INSPIRATION. "Inspiration" means to inhale air, and the Bible claims that its words were breathed in by Almighty God through chosen men of old. The term "inspiration" is used only twice in Scripture (Job 32:8; 2 Ti. 3:16). In the N.T. it is the key term selected by God to describe the nature of the Bible. There are basically three views regarding inspiration: (1) Humanistic Inspiration: The Bible is inspired only in the sense that great human writings, such as those of Shakespeare, are inspired. (2) Partial Inspiration: Some believe the Bible is inspired in those matters not affecting science, but that there are historical and scientific errors in the Bible. (3) Perfect Inspiration: The Bible is perfectly inspired and contains no error. It is this latter view that is supported by the Bible itself. The Bible claims to be the perfect, inspired Word of God. Note that we must be warned that many today who use the term inspiration, and who speak of an inspired Bible, do not necessarily mean that the Bible is the absolutely perfect Word of God.
The meaning of inspiration
The term inspiration in 2 Ti. 3:16 means "God breathed," and refers to the fact that God breathed out the Scriptures through chosen men. Though written by men, the Scriptures are a product of God.
The claim of inspiration
Thousands of times in Scripture we find the claim that God is the author. Phrases such as "thus saith the Lord" and "the word of God" permeate the Bible. If the Bible is not the Word of God, it is the greatest lie that has ever been perpetrated upon humanity.
The extent of inspiration
Acts 4:24-25. In a nutshell, the teaching of the Bible regarding its own nature is described in these verses. "... who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said..." This refers to Psalm 2. God spoke through David's mouth. Though the Psalms were written by men, they are the writings of God. The true doctrine of inspiration is to say that the Bible is God's perfect Word given through human instruments. Any other view is false human conjecture.
2 Timothy 3:13-17. Note that these verses were written by the Apostle Paul. He was chosen by God to reveal divine truths (Ep. 3; Ga. 1). If we cannot trust this man's writings, we can trust no man's. Personally, I had much rather trust Paul's testimony than that of some modern, critical-thinking, miracle-denying, liberal. Paul was utterly dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ and suffered constant persecution and hardship because of his faith. Certainly it is wiser to follow Paul's teaching than that of some supposed scholar who has not suffered anything for the testimony of Christ. Let us see what the Apostle Paul testified concerning the nature of the Bible:
(1) THE BIBLE IS SET APART FROM ALL OTHER BOOKS (v. 15). Here the Scriptures are called "holy." This means "set apart, different." According to Paul's teaching, the Bible cannot in any way be compared with other books. (2) THE BIBLE IS FROM GOD (v. 16). This verse literally says the Scriptures are God-breathed. This is a concept of the Bible being a product of God, though written by men. This is the doctrine of divine inspiration. (3) THE BIBLE IS FROM GOD IN ITS ENTIRETY (v. 16). All of the Scripture is said to have come from God. The word for Scripture here, graphe, is a word meaning "writing" or "book." This is referred to as "plenary inspiration." Plenary means full, complete, entire. (4) THE BIBLE IS FROM GOD IN ITS SMALLEST DETAIL (v. 15). The word for Scripture here is gramma, referring to a letter. This teaches that even the smallest details of the Bible are from God. This is called "verbal inspiration." (5) THE BIBLE HAS AN ALL- ENCOMPASSING THEME: SALVATION IN JESUS CHRIST (v. 15). The Bible is not just a group of unrelated, disconnected religious writings. It is a unified Book planned by God for the purpose of teaching man the way of salvation (compare Lk. 24:44-45; Jn. 1:45; 5:39; Ep. 3:11). (6) THE BIBLE CAN PROTECT CHRISTIANS FROM ERROR (vv. 13-15). If the Bible is full of myths, mistakes, and untrue claims concerning authorship, miracles, and prophecies--even if it contains some errors--it certainly is not a book which can give sure protection from false teachings! (7) THE BIBLE IS SUFFICIENT TO MAKE THE CHRISTIAN COMPLETE AND MATURE (v. 17). An imperfect, error-filled book could not accomplish this.
2 Peter 1:19-21. Peter gives us two important lessons about inspiration: First, we are told that the Scriptures are a light shining in a dark place (v. 19). The dark place is the world.
Though containing some truth mixed with error, the world is pictured as dark because man is not able to know spiritual truth without a revelation from God. The Bible is that revelation which is shining in the midst of the darkness. Second, the Bible is not a product of man's will (v. 21). Other books are the product of the will of the human author, but not the Bible. God chose certain men and by these men moved in them to deliver His message. The phrase "moved by the Holy Spirit" could also be translated "being borne by the Holy Spirit." This is a picture of the Bible writers being lifted up and carried along by the Spirit of God. As they were carried along, they spoke, and the things they spoke were the words of God.
1 Corinthians 2:9-13. This passage describes God's method of revealing truth to man. Revelation concerns those things which man cannot know by his own investigation and intellect (v. 9). God, by His Spirit, has chosen to reveal things about Himself, salvation, and His plans (vv. 10-12). In v. 13 we are told that this revelation extends to the very choice of the words used to relate it. God did not merely give the Bible writers the general thoughts they were to write; He gave them the very words. Nothing, not the least word, was left to the imagination or will of the writers. Some snearingly label this "mechanical dictation inspiration," but we don't care what mockers call it, and we are not concerned about whether we can figure out how God could have given a perfect Book through imperfect men. That is His business! The Bible itself claims to be the perfect, verbally inspired Word of God. I don't have any problem with that whatsoever.
Psalm 12:6-7. Common sense would dictate that if God has given an accurate revelation to men He could and would preserve it for them. This truth is not left to our common sense, though. Ps. 12:6-7 promises that God will preserve His pure Word for every generation. Ps. 12:6 refers to the perfect inspiration of Scripture. Ps. 12:7 refers to the preservation of this pure Word. Many say that the Bible must surely contain error because of the imperfections of the men who wrote it and the men who have copied it through the centuries. Not so, according to the Psalmist. I have no problem with any of this. Is God not able to do what He desires to do? Does He not have the ability to give a perfect Bible through imperfect men? Of course He does. Does He not have the ability to preserve that Word pure through the centuries? Of course He does. [See Preservation.]
How much of the Bible is inspired Scripture?
The entire Bible from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22 is Holy Scripture. (1) The O.T. is Scripture (2 Ti. 3:16). (2) The Gospels are Scripture (compare 1 Ti. 5:18 and Mt. 10:10; He. 2:3). (3) The writings of the Apostles are Scripture (1 Co. 2:7- 13; 1 Pe. 1:12; 2 Pe. 3:1-2,15-16). (4) Revelation is Scripture; it is called the Word of God (Re. 1:2). [See Canon.]
Is the Bible verbally inspired? (Chart)
What did Jesus believe about the Scriptures?
1. The O.T. is perfect to the letter (Mt. 5:17-18).
2. The O.T. cannot be broken (Jn. 10:35). The Lord Jesus is speaking of the authority of the Scriptures. He was saying that absolutely nothing written in the Scriptures can be set aside or ignored. It is authoritative to every detail. The Greek word translated "broken" in Jn. 10:35 is elsewhere translated "put off" (Ac. 7:33) and "loose" (Jn. 11:44). Thus no statement in the Bible can be put off or escaped. All will be proven to be true. What a Book! Jesus Christ said it is perfect. This is the doctrine of infallibility.
3. The O.T. is a divinely-planned book to prepare for the coming of Christ (Lk. 24:44).
4. The O.T. characters, events, and miracles are true and historical. According to the Lord Jesus, the people and happenings recorded in the Scriptures are entirely historical. Some of the O.T. people and events Christ referred to are as follows: the creation (Mk. 10:6-7; 13:19), Cain and Abel (Mt. 23:35), Noah and the flood (Mt. 24:37-39), Abraham (Jn. 8:39-40), the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Lk. 17:29), Lot's wife turning to salt (Lk. 17:32), Moses and the burning bush (Mk. 12:26), Manna from heaven (Jn. 6:31-32), the brazen serpent (Jn. 3:14-15).
5. The writers of the O.T. were those claimed by the Scriptures. In referring to O.T. books, the Lord Jesus left no doubt that they were written by the very men spoken of in the books themselves. According to the Son of God, Moses wrote the books of the law (Lk. 24:44; Jn. 5:45-47); David wrote the Psalms bearing his name (Lk. 20:42); Daniel wrote the book bearing his name (Mt. 24:15). Jesus often quoted from the book of Isaiah and said it was written by the historical prophet Isaiah--not by some unknown group of men. In Jn. 12:38-41 Christ quoted from both major sections of the book of Isaiah and said both were written by the same Isaiah. This completely destroys the modern idea that Isaiah was the product of more than one writer.
JESUS' VIEW OF INSPIRATION (Chart)
What did the Apostles believe about the Scriptures?
The following study demonstrates the high esteem in which the early Christians held the Old Testament Scriptures. Notice how the Apostolic concept of the O.T. is directly opposed to the modern critical theories. Surely we should have no difficulty in knowing whose testimony to trust.
O.T. STORIES ARE LITERAL HISTORICAL ACCOUNTS.
Creation (Ge. 1,2; Ac. 17:24-26)
Abraham before God's call (Ge. 11:27-32; Ac. 7:2)
Abraham's call (Ge. 12:1-5; Ac. 7:2,3)
Abraham's covenant (Ge. 13:14-17; Ac. 7:4)
Abraham's sojourn (Ge. 13:15; Ac. 7:5)
Abraham's prophecy of Egyptian bondage (Ge. 15; Ac. 7:6,7)
Isaac's birth (Ge. 21:1-8; Ac. 7:8)
Jacob's birth (Ge. 25:19-26; Ac. 7:8)
Jacob's 12 sons (Ge. 29:31--30:24; Ac. 7:8)
Joseph's birth (Ge. 30:22-24; Ac. 7:8)
Joseph's slavery (Ge. 37; Ac. 7:9)
Joseph's exaltation in Egypt (Ge. 39-41; Ac. 7:10)
The famine during Joseph's reign (Ge. 41:53-57; 7:11)
Jacob sends sons to Egypt (Ge. 43:1--45:8; Ac. 7:12,13)
Joseph calls his father (Ge. 45:8-28; Ac. 7:14)
Jacob journeys to Egypt (Ge. 46-47; Ac. 7:15)
Jacob dies (Ge. 49:33; Ac. 7:15)
Jacob buried in Sychem (Ge. 50; Ac. 7:15,16)
Israel's bondage in Egypt (Ex. 1:7-14; Ac. 7:17,18)
Murder of male babies (Ex. 1:15-22; 7:19)
Moses' birth (Ex. 2:1,2; Ac. 7:20)
Moses hid in parents house (Ac. 2:2; Ac. 7:20)
Moses retrieved from river by Pharaoh's daugher (Ex. 2:3- 9; Ac. 7:21)
Moses' education in Pharaoh's court (Ex. 2:10; Ac. 7:22)
Moses' experience at age 40 (Ex. 2:11-20; Ac. 7:23-29)
Moses' marriage and two sons (Ex. 2:21,22; Ac. 7:29)
The burning bush (Ex. 3:1-6; Ac. 7:30,31)
Moses' call (Ex. 3:7--4:17; Ac. 7:31-35)
The plagues upon Egypt (Ex. 7-12; Ac. 7:36; 13:17)
Sinai and the ten commandments (Ex. 19-40; Ac. 7:38,53)
Israel's rebellion and the golden idol (Ex. 32; Ac. 7:39- 41)
Forty years wilderness wandering (Ex. 15-40; Numbers; Deuteronomy; Ac. 7:44)
Moses' prophecy of the Messiah (De. 18:15,18; Ac. 7:37)
Possession of the Promised Land (Joshua; Ac. 7:45; 13:19)
The division of the land to the tribes (Jos. 14; Ac.13:19)
From Joshua to David (Judges-1 Samuel; Ac. 7:45; 13:20)
Saul (1 Samuel; Ac. 13:21).
David (1, 2 Samuel; Ac. 13:22)
Solomon and the temple (1 Kings; Ac. 7:47)
THE MIRACLES RECORDED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT ARE TRUE, LITERAL, HISTORICAL EVENTS.
Creation (Ge. 1,2; Ac. 17:24-26)
Baby moses discovered in the bulrushes (Ex. 2; Ac. 7:20,21)
The burning bush (Ex. 3,4; Ac. 7:30)
The 10 plagues upon Egypt (Ex. 7-12; Ac. 7:36)
Wilderness wanderings (Exodus; Numbers; Deuteronomy; Ac. 7:36; 13:17)
OLD TESTAMENT CHARACTERS ARE TRUE HISTORICAL PEOPLE JUST AS NAMED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BIBLE ACCOUNTS.
Abraham (Ac. 7:2)
Isaac (Ac. 7:8)
Jacob (Ac. 7:8)
Jacob's 12 sons (Ac. 7:8)
Joseph (Ac. 7:9)
Pharaoh (Ac. 7:10)
Sychem (Ac. 7:16)
Another pharaoh (Ac. 7:18)
Moses (Ac. 7:20)
The Egyptian killed by Moses (Ac. 7:24)
Moses's wife and two sons (Ac. 7:29)
Aaron (Ac. 7:40)
Joshua (Ac. 7:45)
Saul (Act. 13:21)
Samuel (Ac. 13:20)
Jesse (Ac. 13:22)
David (Ac. 7:45; 13:22)
Solomon (Ac. 7:47)
The prophets (Ac. 7:52)
Joel (Ac. 2:16-21)
Isaiah (Ac. 8:30)
THE BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS ARE CITED AS BEING WHOLLY AUTHORITATIVE AND RELIABLE.
Amos (Ac. 9:11,12--Am. 15:15-17)
Isaiah (Ac. 8:30-33--Is. 53:7,8; Ac. 7:49--Is. 66:1,2; 13:34,47--Is. 49:5,6; Ac. 13:34--Is. 55:11)
Joel (Ac. 2:28-31--Joel 2:16,21)
Ezekiel (Ac. 20:25,29--Eze. 7:42)
David (Ac. 1:15-20--Ps. 41:9; Ac. 2:25-28--Ps. 16:8-11; Ac. 2:34,35--Ps. 110:1; Ac. 13:33--Ps. 2:7)
OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS ARE SAID TO HAVE SPOKEN THE WORDS OF GOD.
Compare Ac. 7:42 with Eze. 20:25,39; Am. 5:25,26.
Compare Ac. 7:49 with Is. 66:1,2 "saith the Lord."
Compare Ac. 13:47 with Is. 49:5,6 "the Lord command us."
Compare Ac. 13:33 with Ps. 2:7.
Compare Ac. 13:36 with Ps. 16:10.
THE OLD TESTAMENT WAS CONSIDERED A DIVINE BOOK WHICH AS A WHOLE POINTS TO THE N.T. SCRIPTURES.
"Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days" (Ac. 3:24).
GOD'S APPEARANCES TO THE OLD TESTAMENT CHARACTERS WERE HISTORICAL EVENTS.
To Abraham (Ge. 12--Ac. 7:2; Ge. 15--Ac. 7:5-7; Ge. 17--Ac. 7:8)
To Moses (Ex. 2,3--Ac. 7:30-34)
TRADITIONAL OLD TESTAMENT AUTHORS ARE CITED AS THE ACTUAL WRITERS.
David and the Psalms (Ac. 1:15-20; 2:25-28; 2:34,35; 13:33)
Moses and the Pentateuch (Ac. 13:39; 15:1,5,21; 21:21; 26:22; 28:23)
Joel and Joel (Ac.2:16-21)
Isaiah and Isaiah (Ac. 8:30)
THE OLD TESTAMENT IS CONSIDERED TO BE A BOOK WHOLLY RELIABLE AND POINTING TO JESUS CHRIST.
The Apostles did not consider the O.T. to be a man-made, error-filled jigsaw puzzle, but a divinely-planned and inspired Book with a perfect unity, each part having its unique place in the overall purpose: Ac. 2:13-36; 3:18-24; 7:52; 8:30-35; 13:27-29; 10:43; 26:22,23.
THE APOSTLES BELIEVED THE OLD TESTAMENT CONTAINS LITERAL PROPHECY. "Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began" (Ac. 3:21). All O.T. prophecy describing a final judgment of sin and the establishment of a worldwide righteousness is literal and true, according to the Lord's Apostles.
Did Moses write the first five books of the Bible?
1. The books themselves claim to have been written by Moses (Ex. 24:4,7; 34:27-28; Nu. 33:2; De. 1:1-5; 4:4-5; 31:9,24-26).
2. Other O.T. books claim Moses wrote the Pentateuch (Jos. 1:7; 8:32-35; Jud. 3:4; 1 Ki. 2:3; Ezr. 2:6; Ne. 9:14; Mal. 4:4).
3. The N.T. claims Moses wrote the Pentateuch (Mk. 12:26; Lk. 16:29-31; Jn. 1:17; 5:45-47; 8:5; Ac. 15:21; 2 Co. 3:15).
Did Isaiah write the book of Isaiah?
Modernistic theology often questions the authorship of Isaiah. A popular theory is that the first part of Isaiah (chapters 1-39) was written by the biblical Isaiah, but that the last part (chapters 40-66) was written by other men centuries later. This is contrary to what Christ and the Apostles taught about Isaiah. [See Isaiah.]
What about "form criticism?"
"Form criticism" is the modernistic idea that the Gospels were not written by the Apostles but were written down after their death. The form critic believes Jesus Christ was not God and the Gospels are not the inspired Word of God. The so-called Jesus Seminar which recently completed its work followed form criticism to its logical conclusion: They concluded that most of the words of Jesus and most of the miracles in the Gospels were not actually spoken or performed by Christ. We know that "form criticism" is a fable for the following reasons:
1. The Gospels claim to have been written by eyewitnesses (Jn. 21:24-25; 20:30; Lk. 1:1-4).
2. It is an indisputable fact that the N.T. Epistles were written during the lifetime of the Apostles; most were written by the Apostles themselves. It is therefore foolish to deny that the early Christians did not have the custom of making written accounts.
3. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would guide the disciples into all truth and remind them of past events concerning Himself (Jn. 14:26; 16:13-15). The Apostles were not dependent upon their own faulty memories in the recording of the Gospel accounts. They wrote by inspiration.
4. Form criticism is a denial that Jesus is God and Messiah. As such it is seen to be evil and satanic (2 Pe. 2:1; 1 Jn. 2:22-23; 2 Jn. 9). If Jesus Christ was not God, He was a liar and a deceiver because He claimed to be. [See Jesus Christ.]
A testimony of the inspiration of Holy Scripture
The following testimony to the authority and authenticity of the Holy Scriptures is by George Sayles Bishop. Preached in 1885 at the dawn of the modern era of Bible criticism, this message lays out that unquestioning faith in God's Holy Word that has characterized true believers from the beginning of time. It is not a blind faith. It is not an ignorant faith. It is faith in a God who cannot lie. Contrast this humble faith in the Word of God with the proud spirit of the modern Bible critic. In the following passage Bishop is writing in defense of the word "God" in 1 Ti. 3:16:
"Oh, but it is only one word!" Yes, but one word of Scripture of which it is said, "Thou hast magnified Thy Word above all Thy Name!" "Only one word!" But that word "God." Better the whole living church of God should perish than that one word should perish. "If any man take away from the words of the book of this prophecy God shall take away his part." Let criticism pause. The principle at stake is solemn.
The point at issue in the whole controversy with "modern criticism" is, whether the Bible can be placed upon the same plane with other, merely human, literature and treated accordingly; or whether, as a Divine Revelation, it addresses us with a command and sanction? The power of the Book is shaken from the moment we deny its a priori binding claim on our belief and obedience. The Book is a royal document, or series of documents issued by the King of kings, and binding upon every subject. The Book, then, is to be received with reverence by one who falls upon his bended knees beneath the only shaft of light which, from unknown eternity, brings to the soul the certainties of God--of His dealings in grace with men, and of a judgment. The Old Testament is--in some sense--more awful than the New--as it begins with a creation out of nothing--as it thunders from Sinai, and as it prefigures and predicts the momentous facts of Calvary and the Apocalypse. But it has been represented that the Bible has twisted itself up like a worm from the dust by an Evolution in which the human element is most conspicuous.
The inspiration of the Old Testament, including that of the whole Bible, is a matter, first of all, of pure Divine testimony, which leaves us nothing but to receive it. God says, "I am speaking." That ends it. The instant order of the Book to every reader is "Believe or die!" The Book brings with it its authentication. Who would think of standing up under the broad blaze of the noonday sun to deny the existence of the sun? His shining is his authentication.
The Jews cherished the highest awe and veneration for their sacred writings which they regarded as the "Oracles of God." They maintained that God had more care of the letters and syllables of the Law than of the stars of heaven, and that upon each tittle of it, mountains of doctrine hung. For this reason every individual letter was numbered by them and account kept of how often it occurred. In the transcription of an authorized synagogue manuscript, rules were enforced of the minutest character. The copyist must write with a particular ink, on a particular parchment. He must write in so many columns, of such a size, and containing just so many lines and words. No word to be written without previously looking at the original. The copy, when completed, must be examined and compared within thirty days; if four errors were found on one parchment, the examination went no farther--the whole was rejected. When worn out, the rolls were officially and solemnly burned lest the Scripture might fall into profane hands or into fragments.
The Old Testament, precisely as we have it, was endorsed by Jesus Christ, the Son of God. When He appeared on the earth, 1,500 years after Moses, the first of the prophets, and 400 years after Malachi, the last of them, He bore open testimony to the sacred canon as held by the Jews of His time. Nor did He--among all the evils which He charged upon His countrymen--ever intimate that they had, in any degree, corrupted the canon, either by addition, diminution, or alteration of any kind. By referring to the "Scriptures," which He declared "cannot be broken," the Lord Jesus Christ has given His full attestation to all and every one of the books of the Old Testament as the unadulterated Word of God.
Our Blessed Lord puts "what is written" equal to His own declaration. He saw the Old Testament inspired from one end to the other, divine from one end to the other. Ah! how He valued the sacred text! Our modern critics, with arrogance which rises to daring impiety, deny to Christ the insight which they claim for themselves. The point right here is this, Did Jesus fundamentally misconceive the character of the Old Testament? Did He take for a created and immediate revelation what was of a slow and ordinary growth? Or was He dishonest, and did He make about Abraham, for example, statements and representations which belong only to a geographical myth--a personality which never existed?
The authority of Jesus Christ, God speaking--not from heaven only, but with human lips--has given a sanction to every book and sentence in the Jewish canon, and blasphemy is written on the forehead of any theory which alleges imperfection, error, contradiction, or sin in any book in the sacred collection. The Old Testament was our Lord's only study book. On it His spiritual life was nurtured. In all His life it was His only reference. Through His apostles He reaffirmed it. Five hundred and four (504) times is the Old Testament quoted in the New. The whole Jewish nation, down to this day, acknowledge, without one dissenting voice, the genuineness of the Old Testament. The Book reflects upon them and condemns them; it also goes to build up Christianity, a system which they hate, and yet, impressed with an unalterable conviction of their divine origin, they have, at the expense of everything dear to man, clung to the Old Testament Scriptures. ...
The Old Testament is inspired from beginning to end. What do we mean by this? We mean infallibility and perfection. We mean that the books are of absolute authority, demanding an unlimited submission. We mean that Genesis is as literally the Word of God as are the Gospels--Joshua as is the Acts--Proverbs as are the Epistles--the Song of Solomon as is the Revelation. We mean that the writings were inspired. Nothing is said in the Bible about the inspiration of the writers. It is of small importance to us who wrote Ruth. It is every importance that Ruth was written by God. How did God write? On Sinai, He wrote, we are told, with His finger. We are told this in seven different places. God used men with different degrees of style. He made Amos write like a herdsman and David like a poet. He made the difference, provided for it, and employed it because He would have variety and adapt Himself to all classes and ages.
He wrote through the men. How did He do this? I do not know. The fact, I know, for I am told it. The secret is His own. I read that "holy men of old spake as they were moved"--then they did not choose their own language. ... I do not know how my soul dictates to and controls my body so that the moving of my fingertips is the action of my soul. I do not know how, in regeneration, God does all and I do all. He produces all and I act all, for what He produces is my act.
"But there are discrepancies--contradictions." No! Scores of times I have corrected myself, but never God's Word. Patience and a larger knowledge will solve every knot. Dr. Hodge, of Princeton, says: "Not one single instance of a discrepancy in Scripture has ever been proved." Would all the united wisdom of men have led them to relate the history of the creation of the universe in a single chapter, and that of the erection of the tabernacle in thirteen? The description of the great edifice of the world, would it not seem to require more words than that of a small tent?
To discredit the statement repeated in almost every chapter of Exodus and Leviticus--"And the Lord said to Moses." To charge Christ with falsehood, who says, "Moses said," "Moses taught you," "David says"--quoting as He does, not from the 7th and the 18th only, but from the 41st, the 110th, the 118th, and other Psalms. The result is to disintegrate the Bible and throw it into heaps of confusion mingled with rubbish--to shake faith to the very foundations and scatter Revelation to the winds. It is to elevate Robertson, Smith, Wellhausen, Baur, Astruc, Cheyne, and other heretics, who seem to have taken God into their own hands, to a level with the Saviour of men and His prophets, whom they criticize freely. THIS IS NOT EXEGESIS, IT IS CONSPIRACY. IT IS NOT CONTRIBUTION TO RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE, IT IS CRIME!
Think of the amazing, the stupendous difference between Christ quoting from a human compilation, or from the living Oracles of God! "I came not to destroy," He says, "but to fulfil"--to fulfil what? A haphazard collection of Ezra's time--made up of fragmentary documents of men, some of whom had an inspiration little above that of Browning and Tennyson! ... I beseech you, therefore, Brethren, beware of what is called "the modern school."
"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth!" Here are the Pillars of Hercules through which we pass from Time with all its changes into Eternity--a shoreless, changeless sea. Here are the frontiers of human exploration, beyond which rolls and surges the illimitable Ocean of Deity, Self-existent, blessed forever and independent of all creatures.
The first utterance of the Bible fixes it that matter is not eternal. That there was a point when the universe was not and when God, by simple fiat, brought it into being. So that, as the apostle says, He called the existent out of the non- existent--the visible from that which had no visibility. In other words, God made the world out of nothing--an awful nothing--the idea of which we cannot comprehend. A lonely and a solitary Worker, out of emptiness, He created fullness--out of what was not, all things--getting from Himself the substance as well as the shaping--the fact as well as the how.
`In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.' HE had to tell us that, for He ONLY was there. He had to TELL us that, but, being told, we at once, believe it, for everything outside the Self-existent must have a beginning. Matter must have had a beginning, for--push the molecules back as far as you will, either matter was the egg out of which God was hatched, or God hatched matter. Can there be any question as to which of these is true?
"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." IF THIS FIRST SENTENCE IS UNAUTHENTIC, THE WHOLE BIBLE IS UNTRUE AND FOR SIX THOUSAND YEARS MEN HAVE BEEN DUPED AND DELUDED WHO HAVE LOVED AND CHERISHED ITS TEACHINGS. The credibility of the Bible, then, depends upon the truth of the First Chapter of Genesis. If that chapter contains "a few small scientific lies," then the Book is a compilation of deceptions from cover to cover. Thus we are either Christians or skeptics! It has been claimed that no essential injury is done to Christian faith by concessions made to modern criticism--that if one believes in redemption, it is of small account what he believes of creation. But MEN WHO SPEAK SO RASHLY, OVERLOOK THE FACT THAT CREATION IS THE BASIS OF REDEMPTION--THAT THERE MUST BE MAN, AND MAN FALLEN, BEFORE THERE CAN BE MAN SAVED--AND THAT THE BELIEF IN CREATION DEPENDS ENTIRELY UPON THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF GENESIS, AS A HISTORICAL DOCUMENT.
The difficulty with Higher Criticism is that it disbelieves in advance, and the reason of this too frequently is that it is working with a brain whose crooked and vapid conclusions are guided by a heart averse to God--at enmity with God and working every way to get rid of Him. [See Adam, Bible, Bible Versions, Daniel, Evolution, Fables, False Teaching, Foolish Questions, Fundamentalism, Isaiah, Jesus Christ, Preservation, Prophecy, Red Sea, Separation, Star, Timothy, Tyre, Zidon.]
INVESTIGATIVE JUDGMENT. A teaching of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA). It is the belief taught by SDA prophetess Ellen G. White that Jesus Christ is presently in Heaven conducting an investigation of the lives of professing Christians. This judgment supposedly is based on the Ten Commandments and will determine the eternal destiny of God's people. Adventists believe the Investigative Judgment began in the year 1844 and that Jesus will return to earth when this judgment is completed.
The Bible does not say the Lord Jesus Christ is presently conducting a judgment of Christians. That judgment will be a personal one; the believer will be present with the Lord (2 Co. 5:8-10). The Bible also says that no true Christian will be cast away from God. Christians lose rewards for improper living, but they do not lose their secure position in God's family (1 Co. 3:13-15; Jn. 10:27-29). Christians are free from the condemnation of the Mosaic law and the Ten Commandments (Ro. 7:1-4; Jn. 3:18; 5:24; Ga. 3:10-13,24-29). In Ro. 7:1-4 the Apostle Paul teaches that the Mosaic law has no more power over a Christian than a dead husband has over his living wife. [See Eternal Security, Gospel, Grace, Judgment, Justification, Law, Seventh-day Adventism.]