I have just finished reading your book. I think it is absolutely brilliant. It demonstrates that the Bible is absolutely accurate, true and trustworthy in this area.

The more I understand it, the more the whole Bible seems to me to be true and not altered in substance at all since it was written. It is so integrated, so inter-connected, and consistent.

At the time of Christ the Israelis clearly knew their Scriptures very well. So did Jesus. I have been astonished to discover how many Scriptures he fulfilled in himself, which he spoke about in Luke 24 after his resurrection. At his arrest (John 18:4) it actually says, “Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him…” Yet he calmly walked forwards to be arrested, flogged, spat upon and crucified. This was all predicted in Psalm 22 and Isaiah and numerous scriptures point towards him. He looked so ordinary, yet he suffered so greatly, and then rose again after three days, just as he said he would, and even this is hinted at in Hosea 6:2.

The real question that has divided man for two thousand years is not about the Exodus, it is the question: Who do you believe Jesus Christ really is? He did not go around saying “I am the Son of God” in plain words, he went around proving it. God fed 5,000 men with manna, Jesus fed 5,000 men with bread. Etc.

Jesus asked, “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” This one-liner, carved on the heart of flesh of the believer, replaces the Ten Commandments, carved on hard stone. They never saved anyone. Jesus demonstrated in his famous Sermon on the Mount that we have all broken them and deserve to die.

The life-and-death question is whether or not we believe that Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” If someone rejects your son – and kills him – how do you react?

We have to believe on the evidence of the Bible that Jesus was just who he claimed to be, and that we deserve to die for our “sins” (thanks, Moses!). But Jesus died in our place on that horrible cross, because he loves us (thank you Jesus!). Your brilliant book helps us to do so.

It is so kind of you to drop in! Thank you for your clarifications. I’m also very encouraged that you believe in the resurrection. I’m sure that is not very common opinion in the circles you’re normally a part of.

I agree with you that God’s timing as well as his supernatural intervention are both different “types” of miracles. And although I didn’t put it in the original blog post, I also liked your explanation of the crossing of the Jordan. The main disagreement I had was with Sinai and with the plagues. You mention in the book that the plagues are all really the result of one natural cause—the polluting of the Nile, which starts a chain reaction of the various plagues. To argue that the plagues were miracles of timing, I believe, is to read in to the text. It seems clear that with each successive plague God’s action is causal. He causes natural phenomena to occur on behalf of his people. In a sense, he is de-creating the land that he originally created (Gen. 1-2).

Nevertheless, I really enjoyed your book and hope that you continue to write in this area. I’ve recommended it to many others who love the Bible and like to work through difficult problems. If you’re ever in Louisville, KY I would love to meet you!

Blessings,
Josh

I believe the first type of miracle is God’s normal way of working, and we should be careful not to play it down. For example, in the explanation of the crossing of the Jordan that I give in my book, I have the earthquake-induced mudslide that stopped the Jordan flowing (there is evidence for this in more recent similar events at the Jordan)as occurring at the exact time the Israelite priests reached the water’s edge. How was this miracle of timing achieved? I suggest a key factor was God prompting Joshua to go a little faster, or a little slower, so that the Israelites arrived at exactly the right time. Hence Joshua was involved in this miracle of timing. He was a key agent in this miracle. However God could only use him if they were in close contact. Are there not important lessons for us today in this? We can be the agents in miracles of timing today, but we need to be in close touch with God for him to be able to use us. I hope this helps. Colin

I’d also encourage you to read Job 1-3 and 38:1-42:6 to see more of God’s self-testimony. Copy this link into your browser and read with an open mind and heart: http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Job+1. You and I both need every bit of truth that is found here. We don’t need luck…we need God!

Please keep this dialogue open…it would be great to keep talking…

The Bible is true. It is veritable based on facts and eyewitness accounts, not to mention its own truth claims of full inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Totally believable, totally substantial.

If you’ve read the book you might understand the difficulty in following Humphreys’ explanation of the plagues. He gives considerable weight to chance and spontaneous “timing,” which is probably understandable from a naturalistic evolutionary standpoint.

Is God willing to prevent evil? Absolutely, when people repent and turn their hearts to him (cf. Jonah). Is he unable to? No! “The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble” (Prov. 16:4). Then he is omnipotent, not a malevolent, passive God who does not interact or care about his creation.

Is he able? Yes, able to call a people to himself and turn hearts from sin to salvation; able to execute justice on the wicked. Is he willing? Yes, willing to save or destroy to bring glory to himself through Jesus Christ. Did he accomplish this in the Exodus? Yes, by justly punishing Pharaoh and the Egyptian people for slavery and child murder (Ex. 1). In bringing the Israelites out of Egypt he set in motion a redemptive paradigm – salvation through judgment for the glory of God. Why call him God? Because he is, and has clearly proven himself to be God (see Isaiah 46-48 for God’s own reasons why he is God).