In 2010, Warner Bros. released an intriguing film, The Book of Eli, about a nomadic man (played by Denzel Washington) travelling through a dystopian land sometime in the future. IMDb describes the plot this way:
A drifter fights his way across a ravaged, post-apocalyptic America while protecting a sacred book that holds the secrets to humanity’s salvation.
The man was carrying a book that appeared to be of great worth. In the end, we discover, albeit in an unexpected manner, that “sacred book holding the secrets to humanity’s salvation” was the Bible.
In the film, the Bible appears to be the last existing copy due to all other copies being lost or disregarded and eliminated altogether.
Throughout millennia, society has attempted to cancel, ban, and burn the Bible. Alas, all attempts to do so have failed miserably. There’s a reason for this.
Certainly, the Bible is a book – or more accurately an anthology – but it is more than a book. Much more.
It’s the Word of Almighty God.
Thus it is impossible to get rid of it.
That’s precisely why the prophet, Isaiah, wrote,
“The grass dies, and the flowers fade away, but the Word of our God stands/remains forever.” (40:8)
Translation: all matter will pass away. But God’s Word remains forever.
Jesus reiterated this when, talking about the Day of Judgment, he said,
Sky/heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. (Matt 24:35)
Human attempts at trying to silence the Bible is nothing new. Even in scripture, there are records of people trying to destroy God’s Word.
In Jeremiah 36, we find the foolish king, Jehoiakim, throwing the Word of God into his fireplace because he didn’t like what it said. God simply re-dictated his message to Jeremiah exactly as he’d dictated the first message, but this time containing Jehoiakim’s death sentence.
20th century theologian, Bernard Ramm, offers the following:
“No other book has been so chopped, knifed, sifted, scrutinized, and vilified. What book on philosophy or religion or psychology of classical or modern times has been subject to such a mass attack as the Bible? With such venom and skepticism? Upon every chapter, line and tenet?” But, the Bible is still loved by millions, read by millions and studied by millions.”
Ramm continues,
“A thousand times over, the death bell of the Bible has been sounded, the funeral procession formed, and the inscription cut on the tombstone. But somehow the corpse never stays put.”
Oh, my friends, I plead with you as the calendar turns to 2025, to consider becoming a student of God’s Word.
Parents, lead the way with your family. Let your children see you take your faith seriously by spending time reading, studying, and memorizing the Bible.
Astrophysicist, Sarah Salviander, was raised by atheists to become an atheist. She came to faith while studying the cosmos. She once posted “How to turn Christian children into atheist adults.” One of the steps she listed was:
“Demonstrate to your children that you don’t take the Bible too seriously.” (It’s no surprise Uncle Screwtape repeats this same strategy repeatedly to his nephew, Wormwood, in Lewis’ Screwtape Letters.)
My advice is to resist beginning with Genesis (eventually getting bogged down in Leviticus). Rather, start by mining the treasures of one of the biographies (gospels) of Jesus i.e. the first four books of the New Testament. Take your time as you stroll through the life and ministry of Jesus, carefully considering this enigmatic man. In the process, you will meet a Presence, discovering that man is God.
I only wish I had the space here to share with you how many times the truth and principles from scripture have given me direction, wisdom, courage, peace, and hope.
I read once the Bible is the best-selling yet least read book in existence.
That said, to roughly quote Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, “something is afoot.” Google “Bible sales up” and you’ll be met with sundry articles describing the recent surge in sales of the Bible. This past Dec 1st, the Wall Street Journal ran an article titled, “Sales of Bibles are Booming…”
There’s adventure in that book unlike anything Hollywood can manufacture. Why? Because God is in that book. That’s what the author of Hebrews meant when he wrote,
“The Word of God is living and active…” (4:12)
Returning to IMDb’s description, it’s “a sacred book that holds the secrets to humanity’s salvation.”
“You are my shelter and my shield; I put my hope in your word.” (Ps 119:114)
Solus Scriptura, Nick