God's Truth .......For Those Who Love Him: For Those Who Love Him

By Joseph De Capite

This inspired volume presents only the Truth of God as presented in the Holy Bible. This book reveals God's master plan for saving humanity from eternal death. The Holy Bible is the inspired Word of God, and is like a giant jigsaw puzzle with literally thousands of bits and pieces of revealed knowledge scatt

• Language: English
• Publisher: Palmetto Publishing
• Release date: Sep 13, 2021
• ISBN: 9781638370994

Joseph De Capite

Joseph De Capite is a dedicated believer in the Bible and has a passion for finding the truth of God. The love of God and His Word began over thirty-five years ago when he was challenged about heaven and hell, the purpose of human life, God's plan of salvation, His law, and the coming Kingdom God. Joseph then began an extensive and thorough study into all his beliefs. He was astonished to find the majority of his beliefs were not in the Bible. His passion for the Word of God, as well as leaving a legacy for his children and grandchildren, has brought him to compiling this collection of essays on truths found in the Holy Bible. The truths presented in this book are not the author's thoughts, ideas, or opinions but provable truths using the Bible as the sole authority for answering important questions. Joseph also has a deep love for music. He holds two bachelor degrees: one in vocal performance and one in education. He is a devoted husband, father, and grandfather who happens to enjoy gardening as well.

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Chapter 1

God's Truth about the Bible

1.1 What Exactly Is the Holy Bible?

The vast majority of people today own a copy of the Holy Bible. Many people own several copies. As the Wall Street Journal (December 13, 2008) commented in an article titled Profit Sharing: The Good Book Is the Best Seller,

It's an astonishing fact that year after year, the Bible is the best-selling book in America—even though 90% of the households already have at least one copy. The tremendous sales volume, an estimated 25 million copies sold each year is largely driven by innovation in design, color, style on the ultimate niche marketing.

Even though it is the most-printed, most-purchased, and most-translated book, with over forty companies printing it, it's the least understood and most talked about book in the world. What exactly is the Bible, and why is it important?

These are good questions that need to be answered. But not just any answers will do. Remember the analogy of the giant jigsaw puzzle mentioned in the Author's Statement. The correct answers must come straight from the pages of the Holy Bible and must be properly placed so that God's awesome picture emerges.

You owe it to yourself to know what the Holy Bible is all about. Why? Because it's the only book that is inspired by God, contains God's mind, and offers salvation to humanity.

What you are about to read is not my opinion or my interpretation of the Bible, because as you will find out for yourself throughout this book, the Bible interprets itself. Notice again: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20–21).

This may come as a new truth to you, but no man or woman—no pastor, no reverend, no bishop, and no pope—can or has the authority to interpret the Bible. No one! That's what you just read. Your complete understanding of the Bible must come straight from the pages of your Bible, and each truth that you prove will have a deep impact on the way you live.

You need to prove what the Bible is for yourself. Many people base their religious beliefs on upbringing, hearsay, peer pressure, rumors, and false traditions. Most people do not take the time to really study into the matter for themselves and prove what is true. If you make the effort to thoroughly prove the subject matter for yourself and ask God for guidance, you will find and prove the truth. (We will discuss the word "truth" a little bit later in this book.)

If you do not own a Bible, I recommend that you purchase one. I personally use the New King James Version. Don’t let the word version scare you. All Bibles say the same thing but in various ways, using different words, although the New International Version omits over 1,500 words. I prefer the New King James Version because it is written in modern English and is the closest translation to the original Hebrew in the Old Testament and Greek (mostly) in the New Testament. It makes for easy reading, but I do have copies of practically all other versions.

The word "Bible" comes from the ancient Latin word Biblia meaning book or a collection of books. The word Scriptures also comes from the Latin derivative scriptura, meaning writings. Sacra is also a Latin derivative, meaning sacred. Sacra is often associated with scriptura. Used together, they mean sacred writings.

The Bible contains God‘s sacred writings, consisting of sixty-six books. It is divided into two main parts. Part one is called the Old Testament and contains thirty-nine books. It begins with the book of Genesis and ends with Malachi, although they are not in chronological order. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew. Hundreds of copies of the Old Testament have been found over time, with the most recent being the Dead Sea Scrolls, found circa 1947–1948. All texts are with little or no deviation of text from the Bible we have today.

Part two is called the New Testament and contains twenty-seven books. The New Testament is thought to have been written in Greek, although back around 1987, Professor George Howard of the University of Georgia began translating a version of the book of Matthew, found by archeologists, written in Hebrew. The Hebrew Matthew, as it is called, was preserved by a fourteenth-century Jew named Shem-Tob (The Gospel of Matthew According to a Primitive Hebrew Text, Howard, 1987). The New Testament begins with the book of Matthew and ends with Revelation.

The first English Bible translation was initiated by John Wycliffe in 1382 and completed by John Purvey in 1388. It takes about seventy hours to read the entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation.

I challenge you to pick up your Bible and check for yourself what I’ve stated in this chapter. Remember that the Holy Bible challenges us to test its content! Read again 1 Thessalonians 5:21, and believe what it says: Test all things; hold fast what is good. The King James Version renders it, Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Both translations mean the same thing. We are to prove what the Bible says. That's what the Bible says about itself—Prove me!

The Holy Bible wants you to test it. And in this book, put it to the test we will. From the Bible's own pages, I have found seven important points on what the Bible is.

The Bible is the inspired Word of God. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16–17).

The phrase inspiration of God means the Bible was and is God-breathed or God-uttered. God inspired men like Moses, David, Isaiah, Daniel, Paul, and many others to write doctrine and instruction on how to properly live according to God's way of living, not man's way. Yes, the Bible was written by men but not just any men—only those who were specifically chosen and inspired by God to write exactly what He told them to write; Nothing more and nothing less and certainly without their own added interpretation (Reference 2 Peter 1:20–21).

The Bible is God‘s written Word. It was written down by chosen people of God through time. God had them write the Bible for our learning and benefit. For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope (Romans 15:4). What hope should we have? The hope of someday receiving eternal life from God. Take a look at Titus 1:2, which says, in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.

The Bible is truth. John 17:17 further defines what God's Word is: Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. To sanctify means to set apart for a special purpose. God's people are set apart by His Word, and His Word is truth. The Holy Bible is written in ink and contains God's truths. There are no lies, cover-ups, or half-truths.

Now look at Psalm 119:160, The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever. God‘s entire Word, His entire Bible, is the truth. No other book contains God's truth. That is what your Bible says. It is not what I say or believe that matters; it is what God says that matters. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).

Pilate, during Christ‘s trial, did not know what truth was, but you will know what truth is after reading it from your own Bible. The preceding clearly tells us that all Scripture is God‘s truth, and all Scripture is inspired by God. By the way, God can only tell the truth; He cannot lie. Do you believe that? Take a look at Hebrews 6:18, That by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. 2 Peter 1:21 tells us, For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. Only holy men, called and chosen by God Himself, wrote His truth.

In addition to all Scripture being truth, Christ clearly stated that He was the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus said to him [Thomas], ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me’ (John 14:6). This means that when Christ first came to earth, He lived by all the laws and principles found in the Bible. Christ personified the entire Bible by living by all of its principles, thereby living a perfect, sinless life. Christ lived, walked, and breathed the truth. The whole Bible is God‘s written truth, and His Son, Christ, personified that truth. Hence, Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. Furthermore, the Bible states that no one can come to know the Father except through Christ.

Even today, God tells humans that His truth is found in the Holy Bible and in studying the person of Christ, but most people still refuse to believe what He says. Remember Titus 1:2, in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.

Our hope, which will happen sometime in the future, is to be given the gift of immortal life through a resurrection (expounded upon later in this book). Since we do not have immortal life right now, we can only hope for it.

You may be thinking, If God cannot lie, where did lying come from, and who spoke the first lie? Turn to John 8:44, where Jesus is speaking to the scribes and Pharisees. You [the scribes and Pharisees] are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he [Satan, the Devil] is a liar and the father of it. Satan spoke the first lie to Adam and Eve and is therefore the father of lies. God cannot lie.

Since God is Holy, His written Word, the Bible, is Holy. That's why it is called the Holy Bible. Turn to 1 Peter 1:16, which reads, Because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’ Also, at the burning bush, God called Moses to speak with him on Mount Sinai. God told him to take off his shoes because the ground where he was standing was holy ground. Why was the ground holy? It was holy because God's presence was there. What God proclaims in His Holy Bible is also holy because His presence is in there too. Then He [God] said, ‘Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground’ (Exodus 3:5).

God‘s Word, His Holy Bible, stands forever. This means that the Bible was never done away with, nor will it ever be. The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever (Isaiah 40:8). Remember the Holy Bible is a very up-to-date old book. Don’t you find it surprising that it is still with us today, even after having been around for thousands of years? Think of the people who lost their lives so that you and I could have a copy of the Bible! God does not want us to live without His owner's manual, and He made sure that we have it. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away (Matthew 24:35). For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot [a dot] or one tittle [the crossing of the letter t] will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled (Matthew 5:18). These are powerful words from a powerful God whose truthful words last forever!

God‘s Word, whether written or verbal, always accomplishes its mission. God compares His Word to rain coming down from heaven. Take a close look at the beautiful Scripture in Isaiah 55:9–11:

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

As the rain water's the earth, so God‘s Word waters us. It refreshes and allows us to grow spiritually. Both God's Word and rainwater always accomplish the mission they were sent for. Both never return empty to God.

God‘s Word is living and powerful. It is not dead or weak. God's Word is like a sharp two-edged sword that can discern our innermost thoughts. For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).

As you can see, God's Holy Bible is the only book that offers us any hope for the future that we can truly count on. No man, no church, no organization, no science, no religion, no human government, and no technological advances can give us real hope, only Almighty God! The Holy Bible always tells us the truth, even if the truth hurts sometimes. The Holy Bible is God's instruction manual on how to live properly on this earth. The Holy Bible tells us how to nurture a strong relationship with the maker of the universe and humanity.

May God bless you as you seek God's instruction, revelation, and truth, which can only be found in your Holy Bible.

1.2 Why Should the Bible Be Important to You?

Contained herein are five important external reasons and internal proofs (there are many more) on why the Bible should be important to you and why it is so different from other religious books. An external reason compares the Bible with all other books ever written. An internal proof measures the validity of the Bible's own content. Let's find out for ourselves, objectively, why this book of books is premier among all other books and why it should be important to you.

The Bible is considered first in literature. In other words, in the huge field of literature, the Bible stands alone—by far—among all other books ever written, both ancient and modern. The Holy Bible remains unsurpassed. The poetry, symbolism, various writing styles, prophesies, and accurate historical accounts add much to its literary genius, authenticity, and credibility.

The Bible is first in circulation. The Bible has been read by more people in more languages than any other book in human history. It has been translated in its entirety into more than four hundred languages, and portions of it have been translated into nearly 2,500 languages. According to the United Bible Society Scripture Language Report (2000), organizations distributed 633 million portions of Scripture in the year 2000. In 2001, Gideon International distributed more than 56 million complete copies of God's Word worldwide. That averages to more than one million per week—that's 107 copies per minute. With a total circulation well past the ten billion mark.

The Bible is first in its influence—an influence on other books that is incalculable. More books have been written about the Bible and its content than on any other book ever written. More authors and poets quote the Bible more than any other source.

The Bible is first among religious writings. If you are wondering about the books on Eastern religions, let me quote Professor M. Montiero Williams from Oxford University. Dr Williams spent forty-two years of his life studying all of the Eastern religious books. His ultimate conclusion is this: The Bible is preeminent. There is no book on the face of the earth that comes anywhere close. Saying that any book, anywhere, written by anyone, could on any level compare to the Bible would be a statement of ignorance (theChristianExpositor.org). These are enlightening words from an expert in Eastern religions.

What about the Koran? The Koran is the Muslim holy book and consists of 113 chapters. It contains standards for personal, social, economic, religious, and political behavior. It is not a totally religious book. Muslims believe that the Koran supersedes all other revelation, including the Bible, although they do consider the first five books of the Bible as sacred. The Islam religion rejects Jesus as the Son of God, as well as rejecting His crucifixion, His resurrection, the forgiveness of sins, and that salvation is only available through Jesus, the Christ. Acts 4:10–12 clearly says, Let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. The Koran clearly contradicts the Holy Bible.

What about the Book of Mormon? The Mormons use four standard works: The Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price, and the King James Bible. Out of these four works, only the Bible is considered by the Mormons to have corruptions and is accepted with qualifications. But notice what the Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:16, All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. Where is all Scripture found? All Scripture is found in your Holy Bible. Also, consider Isaiah 40:8, The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. And Isaiah 55:11, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. No person or religion can add to or take away from the Holy Bible. Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it (Deuteronomy 12:32). For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book (Revelation 22:18–19). Finally, Matthew 24:35, Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. Clearly the god described by the Mormons, Muslims, and Eastern religious books is not the God of the Bible.

The Bible and archeology. Notice these comments by the famous archaeologist Nelson Glueck: The manner in which archaeology has verified the historical accuracy of the Bible has been nothing short of remarkable! Glueck continues, It may be clearly stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted [gone against] a single biblical reference. Scores of archaeological findings have been made which confirm in clear outline or exact detail historical statements in the Bible (Glueck, Rivers in the Desert, 136).

Glueck's comments echo the words of another prominent archaeologist, William F. Albright, who stated, There can be no doubt that archeology has confirmed the substantial historicity of the Old Testament tradition … the excessive skepticism shown toward the Bible by important historical schools of the 18th and 19th Century has been progressively discredited (Glueck, 24–25).

Empires like Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greco-Macedonia and Rome have all been confirmed by historical references. Towns and cities like Nineveh, Jericho, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem have all been confirmed by historical references. Names of kings like Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, Cyrus of Persia, King Darius of Media, King David of Israel, and many others have been confirmed in archeological finds. There are many more confirmations, too numerous to mention here, but you can research the matter yourself in countless Bible dictionaries, encyclopedia, atlases, and handbooks, such as the Biblical Archaeology Review. There, you will find confirmation of biblical accounts from many external sources.

Now let's take a close look at five of the internal proofs of why our Bible is more important than the rest of the religious books of the world. I encourage you to read the Scriptures found herein from your own Bible.

The Bible and prophecy. Prophecy means to prophesy a future event well in advance, before it comes to fruition. God inspired His prophets to write prophecy on important upcoming events. Prophecy is not a human lucky guess; rather, it's a circumstance or an event that God tells us is sure to happen. It may happen quickly, or it may take years for that prophecy to be fulfilled. Some prophecies were written many years before they came to pass.

There also is a duality in almost all prophecy in the Bible. This means that a prophetic event may occur two times. An example of this is the first man, Adam; then there is the second Adam, Christ. For since by man [Adam] came death, by Man [Christ] also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the first fruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming (1 Corinthians 15:21–23).

When God's Word says it, an event will take place regardless of whether or not you believe His Word. In 2 Peter 1:19-21, God inspired Peter to write: And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

There are many prophecies throughout the Old and New Testaments. We will analyze four prophecies, all having to do with Jesus the Christ. Notice especially how precise and specific each of the prophecies came to be fulfilled.

In Isaiah 9:6, it states that the Christ, the Messiah, would be born as a boy. The book of Isaiah was written about one thousand years before Christ's birth. Yet look at the startling accuracy of this prophecy. This is a well-known Scripture, but I wonder how many people understand its significance. For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be [future tense] upon His shoulder. Notice that a Son is to be born, and the government will be on His shoulders. Which government will be on His shoulders? The government or kingdom of God will be on Christ's shoulders. Christ will have direct responsibility to set up a future world-ruling government right here on earth! Amazing!

And His name will be [future tense] called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this (Isaiah 9:6–7). Notice the duality: Christ was born [past tense]; Christ will come again [future] to fulfill His leadership role in God's kingdom, mentioned above.

The Bible states precisely that the Messiah would be born of a