Adam’s sin brought the curse of death into the world (Romans 5:12). Yet God continued to communicate with the fallen couple and even with their rebellious son (Genesis 3, 4). Later, God told Noah to build a ship, the ark, to survive the coming flood. Noah understood and followed God’s detailed instructions. “Noah did all that the LORD had commanded him” (Genesis 7:5).
God—being God—could speak of things far beyond human experience. He took His friend Abraham outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them…. So shall your offspring be” (Genesis 15:5). God’s promise was easy to understand, but it intensely stretched human imagination. Yet Abraham, looking into that night sky, made the decision to take God at His word. If the Creator could make the universe with billions of stars and planets, He can do anything! Abraham “believed the LORD, and He counted it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). Abraham’s trust continued despite disappointments and challenges. Abraham’s wife Sarah was barren and past childbearing age when God promised her a son. Again, the divine words were clear, but Sarah laughed. True to God’s promise, about a year later Sarah gave birth to Isaac (Genesis 18:10-13; 21:2-6). Isaac became the father of Jacob, also called Israel. Centuries later, their descendants became too numerous to count (Nehemiah 9:23).
What does this history teach us?
- Truth One: Since God created language and humans, He can speak well enough to be understood.
- Truth Two: People struggle, not so much with understanding as with believing, especially when their experiences and feelings seemed to contradict God.
- Truth Three: The Creator is almighty, fully capable of fulfilling every promise He makes. As He said to Sarah, “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” (Genesis 18:14)
How foolish we, as creatures, are to doubt our Creator, to question His abilities! Understand, O dullest of the people! Fools, when will you be wise? He who planted the ear, does He not hear? He who formed the eye, does He not see? (Psalm 94:8-9)
You owe all that you are to your Creator. Do you doubt your own existence? If not, why doubt God’s word—the same divine word that gave you existence? As the originator of all reality, God is the source of all truth. “Every word of God proves true” (Proverbs 30:5). Jesus relied on God’s word to “sanctify” His followers, that is, to set them apart for God’s service. He prayed, “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth” (John 17:17). We too can confess to God, “The sum of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous rules endures forever” (Psalm 119:160).
If you believe Truth One, Truth Two, and Truth Three, then you can believe in inspiration.