A familiar complaint often heard among the Bible’s critics is that it is outdated and outmoded. “How,” they ask “can such an ancient writing possibly have anything of relevance to say to today’s modern and sophisticated man?” In the Bible there are no trans-oceanic jet planes, no orbiting or moon visiting spacecraft, no computers, no iPhones, TV, or not so much as an old fashion radio. No doubt about it. The Bible is hopelessly out-of-date in regard to man’s latest inventions and gadgetry.
But, the Bible is incredibly spot-on as regards man himself, and this is really all the old book claims to address or wishes to address. It speaks to the unchangeable nature of man. Man who is essentially the same generation after generation. That’s it. The Bible speaks to man himself – man with all his faults and foibles; man with his hurting heart and his tendency to hurt other hearts. This man who occupies all our continents and generations and languages – he is essentially the same wherever you find him. His technology has evolved but he hasn’t. Actually, the God of the Bible considers man’s latest scientific and technological achievement to be mere trinkets compared to what it is that really interests the Almighty. And that is? That is that which He created in His own likeness and image – man himself. This is where the God of the Bible and this book He has given us really focuses attention. The Bible reveals the real need of the human heart, and it’s not on the latest technological breakthrough. It’s on man coming to know the very one who gave him the ability to fashion his gadgetry.
A knowledge of the Holy supersedes all of the wonderful breakthrough inventions that tend to impress us so much. Wonderful as they are, they pale by comparison to the knowledge of the God behind them all. To ignore that, is to worship and serve the creature more than the Creator. No, the Bible is not at all out of date as regards what it intends to address. It places priorities where they belong. Not on man’s cleverness and inventiveness, but on man himself. This is God’s way of letting us know what’s really important. God and man connecting, or reconnecting. No mere human invention can compete with that. In reality this connection between Creator and creature is what the revelation of Scripture is all about.
CC-01-16
Published by