Is the Bible God’s Eyewitness Account of History?

The Bible conveys God’s eyewitness account of history. Creation is better able to explain the scientific evidence that we examine (stars, galaxies, fossils, geological processes, etc.) in a more consistent and logical manner than interpretations based on the worldview assumptions of materialistic naturalism.

The human author of the book of Genesis is Moses, and his authorship of the Pentateuch is attested to by Jesus and the Apostles in the NT (Matthew 8:4, 19:7–7; Mark 7:10, 12:26; 1 Corinthians 9:9; 2 Corinthians 3:7). Although Genesis doesn’t explicitly say that Moses was verbally given the creation account from God directly, there are many places throughout the Pentateuch where God directly speaks to Moses (and/or the nation of Israel) several times (Exodus 16–17, 19–34, 40; Leviticus 1–8, 11–27; Numbers 1–6, 8–11, 13–15, 17–19, 25–28, 31–35; Deuteronomy 1–2, 31). And while it is also not explicitly stated, Moses may have also compiled and edited accounts written by pre-Flood eyewitnesses (e.g., Adam, Noah, Shem) and post-Flood eyewitnesses (Abraham, Jacob, Joseph) (see this article for more information).

There is a high likelihood that most of what Moses wrote was direct verbal communication from God.

Since God inspired Moses to write the Pentateuch, which includes the creation account, then there is a high likelihood that most of what Moses wrote was direct verbal communication from God. Even many of the passages not included in the list above were Moses delivering what he had heard from God (most notably Deuteronomy 3–30 and 32). When it comes specifically to the story of creation, it is also quite possible that Moses was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write it through direct revelation or through the preservation of ancient records, which may have been handed down from generation to generation, to Noah, Shem, and then to the Jacob/Israel.

Although there is no overt scriptural support that Moses compiled the accounts of those who had gone before him (see article link above and also here), considering how much of the Pentateuch is directly communicated from God to Moses, why should we expect this to have been different in the case of Genesis? Scripture itself testifies that men did not just “decide” autonomously to write Scripture but were inspired to do so, and by the power of the Spirit, they did so without error.

As we have said before, “Since it is very possible that various eyewitnesses (e.g., Adam) were able to write down the events they observed (e.g., the naming of the animals, the fall into sin), and pass these accounts to their descendants, then the authorship is not far removed from the events that are recorded.”1 Plus, there is also the fact that God communicated some information directly to Moses in regard to the creation account (Exodus 20:11, 31:17; Deuteronomy 4:32–33, 32:6). Some parts of Genesis are written in present tense (Genesis 2:10–14), which also indirectly supports the Toledoth hypothesis that Moses may have edited narratives of pre-Flood patriarchs who were eyewitnesses.

God clearly counts the OT as accurate, inspired, inerrant, and also valuable to Christians today for instruction, example, and hope.

It is nonsensical to claim that a perfect, all-knowing God who created everything and was the only eyewitness of history (until Adam was created) can’t have given us an accurate eyewitness account. God would surely perfectly preserve the origins of the earth, the universe, and everything we see in them. Throughout Scripture, God hearkens people back to Genesis to declare His power and forethought in planning creation (Psalm 148:4–6; Isaiah 40:26, 45:12).

We also have several statements by Jesus and NT authors that the accounts and people mentioned in Genesis are accepted as truthful and actual (Matthew 19:4, 24:37–38; Mark 10:6; Luke 3:38, 17:26–27, 32; Romans 5:12–14; 1 Corinthians 15:22, 45; 1 Timothy 2:13–14; Hebrews 11:7; 1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5–7; Jude 1:14). And this list is not exhaustive, and there are other Genesis people and events mentioned or alluded to. For example, Abraham is mentioned 72 times in the NT, Jacob 25 times, Isaac 18 times, creation 17 times, and the Noachian Flood 9 times. God clearly counts the OT as accurate, inspired, inerrant, and also valuable to Christians today for instruction, example, and hope.

For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through the perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (Romans 15:4)

Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have arrived. (1 Corinthians 10:11)

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us [referring back to OT saints mentioned in Hebrews 11], laying aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. (Hebrews 12:1)