This week I found a beautiful image. The visualisation below shows all the cross-references in the Bible. (click to see it in a larger size)

Visualising the Bible - By Chris Harrison

Here is how the image’s creator, Chris Harrison explains it:

The bar graph that runs along the bottom represents all of the chapters in the Bible. Books alternate in color between white and light gray. The length of each bar denotes the number of verses in the chapter. Each of the 63,779 cross references found in the Bible is depicted by a single arc – the color corresponds to the distance between the two chapters, creating a rainbow-like effect.

This image so wonderfully displays the completeness and unity of the Bible. The tens of thousands of cross references testify that this is one complete body of work

This is truly an amazing display of the truth that “men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:22) For how else could 66 books, written by over 40 men, over a period of 1500 years be so unified and interconnected if it was not the true Word of God?

The beauty of this rainbow image and what it communicates should serve to warn those who believe they can take sections from the Bible, or add to it. For how can you take or add from something which relies on itself so much? How can you use a verse of the Bible to support your argument, when you don’t also consider the hundreds of other verses connected to it? The Bible is one  - it cannot be broken up. We must survey the entire Bible to determine what it is saying on an issue before rashly using one verse to prove a point or condemn something.
For John says, “If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.” (Revelation 22:18 NIV)

Paul.

Higher quality versions of this image, as well as other Bible visualisations can be found at Chris Harrison’s website