Down through the centuries the anvil has been used by Christians as a powerful metaphor for divine strength. Scripture, in its own words, states the eternality of the Bible when we read: “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:8). As I was reflecting on this concept of the Bible being an anvil, my mind went back to one of my favorite quotes on the Bible, by 19th century writer, H. L. Hastings. And the part of his quote that really caught my eye read: “…When the French monarch proposed the persecution of the Christians in his dominion, an old statesman and warrior said to him, ‘Sire, the Church of GOD is an anvil that has worn out many hammers.’ So, the hammers of infidels have been pecking away at this book for ages, but the hammers are worn out, and the anvil still endures….”1
You see the Bible possesses divine truth, throughout its entire length, which will always outlast the various human arguments and opinions of men. Charles Spurgeon said it well: “The Word of God is the anvil upon which the opinions of men are smashed.”2 And the author of Scripture, Jesus Christ, claims the eternality of the Bible when He stated in (Matthew 24:35): “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away.”
And to give you a little flavor on the nature of the attacks on the Bible I think Patrick Zuckeran summed it up well: “The Bible is the most well-known book in the history of the world, and no book has been attacked more. Skeptics have tried to destroy the authority of the Bible for the last eighteen hundred years. It has undergone every kind of scrutiny possible from archaeology, science, philosophy, and computers. Yet, despite all these attacks, the Bible proves itself to be true again and again. Each time the skeptics have been wrong, and the Bible has proven itself true. Just the fact that the Bible has remained steadfast in its authority after two thousand years is another piece of evidence supporting its divine origin.”3
My friends, not only is the Bible an anvil that has withstood the attacks of skeptics and infidels down through the centuries but its ability to defend itself is just another proof of its intrinsic truth and power. I believe the Bible defends itself by proving, after 2,000 years, to be historically and scientifically accurate, the finest book on ethics ever written, and the only book that can answer life’s big questions. Richard T. Ritenbaugh, however, gives us the key answer to the genius and power of the Scriptures through the transformative nature of the Bible when he shared: “The Bible needs no authentication from scholars, historians, archeologists, or anyone with a pointy head. The Bible proves itself true every time a sinner turns from his wicked ways to God’s way of life. The proof is in its impact on people who are in the process of changing from carnal to spiritual.”4
So, the next time someone tries to convince you that the Bible is not the Word of God, share with them the Bible’s amazing track record and leave them with this quote from Charles Spurgeon: “Defend the Bible? I would just as soon defend a lion. Just turn the Bible loose. It will defend itself.”5
2 Charles H. Spurgeon Quote: “The Word of God is the anvil upon which the opinions of men are smashed.”
3 The Authority of Scripture | Cru