Inspiration of the Scriptures: Some Samples of its Alleged Inaccuracies, Part 6

 •  4 min. read  •  grade level: 11
 
SOME SAMPLES OF ITS ALLEGED INACCURACIES.
THE THRESHING FLOOR
Take another case. Rationalists tell us there is a serious contradiction between the account given in 2 Samuel 24:2424And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. (2 Samuel 24:24) and 1 Chronicles 21:2525So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight. (1 Chronicles 21:25), as to David’s purchase of the threshing floor from Araunah. This allegation is now again being widely circulated. It says in Samuel that David bought it for fifty shekels of silver, and in 1 Chronicles the price is six hundred shekels of gold by weight; so our opponents tell us both cannot be true. The fact is, however, that both are perfectly correct. In 2 Samuel we learn that he bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver, and in 1 Chronicles 21:22,2522Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the place of this threshingfloor, that I may build an altar therein unto the Lord: thou shalt grant it me for the full price: that the plague may be stayed from the people. (1 Chronicles 21:22)
25So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight. (1 Chronicles 21:25) we are told that he bought “the place” for six hundred shekels of gold by weight. It is obvious that “the place” might have extended over a large area beyond “the threshing floor.”
The Census of Israel and of Judah
In the same chapters, another question has been raised; because in 2 Samuel 24:99And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men. (2 Samuel 24:9), when the census was taken, we are told there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men; whereas, in 1 Chronicles 21:5. “All they of Israel were a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew sword, and Judah was four hundred, three score and ten thousand men that drew sword.” It is alleged that there is a contradiction as to the numbers given; but let us consider, that in Samuel it is the valiant men that are enumerated, and in 1 Chronicles all that drew sword, making it possible there were then among them those who, though they drew sword, would not be ranked among David’s valiant men; and of Judah we find in Samuel there were five hundred thousand men, and in 1 Chronicles only four hundred and seventy thousand of them drew sword, whether from old age or any other reason we are not told.
Now all thought of inaccuracy as to these sacred Scriptures vanishes, and we find, that the more we prayerfully ponder the Word, in humble dependence on the Holy Spirit, the more divinely perfect the written Word appears; so perfect that we are struck sometimes with the importance of the addition or omission of a single letter. For instance, when reference is made to Christ as the seed of Abraham, the Holy Spirit by Paul says, “He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ” (Gal. 3:1616Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. (Galatians 3:16),) Again, we read of Christ being “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin [not sins but sin] of the world” It is obvious that if Christ had taken away the sins of the world, the world would have been saved; but the new heaven and the new earth will then show that He has taken “sin” completely out of the world, and that there righteousness dwells. Again, we find the written Word saying sometimes, “that the Scripture might be fulfilled,” but when our Lord in Gethsemane spoke of His competency to have from His Father, if desired, twelve legions of angels, He added, “But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled?” and again, “that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” And why Scriptures and not Scripture? Because all the prophetic writings as to His humiliation, rejection, sufferings, pain, forsaking, must all have their accomplishment in His death as a sacrifice and offering to God on the cross.
Before leaving our consideration of the Old Testament, it is interesting to notice that, early in the book, we find man’s utter ruin and total unfitness for God’s holy presence; then we have largely and repeatedly set forth in types that it is only by the shedding of blood there can be remission of sins or approach to God; and, toward the end it is plainly written that the “just shall live by faith.” Thus, sinner as man is, in virtue of the blood of Jesus, he is cleansed and justified before God on the principle of faith. Peter put it simply when he said, “To Him give all the prophets witness that, through His name, whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins” (Acts 10:4343To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:43)). Such is God’s unutterable goodness and grace, long ago declared by the Holy Spirit through His ancient prophets; and such grace abounds still to every one who takes his true place before God as utterly unclean, lost, and unmendably bad, and who has to do with the precious blood of Christ, as his only ground of peace and title to glory. How truly the believer can say of the Holy Scriptures:
“Here the Redeemer’s welcome voice
Spreads heavenly peace around;
And life and everlasting joys
Attend the blissful sound.
O may these heavenly pages be
My ever dear delight;
And still new beauties may I see,
And still increasing light.”