Biblical explanation
Scripture describes God's revelation as coming through many prophets over time. Hebrews says: "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets." Hebrews 1:1, KJV The Bible therefore was not originally produced as one physical book. Individual books and collections were written, copied, preserved, and eventually brought together. The biblical writers themselves refer to written documents being copied and read. Moses wrote God's words (Exodus 34:27), Jeremiah was commanded to write God's message (Jeremiah 30:2), and Paul instructed churches to read his letters publicly (1 Thessalonians 5:27; Colossians 4:16). Scripture does not identify a particular surviving manuscript as "the oldest Bible." Questions about ancient manuscripts, their dates, locations, and textual relationships are historical and textual questions. Theologically, the important point is that the authority of God's Word does not depend upon possessing one physical manuscript containing every biblical book.
Key takeaway
The great controversy reveals God's character as Christ ministers as our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary. The dead await the resurrection, Christ's return will be visible and personal, and prophecy calls believers to faithful mission rather than date-setting or fear.