The Most Beautiful Book

 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 7
 
Would anyone pay ten million dollars for one book? It sounds incredible, but—"We got a real bargain," said one of the buyers who paid that price. "We would have gone higher—up to ten million pounds (about $14.4 million). It is quite simply the most beautiful book... in the world."
What book was it? A "lavishly illustrated 12th century book of Gospels" set this world-record price. The previous highest price for a book was $2.4 million in 1978 for one of the 21 known copies of the Gutenberg Bible.
"The most beautiful Book," "the most valuable Book,"—what is the real value of that Book?
It is not valuable because of its rarity, as the Gutenberg Bible. It is not simply because of the exquisite illustrations in the 12th century copy. Its real worth does not lie in the most beautiful or the most costly binding ever conceived.
No. None of these constitute the real value of this Book. It is the Word of God, and God says, "All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: but the word of the Lord endureth forever." 1 Peter 1:24, 2524For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. (1 Peter 1:24‑25).
The cheapest copy of that matchless Book, tattered and worn though it may be, is still the Word of God.
Unto us! That wonderful Book was written for us. It gives us the "words of eternal life"; it is a light for our path, and by it we know that "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16).
It is life, and light, and love. Unquestionably, the most beautiful book in the world!