"Every Word of God is pure" (Prov. 30:5).

"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word of God" (Luke 4:4).

"Every Scripture is inspired of God" (2 Tim. 3 :16, margin, R. V.).

The Word of God, not only as a whole, but each several part, was all given by the inspiration of God. Theopneustos, as the original text reads, means "God-breathed," and is uniform in thought with Scripture elsewhere "God-spoken;" every book of the Holy Scriptures came from God as its Source. All is given in the language of men, but as He is the Author it must be verbally inspired.

First:God breathed into Adam's lifeless body, made of the earth; and by that divine breathing man became "a living soul," a living, human organism; in his creation an out-standing, striking contrast to the whole animal creation, since man was made in the image and likeness of God (Gen. 2:7).

Second:Christ, our Lord, the Second Man, the Last Adam, Head of a new creation, after He rose from among the dead, having completed atonement on the Cross, stood in the midst of His disciples in the upper room, breathed upon them as the nucleus of the new creation, and by that symbolic act formally introduced them into their new creation place. In this new creation relationship they possessed His own life and nature, as being already quickened by Him (John 5:21,25,26; 1 Cor. 15:45).

This formal introductory breathing entitled them also then to the gift of the Spirit:"Receive ye the Holy Spirit," which gift they received fifty days later, on the day of Pentecost (John 20:21, 22).

Third:Another breathing is spoken of in, "Every Scripture is God-breathed." The very words of Scripture breathed out, express in the language of man God's mind and will. The Old Testament was given in the language of one nation, Hebrew; the New Testament was given in Greek, the language of all civilized nations. Of the Hebrew Old Testament Scriptures it is written, "Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Pet. 1:21), while concerning the New Testament communications we read:"Which things also we speak, not in words which men's wisdom teacheth, but [words] which the Holy Spirit teacheth" (1 Cor. 2:12-16).

In our day when skepticism and bold infidelity abound on all sides, and most of our schools and universities of modern thought boldly deny the verbal inspiration of the Word of God, it is of prime importance that all Christians, and especially young believers, understand aright the special claims that the Word of God makes for itself. If not, who can fully estimate the loss! If like all other books, life will be uncertain, truth will be uncertain, the fundamental teaching of Holy Writ will be uncertain, and the future will ever be under a dark veil; but when it is properly understood that we possess a Book which is God-breathed, God-spoken and God-given, with assurance and certainty we can depend upon its sacred teaching as an unerring guide through our whole Christian life, yea, even into eternity itself.

God Himself is its Author and Source, and the men employed to write were the sacred channels ("holy men of God") of communication. See Exod. 4:10-12; 2 Sam. 23:2; 1 Chron. 25:1-6 (which instruct us that the Psalms were prophetic and "the words of God"); Ps. 12:6; 18:30; 119:140; Isa. 8:1; Jer. 1:2, 4, 7,9; Ezek. 1:3; 12:8; 1 Cor. 2:12-16; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20,21.

At the beginning of the Book we are first introduced to the Author. His first name, GOD, welcomes the reader. At its very threshold we read, "In the beginning GOD created the heavens and the earth" (R.V.), God, Creator, absolute and Eternal. From this first verse this truth begins to open up as a new sprout on earth, developing through each succeeding book in both the Old Testament and the New, until we reach the book of Revelation. In the closing book the sprout seen at the beginning has expanded to marvelous perfection; we see the whole Word completed, in full bloom and flower, filling heaven and earth with sweet fragrance. And after this full revelation a benediction falls upon the devout reader like dew from heaven, in the closing verse:"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."

As the Word of God is searched, we discern the expansion of its truths, precept upon precept, commandment after commandment, promise after promise, prophecy after prophecy, prediction after prediction, book after book, in each book section after section, even word after word-all coming down throughout each succeeding age, unfolding at each stage the Author's mind, and each part bearing its own witness to the perfection of the communications.

A reverent survey of the whole Book from first to last is sufficient to convince the reader and student of its real Author. To man (Adam) God spoke; to the patriarchs God spoke; to Moses, both before the law, and after the law, God spoke. To Israel as a nation God spoke (Exod. 20:1; Deut. S:22). To the prophets God spoke; and, when His Son came, in His Son God spoke. Now that He has returned to heaven, and the Holy Spirit has come down, we possess a complete revelation. All the truth has been given in its entirety. "When He, the Spirit, shall come, He will guide you into all the truth" (John 16:13, R.V.; Col. 1:25, Gr.).

By the Word of God we are not only furnished with light concerning past history but our own present age, the Church period, is illuminated with New Testament light; and further, the light of the New Testament penetrates the otherwise unknown-things that are yet to come. For, with the light thus afforded, we see that the present time, the Church age, will ere long give place to the Great Tribulation period; which will be succeeded by the Millennial age; and even the Millennial years, although characterized by blessing for man, beast and the earth, will in due time give place to the blessed eternal state, when God shall be all in all for ever.

Further, we observe a golden cord, a silver thread, and a scarlet line throughout the whole Book from Genesis to Revelation-christ our Lord is discerned from first to last. His Person is presented in His perfect Deity and perfect Manhood. His Work stands out in sacrifice, atonement, and redemption. His glories, His personal, eternal, Godhead glories, are His by right. His acquired glories, the result of all that He did from the time He came from heaven till He returned to heaven, are shown to be His just due. His official glories, glories associated with every new position that He fills, whether in the Church, or Kingdom, in heaven or earth, are manifested. "Many crowns will be upon His head."

He is the central stem around whom the whole Book is formed; every part bears witness to Him. Type after type is woven into the fine texture of sacred history by the Holy Spirit, prophecy after prophecy, psalm after psalm. Then in the New Testament, whether in the Gospels or Epistles, Christ is the absorbing theme. Finally, in the book of Revelation we hear His voice and see His face, from the first chapter to the last.

Let us then, one and all, young and old, take up the Word of God afresh, and read it regularly each day; search it as for hid treasures; study its contents carefully and methodically to learn more of its Blessed Author, and more and more of Christ our Lord, then to use every part of the sacred Word as different "men of our counsel" (Ps. 119:24, margin.).

1. We go to the Pentateuch as to a seed-plot, to learn of the different beginnings, laws and commands.

2. The whole history from Genesis to Esther gives us examples in lives, interwoven types, and allegories.

3. In the Poetic Books we get "songs in the night," with Christ and His cross as the central theme.

4. Proverbs furnishes us with wisdom for daily life.

5. Prophecy foretells future events; Christ the Messiah-King, the crowning Hope.

6. The Gospels show us the Saviour's perfect life among men; give His teaching, which was as new wine for new bottles; and as we learn of Him we should seek each day to walk in His steps.

7. The Acts gives light as to the presence and power of the Holy Spirit working through the apostles, and shows the Church in the early days. The twenty-one epistles follow, with instruction for the individual believer and the Church collectively. After reading the four Gospels and the Acts it is of first importance to prayerfully study the epistles, for the main body of Christian teaching is unfolded in them. They expound our position and relation through sovereign grace, and the practice corresponding to our high and heavenly calling is also marked out, whilst the future prospect of saints of our age is depicted in such simplicity and fulness as to command the admiration and homage of every believer's heart.

8. The book of Revelation closes the inspired volume. In it we get truth for the last days, for the Church, the Jews, and the nations of the earth. It is light for the just-"that shineth more and more unto the perfect day," the completion and perfecting of all things.

The whole Book is indeed a well-furnished table, full of "goodly words" and "royal dainties" (Gen. 49:20,21). A. E. Booth