In recent days, I sent an email asking if there was or is a specific question about the Bible people wanted answered. This questions came to me.

How was the word of God written from God if there were not words thousands of years ago?

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My response:

I would approach the question of how the Word of God was written from God, given the absence of written words thousands of years ago, by examining the historical and theological context of divine revelation and the transmission of sacred texts. Here are some key points to consider:

Oral Tradition:

Oral Culture: In ancient times, especially in the early stages of human civilization, cultures were predominantly oral. Knowledge, history, laws, and religious beliefs were transmitted orally from generation to generation.

Memorization and Recitation: Societies developed sophisticated methods of memorization and recitation. Elders, priests, and other designated individuals were responsible for preserving and conveying the oral traditions accurately. This is still observed in many African societies.

Divine Revelation:

Prophetic Inspiration: The Bible describes many instances where God communicated directly with individuals through visions, dreams, and spoken words (see the book of Job). Prophets, for example, received divine messages and conveyed them to the people.

The Role of the Prophets: Prophets such as Moses, Isaiah, and Jeremiah played crucial roles in receiving and transmitting God’s words to the people. These messages were initially oral but were later written down by the prophets themselves or by their disciples.

Development of Writing:

Evolution of Writing Systems: While it is true that writing systems developed over time, by the time of the composition of many biblical texts, various forms of writing were already in use. For example, cuneiform writing emerged in Mesopotamia around 3400 BCE, and hieroglyphic writing appeared in Egypt around 3100 BCE.

Hebrew Writing: The Hebrew alphabet, which is the script used for much of the Old Testament, developed during the late second millennium BCE. By the time of Moses (traditionally dated to the 13th century BCE), there were already established writing systems in the Near East.

Transmission and Preservation:

Scribes and Copyists: Once writing systems were established, scribes played a vital role in recording, copying, and preserving sacred texts. This ensured that the oral traditions and divine revelations were accurately maintained and transmitted through generations.

Manuscript Tradition: The meticulous work of scribes, particularly among the Bantu community, involved creating precise copies of sacred texts, which included methods to ensure accuracy and prevent errors.

Theological Understanding:

Divine Inspiration: From a theological perspective, Christians believe that the Scriptures were divinely inspired. The doctrine of inspiration holds that God guided the human authors. He did so in such a way that their writings convey God’s intended message.

Human and Divine Collaboration: This view acknowledges that while human authors used their language, culture, and historical context, they were inspired by God to communicate His revelation. This process involved both divine influence and human agency.

In summary, the Word of God was transmitted through a combination of oral tradition, prophetic inspiration, and eventually, the development of writing systems. The transition from oral to written transmission was facilitated by the emergence of writing technologies. Also by the dedicated work of scribes. Theologically, the process is understood as a collaboration between divine inspiration and human effort.

This ensures that God’s message was preserved and conveyed accurately through the ages.

We can conclude or agree that God, the Divine Creator, can communicate to all people and things. The letter and number systems of today’s and ancient worlds were primarily for man to communicate with each other. The Divine Creator can communicate with us without written words. Hopefully, this helps and is a starting point for further investigations.

Until next time, Power be with you.

Minister Koko

Teaching Priest, AKOPPI-BSM

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