Is the Word of God Fireproof?
Clips of the Bible not being destroyed amid large fires provide evidence that it is fireproof.
Over the past years, there have been incidents involving blazes causing destruction, with the most recent being the Los Angeles wildfires, which are still ongoing.
These incidents are tragic as these fires have caused widespread destruction, ranging from nature, structures, economic losses, and lives themselves. Additionally, those who survived the fires are heartbroken over the loss of their homes.
According to Christianity Today, there have been multiple incidents where the Word of God has been found intact in the aftermath of the fires. For instance, a young man found an unscathed Bible inside a burnt-down building in Los Angeles. Although his friends couldn’t believe it, he went on to say, “That’s God.”
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Another clip highlighted different cases of Bibles found in mint condition, including the story of a man whose nearly 100-year-old house was the only building in his neighborhood that survived the Lahaina fire in Hawaii in 2023.
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Additional cases include the story of a woman in Tennessee who lost everything in a house fire in 2021 except her three Bibles, or when a fireman found a nearly mint condition Bible and a print of the Last Supper amid the ruins of a house fire in Floyd County, Kentucky.
Recent cases aside, miraculous incidents like these have also taken place in World War I, when British Soldier Vinall was saved after his Bible stopped a bullet that would have taken his life. If that wasn’t astonishing enough, there’s one Bible that survived when the Titanic sank and is now on display at a museum in Tennessee.
I appreciate what Scott Ross of the American Bible Society (ABS) said concerning how God’s providence was involved after a women’s Bible and Bible study chair survived a tornado that destroyed her house.
“That’s a whole different level,” said Ross, the ABS director of church partnerships. “You can’t attribute that to glue or binding or leather.”
“She was delighting herself in the Lord through his Word,” Ross said, referencing Psalm 37, “and he was giving her the desire of her heart, which was keeping her Scripture.”
Ross is correct. This event, as well as the ones I have referenced, is attributed to God’s providence. Christians recognize that God not only rules this world in His sovereignty but that He is also involved in it through His providence. As stated in Romans 8:28 (ESV), “And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
God doesn’t just work through good things, but the bad ones too, because He works in “all things” for His people since they are “according to His purpose.” It doesn’t get much better than that to see that the Lord is working behind the scenes even when we don’t realize or when what we see around us is chaos.
Regarding the survival of the Bible, it is definitely fireproof, for God’s Word endures when everything else fades away. As the Scripture states, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever” (Isaiah 40:8 ESV). Doesn't matter how many years humanity has existed or what they have created, everything will fade away except the Word of God. Thus, we can turn to the Scriptures for strength as it points us back to Him. It is often in tumultuous times in which the Word resonates in our souls that much more. Another thing to consider is how much God’s Word always teaches us something new, even when we have read the same verse countless times.
Overall, the enduring nature of God’s Word should provide hope in the midst of chaos. For the Christian, it is a reminder that God is present. For the unbeliever, it is a call to turn to God while they still can. The power of God’s Word is not limited by circumstance; rather it transcends them! The same Word that all of God’s people have heard in biblical times is just as relevant today. It is not temporary, it is eternal. It is not just timely but timeless! And these incidents where Bibles have been found in the midst of burnt down buildings is a clear and tangible demonstration that His Word endures forever!
Thank God, we have the Scriptures in which God speaks to us. We are reminded of what He has done, especially in Christ and the gospel. The Holy Spirit illuminates the Scriptures to us, so that it would renew both our hearts and minds. It is a treasure that is priceless, enduring, and eternal. May these stories strengthen our resolve to turn to God’s Word, for it endures forever, far beyond circumstances, history, and life itself.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Javier_Art_Photography
Originally published January 23, 2025.
