYPE ANTITYPE Melchizedek was both king and a priest (Gen. 14: 18) Christ is both king on David’s throne and our high priest (Zech. 6: 1213; Acts 2: 30 -36; Heb. 5: 5 -10; 7)

Typology: Christ’s service in the true tabernacle (Heb. 9: 24) Priesthood TYPE ANTITYPE Melchizedek appears in scripture as “having neither beginning of days nor end of life” (Gen. 14: 18 -20; Heb. 7: 3) Christ is “a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” (Heb. 7: 17)

Typology: Christ’s service in the true tabernacle (Heb. 9: 24) Priesthood TYPE ANTITYPE The Law of Moses provided for an high priest (Ex. 28: 1; Num. 16: 40; Heb. 5: 1 -4). Christ a “high priest of good things to come” (Heb. 9: 11)

Typology: Christ’s service in the true tabernacle (Heb. 9: 24) Tabernacle and Service TYPE The earthly tabernacle had a Most Holy Place (Ex. 26: 31 -35; Heb. 9: 3) ANTITYPE “For Christ entered not into a holy place made with hands…but into heaven itself” (Heb. 9: 24, cp. 6: 19 -20)

Typology: Christ’s service in the true tabernacle (Heb. 9: 24) Tabernacle and Service TYPE The high priest offered blood for himself and for the errors of the people (Lev. 16: 15, 34; Heb. 9: 7) ANTITYPE Christ “through his own blood, entered in once for all into the holy place” (Heb. 9: 12; 10: 14)