The Golden Thread of Salvation Proves the Bible is Inspired

If you read 66 different books, written by over 40 different authors with no contradiction between them, you could only conclude there was collusion between the different authors or one person was supervising them all. But what if these 40 authors lived over a period of 1600 years and there was still no contradiction between them. Impossible! Unless, a miracle happened.

There were 66 books written by over 40 different authors, whose lives did span 1600 years and their writings on diversified subjects didn't contradict each other. Collusion was impossible. But a miracle happened. One person supervised their writings. That one person was God. This collection of 66 different books is usually printed in one volume entitled THE HOLY BIBLE, which is divided into two major sections, the Old Testament and the New Testament.

How do we know these 66 books are harmonious? How do we know the Bible is the inspired Word of God? There are many ways of proving the internal harmony of our 66 books of Scripture, but tracking the promised "seed" of salvation is doubly inspiring. It is the golden or Divine thread that weaves through the whole Bible, binding it together in its glorious promise of eternal life.

The first three chapters of Genesis, the first book of the Bible, describes the creation of Adam in the "image of God" dwelling in an Edenic paradise, with the assurance of this eternal home if they obeyed the laws of God. Disobedience would be penalized by death. "Dying thou shalt die." (Genesis 2:17) The laws of God are necessary for the eternal well being of the human race. Satan tempted our first parents. They disobeyed and were banished from Eden. As a result of Adam's fall into sin and death, the whole race is "born in sin and shapen in iniquity." By one man's (Adam's) offense all became sinners and were condemned to death. (Romans 5:16-19)

The last three chapters of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, prophesies that mankind will be restored to life in an Edenic paradise, which will be his eternal home, while Satan is destroyed. All the books of the Bible in between describe the process of redemption and reconciliation by which man and his earthly paradise are restored.

Who is the Seed?

The golden thread of the promised "seed" of salvation begins in Genesis 3:15 when Adam fell from God's favor of life. God promised that the "seed" or descendant of Eve would bruise the serpent's head (representative of Satan, 2 Corinthians 11:3). A blow to the head can be fatal. Here was a glimmer of hope. If Satan is destroyed then man's lot would be improved. But who is this "seed" or descendant of Eve that would accomplish this? Genesis 22:17-18 reveals that the "seed" would come through the lineage of Abraham and it would consist of two classes. Abraham's "seed" would be "as the stars of heaven" (a heavenly class) and as "the sand upon the seashore" (an earthly class). Now the glimmer of hope becomes bright. "And in thy (Abraham's) seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed."

In Genesis 26:1-4, when God repeats the promise of the "seed" to Isaac, God only likens it to the "stars of heaven" (a heavenly class) with no reference to the sands of the seashore. Again God promises that the "seed" or descendant of Isaac would bless "all the nations of the earth." Then, at the death of Isaac, the lineage of the "seed" of promise that was to bless "all the families of the earth" was narrowed to Jacob. In Genesis 28:13-14 Jacob's "seed" or descendants was likened to the "dust of the earth" which like "sand of the seashore" symbolizes an earthly class. Jacob's name was changed to Israel. The promised "seed" would be Israelitish.

The Isaac or Heavenly Seed

Now skipping over to the New Testament, Paul finally identifies the promised "seed" or descendant that is to bless "all the nations of the earth." In Galatians 3:16 it states, "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. And to thy seed (singular), which is Christ." Yes, Jesus Christ is the "seed" or descendant of Eve, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (Israel) that is to bless "all the nations of earth." But Paul expanding on his lesson of 1 Corinthians 12:12 that the body of Christ is composed of many members yet is one body, makes a startling statement in Galatians 3:27-29. "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

All those in Christ are Abraham's "seed" and heirs of the promise. But remember the promise was not that the "seed" would receive the blessing but that the "seed" would do the blessing, that is, bless "all the nations of the earth." Remember Genesis 26:4, Isaac symbolized the "stars of heaven" or heavenly phase of Abraham's "seed." In Galatians 4 Paul shows that Isaac pictured Jesus and his church, the Christ, head and body.

Similarly, in Romans 4:13-14, Paul teaches that through righteousness (justification) by faith Christians become the seed of Abraham who are the heirs of the world. The world thus inherited will be blessed by the church in Christ's kingdom. Revelation 20:4

Remember Genesis 3:15. The "seed" of the woman was to destroy Satan and Hebrews 2:15 informs us that Jesus will destroy the devil who brought the whole human race under the power of death. Now comes the conclusive proof that faithful Christians (spiritual Israel) are part of the "seed" of the woman. In Romans 16:20 Paul states that "the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly."

Although the second advent of Christ and his kingdom, when all of this would be accomplished, was nearly 2000 years future, yet from God's perspective of time it would occur "shortly."

The Jacob (Israel) or Earthly Seed

Remember Genesis 28:14 shows that Jacob (Israel) pictured the earthly seed. The nation of Israel will play an important role in God's kingdom (Zechariah 8:20-23; Isaiah 2:2-4; Ezekiel 16:55-63) when human-kind are restored to perfect life in a worldwide Edenic paradise. Thus Romans 4:17 reveals that when God said to Abraham (Genesis 17:5) "I have (past tense) made thee a father of many nations," He in His foreknowledge could speak of it as an accomplished fact. That is because God even then intended to resurrect the dead to fulfill His promise to Abraham.

Just as the sand of the seashore is innumerable, so the literal Hebrew of Genesis 22:18 reveals that all the nations of the earth will become a part of the earthly "seed" as they come into the Israelitish Kingdom of God (Zechariah 8:20-22). Genesis 22:18 "In becoming that 'seed' shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves." Thus Revelation 20:8 refers to all the nations at the end of the 1000 year Kingdom as the sand of the sea. Those who overcome the test of the Little Season will receive the blessings of eternity. Revelation 21:4-7

The golden thread of the "seed" of promise begins in chapter 3 of Genesis. It weaves through all the books of the Bible and its glorious fulfillment is prophesied 65 books later in the third chapter from the end of the last book of the Bible (Revelation) which was written 1600 years after Genesis. Yes, the Bible is the inspired Word of God. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, 66 books are transformed into one harmonious book. No other book gives such a reasonable explanation for the permission of evil. No other book gives man such a wonderful hope.