Bob DeWaay: The Authority of the Bible

bible “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.” – Hebrews 1:1-2

In January 2009, we began a series on “The Essentials of the Christian Faith,” with Patrick Szalapski. That episode was an overview of seven essential doctrines of Christianity. The following year, we got into the doctrine of The Atonement, and in 2011 we did The Incarnation. Patrick couldn't continue with us in the series, so we missed 2012, but we're picking it back up for this episode and discussing The Authority of the Bible with Bob DeWaay. Lord willing, the Essentials will be the topic of our January episodes through January of 2017.

Bob originally presented this material in a seminar a few years ago that was focused on Sola Scriptura.

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An Outline of the Discussion

The outline for this discussion is taken from Bob's original powerpoint presentation.

Hebrews 1:1-2
God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.
Jude 3
Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly forÂ the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.
God appeared in a series of theophanies and spoke
- God appears to Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:8)
- God appears to Abram (Genesis 12:7; 15:17; 17:1; 18:1)
- God appears to Isaac (Genesis 26:24)
- God appears to Jacob (Genesis 35:1, 9)
- God appears to Moses (Exodus 3:2, 6)
- God appears to Israel (Exodus 19)

From the time of Joseph to the burning bush; God ruled providentially
Genesis 15:13-14
God said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years. But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with many possessions.“
God appears tangibly to Moses and speaks
Exodus 3:2,6
The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. . . Â He said also, â€œI am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.â€ Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
God appears to assembled Israel
Exodus 19:19-20
When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with thunder. The LORD came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.
God Speaks to His Assembled People
- Exodus 20:1
  Then God spoke all these words,
- Deuteronomy 5:4
  The LORD spoke to you face to face at the mountain from the midst of the fire,
Israel sees the need for a mediator
Exodus 20:18-19
And all the people perceived the thunder and the lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance. Then they said to Moses, â€œSpeak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, lest we die.â€
God approves of Moses as mediator
Deuteronomy 5:27-28
â€œGo near and hear all that the Lord our God says; then speak to us all that the Lord our God speaks to you, and we will hear and do it.â€ The Lord heard the voice of your words when you spoke to me, and the Lord said to me, â€œI have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken to you.Â They have done well in all that they have spoken.â€
Godâ€™s Ordained Mediator is Necessary or We will Die In Godâ€™s Presence
Deuteronomy 18:16-17
This is according to all that you asked of the Lord your God in Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, â€˜Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, let me not see this great fire anymore, lest I die.â€™ And the Lord said to me, â€˜They have spoken well.â€™
God spoke to Moses objectively in the tent of meeting
Exodus 33:11a
Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend.
God writes words on stone
Exodus 31:18
When He had finished speaking with him upon Mount Sinai, He gave Moses the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone,Â written by the finger of God.
The Significance of God Speaking
- God had proven His power and presence by His mighty deeds.
- Godâ€™s mighty deeds prove that He is â€œI AMâ€ as revealed to Moses at the burning bush
- God proved that His promises to the patriarchs were valid and would be fulfilled
- God took the descendants of one man and made them a nation for Himself
- God appeared to them and spoke words
- It is everywhere assumed that valid communication happened

Implications of God speaking
- God speaks words, the meaning of which are determined by God and understood by men
- Godâ€™s words reveal His moral law which is binding on men
- God speaks propositionally
- Godâ€™s words were preserved for future generations by Godâ€™s Holy Spirit inspired writers (in this case Moses)
- Had God not spoken, everyone would be pagan.

At Issue: To Whom We Listen
Deuteronomy 18:14-15
For those nations, which you shall dispossess, listen to those who practice witchcraft and to diviners, but as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do so. The Lord your God will raise up for youÂ a prophet like meÂ from among you, from your countrymen,Â you shall listen to him.
The Prophet Will Speak Godâ€™s Words
Deuteronomy 18:18-19
â€œI will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And it shall come about thatÂ whoever will not listen to My wordsÂ which he shall speak in My name,Â I Myself will require it of him.â€
The True Prophet Must Be Identified
Deuteronomy 18:20
“But the prophet who shall speak a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he shall speak in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.”
How False Prophets are Identified
Deuteronomy 18:21-22
“And you may say in your heart, â€˜How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?â€™ When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.“
A Doctrinal Test As Well
Deuteronomy 13:1-3
If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, “Let us go after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve them,”Â you shall not listen to the words of that prophetÂ or that dreamer of dreams; for the Lord your God isÂ testing you to find out if you loveÂ the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
God Raised Up the Prophet Moses Predicted Who â€œTabernacledâ€ Here
John 1:14
And the Word became flesh, andÂ dweltÂ among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
God Raised Up the Prophet Moses Predicted Who “Tabernacled” Here
John 2:19-21
Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews therefore said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking of the temple of His body.
Transfiguration
Mark 9:2-3
And six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and brought them up to a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His garments became radiant and exceedingly white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them.
Peter Wants Three Tents of Meeting
Mark 9:4-5
And Elijah appeared to them along with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let usÂ make three tabernacles, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
“Listen to Him” (Deuteronomy 18:15)
Mark 9:6-8
For he did not know what to answer; for they became terrified. Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!” And all at once they looked around and saw no one with them anymore, except Jesus alone.
Jesusâ€™ Words are Authoritative
John 5:45-47
“Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me;Â for he wrote of Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”
Godâ€™s Full and Final Revelation is in Christ
Hebrews 1:1-2
God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.