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Can God Inspire and Preserve His Word?
God can inspire His Word, but could He preserve it? In His own words God answers that question.
Is any thing too hard for the LORD? ... 1
Obviously, nothing is too hard for the Lord. Would you honestly say that the very God Almighty who spoke the world into existence and supernaturally inspired over 40 men to write down exactly what he wanted did not have the ability to make sure that those words were translated properly into a different language? If God desired to keep His Word intact even through a translation then at least theoretically, He could.
Yes, God could make sure that the Bible was translated without error, but did He desire to? The Bible indicates that He did.
The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. 2
The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. 3
For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. 4
The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness. 5
For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD. 6
For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. 7
Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever. 8
Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever. 9
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. 10
As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever. 11
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 12
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 13
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. 14
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. 15
Why would God go to all the trouble (humanly speaking, because for Him it was no trouble at all) to inspire something only to let error creep in later? You might answer the question as some do with a statement claiming that only the original writings were inspired. To make you understand how foolish that is consider this quote from Dr. Ralph Yarnell:
"Let us look at some undisputed facts about the originals. First: there never was a book of 66 originals of the Bible. Second: there never was a book of the 39 originals of the Old Testament. Third: there never was a book of the 27 originals of the New Testament. Fourth: no one living or dead ever saw the 66, 39 or 27 originals. Fifth: each of the originals was lost, worn out, destroyed or gone within 100 to 150 years of their writing. Sixth: the originals were written over a period of about 1600 years from the first book of Job to the last one Revelation. Seventh: the originals were written a distance of 1500 to 2000 miles apart from each other. Eighth: the originals were written in at least three different languages. Ninth: the originals were written on any number of kinds of materials, with any number of kinds of writing fluid. Tenth: the originals under God's will and guidance incorporate many kinds of culture and background. Eleventh: no version in existence today was or is translated from any original. Twelfth: no one living today would know or recognize any one of the 66 originals if they saw one. And on and on and on. Therefore, in the light of the above to flee to the supposed sanctuary of the originals is unreal, hypocrisy, a fetish, and worse than the proverbial ostrich hiding its head in the sand and thinking it is covered and out of sight." (Dr. Ralph I. Yarnell, A Fresh Look At The King James Bible, Marietta, OH: n.p., 1983, 33-34.)
Simply put, saying that only the originals are the Word of God, makes the claim that the Word of God does not exist! What good does God's Word have for His people if it does not exist? The only conclusion then is that the inspiration of the Bible was in vain.
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