The Scriptures Confirmed

And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. - Revelation 22:6-21

    'And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.' (Revelation 22:6)

    In these verses, God the Holy Spirit confirms his Holy Word to us, giving us distinct evidences of inspiration. This is God’s own confirmation of the Holy Scriptures as his Word. God’s last written word to man is a word of confirmation and ratification to the whole Volume of Inspiration. Many think these verses refer only to the contents of the Book of Revelation. But John begins by telling us that what he is saying includes and completes God’s revelation of himself by the holy prophets (v.6). By divine arrangement, this is the last chapter of the Book of God. What it says is true of the whole canon of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation.

    Four facts about the bible

    Here are four facts about the Bible that need to be constantly and forcefully emphasized with clarity in the church of God today. Let all who believe God be fully persuaded of these things and seek to understand them clearly.

    1. The Bible alone is the inspired Word of God (2 Peter 1:19-21)

    'All scriptures is given by inspiration of God' (2 Tim. 3:16). Holy men of God, prophets and apostles, chosen, ordained, and gifted by God wrote the Scriptures as they were infallibly guided by the Spirit of God. Though these men were, for the most part, unknown to one another, though they lived in different lands, cultures, and ages, though they were men of greatly varying natural abilities and lifestyles (kings, shepherds, fishermen, doctors, etc.), they all wrote of one Person and declared the same message without the slightest contradiction (Luke 24:27, 44-47). The Person of whom the Scriptures speak is our Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:45; 5:39). The message the Scriptures declare is redemption by the blood of Christ (Luke 24:45-46), redemption purposed by grace, accomplished by grace, applied by grace, and received by grace.

    2. That holy Book, the Bible, is to be reverenced, honored, and esteemed by us as the Word of God (Ps. 138:2)

    David said, 'Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.' I know that men and women can be idolatrous and superstitious regarding the Word of God. But let us never depreciate or in anyway show any disrespect or disregard for the Word of God. If God has magnified his Word above all his name, then surely those who know and reverence his name will reverence his Word. In an attempt to rebuke a superstitious attitude for the Scriptures, I have heard men say, 'Apart from the application of the Holy Spirit, this Book is no more valuable than the morning newspaper.' Oh, no! Unlike any other printed Word, there is a special blessing promised to those who read, hear, obey, and keep the things written in this Book. This blessed Book is the Word of God (Heb. 4:12).

    3. We are required by God to submit to the total authority of his Word as his Word (2 Tim. 3:16-17)

    Creeds and confessions are useful in their place, but the only rule of faith and practice in the house of God must be the Word of God. We must not be induced by anyone to pin our faith to the words of fallible men. Faith simply submits to God’s Revelation. Faith does not argue with God’s Word, oppose God’s Word, or ignore God’s Word. Faith believes the Word, submits to the Word, and obeys the Word. Faith holds the Book of God to be singularly authoritative in all things. The Holy Scriptures alone are authoritative in the kingdom of God.

    4. The Word of God is, by the blessing of God the Holy Spirit, the instrumental source and cause of all spiritual life in men (Heb. 4:12; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23-25; Rom. 10:1;7)

    God saves his elect by the Word which he has given, through the preaching of the gospel. He who preaches and teaches the gospel of Christ fully preaches and teaches the Word of God fully (Compare Acts 20:27; 1 Cor. 2:2; 1 Peter 1:25). That alone is God’s ordained means of grace (1 Cor. 1:21).

    God’s own confirmation of his word

    The Bible is, in its entirety, the Word of God, inerrant, infallible, and immutable. Let us reverence and submit to it as such. Here are fifteen facts that will help to strengthen and confirm your faith in God’s Revelation of his Son, the Holy Bible.

    1. The Bible is confirmed as the Word of God by the name of him who gave it (v. 6)

    . It has been given to us to us by our Mediator, Jesus Christ, who is the Lord God of the holy prophets (Rev. 1:1). Christ is the living Word of whom the written Word speaks (John 1:1-3). The whole Revelation of God to man is given in, by, and through the mediatoral Man, Christ Jesus, the Son of God. And all that the Lord God reveals is faithful and true. Not one word from God has ever fallen to the ground, neither a word of prophecy, nor of promise, nor of threat.

    2. The Bible is confirmed as the Word of God by the messengers God has employed to give it (v. 6)

    . The holy God gave his holy Word to his holy angels, to give to his holy prophets, to show his servants in every generation the mind and will of God in all things spiritual. I do not know how the angels are involved in giving us the Word of God, but they have been (Gal. 3:19). Perhaps they are charged with secretly protecting and preserving the Holy Scriptures for us.

    3. The Scriptures will soon be confirmed to all the world as the Word of God by the accomplishment of all that has been revealed in them (vv. 6-7)

    The Bible reveals certain 'things which must shortly be done.' Though men scoff and mock, they shall be done. Christ shall come. There will be a resurrection of the dead. This world shall be destroyed, both the religious and political systems of the world and the material earth upon which we now live. We will stand before God in judgment. Our God shall make all things new. We will spend eternity somewhere, either in heaven or in hell.

    4. The Bible is confirmed to us as the Word of God by its honesty and forthrightness in exposing the sins of its most eminent characters (vv. 8-9)

    The first time John fell down to worship an angel, it might be overlooked as a mistake. He may have thought the angel was Christ himself. But here, John’s behavior reveals the sinfulness and idolatry that is in the hearts of all men (Rev. 19:10). Even when he was in the Spirit, John was only a sinful man, prone to every imaginable evil. Why does the Word of God so plainly and frequently reveal the corruption and sin of God’s elect? (1.) To show us our depravity. (2.) To show us that salvation is by grace alone (1 Cor. 4:7). (3.) To show us that Christ alone is our righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21). (4.) To keep us looking to Christ alone for all our salvation (1 Cor. 1:30).

    5. Another confirmation of the Bible as the Word of God is the fact that it is open to public scrutiny (v. 10)

    God’s Word is not a secret revelation. It is open to all, for all to read and hear. No part of God’s truth is hidden from anyone; and God’s servants make no effort to hide it. All the doctrines of the Bible are open for inspection. All the prophecies of the Bible are open for scrutiny. All the Scriptures are open to be studied and believed (1 John 5:10).

    6. The Bible is confirmed to us as the Word of God by the effect it has upon those who hear it and read it (v. 11)

    . To some it is a savor of life unto life, to others a savor of death unto death (2 Cor. 2:15-17); but none hear or read the Word of God without being affected by it.

    7. The Bible shall be confirmed as the Word of God in the day of judgment, for in that day the Book of God, and the gospel it reveals will be the basis of judgment (v. 12)

    . In that great day the Lord Jesus Christ will dispense the rewards of justice according to the rule of Holy Scripture. Those who obey the gospel shall be saved. Those who disobey the gospel shall be damned.

    8. The Bible shall be confirmed to all men as the Word of God by Christ himself when he comes to reward his saints (vv. 13-14)

    They shall live who obey his commandments (1 John 3:23). But the only way any sinner can obey God’s commandments is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:28-31). All who do believe shall eat of the tree of life by just right because in Christ they are worthy to do so (Col. 1:12). They shall enter into the city of God.

    9. The Bible shall be confirmed as the Word of God, faithful and true, by condemning and banishing from heaven all who despise its message and reject its counsel (v. 15)

    'Dogs' are religious prostitutes, those who have prostituted the gospel for their own gain (Duet. 23:17-18; Isa. 56:10-11; Phil. 3:2). 'Sorcerers' are superstitious people, people who look to the stars, astrological signs, or palm readers for information, rather than to the Lord God. 'Whoremongers and murderers' are profligate, lawless rebels. 'Idolaters' are worshippers of strange or false gods and materialists, who idolize things. 'Whosoever loveth and maketh a lie' are false prophets and their followers, free-will, works religionists, those who attempt to mingle works with grace and the will of man with the will of God in the affair of salvation (Gal. 1:6-8; 2 Thess. 2:10; 1 Cor. 15:22).

    10. The Bible is confirmed as the Word of God to all who hear the gospel preached by the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ through his messenger (v. 16)

    It is Christ who speaks to us by his Word. The angel (preacher) is his messenger. His message is found and heard in his churches.

    11. The Holy Scriptures are confirmed to us as the Word of God by its open call to sinners issued by the Lord of glory (v. 17)

    No matter how it is interpreted, this call is full of grace. The Spirit of God and the Bride of Christ, say to the Lord Jesus, 'Come,' fulfill your word. The gospel preacher, the one who hears the Word of the Lord, stands upon the walls of Zion, and says, 'Come...' Sinner, come and welcome to Jesus, or Lord Jesus, come to us poor sinners. The Lord himself calls sinners ('Him that is athirst!' 'Whosoever will!') to come and take of the water of life freely.

    12. God confirms the pages of Holy Scripture as his own Word by the solemn sanction he places upon every word, doctrine, and precept revealed in its pages (vv. 18-19)

    Compare Deuteronomy 4:2 at the end of the law, and Malachi. 4:4 at the end of the prophets, and Revelation 22:18-19 at the end of the apostles. The warnings here given apply to the entire Bible.

    13. The Bible is confirmed as the Word of God by the testimony of Christ himself (v. 20)

    The Lord Jesus here declares, I will do what I have revealed and promised (John 14:1-3).

    14. The Scriptures are confirmed to the world as the Word of God by the hope and expectation of God’s saints in this world (v. 20)

    Having heard his Word, the whole church of God stands upon the tiptoe of faith and cries, 'Even so come, Lord Jesus!'

    15. The Bible is confirmed to us as the Word of God by the benediction of grace with which it ends (v. 21)

    The Bible ends with this final word from God to men. With it the Lord God gives clear testimony to eternal Godhead of Christ. He is the Lord, the giver of all grace. God’s final word is a word of grace and an assurance of grace. His final word is 'Amen,' so shall it be!