So we're back here in our study of the infallible proofs, and I want to repeat what we just began last week there, the universal influences of the Word of God. I think so many of the people in our culture don't even realize how much of the influence the Bible has had on culture. And I think, again, this is evidence of its inspiration. So let's take up what we learned last week in the video. If the Bible is indeed the Word of God, it is then the most important book that has ever been published. We would expect that its influence would be profound and that its truths would impact the entire culture. In fact, as we review the various components of critical thought, the humanities, and the arts, we are overwhelmed with the universal effect that the Bible has had upon the greatest thinkers, composers, artists, and statesmen that the world has ever known. Even when the artisan himself may have been devoid of sanctifying power, The fact that their greatest works were predicated on biblical themes attests to the power of the Bible to inspire genius. When we peruse the legendary works of prose and poetry, we can hardly turn a page without being confronted with scriptural themes. Lord Tennyson hopes to see my pilot face to face when I have crossed the bar. Charles Dickens trumpets the biblical verities of Christian charity, humility, and providence while denouncing hypocrisy, greed, and injustice. William Shakespeare invokes the themes of Christian conscience and guilt and the fear of eternal condemnation in most of his grand tragedies. Milton pens Paradise Lost, the greatest epic ever written, telling of the biblical story of man's fate and Satan's revolt in a poetic style that has never been surpassed. Dante's divine comedy masterfully leads his readers through the halls of hell in his poetic description of the inferno. Even the demented ravings of the depraved mind of Edgar Allan Poe attest to the biblical truth of a tell-tale heart. Examples could be enumerated without end. Clearly, the Bible has provided source material for the world's most important literary works. Turning from the page to the palette, we are again impressed with the preponderance of paintings, engravings, and sculpture that unashamedly attest to biblical texts. Consider the Sistine Chapel. This was Michelangelo's signature work and painting. One can follow the Bible from Genesis, the creation of man, to Revelation, and the Great Judgment. Michelangelo was also an expert with the chisel and marble. His three most famous sculptures include Moses, David, and the famous Pieta. Perhaps the greatest masterpiece that has ever been painted was da Vinci's Last Supper. Raphael painted nearly every one of his masterpieces, embracing scriptural motifs. And of course, Rembrandt was so ardent in his passion for biblical ideals that he often painted himself in the scene, always close to his savior. As we turn our attention to the world of music, we are immediately confronted with examples of the powerful way in which the Bible has inspired the most celebrated music that the ear has ever heard. Beethoven's latent genius did not reach its zenith until he had nearly lost his hearing. It was then that he drew from the depths of his Christian heritage and gave the world his ode to joy. on broaden plains. In the forest, vale, and mountain, golden meadow, rushing sea, chanting bird, and foaming fountain, call us to rejoice in thee. Ever singing, watch me as I enter as in the beast comes forth. Of all the composers who have sung to their fellow mortals, few have equaled Bach in the creation of music as an act of worship. Let him now speak for himself in praise of his God, in giving thanks for the gift of his Son, and in rejoicing in his resurrection. In the land of our fathers' home, Why, by the golden garden's bloom, You. And we must not fail to remember that when Handel assembled his magnificent Messiah, recorded directly from 15 portions of the Bible, his life's verse was realized when the King of England stood at the premiere performance of the Hallelujah Chorus. The Bible has always played a central role in the shaping of moral societies. One can point to hundreds of historical illustrations to document this. The destruction of feudalism and the subsequent dissolution of tyrannical reigns of kings and popes was a direct result of the Protestant Reformation and its belief in sola scriptura, The invention of the printing press was largely owed to the need to communicate the word of God to enlighten the people. The abolition of slavery in England was owed to the Wesley Revival and to the efforts of William Wilberforce, who eloquently put forth his arguments to Parliament. serves, when we think of eternity and of future consequences of all human conduct, what is there in this life that should make any man contradict the dictates of his conscience, the principles of justice and the laws of religion of God. Sir, the nature of all the circumstances of this trade are now laid open to us. We can no longer plead ignorance. We must abolish this trade. No one would suggest that all the delegates to the Continental Congress from the Thirteen Colonies were Christians. Clearly, however, the Christian principles taught in the Word of God influenced the writing of the Declaration of Independence. Consider the following selected statements. the laws of nature and of nature's God entitles them, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights. These principles were not dreamed up by the genius of our forefathers. They are biblical principles. The founding of the educational system is owed to English and American parents who wished for their children to read Many of the first school teachers were ministers of the gospel. The church building provided the ideal meeting place. Often the one-room schoolhouse was really the local church building. The first colleges in America were all founded by ministers who were God-fearing and Bible-believing men. Harvard, Princeton, Yale, all of these institutions were founded on the principles of the Holy Word of God. Our Lord's command to love thy neighbor as thyself has always been a hallmark of true Christianity. Consequently, Christian people, as individuals or as groups, founded many orphanages, hospitals, and humanitarian organizations that have provided relief for millions of our own countrymen. The Salvation Army was originated by a godly minister, General William Booth. The Red Cross was established by a Christian lady named Clara Barton. The Young Men's Christian Association was founded as a result of a prayer meeting. And so even from this brief accounting, we are convinced that the influence of the Bible is universal, and that wherever its sweet influence has been applied, the power of redemption has left its indelible impress. Well, let's look into some of the details here that I think you'll find interesting. This is a fact that was well known. Of course, our modern generation seems to be drifting away from using biblical names in naming their children. But that was always the case. up until perhaps the 1980s and 1990s. But look at the various names that people have given to their children, all of which are biblical names like John and Mary and Robert and James. So we've got these various names here. You can see here in the list of popular names over the decades how fascinating all of this was the top 50 names given to girls in America. 14 are Bible names. Of the top 50 names given to boys, 25 are Bible names. So we have a lot of Johns, and James, and Andrews, Peters. And also naming places in America. So we have more towns. Pennsylvania, in particular, we have these various places. Philadelphia, everybody knows this from. Revelation chapter 3 And then you can travel to Bethlehem we have Bethlehem and Nazareth and Emmaus and Bethesda Shiloh Bethel Eden Ephrata Zionsville and New Jerusalem all in Pennsylvania So if you choose you can stop by Mount Nebo Mount Zion Mount Joy and Mount Lebanon right here in Pittsburgh and Mount Carmel Have you ever wondered why? It's because the Bible has a direct impact on the society and culture of old America. And it shows up in the names they gave their towns and villages. So there you don't have to take an expensive flight to the Holy Land. You can go right here to Pennsylvania and you can see all these biblical places. You can visit Athens in Texas. Corinth, as well as Karnak, and Palestine, Hebron, Eden, Joshua Temple, Bishop, Blessing, and Corpus Christi. California, even out there can imagine that in California. I think Billy Bob's out in California right now, as a matter of fact, and he could visit Antioch, and Carmel, and Goshen, and Bethel Island, Joshua Tree, and Temple City. You could drive through Angels Camp, Or even go to paradise, if you didn't like that you go to Diablo, which is the devil, right? So the naming of these cities, again, the influence of the Bible. People read their Bibles. And so when it came to creating places, it was normal for them to go right to the scripture. Now look at these common idioms, expressions of speech that people use to this day, and most are unaware that you find them directly in the Bible. An eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, this is found in Exodus 21. Just a drop in the bucket, you know, the nations are a drop in the bucket is how Isaiah describes it, but we use that expression rather commonly. And by the skin of our teeth, in Job chapter 19, where we have Job's complaint there, can the leopard change his spots, Jeremiah tells us. And Jesus spoke of a house divided cannot stand in Matthew chapter 12 and verse 25. And he also spoke of wolves and sheep's clothing in the warning in Matthew 24. the truth falls on the ground, on rocky ground, in the case of Matthew 15, and that we would hammer swords and plowshares. In fact, the statue outside of the United Nations building is, we have a man with a great sledgehammer beating a sword into plowshares, and that's taken with the quotation from the Bible right underneath the statue, Isaiah 2.4. and spears into pruning hooks. Well, the Highland writing's on the wall, we'll say to people, but this is taken from the fifth chapter of Daniel we studied just a number of months ago with the judgment of Belshazzar. We speak of a labor of love, but this is a direct quotation from 1 Thessalonians 1. No peace for the wicked, Isaiah tells us, Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty heart before the fall. Pride goes before the fall in Proverbs 16. And in the beginning, in the beginning, you can't take it with you, we say, and this is found at least in principle in Galatians 6, 7. Oh, we have the blind leading the blind. It was a parable that Jesus taught in Matthew 15. And of course, how many people misuse this? They'll say the love of money is the root of all evil, but they'll say money is the root of all evil. So they kind of skip the beginning there, the love of money. But they'll say money is the root of all evil. There's some truth to both, actually. So a man after his own heart. There's nothing new under the sun. And this is found in Ecclesiastes 1. We're going to keep him on the straight and narrow, and Jesus spoke of the straight and narrow path that leads to heaven in Matthew 7 and verse 14. And of course, conversely, broad is the gate that leads to destruction. Many there be that go in there at the dust of the earth in Genesis 13, speaking of the blessings of Abraham. I'm at my wits end, we might say. This is found in Psalm 107 and verse 27. How are the mighty fallen? This rhetorical question that's often posed when a famous leader falls through immorality. Well, he gave up the ghost, we say. It's a euphemism for death, but this we find directly in Luke chapter 23 at the death of our Savior. And man shall not live by bread alone. Jesus quotes this as a matter of fact, but here it's originally found in Deuteronomy 8. of the mouth of babes." Well this is taken from that excellent Psalm, Psalm 8. So we have the truth coming forth from the youth. Am I my brother's keeper? Well this was the question posed by Cain when it came to the Inquisition about his brother's death. And often we hear, it's more blessed to give than to receive. And this, by the way, it's an interesting problem because in the book of Acts, though it's quoted here by Paul as being a teaching that Jesus gave. And yet there's no evidence in the four gospels that Jesus ever said something like this. So, um, It's perhaps an idiom that was understood there in the first century, even though it wasn't written in the divine account. We speak about keeping the letter of the law, and you'll see this in 2 Corinthians chapter 3. Everybody knows, spare the rod, spoil the child, and that's found directly in Proverbs 13. Or the twinkling of an eye to express something that happens quickly and rapidly. In 1 Corinthians 15, of course, it has to do with the rapture of the church, all this happening instantaneously, the twinkling of an eye. Oh, he suffers fools gladly, we hear. But that's taken from 2 Corinthians 11. And that their weight in the balance isn't found wanting. Back to Daniel chapter 5 again. He that is without sin, let him cast the first stone. We found that in John chapter 8 with the harlot. And soft answer turns away wrath. Proverbs 15. What a great truth that is, by the way. We all need to learn to temper ourselves and not react and respond immediately and emotionally. Some people speak of the thorn in the flesh without being aware that it's actually something taken from the account that Paul gave to the Corinthians regarding his perhaps multiple afflictions that he endured. You can't take it with you. Well, the principle of which is found in Galatians 6, you know, the idea of the temporal nature of goods. Again, the blind leading the blind in Matthew 15. So, there's some common idioms, and there's some other ones, actually, that I didn't put on here that, you know, the little bird told me, and that's found in the book of Ecclesiastes. And there's just a number of other idioms that are taken from Scripture and that people are using. And in a sense, you know, this is the glory of eternal truth, that throughout generations of time that that truth remains relevant. We can still apply it to our current distress. Now, famous people said these words about the Bible. Of course, I qualify all this by saying, look, these people aren't necessarily Christians. Politicians, in particular, like to invoke God and somehow give us the impression that they belong to the Lord. But we'll leave that judgment to God. But clearly, some of them were just using it for their own advancement in some cases. Nonetheless, the fact that they would speak highly of the Word of God speaks of its influence on society, and they may be using it for self-promotion, but apparently they must think enough people have respect for the Bible that it's worth saying a positive thing about it. So President Benjamin Harrison said, it is out of the word of God that a system has come to make life sweet. Abraham Lincoln said, I believe the Bible is the best gift God ever gave to man. Lincoln in particular, his wife was involved in the occult. But there's some indication that Lincoln was finally baptized. and a secret ceremony. Of course, if it was secret, how do we know about it? But let's hope for that. But he always had a positive thing to say about God. Woodrow Wilson said the Bible is the one supreme source of revelation of the meaning of life. Dwight Eisenhower said, in the highest sense, the Bible is to us the unique repository of eternal spiritual truths. Ronald Reagan said he based one of his defense budget proposals on Luke 1431. Winston Churchill said, we rest with assurance upon the impregnable rock of Holy Scripture. Chiang Kai-shek said, the Bible is the voice of the Holy Spirit. William Gladstone, I have known 95 great men of the world in my time, and of these, 87 were followers of the Bible. And so Lacey said, the Bible is not only a great book of historical reference, but it also is a guide for daily life. And for this reason, I respect it and I love it. General MacArthur said, believe me, sir, never a night goes by, be I ever so tired, but I read the word of God before I go to bed. Stonewall Jackson said, God's promises change not. Let us endeavor to adorn the doctrine of Christ in all things. George Washington said, it is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible. Robert E. Lee said, the Bible is a book in comparison with which all others are of minor importance and which in all my perplexities and distresses has never failed to give me light and strength. We have Daniel Webster, the famous attorney and orator and He said, I believe the scripture of the Old and New Testament to be the will and the word of God. H.G. Wells, he was one of the founders of the Fabian Society, but at any rate, he gave respect to the Bible. The Bible has been the book that held together the fabric of Western civilization. The civilization we possess could not come into existence and could not have been sustained without it. William Lyon Phelps, everyone who has a thorough knowledge of the Bible, may truly be called educated. I believe knowledge of the knowledge of the Bible without a college course is more valuable than a college course without the Bible. And Toynbee said, it pierces through the intellect and plays directly upon the heart. philosophers, Charles, and writers. Charles Dickens said it is the best book that ever was or ever will be written. Charles Dana said of all the books, the most indispensable, the one whose knowledge is the most effective, is the Bible. And Sir Walter Scott said, within this awful volume lies the mystery of mysteries. Happiest they are of human race to whom their God has given grace, to read, to fear, to hope, to pray, to lift the latch of, to force the way. But better had they ne'er been born who read to doubt or read to scorn. You know, I give the illustration when I'm preaching sometimes about the death of Walter Scott. And when he was dying, he asked for his children to bring him the book. And they said, well, what book, father? What book do you want us to bring? And he said, there's only one book. And so they brought him the Bible. Sir Isaac Newton said, we account the scriptures of God to be most sublime philosophy. I find more sure marks of authenticity in the Bible than in any profane history whatsoever. James Dwight Dana said, young men, as you go forth, remember that I, as an old man, who has known only science all of his life, say unto you that there is no truer facts than the facts found within the holy scriptures." And Sir William Herschel said, all human discoveries seem to be made only for the purpose of confirming more and more the truths contained in sacred scriptures. Nikolai Tesla said, the gift of mental power comes from God, the Divine Being, and if we concentrate our minds on that truth, we become in tune with this great power. My mother has taught me to seek all truth in the Bible. So let's take a quick look now, as we're mentioning about this universal influence, the particular influence that the Bible had on American history. So William Bradford, the first governor of the colony, said, last and not least, they cherished a great hope, an inward zeal of laying good foundations, or at least making some ways toward it, for the propagation and advancement of the gospel of the kingdom of Christ in the remote parts of the world. even though they should be but stepping stones to others in performance of so great work. Patrick Henry, who said the famous give me liberty or give me death quote, said also that the Bible is a book worth more than all other books that were ever printed. It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians, not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ. And Washington said, it is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible. What students would learn in American schools, above all, is the religion of Jesus Christ. To the distinguished character of patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian. So I have this little quote over here. Before taking the oath of office, he summoned a Bible in which to take the oath, added the words, so help me God, to the end of the oath. And then he leaned over and kissed the Bible. And you see that every president since George Washington has followed that after the oath of office, so help me God, and has had his hand on the Bible. John Adams. So if there was a true Christian president, I suppose John Adams, perhaps James Madison, they spoke of Christ. They spoke of the Lord. Some of them just speak kind of nebulously about God or the God of nature. But these men were more than deists. They were Christians. He said, I've examined all religions as well as my narrow sphere, my straightened means, and my busy life would allow. And the result is that the Bible is the best book in the world. It contains more philosophy than all the libraries I have seen. Madison said, we have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We've staked the future of all our political institutions upon our capacity to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God." And it was under Madison's influence that we have the three equal branches of government. And this would be based upon biblical principles. So in Isaiah we have, for the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king, he will save us. And if you look at those three statements from Isaiah, what you see here is the concept of a legislative branch, an executive branch, and a judicial branch. So we have the Lord is our judge, judicial, the Lord is our lawgiver, legislative, the Lord is our king, and that's the executive branch. And so what we have here in American culture and in our constitution and form of government was based on biblical variety. So it's quite clearly understood. John Quincy Adams, so great is my veneration for the Bible. that the earlier my children begin to read it, the more confident will be my hope that they will prove useful citizens to their country and respectable members of society. I have for many years made it a practice to read through the Bible once every year." And Andrew Jackson said, go to the scriptures. The joyful promises it contains will be a balsam to all your troubles. That book is the rock on which our Republic rests. I am in the hands of a merciful God. I have full confidence in his goodness and mercy. The Bible is true. Upon that sacred volume, I rest my hope for eternal salvation through the merits and blood of our blessed Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. That's about as direct a statement as you'll hear a president ever make, that's for sure. These are just some pictures of these various Ivy League colleges. I made the point, I think, Sunday, that every one of these colleges was founded by Christian ministers. These were all, essentially, seminaries. The idea of higher education in the early days of the country was to train up ministers of the gospel. So certainly they have devolved from there today, but this is how they began at any rate. And you see the rules and precepts and the charters of these various schools all acknowledging the saviorship of Jesus Christ. You'll see this direct statement from Harvard. I mean, it's almost unbelievable when you read that every student be plainly instructed and earnestly pressed to consider well the main end of his life and studies is to know God and Jesus Christ, which is eternal life, and therefore to lay Christ as the bottom, as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning, and seeing the Lord only giveth wisdom, Let everyone seriously set himself by prayer in secret to seek it of him." Can you imagine that? The rules and precepts of Harvard. But that's in 1646. The president of Princeton was Jonathan Edwards, the famous preacher of the Great Enlightenment. But things have, as I mentioned at this point, devolved to such a point that you would never have thought that this was the beginning of these institutions. They've now just become nothing more than greenhouses for evolution and atheism. But such is what the devil has done and has compromised. This picture, this painting, is called Justice Lifts the Nations. And what you see in this, in the concept, or in the symbolism that's involved here, has to do with Lady Justice and the concept of rex, lex. Now, these are Latin terms, obviously, but rex, lex. So we're talking about the law and the king, right? So rex is the king, and lex is the law. And the divine right of kings, the word of the king is absolute, incontestable law. That was what was called rex lex. And that's really what drove the various countries during the Dark Ages. But that all changed to lex rex during the times of the Great Reformation. All men, even the king, are subject to the law of God. And that's what this painting. represents with Lady Justice pointing the sword to the scriptures. So all men must sublimate themselves to what the Bible teaches. There's kind of an exploded view of that painting with the Lady Justice and the sword pointing to the Word of God. So it is indeed the reversal of the Dark Ages from Rex Lex to Lex Rex. that the king is subject to the law. All men are subject to the law of God. So when we look at the laws that had been framed by men, we have to go back really to the Pentateuchal laws. So we have the first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch, and in the Pentateuch you have all these various aspects You know, we make an egregious mistake when we speak of the law as being the Ten Commandments. There's much more to it than the Ten Commandments. And this is why, when you read the rest of the books of the Pentateuch after Exodus 20, you'll find all these various principles, principles that we live by today, the trial by jury of our peers, the fact of blind justice, Corroborative evidence, you know, the Jews demanded two to three witnesses to corroborate any charge. The difference between felonies, the idea that there are various stages even of felonious acts. We have felony one, two, and three in our typical system today even. And the concept of estates and wills, that's all found in the Pentateuch. And then the tax laws, the concept of deeds and meets and bounds and property ownership. There's even the establishment of orphan's court, the idea of the care for the orphan and even the widow. Judiciary justice, and sculpture evidence. Ernie mentioned trial by jury of our peers and the concept of capital punishment and the difference between that which would be a capital punishment, a capital crime, and misdemeanors, lesser crimes. And along with the misdemeanors, the appropriate judgments, oath-taking, liens, because a person owes another person and so liens against property and land holdings, the concept of debts, and common pleas, the idea of a common pleas court, and reparation, which is repairing. In other words, you've done something that has cost someone a loss. And so there's a concept of repairing and giving back. And marriage and divorce laws are found also in the Pentateuch. And also compensatory judgments. So these are all very common expressions that are used in our courts today. But it's all based really upon the Mosaic jurisprudence. And it was applied all through the time of their traveling through the wilderness and up until the country itself was established. Our country, we're going to find various aspects to how the Bible has influenced the Founding Fathers in the placing of national motto, which is, In God We Trust. And you can even see here in the original National Seal, this idea of rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God. So this was the original National Seal. The Jefferson monument has this inscription, God who gave us life gave us liberty. Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep. And in the Lincoln Memorial, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom. And this is inscribed in the walls behind Lincoln. The Washington Monument has these various inscriptions, holiness to the Lord in Exodus 28, search the scriptures in John chapter five, the memory of the just is blessed, and right at the pinnacle, praise be to God from Psalm 106 and verse 48. John Jay, who was the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, made this statement. Can you imagine such a statement being made today? But the exclusivity of Christ. He said, Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers. Well, he'd be run out of court today. But I mean, this was common practice and commonly received and accepted in the early days of our country. Things have gone so far afield these days, that's for sure. Imagine insisting that a person could not hold public office unless he was a true Christian. Not going to happen these days, I suppose. There in the Supreme Court building, though, you're going to see at the peak where the ceiling, where the roof joins there, and this bas-relief of Moses with the Ten Commandments, with the law in his hands. So respect to the Mosaic Law, respect of course to the Bible, and thus the influence of the Bible on American history. And the great vital element in our system is the belief of our people in the pure doctrines and divine truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So we find this in the words of the United States House of Representatives in 1854. So what a respect was given to the scriptures, at least in the early days of our country. And everybody knows that the Liberty Bell has inscribed within it, proclaim liberty throughout the land and to all the inhabitants thereof, taken directly from Leviticus 25.10. So this is an interesting admission from the Los Angeles Times. This feature writer, Teresa Watten-Abbey, she said, the Bible is a cornerstone of Western civilization, inspiring the art of Michelangelo, the plays of William Shakespeare, the novels of John Steinbeck, and even films of Hollywood. Its prose has enlivened our language. Salt of the earth, wolves in sheep's clothing, drop in the bucket, skin of my teeth, woe is me. In America, if you speak English, you're speaking the Bible as a second language." So in my little video that I had assembled, I included some of the works of art and the music, the influence. When we had a Christian school, I taught Bible every morning, but I also taught an English literature class. And part of that class, I taught what I called culture shock. So I would teach them about the various composers. And I think a lot of them kind of enjoyed this part of the class, because we played the music of these composers. And my idea, of course, was to try to expose them more complex music, to appreciate something of the humanities and the arts. But of course, to acknowledge that Christ really inspired almost all of these composers in one way or another, and the great artists. So I took pains to try to demonstrate to them these various works of art. So we went through Rembrandt. Of course, as I mentioned there in the film, he would paint himself. In much of these various works, you can find him kind of in the shadows at times, but also in the case of the descent from the cross there, that one painting, you'll find Rembrandt there right by the ladder that led up to the cross to let Jesus down. He wanted to be a part of it. And he loved to employ the use of shadows and the dark palette, so to speak. But everybody's familiar, I'm sure, with Rembrandt or Caravaggio. In this case, this is one of his famous paintings. was Thomas inspecting the wounds of Christ, even placing his finger in the side of Christ, which the Bible doesn't necessarily tell us that Thomas did that, but he demanded proof. But you can see the Caravaggio and so many of these painters, Raphael, they were given to great detail and the employment of their abilities to tell the stories from the Scripture. We have direct quotation from the Book of Acts here with the Apostle Paul, you know, when Saul of Tarsus was smitten to the ground and Jesus said, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And so he painted a horse there, you know, with the concept of the spurs going in the side of the horse to spur him on the pricks. It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks. A rather dramatic telling of that particular passage. And Michelangelo also, the realism with which he captured, especially out of stone. These are amazing works to be able to do something like this. But it shows all biblical themes. Everything that he painted or constructed in marble was all taken from biblical accounts. The painter that we mentioned also, Raphael, who was a student of da Vinci, used so many of the biblical themes. And he took realism to the next level, being a student of Da Vinci. Well, I also mentioned these great themes that we find in classical music. So much of the music, especially in the early composers, was all to give glory to God. the idea of Adhesus, joy of man's desiring. You've all heard this, I'm sure, and who hasn't heard the Hallelujah Chorus, which is the main attraction of the oratorio that Handel wrote. So, the Messiah. And so many other themes. So many other things that we could look at and trace back to biblical accounts, the inspiration of the Bible. And we could have gone on all morning and listened to some of these various pieces and to admire them and to recognize the concept of genius that's involved in taking these composers and what they were able to do. I'm not sure that we have anyone that rivals these kind of compositions today. Do we really have any musical geniuses today? Like they were so common during the Great Enlightenment, but not much today. So indeed, in conclusion, Jesus speaks of the influence of the Holy Spirit and his word, if I be lifted up I will draw all men unto me, and that the drawing of the Holy Spirit is the great influence that brings people to eternal life and conversion. The Lord himself here bears record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost. These three are one, and that's the influence of the Spirit in the world today, in the place of Christ. I send you another comforter, Jesus said. No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me. Draw him. I will raise him up at the last day, and if I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men. unto me. So we have the influence, this universal influence, that the Spirit of God speaks to all people. Everybody that draws breath has this positional sanctification, this idea of God putting us in a place where we will be influenced, and I say favorably influenced, by the Spirit of the Living God. And that favorable influence will include conviction of sin, That's a favorable influence, because the guilt that man has that Freud and other psychiatrists have tried to eliminate from society, this guilt is quite necessary for us to come to saving knowledge. Without that influence, we would never come on our own. In John 16, nevertheless, I tell you the truth. It is expedient for you that I go away. For if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you, but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he has come, he will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment, of sin because they believe not on me, of righteousness because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more." And another place here in 2 Thessalonians, it says, we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren. beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth." So this benevolent influence that's quite invisible is pervasive. and that God is reaching out to people throughout the world at all times. The Spirit is striving with men in their consciences and in hopes of leading them to saving knowledge. In Philippians, Paul mentions his own history in this running from God, as it were, but not as though I'd already attained, either were already perfect, but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus." So he speaks of the Holy Spirit catching up with him and apprehending him, catching him, as it were, in his mad career, running away from God, as it were. But God had found him and influenced him and brought him under conviction. So I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto that which is before I press towards the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." And Hebrews 4 also speaks of the influence of the Word of God. It is quick, it's powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing center of soul and spirit and of the joint and marrow. And it's the discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight. But all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." So the piercing quality of the word is seen here. And what some people might consider negative influence is actually, it's a positive influence as far as its ultimate aim, which is to bring men under arrest, to apprehend them as it were, and to bring them to the eternal light. And this influence, again, is pervasive. It's not confined just to those that are seeking the Lord. Even the lost are under its influence. Thus, in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him. Without him was not anything made that was made, and him was life. And the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. So this influence is available, but not all men are drawn to it. The light shines, but men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil, we're told in the third chapter of John. Nonetheless, this influence continues. We've done the study before here that you find passages in Romans chapter 1, and in this case we have to conclude that all men have in fact heard and have been influenced in the Word of God. Have they not all heard? Yes, verily their sound went out into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. Psalm 19 speaks likewise of this. Their line has gone out throughout all of the earth, their words to the end of the world. And Deuteronomy tells us this commandment, which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. And our studies in Titus tells us that the grace of God that brings salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying a God and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. So this influence, as I say, God is duty-bound that all men would hear the truth. All men have to come to that truth then. And so we're influenced, and the influences are quite benevolent, all about us. There is evidence. all of this evidence should lead a man to the conclusion that the Lord he is God and to bow the knee and To sublimate his will to the will of the Almighty Well, that's our lesson for today and Lord Thank you for these students all of us are here Lord to learn and we want to know more and pray Lord that you would give us the power to understand and We are fascinated, Lord, with the great influence of your word. And even today, in this very dark generation of ours, there's still the evidence of your work in the lives of people. It is our obligation, then, as believers, to shine as lights in the midst of this darkness. Help all of us to be now an influencer, to carry the light, to do what we're to do while we're here on Earth. So help us, Father, to find our place and to do your will. We thank you, Father, in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.