Inspiration of the Scriptures
EXAMPLES OF THE DIVINE AUTHORITY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES.
With regard to the divine authority of the ancient scriptures, nothing is more plainly marked than God's displeasure at dishonor to His word, and the blessing that has accompanied obedience. The notice of a few instances will suffice to confirm this.
It was by one man's disobedience that sin entered into the world, with all its consequences of sorrow, death and judgment. Later on, when God's judgment of fire and brimstone was about to overtake the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and Lot with his wife and daughters were rescued from it, they were commanded to "look not behind;" but one of the party thought it wiser to follow her own reasoning than the word of the messenger of God from heaven, and disobeyed. We are told that then God's hand overtook her in judgment; for Lot's wife "looked back.... and she became a pillar of salt" a standing monument of God's displeasure. (Gen. 19:17, 26.) How awful it is to go contrary to God's word!
The children of Israel who came out of Egypt to the number of six hundred thousand men, never entered the land, except Caleb and Joshua, because they did not believe God; and long after they had had the benefit of God's ordinances and prophets for a series of years, they rebelled against Him, refused His word, despised His prophets, and became worse than the heathen; so that both Israel and Judah were given into captivity. How true it is that God cannot look on disobedience to His word with any allowance!
Again, at the famine of Samaria, Jehovah's servant, Elisha, prophesied. His testimony was, "Thus saith Jehovah, To-morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel in the gate of Samaria." But a man of high standing there unbelievingly replied, "If Jehovah would make windows in heaven might this thing be?" This was despising Jehovah's word. So the prophet said unto him, "Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof." And so the words of Jehovah were fulfilled; for the next day there was plenty in the famished city, and this great, but unbelieving man, who despised God's word, saw the plentiful supply of food, but instead of tasting it, "the people trod upon him in the gate, and he died." (2 Kings 7) Another appalling instance of the terribleness of refusing, through unbelief, God's word!
Take another case, not that of an unbeliever, but of the failure of a man of faith David, a man after God's own heart. He attempted to bring up the ark from Kirjath-jearim to Jerusalem; but in so doing God struck Uzzah dead on his touching the ark when the oxen stumbled, and David was deeply distressed. And why was this marked displeasure of the Lord? He afterward found out it was because he had acted according to his own reasonings, and that of others, instead of referring to the written word and acting on it in faith. Oxen, cart and all were the mere inventions of David and his captains; so that when he knew this he was not surprised at the "breach." From the book of Numbers he learned that, None ought to carry the ark but the Levites. He now takes the written word as his guide, acts on it, and we know with what blessed result. O that all God's people would search the scriptures to know His mind, and seek grace and strength from Him to carry it out!
Before closing this part of our subject, let us briefly glance at King Jehoiakim in Jer. 36. The prophet had written in a roll what Jehovah had told him about the king and people, and it was read to the king, when he took a knife, cut the roll into pieces, and burnt it in the fire. What followed? We are told that the prophet wrote "another roll," and added to it; and, as a mark of God's displeasure, said, "Thus saith Jehovah of Jehoiakim king of Judah, 'He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David; and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost." (Jer. 36:21-32) How true are the words of Jehovah, "They that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.”
Let us now briefly turn to a few examples of such as honored God in receiving His written word, and acting on it, in days too, much like the present, when the traditions and opinions of men have set aside, or corrupted almost everything that God has made known for present guidance and blessing.
Passing by some who had evidently prospered in keeping God's statutes and commandments, "as it is written in the law of Moses," we find it recorded that King Jehoshaphat sought to the Lord God of his fathers, and walked in His commandments. He sent also teachers who taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of Jehovah with them. Present blessing was with him so connected with obedience to the written word, that in the battle field he said, "Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, believe in Jehovah your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper." We know how remarkably God's blessing was with him. (2 Chron. 17:4, 9; 20:20, 30.)
After this, in a time of abounding evil, we find that Jehoiada, after breaking down the house of Baal with its altars and images, appointed the offices of the house of Jehovah, etc., as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and singing, as it was ordained by David (2 Chron. 23:17,18.)
(Continued and to be continued.)