Let us now take a brief glance at the books of the New Testament, and ascertain what testimony there is to the inspiration of the Old Testament. We shall only take a few examples out of many.
In Matt. 1:22,22Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, (Matthew 1:22) we read, “Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of Jehovah, by the prophet.” Observe, it is not merely that the prophet’s saying was “fulfilled,” thus to show how divinely true it was, but that it was “spoken of Jehovah.” Is it possible that anything can show more clearly that the prophet Isaiah uttered it by inspiration? In the next chapter we find the same expression (v. 15); “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of Jehovah by the prophet” — the prophet Hosea. In ch. 5, our Lord so authenticated the testimony of the Old Testament that He said, “Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled.” “The law” is sometimes used to include all the ancient Scriptures.
Mark’s gospel begins with quotations from the prophets Malachi and Isaiah, and in ch. 7, our Lord said to the Pharisees, “Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me,” and charges them with rejecting “the commandment of God,” as in Exodus and Leviticus, and setting up instead, “commandments of men.” “Thus,” added our Lord, “making the word of God of none effect through your tradition.” Here our Lord calls the writings of Moses the word of God (vv. 6-13). In Mark 12 our Lord declares that David wrote Psa. 110, “by the Holy Ghost” (v. 36). Again, we ask, is it possible to have clearer proofs of divine inspiration?
In Luke 1, we see a man full of the Holy Ghost; his testimony, therefore, must be very important; we find him saying that “He [the Lord God of Israel] spake by the mouth of his holy prophets which have been since the world began” (Luke 1:7070As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: (Luke 1:70)). In Luke 3, we have the testimony of one who was full of the Holy Ghost from his birth, of whom our Lord said, “Among them that are born of women, there has not risen a greater than John the Baptist.” Well, what about him? We read that at a certain time “the word of God came unto John.” What word of God? “As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet,” etc., (vv. 2, 4). In Luke 4, the Lord reads in the synagogue part of Isa. 61, and stops in the middle of a sentence, and closed the book and sat down, saying, “This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears.” What Scripture? “The acceptable year of the Lord.” How? Because He came to call sinners to repentance (vv. 18-21).
In chapter 16, the Lord again most authoritatively enforces the authenticity of the writings of Moses and the prophets. He says, “They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them
. . . If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead” (vv. 29-31).
Is it possible that such language could be applied to any writings that were not given by God?
In John’s gospel it is recorded that Lord recognized certain writings which called “Scriptures,” which testified of Himself. He also especially taught that Moses wrote of Him. But more than that; He so recognized that Moses wrote them not by his own will, but by the Holy Ghost, that he ranked Moses’ writings as of equal authority with His own words, when He said, “If ye believe not his writings, how shall ve believe my words?” In John 10, our Lord declared that “the Scripture cannot be broken” (v. 35), as He also said elsewhere “the Scripture must be fulfilled.”
In Acts 1, the apostles are in a different state as to the truth, because our Lord after His resurrection had “opened their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures.” Many men in our day think themselves quite competent to understand Scripture by natural ability aided by education; but it is a great mistake, for “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:1414But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14)). Did people believe this, how anxious they would be that God would reveal His truth to them by the Holy Spirit’s power!
Well, Peter, the apostle, in Acts 1, gathered from Psa. 41 and 109, that another should be chosen (‘ordained’ is not in the Greek) to take the place of Judas the betrayer. His words show that he regarded the Psalms as inspired. He said to the others,
This Scripture must needs have been fulfilled which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David, spake be fore concerning Judas (v. 16).
It was Peter who after this wrote,
In Acts 2, Peter and the others have very much advanced spiritually. Why is this? The Holy Spirit had come down and taken up His abode in them, so that they were “filled” with the Holy Spirit, and had a power in ministry, and received gifts which were never known before. Peter stands up to preach! Now, what is it about? He first quotes from the prophet Joel, to explain that it was the coming of the Holy Spirit which had produced all this joy and power in them. He then goes to Psa. 16, 132, and 110, to show that the death, resurrection, ascension, and glorification of Christ was a fulfilment of what had been written concerning Him many hundreds of years before; and we know what vast blessing accompanied this ministry. Observe here, that these Old Testament writings were given by the Holy Spirit, and expounded by one full of the Holy Spirit.
In Acts 3, Peter declares to the Jews that even then if they repent, turn to God, and have forgiveness of sins, Jesus will be sent down from heaven, and bring in millennial blessing as their true Messiah — “the restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” Here, again, it is “God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets.” What could more plainly show us that these men were inspired by God to write? (vv. 19-22).
In Acts 4:24, 25,24And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: 25Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? (Acts 4:24‑25) “God” is said to utter the second Psalm by the mouth of His servant David.
In Peter’s sermon at Caesarea, when speaking of the Lord coming to judge, he says, “To him give all the prophets witness, that, through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” Observe, here, he includes all the prophets. We would only add as to Peter’s testimony that in his first epistle, he refers to the Scriptures of the Old Testament as final and conclusive. With him, “it is written,” was enough, and he quotes from, or refers to Exodus, Genesis, Isaiah, Psalms, Hosea, and other Old Testament writings. He enjoins his readers to be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets (2 Pet. 3:22That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: (2 Peter 3:2)).
Now let us hear Paul’s testimony. In his first memorable sermon at Antioch, he begins by running through the ways of God with the people of Israel, from Egypt to that day, and thus authenticates the books of Moses, Joshua, Judges, Samuel on to David, from whom he traces the Savior Jesus. He further refers to Old Testament Scriptures as to His death cn the cross, in the brief statement, “when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a sepulcher: but God raised him from among the dead.” He then goes to Psa. 2, which shows that God sent and gave His only begotten, whom men rejected, and he quotes Psa. 16. to show that He saw no corruption. Paul’s ministry here was founded on the divine authority of Old Testament Scriptures. It is well to observe that in those days preaching was giving out, not human ideas and eloquence, but “the word of God.” Hence, we read, “almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God.” “And the word of the Lord was published,” and in the next chapter, “God gave testimony to the word of his grace.”
In Acts 17 we find Paul preaching at Thessalonica in a Jewish synagogue, and according to his manner, he “reasoned with them out of the Scriptures.” What Scriptures? The Old Testament; from which he shows that “Christ must needs have suffered and risen again from among the dead; and that this Jesus which I preach unto you is Christ.” The result was that many believed. Now if we turn to the 1St epistle to the Thessalonian believers, we find Paul by the Holy Spirit writing to them, that he
thanked God without ceasing, because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh in them that believe (1 Thess. 2:1313For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. (1 Thessalonians 2:13)).
Can any testimony more fully prove the divine inspiration of the Old Testament Scriptures? for the apostle began his ministry to them from those writings, and now as the Lord’s servant commends them for receiving the testimony as “the word of God.”
Paul then carries the gospel to Berea; and we are told that the Bereans were more noble than those in Thessalonica; and why? Because they held that the Scriptures (then the Old Testament) were the only balance God had given to test everything by; so “they searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so.” Yes, and they were commended for testing even the ministry of an inspired apostle by the Scriptures. Oh that people would do the same in our day! We should not then hear such words of unbelief, alas! so common, as expressing opinions on this and that Scripture, and asking others what their opinions are. The fact is, the opinions of men are often useless, and savor strongly of infidelity, because God has given us His own word. This, faith rejoices in. Never, then, let us forget this divine commendation of the Berean believers. Passing over much of Paul’s testimony, we find him at length before king Agrippa. There he declares that he said
In the conclusion of the Acts, we find him at Rome “persuading [the Jews] concerning Jesus both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets from morning till evening”; and ended by giving another testimony to the Old Testament Scriptures having been divinely inspired. “Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers” (Acts 28:23, 2523And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. (Acts 28:23)
25And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, (Acts 28:25)).
Looking as briefly as possible into the epistles, we find the appeal to Scripture always final and decisive. In Rom. 3, man’s utter ruin, all having “sinned,” “all guilty,” and “all under sin,” proved by quotations from the Old Testament Scriptures. In chapter 4, when the question is raised as to whether a man is justified by works,” Scripture is at once appealed to — “What saith the Scripture?” And the writing of Moses, that “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness” decides it. But lest any should suppose there was a difference as to this, in those who lived under the law, David is referred to, to show that even such as lived under law had no righteousness before God, but that which is of faith.
Even as David describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin (Psa. 32).
In other parts of the epistle references are made to the prophet Habakkuk, Isaiah, and other prophets, besides the books of Moses and the Psalms, as bearing divine and unquestionable testimony.
In the epistles to the Corinthians we see the same appeal to Scripture. Who would have thought that when Jehovah wrote by Moses, “Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn,” it had any reference to the saints now in ministering to those who preach the gospel? But, saith the inspired apostle,
In Galatians when false teachers had been seeking to undermine the gospel by mixing law with it, Genesis is again quoted to show that Abraham had righteousness only on the principle of faith; and to prove that now, those who “be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham,” it is most authoritatively added, that “the Scripture foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.” Habakkuk also is referred to, and tells us that “the just shall live by faith”; Deuteronomy, that Christ has been made a curse for us, “As it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree,” and has thus redeemed us from the curse of the law; and the inspired apostle further sets the Old Testament before us in its divine and infinite authority, by saying, “The Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe” (Rom. 3:6-226God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world? 7For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner? 8And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just. 9What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 10As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17And the way of peace have they not known: 18There is no fear of God before their eyes. 19Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: (Romans 3:6‑22))
We cannot conclude our brief view of the apostle Paul’s testimony to the sacred writings of the Old Testament, without referring to the epistle to the Hebrews. There in the first verse, he disperses all question on the subject, if any yet existed. “God,” he tells us, has spoken “unto the fathers by the prophets.” Nothing can be more conclusive and incontestable, for it is “God” who “hath spoken.” Let not the reader fail to notice also, that in Heb. 3 and 10, the writer quotes from the book of Psalms and Jeremiah, and speaks of them as what the Holy Spirit saith. It need scarcely be added that a great deal of this epistle is a divine commentary on sacrifice, priesthood, approach to God, worship and communion as taught by types of the tabernacle, priesthood, and sacrifices offered according to the law. Rom. 11 also authenticates a great deal of Scripture from Genesis to the book of Daniel.
James appeals to Scripture as conclusive. He also brings the prophets before us without one exception who have spoken in the name of Jehovah; and quotes from Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Joshua, and first book of Kings.
John, in his first epistle, gives us as a test to distinguish truth and error, the hearing of the apostles, “We are of God; he that knoweth God, heareth us: he that is not of God, heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” He authenticates the books of Moses by quoting from them. Jude also, in referring to Enoch and other parts of Scripture, gives these writings unquestionable authority.
Thus we have looked briefly at a few of the testimonies which the New Testament writers and speakers give as to the validity and authenticity of the inspiration of the Old Testament Scriptures. It is well not to overlook the fact, that the disciples were unintelligent as to the resurrection of our Lord, because “they knew not the Scripture that he must rise again from the dead”: that is, the Old Testament Scriptures which “were written for our learning.” Our Lord also told His two loved disciples going to Emmaus that they were in error because they did not believe the Scripture, “O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?”
Before we turn back to examine the ancient writings as a whole, it will help us to remember how our Lord set them as such before His disciples after He was risen from among the dead. Not only, as before observed, did He open their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures; but we are told that “beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” What a marvelous exposition it must have been! Is it surprising that they said one to another, “Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures?” Yes, when He applies Scripture to our hearts and consciences it brings its own evidence of its divinity. When our Lord spoke to the woman of Samaria, she felt at once it was in a divine way, so that her conscience being reached she said, “Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet”; and on learning that He was the Messiah, she left all to go into the city and say, “Come see a man that told me all things that ever I did, is not this the Christ?” . Our Lord in life said the Scripture cannot be broken; in death He consciously fulfilled Scripture and spoke of it; in resurrection, as we have seen, He brought Scripture to His disciples. Again, having eaten before them to show He was not a spirit but a body of flesh and bones, He said, “These are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms concerning me.” “Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day.” Our Lord not only testified to His having fulfilled the Old Testament Scriptures in His death and resurrection, but He authenticated the entire body of writings in all their divisions of books of Moses, prophets, and Psalms; much as we still, through God’s great mercy and guardian care, have them.
In looking into the books of Moses, we find that our Lord recognized their divine authority, and referred to each of them as such. We hear Him saying on one occasion, “Have ye not read that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female?” (Gen. 1:2727So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (Genesis 1:27)). And again He quotes from Gen. 2:24,24Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. (Genesis 2:24) “For this cause shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh.” He was Himself, as the woman’s Seed, to be the fulfiller of the bruising of Satan’s head, after He Himself had suffered from him. This we find in Gen. 3; as also in the typical clothing of man’s nakedness through the death of Another; the result of the death of the cross. Our Lord also spoke of the death of “righteous Abel,” as recorded in Gen. 4; endorsed the doctrine of man’s utter ruin of Gen. 6, when He said, “the flesh profiteth nothing,” and “out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts,” etc.; and largely dwelt on the details of the days of Noah and the flood as typical of the sad state He will find the world in when He comes from heaven to judge (Matt. 24:37-4137But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 40Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. (Matthew 24:37‑41)). Our Lord also referred to Abraham, saying, he “rejoiced to see my day . . . and was glad,” but asserted the divine glory of His Person, when He said, “Before Abraham was, I AM.”
Our Savior also quoted the words of Jehovah,
I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; God is not the God of the dead, but of the living,
to show they were still spiritually alive and to prove the reality of the resurrection of the body, and thus refute the false doctrine of the Sadducees; and this Scripture also authenticated their patriarchal history as detailed in Genesis (Matt. 22:3232I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. (Matthew 22:32)). The tabernacle, with its priesthood and sacrifices, gave much typical instruction as to our Lord’s death and High Priestly office for us.
The Lord’s death was the fulfilment of the typical sacrifices of Leviticus, and He often quoted from it; and from Numbers also, for most will remember that He used the lifting up of the brazen serpent in the wilderness as a simple illustration of faith, and the effectual and everlasting blessing those have who in their need and danger look simply to Him as the Object of faith. From Deuteronomy our Lord took words, and used them with “It is written,” to overcome the devil in his temptations. Thus the Lord practically authenticated all the books of Moses as God’s words, and repeated that we should live “by every word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
We have lingered over the writings of Moses because of the bold attacks that have been made on them by learned sceptics. It is asserted by some of them, that it is only the first five books of Scripture to which they object; but as the writings of Moses are quoted as having divine authority throughout the Old and New Testament, to disallow them as not divinely inspired, is not merely to lose them, but to deprive us of all the Scriptures. This, no doubt, was anticipated by our Lord who knew all things, so that He said, “If ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?” It is most interesting, however, to know that Joshua is not only told to obey Moses’s writings, but at the end of his course as Jehovah’s servant, he records the history of the children of Israel from the call of Abraham to that time (Gen. 24). About a thousand years after that, Nehemiah also recorded their history from the call of Abraham, traces them out of Egypt across the Red Sea, through the wilderness under God’s care and goodness for forty years, their ways of disobedience in the land, and God’s deliverances; and adds that, “God testified against them by his Spirit in the prophets.” Thus He authenticated not only all the books of Moses and Joshua, but all the prophets before His time (Neh. 9). Nor should it be forgotten, that the facts in the history of the children of Israel, recorded in the books of Moses, right on to their captivity, are taken up in detail in the Psa. 78, 105, and 106, thus endorsing many of the books of the Old Testament as divinely authenticated. In the divisional part of the Old Testament called “the Psalms” are included the book of Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations of Jeremiah, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and 1 & 2 Chronicles.
In reference to the book of Psalms, our Lord quoted from Psa. 110, and said David wrote it by the Holy Ghost (Mark 12:2626And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? (Mark 12:26)). He said to His hearers who refused Him, “Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?” (Psa. 118:2222The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. (Psalm 118:22)). And when under, as it were, the shadow of the cross, He said,
What Scriptures? No doubt largely Moses and the prophets, but also the Psalms, which not only spoke of His death and sufferings as crucified, but also of His resurrection, glorification, and sitting at God’s right hand, and coming reign.
It would be interesting in looking into the prophets, to trace the variety of instruments God was pleased to use in this blessed service, but that would far exceed our proposed limits. It is well, however, to observe how careful each was to impress those they addressed with the fact, that they came forth on their service with divine authority. They also knew little of each other; and their ministry, from Moses to Christ, occupied about 1500 years. A brief quotation or two from each may suffice for our present purpose.
Isaiah begins by asserting that what he saw was concerning Judah and Jerusalem. He says, “Hear . . . for Jehovah hath spoken.” “The word which Isaiah the son of Amos saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem” (Isa. 1:1, 2; 2:11The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. 2Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. (Isaiah 1:1‑2)
1The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:1)). Jeremiah has, “The word of Jehovah came unto me,” or, “The word which came to Jeremiah from Jehovah.” In Ezekiel it says, “The word of Jehovah came expressly unto Ezekiel,” or, “He said unto me”; or, “Again the word of Jehovah came unto me,” and such like expressions occur many times. He also was commanded to write. Jehovah said unto him, “Thou shalt speak my words unto them”; and in a vision he saw “a roll . . . written within and without.” So assured was he that what he declared was the word of God, that he said, “The word that I speak shall come to pass, and the word that I have spoken shall be done . . . Thus saith the Lord God” (Ezek. 1:3; 2:7-10; 7:1; 12:25, 28; 16:13The word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was there upon him. (Ezekiel 1:3)
7And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious. 8But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee. 9And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein; 10And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe. (Ezekiel 2:7‑10)
1Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, (Ezekiel 7:1)
25For I am the Lord: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord God. (Ezekiel 12:25)
28Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord God. (Ezekiel 12:28)
1Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, (Ezekiel 16:1)).
No one can have carefully considered The Book of Psalms without seeing the value and authority of the written word frequently set forth. It opens by marking one point in the righteous man, being that he meditates in the law of Jehovah day and night; and in Psa. 119, almost every verse speaks of the word, statutes, commandments, or law of Jehovah. Not only does this book extol the purity of the word itself, like silver purified seven times, but also of its cleansing virtue. The authenticity, too, of the Scriptures is so regarded that the writer says, “The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver”; and “I love thy commandments above gold, yea above fine gold” (Psa. 1:2; 119:9, 72, 1272But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. (Psalm 1:2)
9BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. (Psalm 119:9)
72The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver. (Psalm 119:72)
127Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold. (Psalm 119:127)). David was one of those holy men of old of whom Peter speaks, who was “moved by the Holy Spirit” to give unto us the “sure word of prophecy” (2 Pet. 1:19-2119We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (2 Peter 1:19‑21)).
Daniel, though he prophesied by the same Spirit, is somewhat different, for his line was “the times of the Gentiles,” as also his own people. He gives us, in the second chapter, the whole history of the Gentile nations, and their concluding judgment; he also spoke of the abomination yet to be set up in the temple, which our Lord referred to in Matt. 24:15,15When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) (Matthew 24:15) and is so soon to have its very solemn fulfilment. In Hosea it is, “The word of Jehovah that came to Hosea” (Hos. 1:11The word of the Lord that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. (Hosea 1:1)). In Joel, “The word of Jehovah that came to Joel” (Joel. 1:1). Amos said, “Thus saith Jehovah” (Amos. 1:3). Obadiah begins, “Thus saith Jehovah concerning Edom” (v.1). In Jonah we are twice told that “The word of Jehovah came to Jonah” (Jonah. 1:1; 3:1). Micah begins with, “The word of Jehovah that came to Micah.” Nahum says, “Thus saith Jehovah” (Nahum. 1:12). Habakkuk tells us, “Jehovah answered me, and said,Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it” (Hab. 2:22And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. (Habakkuk 2:2)). Zephaniah begins with, “The word of Jehovah which came unto Zephaniah” (Zeph. 1:11The word of the Lord which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah. (Zephaniah 1:1)).
The testimony of the prophets was nearly completed when the Jews were carried away into Babylon. We have only three post-captivity prophets — Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, though some of the prophecies of Jeremiah (see chap. 52:30) and Daniel were given after the great captivity. Haggai distinctly affirms that his word was “the word of Jehovah,” and that it came to him at different times. He announced his messages authoritatively, with, “Thus saith Jehovah” (Hag. 1:1, 7; 2:1, 7, 201In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying, (Haggai 1:1)
7Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways. (Haggai 1:7)
1In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the Lord by the prophet Haggai, saying, (Haggai 2:1)
7And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts. (Haggai 2:7)
20And again the word of the Lord came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying, (Haggai 2:20)) Zechariah also asserts the divine source of his most solemn and beautiful utterances, when he says, “The word of Jehovah came unto Zechariah.” This he repeatedly asserted (Zech. 1:1, 7; 7:1; 8:11In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, (Zechariah 1:1)
7Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, (Zechariah 1:7)
1And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of the Lord came unto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chisleu; (Zechariah 7:1)
1Again the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, (Zechariah 8:1)). Malachi also introduces his mournful testimony with, “The burden of the word of Jehovah to Israel by Malachi.” It is well not to overlook how this prophet, like others, looks on to the Lord coming in glory to the faithful in Israel, His “jewels,” as the Sun of Righteousness with healing to them and judgment on the wicked. This prophet also presses, in Jehovah’s name, the divine authority of the writings of Moses, saying, “Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments” (Mal.1:1; 4:2, 4).
It is scarcely possible that we could have more conclusive internal evidence of the writers of the Old Testament Scriptures having been inspired by God for their service. Well then has the Lord informed us by His Holy Spirit that,