Eyewitness News

What is so significant about eyewitness news? What is so special about an eyewitness account? It is one thing to hear some Historian talk about the Vietnam war, but is much more fascinating to hear “Uncle Jim” talk about his days fighting for the country, or to listen to “Aunt Sue” retell accounts of her serving as a nurse in Korea.

What separates eyewitnesses from someone who is simply retelling something that they heard, is that the eyewitness was there! They didn’t just hear about it, but they experienced it! They heard the planes flying overhead, they saw the legions of troops flooding the beach, they could taste the gunpowder in the air, and they cleaned out the mud from the trenches out from underneath their fingernails.

When we read the Bible we are reading eyewitnesses of the power of God.

Peter’s “sure word of testimony” was confirmed by his garment that got wet when he began to sink into the sea. John’s gospel was proven by the sweat that dripped down his face as he watched our Lord hanging on the cross and as Mary wept silently beside him. Paul’s epistles were sure because of the scales that fell from his eyes in Damascus as Ananias laid his hands on Him. James epistle was trustworthy due to the time that he spent in unbelief and the change that was exhibited after the resurrection.

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All of these men, and the others that wrote epistles, were eyewitness to signs, wonders, and even (for some) the life of Christ.

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;  (2)  (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)  (3)  That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.  (4)  And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full” (I John 1:1-4).

“For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.  (17)  For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  (18)  And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.  (19)  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:  (20)  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.  (21)  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (II Peter 1:16-21).

There are those, like Luke, who obeyed the gospel at a later time, but were still eyewitnesses of great things and were instructed by the eyewitnesses themselves.

“Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,  (2)  Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;  (3)  It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,  (4)  That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed” (Luke 1:1-4).

The “good news” that we follow, obey, and live does not have its origins with bards and storytellers, but with inspired eyewitnesses of the very events that we read and study about every day.

That being said, why do so many reject the testimony of the word of God? Why do people seek to discredit what Jesus teaches us from the Bible? Sin.

Under the cloak of feigned-intelligence and pretend-science, man wages war with the word of God because it discredits their wicked ways and condemns all forms of lawlessness.

“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  (20)  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved” (John 3:19-20).

We must not be so proud as to think that our ways are better or that we don’t need God. We must trust in God’s judgements that His ways are the best ways. Even if we can’t comprehend why certain things are the way that they are, we can be sure that God’s word is true and that He always knows best.