ANSWERS TO ASSIGNMENTS FOR 1993

1. Col. 3:22,23.

2a. Exod. 34:6; Psa. 23:6; 33:5; Rom. 2:4; Gal. 5:22; and many others.

2b. The following example of the goodness of God was sent in by one of our readers: When I was seven or eight years old I was put in the hospital with spinal meningitis and encephalitis. Either one of these diseases can cause a person to be crippled for life, and I had both at the same time. My parents have told me that there was a multitude of people that were praying for me at that time. By the goodness and grace of God, I recovered from those diseases with no noticeable disabilities! Praise the Lord!

3. Gen. 2:16-18; Jon. 4:4,9; John 12:28.

4a. Grace, mercy, goodness in Rom. 11, and grace in Eph. 1.

4b. Among the Ten Commandments of Exod. 20:3-17, the first two commandments were violated in Rom. 1:23,25; the fifth in verse 30; and the sixth, seventh, ninth, and tenth in verse 29.

5a. Matt. 12:3,4; 12:40; 12:41; 12:42.

5b. Matt. 4:4 and Deut. 8:3; Matt. 4:7 and Deut. 6:16; Matt. 4:10 and Deut. 6:13; Matt. 5:21 and Exod. 20:13; Matt. 5:27 and Exod. 20:14; Matt. 5:31 and Deut. 24:1; Matt. 5:33 and Lev. 19:12; Matt. 5:38 and Exod. 21:24; Matt. 5:43 and Lev. 19:18.

6. The following answer was submitted by one of our readers: The Dead Sea Scrolls are leather and papyrus manuscripts found in caves and ruins in the wilderness of Judea. The first manuscripts were discovered accidentally by a shepherd boy in 1947. Since then many others have been found. The manuscripts contain letters, Essene teachings, hymns, etc. But the most important of the manuscripts were the portions of the Old Testament Minor Prophets, Isaiah, and other books. The oldest of the manuscripts are books of the Bible and are dated well before the birth of Christ.

7. The two genealogies are the same between Abraham and David. They are different in three ways: (1) The one in Luke 3 goes all the way back to Adam; (2) the one in Matthew 1 follows the line of David’s son Solomon down to Joseph while the one in Luke 3 follows the line of David’s son Nathan down to Mary’s father Heli; (3) some of the mothers are mentioned in the genealogy in Matthew.

8. Gen. 49:5-7 says that Simeon and Levi will be scattered in Israel. Josh. 19:1,9 says that the tribe of Simeon did not have their own unique inheritance but lived in the land given to the tribe of Judah. Josh. 21:1-42 says that the tribe of Levi did not have their own unique inheritance but were given cities in the lands of all the other tribes of Israel.
9. 187 years (from birth of Methuselah to birth of Lamech) + 182 years (from birth of Lamech to birth of Noah) + 600 years (age of Noah at beginning of the flood) = 969 years from birth of Methuselah to the flood. Similarly, 182 + 600 = 782 years from birth of Lamech to the flood. Since Lamech lived a total of 777 years, he died five years before the flood. Since Methuselah lived a total of 969 years, he died in the same year as the flood began. We are not told whether Methuselah died before the flood or in the flood, but the meaning of his name, “When he is dead it shall be sent,” suggests that he died just before the flood.

10. The following answer to the question by the Lord Jesus, “Why should I let you in to heaven,” was submitted by one of our readers: Lord Jesus, you say in your Holy Word in John 14:10-3 that you will prepare a place for those that believe in God the Father and in yourself. I have accepted the free gift of salvation that I read about in Eph. 2:8,9 and have believed on you as my personal Lord and Saviour. According to John 3:16, having believed on you, I won’t perish but will have everlasting life. Since I came to you as a helpless, hell-deserving sinner and trusted in your finished work on Calvary’s cross as my means of salvation, you promise in John 6:37 that “him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”

11. It was contrary to God’s law for the children of Israel to make images of anything on earth or in heaven (including their God whose name was Jehovah).

12. The angel of the Lord killed 185,000 of Sennacherib’s soldiers one night, so he turned around and went back to Assyria. Note: There was a crucial typographical error in this question: the reference should have been 2 Ki. 19:35,36. Those who were misled by the incorrect reference did not lose any points.

13. 1 Ki. 9:15.

14. 1 Thess. 1:5-10; 2:13; Heb. 4:12.

15. Jas. 1:22.

16. Thamar (or Tamar), Rachab (or Rahab), Ruth, and the wife of Urias (Bathsheba). These four women all had black marks against them. The first two were prostitutes, Ruth belonged to a nation (Moab) that was despised by the Israelites, and Bathsheba was involved in an adulterous affair with King David. Their inclusion in the genealogy of Christ is yet another mark of Christ’s love for the unlovely, for social outcasts, and for sinners.

17. Gal. 3:16.

18a. Worm (Psa. 22:6), bulls of Bashan (verse 12), lions (13,21), heart like wax (14), tongue like a potsherd (15), dogs (16,20), unicorns (21).

18b. Forsaken by God (Psa. 22:1), hands and feet pierced (verse 16).

19. His intent was to deceive Ahimelech.

20. Luke 13:34.

21. Rom. 8:18,28,31-39; 2 Cor. 4:17; Heb. 12:6-11.

22. Josh. 10:12,13; Matt. 1:20,23; John 11:43,44.

23a. Exod. 14:20-28; Josh. 3:15-17; 6:20; 1 Ki. 17:16,22; 18:38; 2 Ki. 4:35; 6:6; Dan. 3:22-27; 6:16-23; Mark 4:39; 5:15, 34,41,42; 6:41-44; John 12:43,44; and many others.

23b. The following incident showing God’s great power was submitted by a reader: My grandfather left his brief case (containing money and valuable personal items) on the sidewalk of the passenger pick-up area of a busy airport. When he came back about six hours later after discovering he had forgotten it, it was still there!

24. Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:8) and Jonah (Jon. 1:3).

25. Rom. 11:33.

26. Prov. 9:10 and 2 Tim. 3:15.

27. Matt. 5:28; Jesus spoke these words.

28-1. Prov. 10:17 or 12:1 or 15:10. Prov. 13:18 or 15:5 or 31 or 32.

28-2. Mic. 5:2 and Matt. 2:1-8, and many others.

28-3. The Bible tells about (1) real people with real names, (2) real geographical places, and (3) specific points of time in the history of man.

28-4. Answer may vary from person to person.

28-5. Prov. 8:27; Isa. 40:22.

28-6. Exod. 20:l; 2 Sam. 23:2; Jer. 1:9; Acts 1:16; 1 Cor. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16; etc.

28-7. Gen. 1:1; Exod. 2:24; Mal. 3:16; Eph. 1:4,5,9,11; 2:4; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:1,2.

28-8. Psa. 90:1,2.

28-9. (a) Omniscient; (b) omnipresent; (c) sovereign.

28-10. Transcendent (Psa. 104:1); omnipresent (verse 3), omnipotent (2,3,5); good (10-18,28), wise (24); sovereign (29), eternal (31).

28-11. Rom. 12:9.

28-12. The following response was submitted by one of our readers: I earned a very high “B” grade in one of my classes last semester. The professor was righteous in giving me a “B” but he would have demonstrated goodness if he had given me the extra point or two I needed to get the “A”.

Foundations of Faith

Running the Race

Foundations of Faith
THE MORAL ATTRIBUTES OF GOD (II)

Is God Fair?

Once I had to fly to the West Coast on short notice, resulting in having to pay full fare, about $1,000, for my ticket. I sat next to a man who paid less than $300 for his advance purchase ticket. Was it fair? Yes, because all the different fares, and the conditions attached to each, are public knowledge. The Lord Jesus told a parable about a man who hired laborers early in the morning to work in his vineyard for a penny for the day. As the day progressed, he hired additional laborers, even as late as one hour before quitting time. He then gave each worker a penny, regardless of when they started. Was he fair? Yes, because he gave to each one what he had agreed to give them when he hired them. (If he wanted to give proportionately more to those who started later in the day, that was his privilege as the boss.) God created man with the ability to sin and rebel against Him. But now He condemns to eternal judgment those who continue in that rebellion until they die. Is He fair? Yes, because God has sent His own Son to live a perfect, holy life as a Man upon earth, and then to bear the punishment that rebellious man deserves because of his sin; the free gift of eternal salvation is available to all who will take it.

God is righteous; God is just and fair. He does not play favorites; He is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34); it is not possible for anyone to bribe Him or bargain with Him. All of His acts are perfectly consistent with one another. He establishes the rules, the rewards, and the penalties, and no one is unfairly treated when the rewards and penalties are distributed. “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Gen. 18:25). “The Lord is righteous in all His ways” (Psa. 147:17).

Our salvation is closely linked with God’s righteousness. Sometimes I ask people the question, “When you come to God confessing your sins and asking Him to save you, why should He save you?” Often they will answer, “Because of His love,” or “He is merciful,” or “He is a forgiving God.” These are not the correct answers. It is not possible for a holy God simply to turn His head the other way and overlook or pardon our sin. Rather, He is able to show mercy to us and forgive us only because His justice, His righteousness, already has been satisfied. His holy judgment has been fully executed upon our sin through the sufferings and death of His Son Jesus Christ on the cross who “bore our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Pet. 2:24).

Was it fair for the sinless Son of God to suffer God’s judgment instead of the sinners themselves? If He had been forced to do so against His will it would indeed have been unfair. But in His infinite love for sinners, He voluntarily, willingly died on the cross in place of the sinner. It was His right and privilege, as God, to do so. As a result of God’s righteousness in dealing with our sins in this way, we who have placed our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation are pronounced righteous, or justified. This means that the entire record of our sins, iniquities, and offences against God and man has been totally erased. “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). In view of this pronouncement of righteousness upon those of us who are saved, it surely is worthy of God that we should seek always to live righteously (Rom. 6:12,13), dealing honestly and fairly with everyone, not playing favorites, having no respect of persons (Jas. 2:1-9), rewarding or praising those who do well, and reproving those who do evil (Gal. 6:1; Prov. 17:15).

Does God Help Only Those Who Help Themselves?

In Psalm 107 we read of different ways God has helped His people. He has delivered them from the hand of the enemy (107:1-9); delivered them from bondage and prison brought about by their own rebellion (107:10-16); delivered from sickness and death, again brought about by their own foolishness and transgressions (107:17-22); and delivered from persecution (107:23-32). Each type of deliverance called forth the exclamation, “Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” (107:8,15,21,31).

Yes, God is good, and the word “good” in the Bible usually carries with it the special thought of being helpful. Do you remember the story of the “good Samaritan”? This man was characterized as being helpful to the one who had been robbed and beaten. As we can see in Psalm 107, God’s goodness is not limited to those who help themselves. Rather, God seems to take delight in helping–doing good–to people who are totally unable to help themselves. The apostle Paul, through continually depending upon the Lord, learned by experience that his “strength [was] made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9).

In response to God’s great goodness to us, we are called upon to “do good and to communicate” (Heb. 13:15,16), that is, to share our time, energy, talents, and material goods with others who are in need. Our display of goodness is not to be limited to those who help themselves or to those who are good to us. Rather, Christ urged His disciples, “Do good to those who hate you” (Matt. 5:44).

(To be continued.)

Running the Race
HOW SHOULD WE THEN LIVE (in View of God’s Moral Attributes)? (II)

Have you ever:

Tripped a runner who was challenging you for the lead in a race?

Underreported your income from tips and miscellaneous sources on your income tax return?

Copied your schoolmate’s homework or his/her answers on an examination?

Not pointed out to your waitress that she totalled your restaurant bill incorrectly–in your favor?

Treated two people differently, simply because they had different skin color? because one was rich and the other poor? because one was smart and the other dumb? or because one was a good athlete and the other was not?

Bought a car from another party and misrepresented the selling price on the title so that you wouldn’t have to pay so much tax?

Found the $20 bill your friend lost and didn’t tell her?

Advertised your car as in good running condition, all the while knowing that the engine was on its “last legs”?

All of the illustrations given above are examples of unrighteous, that is, dishonest, illegal, unfair, or unjust, behavior. Having just given some examples of unrighteous behavior, let us now illustate how goodness added to righteousness is better, and more Christ-like, than righteousness alone.

Suppose a landlord charges fair rental rates, carries out his responsibilities in maintaining the property, and only evicts the tenant who does not keep his part of the contract. Such a landlord would be considered righteous. However, if a tenant cannot pay the rent because he has lost his job, the landlord has the privilege, if he is a good man, of not evicting the tenant and of helping him to find a job.

If I slip on my neighbor’s icy sidewalk and break a leg, I have a legal right to sue him for damages. However, I have the privilege of being an example to him of Christ in doing good to him by not suing him, and further, by helping him in the future to keep his sidewalks shoveled.

If my friend has lost the $20 her mother gave her to buy groceries and I happen to find it and return it to her, I am righteous. However, suppose I help her look for it, and we don’t find it, and I know that her mother will beat her when she returns home empty-handed. If I give her $20 out of my own pocket, I am showing goodness to my friend.

If I am trying to sell my car, and I freely tell the potential buyers what things may need fixing, I am righteous. However, if in addition to that, I lower the price to help a poor fellow who desperately needs a car to get to his job, I am showing goodness.

(To be continued.)

Assignment 28: The following is a review quiz based on the 1993 issues.

1. (Jan.) Write out two verses in Proverbs, one that speaks of the results of refusing reproof, and one that speaks of the results of receiving reproof.

2. (Feb.) Write out (a) a verse in the Old Testament that gives a prophecy concerning Christ and (b) a verse in the New Testament that gives the fulfillment of that prophecy.

3. (Mar.) What three kinds of details are found in the Bible that identify it as a book of history?

4. (Feb.-Jun.) What piece of advice you have learned (either from GROWING or from some other source) about the best way to study the Bible.

5. (May) Write out a verse that shows that the Bible teaches that the earth is a sphere and not flat.

6. (Jun.) Write out at least one verse that identifies the author of the Scriptures.

7. (Jul.) Write out two verses that show that God is a Person, that is, a rational being with personality, intellect, emotion, and will.

8. (Aug.) Write out a verse that tells how long God has existed.

9. (Aug.-Oct.) Which of God’s divine attributes is illustrated in (a) Psa. 139:1-6? (b) Psa. 139:7-12? (c) Rom. 9:20?

10. (Oct.) What attributes of God are mentioned or implied in Psalm 104? (Give a verse to support each attribute you list.)

11. (Nov.) Rom. 12:1 speaks of how we should present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. Write out a part of a verse elsewhere in this chapter that exhorts the believer to behave in a holy way (though without referring to the words “holy” or “holiness).

12. (Dec.) Can you think of an incident in your life that illustrates someone being righteous but not good?

Foundations of Faith
THE MORAL ATTRIBUTES OF GOD (I)

Introduction

In the last three issues we discussed the divine attributes of God, that is, those that are His alone, such as His transcendence and omnipotence. God has additional attributes, such as holiness, love, and faithfulness, which He encourages us to display as well. These we call God’s moral attributes.

Can We Find a Friend So Faithful?

So goes the familiar hymn, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” God is true to His Word. He is faithful to fulfill all that He has promised, both to His own blood-bought children and to those who persist in rejecting Him. “The faithful God … keeps covenant and mercy with those who love Him and keep His commandments … and repays those who hate Him” (Deut. 7:9,10).

Just as God is true to Himself and His Word, so should we, the children of God, be faithful to Himself and His Word as well as true to our own word, that is, our promises and commitments to others (Eccl. 5:4,5). We are to be faithful to God in the use of our time, our material possessions, and our spiritual gifts (Matt. 24:45,46; Luke 16:10,11; 19:17).

How Does God Put Up with Sinners?

Have you ever stopped to think–with utter amazement–about how much sin and unfaithfulness God has had to endure just in your life? God is longsuffering. He does not quickly retaliate against a sin or offence. Rather He offers men and women, boys and girls repeated opportunities to turn to Him to receive His salvation.

“Thou, O Lord, art longsuffering, with plenty of mercy and truth” (Psa. 86:15). “The Lord is … longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish” (2 Pet. 3:9).

The more we consider God’s longsuffering toward us, the more we should be motivated to display this attribute toward others. There may be people in our lives who are difficult to get along with. We must ask the Lord for the grace to be longsuffering [instead of short-tempered] toward such (Eph. 4:2,3; Col. 3:12,13; Jas. 1:19).

What Does God Think of Sin?

The truth of God’s longsuffering may give the false impression that God tolerates sin. Nothing could be further from the truth! God is holy; He cannot tolerate sin in His presence (although, praise His name! He is frequently longsuffering toward the sinner). Since God exhorts the believers to “abhor that which is evil” (Rom. 12:9), it is clear that holiness goes far beyond the simple absence or avoidance of sin in oneself. Holiness is abhoring, hating sin. God is “of purer eyes than to behold evil” (Hab. 1:13).

In the presence of God and His absolute holiness, Isaiah became acutely aware of His own utter unholiness:”I am a man of unclean lips” (Isa. 6:1-5). In a similar way will we gain a more realistic appreciation of our own sinfulness and lack of holiness as we learn to compare ourselves against the standard of God’s perfect holiness. To this end, we are exhorted by the Lord, “Be holy, for I am holy” (Lev. 11:44; 1 Pet. 1:15).

(To be continued.)

Running the Race
HOW SHOULD WE THEN LIVE (in View of God’s Moral Attributes)? (I)

“I swear upon a stack of Bibles that I’m telling you the truth!” Have you ever heard anyone make such a statement? Perhaps you have said it yourself. Do you have a reputation in your family and among your friends of always telling the truth and always being faithful to your word? If so, you shouldn’t ever have to swear to God to get others to believe you. The Old Testament law commanded that those who made a vow or oath must keep it, and that they must not swear by God’s name while speaking a falsehood (Lev. 19:12; Num. 30:2). But the Lord Jesus instructed His disciples not to swear (or make an oath) at all, but simply say, “yes, yes” or “no, no” (Matt. 5:33-37); in other words, just speak the plain, unvarnished truth at all times.

“Dad, last week I tried telling my friend Bob how to be saved. Ever since then he and his friends have been making fun of me, calling me a `Jesus freak’ and a `fanatic.’ I feel like punching them in the nose!”

Maybe some of our readers have experienced persecution for their faith. The apostle Paul tells us of the longsuffering which Jesus Christ showed toward Him, “for a pattern to those who should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting” (1 Tim. 1:15,16). Our persecutors would like nothing better than to see us break down and become angry and “lose our religion” as they would call it. But if we hold out with longsuffering and pray for them and try to do good to them in return (Matt. 5:44), some of them will be impressed with the reality of our faith and may desire that salvation for themselves.

Scene: On the way home from the Christian youth group meeting.

Ken: Hey, Tom, I’ve got a copy of the latest Playboy. Would you like to see it when I’m finished with it, that is, if I haven’t cut out all the good pictures?

Tom: I don’t think God would be very pleased with that. Don’t you remember what we learned this afternoon about the holiness of God and about fleeing fornication (1 Cor. 6:18)?

Ken: But we’re not really doing anything wrong. It’s just looking at pictures.

Tom: I believe there is a verse in the Bible that says something about one who looks on a woman to lust after her committing adultery with her in his heart. (See Assignment 27)

Ken: I guess God doesn’t want us to have any fun at all does He?

Tom: Well, I don’t know what to say about that.

Joe, the youth group leader (coming up behind): May I break in? Remember the next verse after “Flee fornication”?

Ken and Tom: No.

Joe: It says, “Don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you…? For you are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” One of the best ways of showing your appreciation to God for the great price that was paid by His Son for your salvation is to keep yourself holy so that the Holy Spirit who indwells you will have the greatest freedom to teach you and use you in God’s service. Oh, and by the way, when you get married, I believe that you will discover a side benefit of remaining sexually pure, both in body and in mind–a more satisfying and enjoyable relationship with your wife. God’s “commandments are not grievous” (1 John 5:3), but are designed to bring the greatest possible blessing, joy, and peace to those who keep them.

(To be continued.)

Assignment 27: Where in Matthew 5 is this verse found, and who spoke these words?

Foundations of Faith
THE DIVINE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD (III)

Who Is in Control?

God is always in control of all things. Even when He gave Satan permission to harass Job, God retained control over the situation and did not permit Satan to overstep the prescribed bounds (Job 2:6).

God is sovereign. He is supreme in power, rank, and authority. No one tells Him what to do. He is free to do whatever He wills to do at all times to carry out His eternal purposes. Listen to God’s own statements of His sovereignty:”I … will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy” (Exod. 33:19). “I am God … and I will do all my pleasure…. I have purposed it, I will also do it” (Isa. 46:9-11). The apostle Paul, through the Holy Spirit, makes a strong appeal to God’s sovereignty:”O man, who are you who replies against God? Shall the thing formed say to Him who formed it, Why have You made me thus?” (Rom. 9:20).

If you are saved, God tells you that He has “chosen you to salvation” (2 Thess. 2:13; also Eph. 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:2). What is the basis for such a choice? Certainly God’s foreknowledge of all things is involved. He has always known who would be praying for us, who would share the gospel with us, etc. Still, ultimately, it is His choice, and this should cause each one of us who has been saved to fall on our knees before God and give Him all the glory and honor for His sovereign grace in choosing, calling, and saving us. Well might we join with the hymn writer, Isaac Watts, in asking:

Lord! why am I a guest?
Why was I made to hear Thy voice,
And enter while there’s room,
When thousands make a wretched choice,
And rather starve than come?

If God chooses whomever He wills to be saved, then why should I bother to do the work of an evangelist? Because God asks you and me to (2 Tim. 4:5). He is pleased to employ His blood-bought children–you and me–to work out His purposes on this earth. Just as He graciously provided persons in your life and mine who faithfully pointed us to Christ, so He desires to use each one of us who has been saved by His grace.

Is There Anyone So Wise as God?

In the August 1993 issue we discussed God’s attribute of omniscience. Not only does God possess all knowledge, but He has the ability to apply that knowledge in His words and works in a most marvelous way. In short, God is wise, and His wisdom infinitely surpasses that of any created being. Three times in Scripture He is described as “the only wise God” (Rom. 16:27; 1 Tim. 1:17; Jude 25).

No doubt the greatest displays of God’s wisdom are found in His creation and in His plan of salvation. First, as to the creation of the universe:”O Lord, how manifold are Thy works! in wisdom hast Thou made them all; the earth is full of Thy riches” (Psa. 104:24; also 104:1-23; Prov. 3:19; Jer. 10:12).

As to the plan of salvation, the apostle Paul sought to show in Romans 11 that neither Jews nor Gentiles have in any way deserved salvation. The nation of Israel had been God’s chosen people but they forfeited this special place because of wickedness and rebellion against God. The Gentiles as a whole had lived in idolatry, not having any desire for the one true God. So “God concluded them all in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all” (verse 32). (See Assignment 25)

This attribute of the wisdom of God serves as a link with the series of attributes that we shall consider in the next two or three issues, namely, the moral attributes of God. The moral attributes are those that God shares with His children. God alone possesses the divine attribute of having all wisdom; on the other hand, He graciously has made it possible for His children to have a measure of that wisdom as well. God does not force this wisdom upon us, but gives it to those who ask for it:”If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God” (Jas. 1:5). “Get wisdom,” for “wisdom is the principal thing” (Prov. 4:5-7). “Be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom” (Col. 1:9).

May we learn to value the wisdom that God possesses in Himself, and may we ask Him often for wisdom to apply the knowledge we have gained from His Word in a right way in our daily lives.

Running the Race
HOW SHOULD WE THEN LIVE (in View of God’s Divine Attributes)? (III)

“Why did my purse have to be stolen? Why didn’t God prevent it?” Many things happen to us that perplex us, that tempt us to wonder whether God is really in control after all. There is evil and injustice and suffering everywhere. Can’t God do something about it? Has Satan gotten the upper hand? No, God has not given up His sovereign control over all things. There are many possible reasons why God may allow people to suffer. He may be warning unsaved people of the far greater suffering to come if they do not repent. He may be chastening a believer to help him/her to learn to trust Him or appreciate His grace. Or He may be simply testing us to see whether we are content to acknowledge the sovereignty that is rightly His. “All that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine … O Lord, and Thou art exalted as Head above all” (1 Chron. 29:11,12).

May God help each of us to accept the fact that He is the sovereign Creator and we are the creatures; He is free to do what He wants to do, and all His ways are right, just, holy, good, and loving–even though we may not always understand His purposes.

How would a person who is wise respond to the following questions or statements?

1. “Say, Honey, what do you say we build our house right here on the sandy shore of this lake?” (See Matt. 7:24-27).

2. “Son, I have been noticing that you sometimes drive too fast. May I suggest that you try to slow down a bit?” (“He who hearkens unto counsel is wise,” Prov. 12:15).

3. “I’m going to quit my job; I’d rather go fishing than work all the time.” (See Prov. 6:6-8.)

4. “Look, son, forget that stuff about finding God’s will for your life. I want you to go to Harvard.” (“Be not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is,” Eph. 5:17.)

5. “Let’s go pester Mr. Crankyshanks and watch him lose his temper again.” (“The wisdom that is from above is … peaceable,” Jas. 3:17. “He who wins souls is wise,” Prov. 11:30.)

Assignment 25: As the apostle Paul considers God’s wise and wonderful plan of salvation, he breaks out with a hymn of praise. Find this hymn in Romans 11 and copy it out.

Assignment 26: Find verses in Proverbs 9 and 2 Timothy 3 that tell us how we can become wise.

Foundations of Faith
THE DIVINE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD (II)

How Powerful Is God?

Who is the strongest man you have ever seen or heard of? According to the Reader’s Digest Almanac of 1985, V. Alexeev of the USSR lifted a weight of 1,411 pounds in the 1972 Summer Olympics. In the Bible we read of mighty Samson who “took the doors of the gate of the city and the two posts and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of a hill” (Judg. 16:3). But what is this compared with the power of God? God is omnipotent, that is, He possesses all power. If all the stars in the universe could be put into a large sack, omnipotent God could carry them as easily as if they were a single grain of sand. God is so powerful, He created the universe by simply speaking a word:”By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth…. He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psa. 33:6,9).

God’s infinite power isn’t revealed only with regard to huge, massive objects, such as causing the waters of the Red Sea to pile up while the children of Israel walked across on dry land (Exod. 14:21-30). God has the power to create tiny things as well, such as putting together the marvelous atom (see the May 1993 issue) or causing a baby to be born to Abraham and Sarah long after their natural ability to have children had passed. (See Assignment 23)

Where Is God?

Many of our readers may be too young to remember when a couple of Russian cosmonauts returned to Earth and reported, “There is no God; we didn’t see Him anywhere out in space.” How blind they were (not to mention unscientific)! For while God indeed is invisible and cannot be seen with our eyes, His work is clearly visible:”The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament [or sky] shows His handiwork” (Psa. 19:1). But the Bible tells us even more than this:God is omnipresent, that is, present everywhere. This is not to say that God is a part of everything (such as the trees, lakes, snails, houses, etc.) as taught by some. No, God is totally, absolutely distinct, above, and beyond everything that He created. But at the same time He is present everywhere throughout His creation. For many people this is good news; for others it is bad news. First the good news:

Have you ever been lost in the woods? ever tried to drive home on roads that were a sheet of ice? ever been in a boat when a sudden storm came up? ever been attacked by a mugger? Wherever we may be and whatever our circumstances, we can have the assurance that God is present.

Now the bad news:Have you ever tried to hide from God because you were ashamed of what you had done and were afraid of His judgment? Be assured that God caught you in the act, and knows exactly what you did and where you are at all times. (See Assignment 24)

“The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Prov. 15:3). “Where shall I flee from Thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there; if I make my bed in hell, behold Thou art there…. The darkness and the light are both alike to Thee” (Psa. 139:7-12).

(To be continued.)

Running the Race
HOW SHOULD WE THEN LIVE (in View of God’s Divine Attributes)? (II)

“I can’t do it! I just can’t do it!” How often have you said these words, or heard others say them? You may be struggling with an algebra problem, trying to thread a tiny needle, looking for your misplaced keys, learning to hit a baseball, making pie crust, or debugging a computer program. We all, from time to time, face difficulties and obstacles in life. How do we deal with them? Is there any way to avoid them? We often rush into a new project with great energy and enthusiasm and self-confidence, only to find that it isn’t as easy as we anticipated. Sometimes we give up in frustration; or sometimes at this point we finally decide that it is time to begin praying about it.

I believe the teaching of the Bible that God is omnipotent encourages us to seek His help with every new project and activity we begin. It may be many times each day that we do this. We may be at school, at home, at work, or at play. God wants us to trust in His almighty power and ability in all things. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Prov. 3:5,6). And when you find that you have indeed received help from the Lord, be sure to give Him all the glory.

“I know I shouldn’t be looking at the pictures in this magazine, but nobody needs to know it.” “Since there aren’t any supermarket personnel around, I am going to help myself to a couple of these candy bars.” Every time the Holy Spirit warns us about something we are about to do, Satan is right behind, whispering, “Nobody will know.” Even if no human being knows what you are doing, God surely does. Even more, the Lord Jesus does, and He keenly felt and suffered on the cross for that very sin that you are about to commit. And the Holy Spirit also knows, and is grieved by it and is hindered from His proper work in and through you. Next time you are tempted to do something you shouldn’t, remember that you have an audience–omnipresent God.

If you become hardened in your sin, omnipresent, invisible God has unique ways of becoming visible, after a fashion. For example, He may allow your sin to be discovered by your parents or a Christian friend. “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Num. 32:23).

It was noted above that God’s omnipresence is “bad news” to those who are trying to hide from Him. But if you stop and think about it, the “bad news” is not really all that bad. Rather, it will be a real blessing if the knowledge of God’s omnipresence motivates us to live every moment of our lives in such a way that we have nothing to be ashamed of and no reason to hide from God. If we seek to do only those things that are pleasing to Himself, we will enjoy His presence with us at all times (Exod. 33:14, and in [His] presence is fullness of joy” (Psa. 16:11).

(To be continued.)

Assignment 23: List at least four examples from each of the Old and New Testaments of God’s miracles or acts of great power; give references. Then describe an incident in your own life, or else in the life of someone you know or have read about, in which God’s great power has been revealed.

Assignment 24: Give two instances in the Bible where people tried to hide from God; give references.

Foundations of Faith
THE DIVINE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD (I)

Introduction

The attributes of God can be divided into two categories. First, there are the divine attributes which are His alone, such as being eternal, all-powerful, and all-knowing. Second, there are His moral attributes, such as holiness, longsuffering, and love, which He encourages us to show forth as well. We shall begin with a study of the divine attributes of God.

Who Created God?

We take for granted that everything we see around us has been created or made by someone–either by God or by His creatures. But what about God Himself? How did He come into existence? Who made Him? The answer is:no one created God. God is self-existent. God said to Moses, “I AM THAT I AM [or literally, I am I WHO AM]” (Exod. 3:14). Jesus repeated this when He said, “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58). Another has written that God is “the living, unchanging, self-existent one, necessarily independent of all others” (F. W. Grant). All of God’s acts are from Himself–issuing from His own will. He does not receive direction from one yet higher than Himself.

How Long Has God Existed?

“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God” (Psa. 90:1, 2). God is eternal. Not only will God have no end, but He never had a beginning! I cannot grasp this concept with my finite mind, but that is what the Bible teaches us.

How Great Is God?

An ant is of far greater complexity than a one-celled amoeba. An ape is of far greater complexity than an ant. And man –made in the image of God and possessing a spirit–is orders of magnitude higher than an ape. But what about God? God is transcendent, that is, He is infinitely higher and greater than the highest created beings (man and angels), above and beyond all things. One implication of God’s transcendence is that God is not a slave to the laws of the universe and of nature of which He is author. He can override them at will, although normally He does not interfere with them. (See Assignment 22)

How Stable Is God?

Do you know someone who is moody? up one day and down the next? totally unpredictable in his responses to you? God is not at all like that. He never differs from Himself. He cannot change for the better or the worse. He isn’t more loving at one time and more righteous at another. With Him “is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (Jas. 1:17). God is immutable or unchanging.

When we come to God we don’t have to worry about what kind of mood He is in today. His love is steadfast and constant, unlike the ups and downs of human love. His holy wrath toward sin is uniform and unchanging, unlike our tendency to be angry toward any sin that harms or hurts us personally but tolerant of sinful activities that give us pleasure. “I am the Lord, I change not” (Mal. 3:6; also Psa. 102:25-27). “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever” (Heb. 13:8).

How Much Does God Know?

God is omniscient, that is, He possesses all (“omni”) knowledge (“science”). He has no need to learn, has never learned, and cannot learn. “Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being His counselor has taught Him? With whom took He counsel, and who instructed Him, and taught Him in the path of judgment, and taught Him knowledge, and showed to Him the way of understanding?” (Isa. 40:13,14; see also Rom. 11:34). God knows the future as thoroughly as the past. “I am God … declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done” (Isa. 46:9,10; also 42:9; Acts 15:18).

(To be continued.)

Running the Race
HOW SHOULD WE THEN LIVE (in View of God’s Divine Attributes)? (I)

“I’m tired of having people tell me what to do. From now on, I am going to do what I want to do!”

“I want you to play another game with me. After all, I am not going to be living much longer.”

“Sometimes it seems as if God is so far away from me–like He doesn’t care for me any more.”

“How can I ask God to help me with my calculus homework? I’m sure He doesn’t understand calculus any more than I do.”

Do you see a pattern in these statements? Each of them betrays a lack of understanding or appreciation of the divine attributes of God. When I want to do my own thing, be in total control over my own life, then I am challenging the self-existence and transcendence of God. When I assert my desire to do my own will, then I want to be on the throne instead of God; I am displacing God from that position He alone can rightly occupy as the self-existent and transcendent One.

When I desire to do things because I see life passing me by and having not much more time to enjoy the pleasures of life, I am forgetting that God is eternal and that if I am in Christ, I have eternal life. So often we behave as if our eternal life in heaven isn’t going to be nearly as interesting as this present life. If this is what you think, you ought to begin reading The Travel Guide to Heaven,* found in all Christian bookstores and Christian homes.

Sometimes we may get the impression that God is not paying any attention to us. Job went through more physical pain and mental anguish in the course of a few days than most of us experience in a lifetime. But had God abandoned him or forgotten about him? Obviously not, as we read in the interesting Book of Job. The psalmists, while writing prophetically of Christ, must have personally experienced times when God seemed to be at a distance from them (Psa. 22:1,2; 69:13-20; 88:14). Sometimes it may be our own fault that God seems to be far away from us (Deut. 28:15,23; Psa. 66:18). At other times, God may be testing our faith or training us for some area of service. But let us ever keep in mind that God is immutable, unchanging, always the same.

Twenty or 30 years ago, when a group of teenagers was asked the question, “Do you think God understands radar?” nearly every one replied, “No.” But how could the Creator of the universe fail to know everything there is to know about His own creation (Psa. 147:4; Luke 12:6,7)? God is omniscient. Listen to the psalmist: “O Lord, Thou hast searched me and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off…. For there is not a word in my tongue but lo, O Lord, Thou knowest it altogether” (Psa. 139:1-6).

(To be continued.)

*Also known as “The Holy Bible.”

Assignment 22: Find in Joshua 10, Matthew 1, and John 11 three instances of God overriding His natural laws.

Foundations of Faith
WHAT IS GOD LIKE?

Introduction

In this issue we begin a new series of articles on the nature and attributes of God. This will be followed in later issues by a discussion of the Trinity and some of the specific characteristics of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

What Color Is God?

I was having lunch in a restaurant with two other persons one day. One of these persons, noticing a number of African-Americans in the restaurant, asked, “Where did the black people come from? The Bible says that God made man in His image, and God isn’t black.” I replied, “You are absolutely right. God isn’t black. But God isn’t white either. `God is a Spirit’ according to John 4:24.”

What Sex (or Gender) is God?

Despite attempts by feminists to delete gender-specific references to God in the Bible (revising, for example, to “Our Mother and Father who art in heaven…”), the original Hebrew and Greek manuscripts are clear in their designation of God as “He” and “Him” rather than “She” and “Her,” and as “Father” rather than “Mother.” God as a spirit being cannot physically be either male or female, but when “the Word [that is, the Son of God] was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:14), He came physically as a man, not a woman.

God clearly manifests male characteristics, such as “The Lord is a man [or male] of war” (Exod. l5:3). But He also reveals characteristics that are traditionally identified more with females than males, such as the qualities of meekness (Matt. 11:28), gentleness (Matt. 11:30; literally, “My yoke is gentle”), and compassion (Lam. 3:22; Mark 1:41; John 11:35). (See Assignment 20)

God created both men and women in His image (Gen. 1:27), and He is well able to identify with the problems of–and provide wonderful assistance to–both men and women equally.

Is God a Person?

Yes, God is a Person; He is a rational being with personality, intellect, emotion, and will. (Note that the word “person” does not necessarily imply having a human body.)

God thinks, chooses. “He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4).

God has a purpose and will. “Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He has purposed in Himself” (Eph. 1:5,9,11).

God loves, shows mercy. “God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us…” (Eph. 2:4).

God has creative power. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Gen. 1:1; Col. 1:16).

God speaks. “God … has in these last days spoken unto us by His Son” (Heb. 1:1,2).

God hears. “God heard their groaning” (Exod. 2:24). “They that feared the Lord spake often one to another; and the Lord hearkened, and heard it” (Mal. 3:16).

Some Misconceptions of God

Impersonal Force. We read recently that a majority of people interviewed for an opinion survey expressed the belief that God is an impersonal force. If such people were really thinking, they might well wonder how this earth could be filled with personal beings while the ultimate Force behind all things is impersonal. Nevertheless, this is a very convenient way to view God if one is determined to “do his own thing.” An impersonal force is not liable to frown on our bad behavior. Far from being an impersonal force, the God of the Bible is personally interested in each one of us:”I have engraved you on the palms of My hands” (Isa. 49:16). “The very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matt. 10:30).

Absent Creator. Our next door neighbor is a “deist.” He believes that God created the earth and set everything in motion according to natural laws, and then left it to run by itself without His intervention. The deist does not believe in miracles. I have an interesting book in my library entitled, The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth, compiled by the third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, who was a deist. This book consists totally of texts from the four Gospels organized in chronological order, but systematically excluding all references to miracles. It is sad to read the final verse in the Jefferson Bible:”There laid they Jesus … and rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed” (John 19:42; Matt. 27:60).

Failure. Some people’s image of God is that of One whom they once trusted, but who let them down. It may have been a tragedy in the family, a disappointment, an unrealized ambition, or an unanswered prayer; and now the person is unwilling to put his/her confidence in God any longer. (See Assignment 21)

Next month we shall discuss some of the divine attributes of God.

Running the Race
HE WOULD RATHER PLAY CHESS

Scene: A high school in Boston, Massachusetts.

Teacher: John, I just learned that your father is a university president.

John: Yes he is.

Teacher: I have read and heard a lot of good things about your father. Not only is he a brilliant scholar, but he is level-headed and full of wisdom and good ideas.

John: Yeah, I guess so.

Teacher: And not only that, I hear that your father has a beautiful personality; he is humble, friendly, and particularly kind and helpful to children and young people. You surely are fortunate to have such a wonderful father. I guess you must love to spend as much time with him as you can.

John: Well, actually, my thing is chess. My father doesn’t play chess. So I spend all of my spare time with the Chess Club here at school. I don’t see my father very much.

How tragic! John had daily access to one of the most intelligent, wise, and loving persons in the entire country, and he didn’t take advantage of the privilege that was his.

We who are Christians have even greater access to the most knowledgeable, most wise, most gracious, most loving, most powerful Person in the universe. This Person knows everything there is to know about you and me. He cares for us personally. He speaks to us through His Word, the Bible, and He listens to us when we pray to Him. How much do you take advantage of such a privilege?

Assignment 20: Find and write out a verse near the end of Luke 13 that describes a female characteristic of the Lord Jesus.

Assignment 21: What verse or verses would you give to a person who feels that God has failed him or her? (Hint: try Romans 8, 2 Corinthians 4, and Hebrews 12 for some ideas.)

Foundations of Faith
HOW WAS THE BIBLE WRITTEN? or What Is the Meaning of “Divine Inspiration”?

Suppose you see a Christian friend of yours getting involved in some sinful and destructive activities. You are upset; you are concerned for your friend. What should you do? Your mind and emotions are whirling around with conflicting thoughts. One moment you are angrily telling him off (in your mind), and the next moment you are tempted to ignore the whole thing. But then you begin praying about it; and the more you pray, the more thoughts and words and scripture verses seem to pour into your mind. Then you put these thoughts and words and verses down on paper in a letter to your friend. In the letter you plainly but gently confront him and express your concern for him and promise to pray for him.

Scripture Was “God-Breathed”

The picture just painted is a crude and very incomplete illustration of how we believe the Bible was written. The verse, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,” literally means, “Every Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Tim. 3:16). God did not write the Bible with His own hand; nor does it appear that He simply dictated the different parts of the Bible to scribes such as Moses, David, Isaiah, John, and Paul (except for those times when God spoke directly to His prophets and His exact words were written down, such as Jer. 1:4,5 and elsewhere). Rather, God carefully selected men who were devoted servants of His and prepared each one so that he had all of the education, knowledge, experience, holiness, and self-denial necessary to be used by God in “breathing out” His Word through their minds.

The apostle Matthew, no doubt, was capable of writing an account of his experiences during three years of living, learning, and walking as a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. But the Lord used him, worked through him, to produce a gospel with a particular emphasis, addressed to a particular group of people, and that included just those events, incidents, speeches of Christ, and discussions between Christ and His disciples that met God’s purposes for the Gospel of Matthew.

In the genealogy of Christ given in Matthew 1, the apostle could easily have obtained the part from Abraham to Zorobabel from the Old Testament. But the Lord either had to show Matthew where he could find the genealogy from Zorobabel to Joseph, Mary’s husband, or else revealed this to Matthew as a special revelation. But there is a very special mark of “God-breathing” in the genealogy of Christ, namely the mention of four women, and only four, and indeed a very peculiar, unusual selection from all of the wives and mothers of the men in the genealogical succession. (See Assignment 16)

Distinctive Writing Styles

No doubt through seasons of prayer and communion with the Lord, God’s thoughts filled the minds of His servants so that the words they wrote were God’s words, but at the same time expressed in each one’s own unique writing style. There was a submission of the writer’s will to God’s will such that the words written were God’s own words and the writer’s own words at the same time.

We can usually distinguish between a letter or essay written by a fifth-grader and one written by a college graduate by means of the vocabulary used by each and the grammatical structure of their writings. Just so, Hebrew and Greek scholars can see distinct differences in the vocabulary, style, and polish of writing among the different authors of the books of the Bible.

The Divine Author

Let us see what the human writers of the Bible have to say as to the authorship of the Bible:

Moses said, “God spoke all these words” (Exod. 20:1).

David said, “The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and His word was in my tongue” (2 Sam. 23:2).

Jeremiah said that God told him, “Behold, I have put My words in thy mouth” (Jer. 1:9).

The apostle Peter said, “Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spoke before concerning Judas, who was guide to those who took Jesus” (Acts 1:16; see also Acts 4:24,25; Heb. 3:7; 10:15,16 where the Holy Spirit is credited with authorship of Old Testament passages).

The apostle Paul said, “Which things also we speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teach, but which the Holy Ghost teaches” (1 Cor. 2:13).

Verbal Inspiration

The following examples from Scripture show that it was not just the thoughts, ideas, and the truths that were divinely inspired, but the words themselves–and even the particular forms of the words–that were God-breathed:

1. In Matt. 22:41-46, the Lord based a crucial argument concerning His own deity on the word “Lord” as quoted from Psa. 110:1.

2. In Luke 20:37,38, the Lord Jesus gave an argument for the resurrection from the Old Testament. The argument was based on the fact that in Exod. 3:6, God said to Moses, “I am … the God of Abraham…” rather than “I was …”

3. In John 10:34, the Lord vindicated Himself from the charge of blasphemy by focusing on a single word in Psa. 82:6.

4. In Heb. 12:26,27 we find an important argument concerning future judgment based on the simple words quoted from Hag. 2:6, “Yet once more.” (See Assignment 17)

Taking Scripture Literally

Does all of this mean that we are to take all of Scripture totally, absolutely literally? The answer is basically, “YES,” but with some simple qualifications. Just as a factual story in the daily newspaper, or a scientific text book, or a biography may often contain metaphors, similes, hyperbole, and other figures of speech, so does the Bible. The Book of Psalms was written in poetry and is particularly rich in non-literal figures of speech used to express better the depth of feelings and emotions of the authors.

Let us look at a few examples of non-literal expressions in the Bible:

1. “The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved; I bear up the pillars of it” (Psa. 75:3).

2. “Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea” (Mic. 7:19).

3. “The mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands” (Isa. 55:12; also Psa. 114:4,6).

4. “I am the Bread of life … the Door … the true Vine” (John 6:35; 10:9; 15:1). (See Assignment 18)

In addition to figures of speech, there is quite a bit of symbolism used in the Bible. The books of Ezekiel, Daniel, and Revelation are particularly noted for the use of symbols, such as creatures with four faces and four wings (Ezekiel 1), beasts with ten horns (Daniel 7), and locusts shaped like horses and with human faces (Revelation 9).

But in straightforward historical narratives, such as Genesis through Esther, the four Gospels, and the book of Acts, for the most part there is no reason to accept these narratives in any way but absolutely literally. If such a historical narrative speaks of the creation and fall of man, the parting of the Red Sea, the swallowing of Jonah by a great fish prepared by the Lord, the transformation of water into wine, or the resurrection of Christ, we accept these as literal declarations of the infinite power of the Creator-Author of the Bible.

Even when a non-literal figure of speech or symbol is employed, the teaching given in the passage is not to be discounted. Scripture tells us that those “not found written in the book of life” will be “cast into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:15). Nobody knows whether this will be a literal fire with literal flames and intense heat, or if it is symbolic of the intensity of mental, emotional, and spiritual agony that will be experienced by unrepentant sinners. But either way, the message is powerful and clear, isn’t it!

Is the Bible Full of Inconsistencies?

What about the inconsistencies in the Bible? First of all, the Bible is not “full of inconsistencies” as so many unbelieving scoffers proclaim. Many apparent inconsistencies can be resolved by a more careful study of the text and context. Occasionally, inconsistencies have been traced to transcription errors when the ancient manuscripts were copied by hand (no Xerox machines or printing presses back then!). However, this kind of error is very uncommon, in spite of the many times the manuscripts were copied.

There remain a few problems for which there seems to be no obvious solution. In such cases we need to live with the problem until a satisfactory solution appears, as has frequently occurred in the past. Meanwhile, it is of paramount importance that we rest with utmost confidence and assurance upon the multitude of evidences (as presented in the previous four issues of Growing) that confirm the Bible as truly the Word of God, and not be shaken by the very small number of fine details in the Bible that are in apparent conflict.

In Conclusion

Finally, what should be the practical effect upon our lives of the things we have learned concerning the divine inspiration of the Scriptures? Clearly, our hearts and consciences should be stirred to read and understand as much as we possibly can of the Scriptures, for therein we have God’s revelation of Himself, His way of salvation, and His path for His children to follow. And as we grow in knowledge of the Word of God, let us allow the Word to change us and conform us to the image of God’s Son.

Running the Race
SUGGESTIONS FOR STUDYING THE BIBLE (V)

We conclude this series of articles with a list of suggestions for properly interpreting the Bible.

11. Try to determine whether the language of the text is literal or figurative. Sometimes the answer is found in the text itself (John 2:19-22; Rev. 1:12-20).

12. Determine the meanings of the words you are reading. An ordinary English dictionary is helpful, but even better are books that give the meanings of the Hebrew and Greek words found in the original manuscripts. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament and Old Testament Words, and Strong’s and Young’s Concordances are particularly helpful. For those who are willing to learn the Hebrew and Greek alphabets, the Hebrew Old Testament and Greek New Testament with interlinear (that is, between the lines) English translation are valuable. All of our readers who are interested in serious Bible study are strongly encouraged to take courses in biblical Greek and Hebrew while in college or through college correspondence courses.

13. Always study a particular verse in the context of the entire chapter, and study a particular chapter in the context of the entire book. (See Assignment 19)

14. Compare Scripture with Scripture in order to arrive at its true meaning. There is a divine unity that runs throughout the Bible, so if one part of the Bible is difficult to understand, often another part of the Bible that is more easily understood will shed light on the first. When studying a particular biblical subject, it is most profitable to gather together, with the aid of a concordance, all of the passages bearing upon the subject and comparing them one with the other; by this one can arrive at the teaching of the whole of Scripture on the subject, or what is sometimes referred to as “the whole tenor of Scripture.”

15. It is often helpful to learn about the manners and customs of the people to whom the Bible was originally written. The Land and the Book by William Thompson and Manners and Customs of Bible Lands by Fred Wight are helpful books in this regard.

16. The use of reliable Bible commentaries can be very helpful in reaching an understanding of passages of scripture. However, it is profitable for the student of the Bible first of all to seek, through prayer and dependence upon the Holy Spirit, and with the aid only of concordances, Hebrew and Greek texts of the Bible, and the like, to interpret the passage on his/her own. After that it is helpful to check out one’s own interpretation with that of a respected Bible commentary. If we become too dependent on the commentaries to teach us, we will miss many “gems” that the Holy Spirit has to give those who diligently apply themselves to the study of the Scriptures.

Assignment 16: (a) Name the four women mentioned in the genealogy in Matthew 1; (b) why do you think God wanted these particular women, and not others like Sarah and Rebekah, included in this presentation of the genealogy of Christ?

Assignment 17: Find a verse in Galatians 3 where an argument based on an Old Testament passage hinges on whether a particular word was singular or plural.

Assignment 18: Psalm 22, “a Psalm of David,” is often referred to as “a Messianic Psalm” because it clearly is prophetic of the Messiah–the Lord Jesus Christ. (a) Write down at least three non-literal figures of speech found in this psalm that serve to describe the intensity of Christ’s very real and literal sufferings on the cross. (b) “Hyperbole” is a figure of speech which exaggerates the truth in order to express one’s depth of feeling; can you find an expression in Psalm 22 that may have been an exaggeration as far as the personal experience of the author, David, was concerned, but was literally fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ?

Assignment 19: In 1 Sam. 21:8 we find the expression, “The king’s business required haste.” This statement from Scripture is often taken out of context and used in urging individual believers or assemblies of believers to take some course of action. From the context, what seems to be David’s actual purpose and intent in making such a statement?

Foundations of Faith
THE DIVINE INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES (IV)

8. The Bible is consistent with scientific findings. If the Bible were just another collection of ancient history and literature, we would expect to find in it many of the ancient world’s myths and superstitions concerning nature. But we don’t find this in the Bible. There is no mention of the ancient art of alchemy (the attempt to change ordinary metals into gold); no mention of the longstanding idea that all matter consisted of different proportions of four elements–earth, air, fire and water; no mention of the notion of spontaneous generation (for example, that maggots were produced from decaying meat, and mice from pieces of old bread and cheese). Rather, we find that many scientific discoveries and conclusions made within the past few centuries were already anticipated in the Scriptures thousands of years previously. This only confirms what the Bible states about itself, namely, that the greatest Scientist of all time–the Creator of the universe–is the author of the Bible.

Let us consider a few examples of the harmony of the Bible and modern science.

a. The sphericity of the earth. “It is He [God] who sits upon the circle of the earth” (Isa. 40:22; see also Prov. 8:27). Enemies of the Bible take verses that refer to “the four corners of the earth” (Isa. 11:12; Ezek. 7:2) and claim, “The Bible teaches that the earth is flat.” However, in Rev. 7:1 the “four corners of the earth” are associated with “the four winds of the earth” (that is, N, S, E, and W), and obviously is a metaphor for the extremities or farthest reaches of the earth. The expression is used today in everyday speech, such as, “His reputation extends to the four corners of the earth.”

b. The number of the stars. “The host [that is, stars] of heaven cannot be numbered” (Jer. 33:22). As late as the 17th century, the great astronomer Johannes Kepler gave the number of stars in the sky to be 1,005, while a contemporary astronomer, Tycho Brahe, counted only 777. Today, it is estimated that there are 100 billion stars just in our own galaxy (the Milky Way), and that there are 100 billion galaxies in the universe.

c. The importance of blood. “The life of the flesh is in the blood” (Lev. 17:11).

d. The importance of a low cholesterol, low animal fat diet. “You shall eat no manner of fat of ox, or of sheep, or of goat…. And the priest shall burn the fat upon the altar” (Lev. 7:22-34). Note:Only within the past 40 years or so has this become appreciated by health scientists.

e. Good public health measures:(1) washing after handling the carcass of an animal (Lev. 11:27,28); (2) quarantine of people with contagious diseases (Lev. 13:45,46); (3) washing and bathing if contaminated by an issue of blood, etc., from the human body (Lev. 15); (4) burying human waste (Deut. 23:13).

f. The importance of “safest sex”–that is, total sexual abstinence except within the marriage relationship (Exod. 20:14; 1 Cor. 6:18; etc.).

g. Description of the Second Law of Thermodynamics, namely, that the amount of available and useful energy is decreasing. Another way of expressing this law is that everything, left to itself, tends to run down and decay and deteriorate. “Of old hast Thou laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the work of Thy hands. They shall perish, but Thou shalt endure; yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment” (Psa. 102:25,26).

h. Forces that scientists cannot explain but only describe (for example, the force of gravity and the so-called “strong force” that keeps positively-charged protons in the nucleus of an atom from repelling one another) can be explained by the truth of Scripture that our Creator also sustains or holds together the universe (Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3).

(Note:Space does not permit us at this time to take up the very complex issues of the conflict between the theory of evolution and the biblical truth of creation of the universe. Perhaps we can take this up in later issues of Growing. Meanwhile, an outline on this topic is available from the editor upon request.)

This concludes this series in which we have presented eight different lines of evidence to support the claim that the Bible is the Word of God. In summary, these lines of evidence are:(a) the Bible’s own claim to be inspired of God; (b) the realistic view of man given by the Bible; (c) the consistency of the Bible’s teachings from Genesis to Revelation; (d) the acknowledgment by the Lord Jesus of the authority of the Old Testament Scriptures; (e) the fulfillment in New Testament times of a large number of Old Testament prophecies concerning Christ and concerning the nation of Israel and other nations; (f) the uniqueness of the Bible compared with other religious writings; (g) the consistency of the Bible with archaeological findings; and (h) the consistency of the Bible with scientific findings. To these we might add one more line of evidence–subjective but nevertheless real:millions of lives have been wonderfully changed by the power of the Scriptures (see Assignment 14). Taken together, these lines of evidence provide a strong foundation upon which the reader of the Bible can rest assured that this, indeed, is the Word of God.

Running the Race
SUGGESTIONS FOR STUDYING THE BIBLE (IV)

8. Memorize the names and order of the 66 books of the Bible; this will make it easier to follow along in Bible studies and to look up cross references to related passages.

9. Don’t just read, but take time to think about and to meditate on what you have read. Ask your yourself: (a) what does the passage say to me? (b) what stands out in my mind as I read it? (c) what does it teach me about God? (d) what does it teach me about myself? (e) how can I apply this to my life? (f) in what ways does this passage merit the response of praise and worship and thanksgiving to God on my part?

10. As a follow-up to meditation, make sure that you act upon what you have read. According to John 7:17, “If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine,” the Lord will not give us new light and understanding of the Scriptures if we are not living out what we have already learned. (See Assignment 15)

(To be continued.)

Assignment 14: Find and write out verses in 1 Thessalonians 1 and 2 and Hebrews 4 that speak of the power of the Word of God on people’s lives.

Assignment 15: What does chapter 1 of James say about this?

Foundations of Faith
THE DIVINE INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES (III)

7. The Bible is consistent with archaeological findings. (“Archaeology” is the study of the life and culture of ancient peoples by the excavation of the remains of their cities, etc.)

During the past two or three centuries, so-called “higher critics” of the Bible have called into question many of the historical references given in the Bible because they did not find confirmation of them in other written histories of the ancient world. However, since the advent of modern archaeology in 1798, a large body of external evidence has been literally “dug up” that agrees with biblical history.

This evidence is of two kinds- general and specific. Let us first consider examples of evidence that gives general insights into the culture and practices of biblical times. Recent excavations of the ancient city of Ebla in northwestern Syria have provided a rich source-nearly 17,000 clay tablets-of information and insights into life in the Middle East around the year 2,300 B.C., prior to the time of Abraham. On these tablets are found personal names such as Adam, Noah, Israel, Esau, Michael, and David that previously had been found only in the Bible. (This is not to say that these references are to the specific personages of the Bible.) There is also mention of familiar Palestinian place names such as Jerusalem, Lachish, Megiddo, and Gaza that authenticate the antiquity of these places.

Many slanderous statements have been made against God for His alleged cruelty in decreeing the utter destruction of the Canaanite nation (Deut. 20:17). But God had righteous reason for this-the extreme idolatry and abominations practiced by these people (Gen. 9:25; 15:16; Deut. 20:18; 2 Ki. 21:11). The late Dr. William F. Albright, foremost archaeologist of Palestine, has reported that nowhere has there been found such a concentration of figures of fertility goddesses-many distinctly obscene-than in ancient Canaan. Worse yet, both in Canaan and in Carthage, Africa which was founded by Canaanites, thousands of urns containing the burned remains of small children have been found, evidence of the horrible practice of infant sacrifice (Lev. 18:21; 2 Ki. 23:10). On the other hand, while images of gods and goddesses can be found in practically every archaeological excavation in the Middle East, no one has yet reported finding an image with the name “Yahweh” or “Jehovah” inscribed on it. (See Assignment 11)

Let us now consider a few of the specific correlations between archaeology and the Bible. In 1868 the famous Moabite stone was discovered at Dibon, east of the Dead Sea. It was erected by King Mesha of Moab around 840 B.C., and confirms the biblical account of Moab’s subservience to Israel under King Ahab’s rule, and their subsequent rebellion against Israel (2 Ki. 3:4-9). As a bonus, this stone also contains the statement, “The men of Gad dwelt in the land of Ataroth from of old,” in direct agreement with Num. 32:34.

A clay prism has been found which gives a lengthy narrative by Assyrian King Sennacherib of his campaign against Jerusalem. This agrees closely with the biblical account (2 Ki. l8:13-19:36). It is interesting to see how Sennacherib made as good a story as possible out of the siege by writing, “Hezekiah … like a caged bird, I shut up in Jerusalem.” However, he carefully avoided any mention of the final outcome. (See Assignment 12)

In 1960, the Israeli scholar Yigael Yadin discovered that the Gate of Megiddo and the Gate of Hazor were both built during the time of Solomon (judging from pottery fragments) and were both built following a single master plan. (See Assignment 13)

We have space for just one New Testament illustration. During the excavations of Corinth in 1929, a pavement dating back to the first century A.D. was found inscribed, “Erastus, curator of public buildings, laid this pavement at his own expense.” It is quite likely that this is the same person the apostle Paul speaks of in his Epistle to the Romans, written from Corinth:”Erastus the chamberlain [or manager] of the city salutes you” (16:23).

In summary, it must be stated that we cannot prove by archaeology that the Bible is the Word of God. Rather, it is the Holy Spirit who confirms in our hearts the conviction that the Bible is the Word of God. However, the archaeological discoveries of the past 200 years have served to blunt the attacks of the Bible’s critics, and “discovery after discovery has established the accuracy of innumerable details [of the Bible], and has brought increased recognition to the value of the Bible as a source of history” (William F. Albright, The Archaeology of Palestine, 1960).

(Further details on this subject of archaeology and the Bible can be found in the March-April 1993 issue of the periodical Words of Truth.)

Running the Race
SUGGESTIONS FOR STUDYING THE BIBLE (III)

6. It is always well to read and study with pen in hand. Sir Francis Bacon said, “Reading maketh a full man … writing, an exact man.” It is useful to keep a small book in which to jot down notes whenever you are reading the Bible. These may be disconnected thoughts, outlines of verses or chapters, or questions that occur to you–hundreds of matters that would escape your memory if they were not thus recorded.

7. As you engage in your daily Bible reading, keep an eye out for key verses that would be good ones to memorize. Write or type out such verses on 3″ x 5″ index cards or slips of paper. Then try to set aside a few minutes each day for memorizing these verses. In this way, in the course of a few years you will have committed to memory several hundred verses that will help you to show others the way of salvation, to defeat Satan when he tempts you, and to have a ready resource of guidance and encouragement in times of perplexity and trial.

If you have already memorized many verses, take time regularly to review them and make sure your mind has retained each verse. (If you memorize a verse on a particular day and then never go over it after that, it is as good as gone!) And don’t ever stop memorizing new verses!

If you have never done much Bible memorization before, it is not too late to start. It may be well to ask a Christian friend to help you, remind you, listen to you recite, and light a fire under you.

(To be continued.)

Assignment 11: Why do you think no images of Jehovah have been discovered? (See Exod. 20:4.)

Assignment 12: What does 2 Ki. 19:35,36 say about the outcome of Sennacherib’s campaign against Jerusalem?

Assignment 13: What verse in 1 Kings 9 relates to this find?

Foundations of Faith
THE DIVINE INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES (II)

Have you ever wondered about those long lists of names found so many times in the Bible–names of people and names of places? They seem awfully boring, don’t they? But yet they are extremely important in helping to establish the authenticity of the Bible. We shall come back to this in a moment.

Last month we presented several lines of evidence to support the claim that the Bible is the Word of God. These included:(1) the Bible’s own claim to be inspired by God; (2) the realistic view of man given by the Bible; (3) the consistency of the Bible’s teachings from Genesis to Revelation; (4) the acknowledgment by the Lord Jesus of the authority of the Old Testament Scriptures; and (5) the fulfillment in New Testament times of a large number of Old Testament prophecies concerning Christ. To this last, had there been space, we might have added many additional Old Testament prophecies concerning cities and nations such as Tyre, Sidon, Nineveh, Babylon, and others that have been fulfilled precisely. And we certainly would have mentioned the prophecies concerning the dispersion of the Jewish people among the nations (Deut. 28:25; Hos. 9:17), their persecution (Jer. 24:9) and their restoration to their own land (Isa. 11; Jer. 31; Zech. 8; etc.), the latter having begun with the reestablishment of Israel as a nation in 1948. That brings us to the sixth point which will occupy most of this issue.

6. It is common to hear in college classrooms, “The Bible is just one of many religious writings. Every culture has its deities and its creation and flood myths.” Not so! In many, many ways the Bible is unique, different from all other religious writings.

One thing that particularly sets the Bible apart from most other “holy books” is the fact that the Bible is a book of history–a book of real people with real names who lived in real geographical places at specific points of time in the history of mankind. In the Bible we can follow the history of man from our earliest ancestors, Adam and Eve, on down to Noah (Gen. 5), to Abraham (Gen. 11), to Judah (Gen. 12-38), to David (Ruth 4), to Jehoiachin (2 Chronicles), to Christ (Matt. 1)–a span of about 4,000 years. (See Assignment 7)

The Bible likewise contains many geographical details, thus permitting verification through archaeological excavations (more about this in the next issue). Thus, for example, we find a complete itinerary of the journey of the children of Israel through the wilderness (Num. 33), and detailed information concerning the boundaries of the portions of land divided among the 12 tribes in the land of Canaan (Num. 34; Josh. 13-21). (See Assignment 8)

In addition to details of persons’ names and place names in the Bible, we often find details of time. The timing of different events in the children of Israel’s wilderness journey is given in Exod. 12:3; 19:1; 40:17; Num. 9:3; 10:11; Deut. 1:3; and elsewhere. And a very instructive time line may be constructed from the numbers of years given in Gen. 5; 9:28,29; and 11:10-26. (See Assignment 9)

The Bible is different from the literature of the various polytheistic (“worshiping many gods”) religions which flourished in Old Testament times in places like Egypt, Canaan, and Mesopotamia. The gods of these nations were the forces of nature (for example, the sun god, the moon god, etc.), personalized, and given names. The religious literature of these nations was not primarily concerned with history or with the life of man on the earth, but with the life of the gods, which was the life of nature. When polytheists thought about history, they often considered it a series of cycles, dependent upon nature’s rhythms (for example, seasons, years, and periods between floods and other calamities). In contrast, the Bible is definitely historical literature and the God of the Bible reveals Himself through historical events such as the Exodus, the conquest of Canaan, restoration after the Babylonian captivity, and the most important events in all history–the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The gods of the polytheistic religions are a part or personification of nature. But the God of the Bible is the Creator of nature and all that exists and is totally distinct from all that He has created. Equally important, the God of the Bible is holy and righteous, and requires holiness and righteousness of His people. These attributes and requirements did not characterize the pagan gods, whose alleged behavior was sometimes worse than that of their followers.

There is a definite uniqueness about Israelite prophecy that is recognized even by secular (or non-religious) scholars, for the Old Testament prophets often spoke out against the religous and political establishments of Israel, whereas in other countries in Old Testament times the prophet was an employee of the king or religious cult. (Balaam and King Ahab’s prophets are examples of this kind of prophet–Num. 22-24; 1 Ki. 18.) The true prophets of Jehovah told the king and people of Israel that Jehovah was going to judge them for their sin, as well as the surrounding nations. Personal suffering resulting from their delivery of God’s message adds authenticity to the prophets’ “Thus saith the Lord.” Being a prophet brought suffering, but God’s hand was upon them and they had to speak. As Jeremiah said, “I have become a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks me…. But if I say, `I will not remember Him or speak any more in His name,’ then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire shut up in my bones; and I am weary of holding it in, and I cannot endure it” (Jer. 20:7-9 NASB).

No doubt the most important contrast between the Bible and other religious writings is that the Bible contains the good news of a salvation already accomplished by God through the sacrificial death of His Son. Salvation in all other such writings is accomplished through man’s self-effort.

To illustrate further the sharp contrasts with the Bible, brief descriptions of three of the most common of other religious writings or “holy books” are given in the following article.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF OTHER “HOLY BOOKS”

The Hindu Veda

Hinduism is a confusing mixture of pantheism (that is, everything that exists is part of “God”), polytheism, and various philosophies. But the Veda, the most ancient body of religious literature, is recognized by almost all Hindus as an absolute authority revealing fundamental and undeniable truth.

The Veda was composed between 1500 and 500 B.C. It is considered by Hindus to be eternal itself, not even revealed by a god or gods. The gods promoted the inspiration of gifted men who were able to “see” this eternal truth directly without use of normal sense perception and to express it in a human language, Sanskrit. The earlier books of the Veda are similar to the polytheistic literature mentioned in the previous article; the later ones devote less attention to stories of the gods and more to philosophical speculation on the nature of reality. The Veda does not claim to be the revelation of a supreme, personal God (for, according to the Hindu religion, the Ultimate and Supreme is in itself impersonal). Neither is the Veda considered by Hindus to be an absolute necessity for one’s spiritual well-being as the Bible is by true Christians.

The Buddhist Writings

The Buddha Gautama (563-483 B.C.) (“Buddha” is a title) did not write out his teachings but taught them orally to his disciples. His disciples also transmitted them orally, but in the centuries following his death, these teachings were written down so that now there are Buddhist scriptures which contain the teachings of the Buddha. Gautama did not claim that his teachings had been given to him by a god or gods (in Buddhism the existence of various gods is acknowledged, but they have little importance in the basic Buddhist teaching), but he gained the knowledge of them through disciplined, determined meditation combined with personal virtue.

In contrast to the sacred Hindu and Buddhist writings, the Bible makes the claim for itself to have been inspired and given by the one true, living, and personal God.

The Muslim Koran

According to Muslim tradition, the Koran (Arabic for “reading” or “recitation”) was revealed to Muhammad (570-632 A.D.) over a period of 20 years. The Koran states that the angel Gabriel was sent by God to reveal the Koran to Muhammad. While he was receiving these revelations, Muhammad appeared to be in some kind of trance. When he returned to normal consciousness, he recited the words to those present and on some occasions had them written down. Many people memorized the words of the Koran. After Muhammad’s death, Muslim authorities gathered all the written sources of the Koran available, and in consultation with those who had memorized Muhammad’s recitations, prepared an authoritative text.

The Koran generally appears as the speech of God, who speaks in the first person singular or plural. Many passages emphasize that the Koran is a direct revelation from God. In numerous passages the Koran states that God previously revealed the Torah (first five books of the Old Testament) and the New Testament Gospels, and that the Koran confirms these previous Scriptures. However this raises a big problem, namely, the obvious differences and even contradictions between the Koran and the Bible (for example, the teaching of the Koran that Jesus did not die but was carried alive to heaven by God while someone else with the appearance of Jesus was crucified at Calvary). The Muslim view is that the Bible has become corrupted in the process of being handed down over the centuries and that the Koran is the true word of God.

Is there any way of refuting this charge made against the Bible? Indeed, yes! First, there are thousands of manuscripts of both the Old and New Testament dating from the first century B.C. (Old Testament) and 2nd century A.D. (New Testament) to the days of Muhammad in the 7th century. No substantial differences have been found among the manuscripts–thus no evidence of corruption of the Scriptures–over this span of time. In fact, by means of manuscript analyses and historical study, Biblical scholars have affirmed that for at least 98 percent of the text of the New Testament, we have today exactly the words which the original authors wrote. Thus, the Muslim position is obviously untenable.

All three of the examples of “holy books” just presented contain much in the way of moral teachings. However, none of them manifest the many and varied marks of divine inspiration that are found in the Bible.

Running the Race
SUGGESTIONS FOR STUDYING THE BIBLE (II)

Last month we introduced this topic by indicating that in order effectively to study the Bible and enter into the truth that it contains, the reader must be “born again,” trusting Christ as his/her personal Saviour and Lord. (See Assignment 10) We shall now proceed under the assumption that the reader is truly saved.

2. The most complete and logical methods of Bible study, pursued in the most diligent manner, are all worthless apart from the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

3. Our study of the Bible must be accompanied with much prayer and not depending upon our own wisdom. We must beware of the tendency to have our own thoughts, and rather seek to have a mind open to the thoughts of God. We must try not to use the Scriptures to confirm our preconceived notions, but rather to learn the mind and will of God.

4. Set as a top priority of life the daily, regular reading of the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation, repeatedly and throughout life. We cannot emphasize enough the importance of having the mind and heart thoroughly saturated with the knowledge of Scripture from beginning to end. If you have never done this before, we recommend that you begin with the New Testament and then go back to the Old. If only one chapter a day can be read, the entire Scriptures will have been covered in the course of three years.

5. On days in which a little more time is available, it is useful occasionally to try rapid survey reading. This is the practice of reading an entire book through at a sitting. For instance, the Gospel of Mark can be read as we would an article in a magazine, and in as short a time. In this way we get a good general idea of the contents of the book which might be missed through reading one chapter at a time.

(To be continued.)

Assignment 7: Matthew 1 and Luke 3 both give genealogies of Christ, the first through His foster father Joseph, and the second through His mother Mary. In what ways are these genealogies alike? In what ways are they different?

Assignment 8: Read Josh. 19:1,9 and 21:1-42. How does the information given in these verses tie in with the curse which Jacob put upon his sons Simeon and Levi in Gen. 49:5-7?

Assignment 9: Have you ever wondered about Noah’s father and grandfather–whether they perished in the flood? Let’s test your mathematical skills. Using the numbers of years given in Gen. 5:25-31 and 7:6, see if you can figure out whether Noah’s father, Lamech, and grandfather, Methuselah, were still alive when the flood covered the earth? The name Methuselah essentially means “when he is dead it shall be sent.” How does this meaning tie in with your calculations?

Assignment 10: Suppose you were to die tonight and be taken to the gate of heaven, and suppose the Lord Jesus standing at the entrance were to ask you, “Why should I let you in here?” What answer would you give?

Foundations of Faith
THE DIVINE INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES (I)

Last month we talked about the authority of the Bible. Since God has spoken to man through the Holy Scriptures, it is most vital that we listen to Him by diligently reading the Bible and obeying His Word. But we left off with the question, “How can we be sure that it is the Bible, and not some other `holy book,’ that is God’s revelation to man?” In this and the next issue or two we shall very briefly explore different lines of evidence to support the claim that the Bible is the Word of God.

1. The Bible itself claims to be inspired of God (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20,21), and frequently gives direct quotations of God. (See Assignment 3)

2. The Bible is unique in giving a realistic view of man; it neither idolizes man nor drags him through the gutter. In its mini-biographies of men and women, the Bible gives as much time to describing people’s fears, deceit, anger, adultery, and even acts of murder, as to their acts of faith, obedience, and courage. (For example, read about some high points and low points in Abraham’s life in Gen. 12:10-20; 15:6; 16:1-12; 22:1-18. Also, some highlights and lowlights of David’s life may be found in 1 Sam. 17:32-51; 24:1-22; 25:2-35; 2 Sam. 11:2-27.) In fact, many of the authors of the Bible are frank and honest enough to write of their own failures (see Num. 20:12; Isa. 6:5; Rom. 7:7-24; 1 Tim. 1:13,15).

3. The Bible includes hundreds of controversial subjects discussed with harmony and continuity from Genesis to Revelation. For example, even though there are great differences in times, places, nations, societies, cultures, and political structures represented in the various books of the Bible, we still find the same description of God, the same description of man (“desperately wicked” in Jer. 17:9; “dead in trespasses and sins” in Eph. 2:1), the same means of salvation, and the same high standards of morality and holiness given throughout. (See Assignment 4)

4. The Lord Jesus, the eternal Son of God, manifested His acceptance of the Old Testament scriptures as God’s Word by His frequent reference to historical events of the Old Testament and frequent quoting of Old Testament passages, along with His failure to refer to any other ancient literary work. (See Assignment 5)

5. The Old Testament contains a couple hundred prophecies concerning the birth, life, sufferings, death, and resurrection of Christ which were fulfilled in the New Testament. (See the following article for specific examples.) Some people try to explain the fulfilled prophecies of Scripture by saying that the prophetic books of the Old Testament were not written until the first or second century A.D.–after they were fulfilled. This contention can be refuted in at least two ways. First, it is well attested that a Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament–known as the Septuagint–was prepared during the period 280 to 150 B.C. Second, among the Dead Sea Scrolls discovered in 1947 and afterwards were an entire scroll of the Book of Isaiah and portions of several other prophetic books of the Old Testament. These scrolls have been authoritatively dated at 100-200 B.C., that is, long before the fulfillment of their prophecies in Jesus Christ. (See Assignment 6)

Next month, Lord willing, we shall discuss the uniqueness of the Bible as compared to other religious writings.

SOME OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES CONCERNING JESUS CHRIST, AND THEIR NEW TESTAMENT FULFILLMENT

1. Descended from David (Psa. 132:11,12; Jer. 23:5; Matt. 1:1,6; Rom. 1:3; etc.)

2. Born of the seed of a woman, of a virgin (Gen. 3:15; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-35; Gal. 4:4).

3. Born at Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2; Matt. 2:1-8; Luke 2:4-7).

4. Ministered in Galilee (Isa. 9:1,2; Matt. 4:12-16).

5. Fed the hungry (Psa. 132:15; Matt. 15:32-39, etc.).

6. Healed the sick (Isa. 32:1-4; Matt. 9:35, etc.).

7. Entered Jerusalem on a donkey and received worship (Zech. 9:9; Psa. 118:25, 26; Matt. 21:5-11; Luke 19:35-38).

8. Betrayed (Psa. 41:9; Zech. 11:12,13; Matt. 10:4; 26:14-16,47-50; 27:3-10).

9. Crucified (Psa. 22:14-16; Zech. 13:6; Luke 23:33; 24:39).

10. Suffered in body and soul from man (Psa. 22:7,8; 69:7,9,12,19,20; Isa. 50:6; 52:14; 53:5,7; Matt. 26:57-27:44).

11. Forsaken by God (Psa. 22:1; 69:20; Matt. 27:46).

12. Buried in a rich man’s tomb (Isa. 53:9; Matt. 27:60).

13. Resurrected (Psa. 16:10; 30:3; Luke 24:46; Acts 2:30-32; 13:33; etc.).

14. Ascended to heaven (Psa. 68:18; Acts 1:9; Eph. 4:8).

Running the Race
SUGGESTIONS FOR STUDYING THE BIBLE (I)

How do you study the Bible? Do you have a particular “plan of attack” or do you just open your Bible at random and read a chapter here, a page there? In this series of articles we shall provide a variety of tips and suggestions to help you to get to know your Bible better.

1. It is the Holy Spirit who “will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). But you have to be saved, born again, trusting Christ as your personal Saviour and Lord, before you become indwelt by the Holy Spirit. If you do not have the assurance of eternal salvation, prayerfully read and study Matthew 26-28 (that is, chapters 26 to 28); Luke 15-18,23,24; John 1-6; Romans 3,4; 1 Cor. 15:1-8; and Eph. 2:1-10. Also, ask a Christian friend to help you to understand the way of salvation. And if you still need help, please write the editor of this paper.

(To be continued.)

Assignment 3: Find and write out at least one verse in each of Genesis 2, Jonah 4, and John 12 which give the actual words spoken by the God of heaven.

Assignment 4: What attributes of God described in Exodus 34 are also found in Romans 11 and Ephesians 1? What moral qualities given in Exodus 20 are described in the last part of Romans 1 as being violated by mankind?

Assignment 5: Find in Matthew 12 three Old Testament events referred to by the Lord Jesus, and find and write out at least two Old Testament passages quoted by the Lord Jesus in Matthew 4 and 5.

Assignment 6: Read about the Dead Sea Scrolls in an encyclopedia and write a one paragraph composition on the subject.

WELCOME TO GROWING

This is the first issue of a new monthly periodical prepared especially for Christian young people. It is anticipated that each issue will include an article on a fundamental doctrine of Scripture under the heading of “FOUNDATIONS.” Articles on practical Christian living will also appear from time to time under the heading of “THE RACE.” Our readers are encouraged to complete the ASSIGNMENTS and send them to the editor every two months. The editor welcomes any comments and suggestions you may have concerning this new publication.

Foundations of Faith
THE AUTHORITY OF THE BIBLE

“I don’t care what the Bible says. When I was ‘slain in the spirit,’ it was the most exciting feeling I have ever had.”

“Everyone is doing it, so there must not be anything wrong with it.”

“I felt this burning in my bosom while reading the Book of Mormon. That proves to me that it is true.”

“There is no such thing as absolute right or wrong. It all depends on the situation.”

What do these four statements have in common? Yes, as suggested by the title of this article, all of them do away with, or downplay, the authority of the Holy Scriptures. There is a tendency today for people to ask, “Is it exciting?” or “Does it feel good?” rather than, “Is it scriptural?” Or we hear people asking, “Is it useful?” or “Does it help me to achieve my personal goals?” rather than, “Does God give me permission to do it?”

We also find people today basing their way of thinking and living on the opinions of man, or on inner impressions, or on dreams and visions. For example, a few years ago a man called me because I was the local contact for a Christian radio program. He told me that he had received a vision from God that Jesus Christ was not the only way to the Father. I pointed out that his vision was in direct contradiction to the scripture that says, “I [Jesus] am the way … no man comes unto the Father but by Me” (John l4:6). But that did not seem to matter to him. His vision took precedence over God’s Word. In a similar vein, someone else told me that a prominent Christian teacher had a vision that the rapture–that is, Christ’s return for those who believe in Him–was going to occur prior to the great tribulation. In this case I happen to agree with this teacher’s beliefs, but for a different reason. He bases his teaching on a vision, while I base mine on God’s Word. Bear with me for one more example. Many years ago another believer and I were having a disagreement over a particular doctrine of Scripture. After looking at many passages of the Bible in an attempt to reach agreement on the point, the sister finally told me that some years ago she and her husband had asked the Lord to make them sick if they did not understand this particular doctrine correctly. Since they remained in good health, they proceeded to close their minds to any further scriptural insights on the question. The reason Christians are urged to read their Bibles and to study the Bible with other believers is that the Bible is the revelation of God, the Word of God. It is our final authority for all matters of life.

It is true that all of the Bible was written between 1900 and 3500 years ago. But while customs have changed and great advances have been made in science and technology since then, God has not changed, and God’s basic guiding principles of life have not changed. Does the availability of the birth control “pill” do away with God’s command to “flee fornication” (1 Cor. 6:18)? Does the fact that Mr. Jones is a multimillionaire mean that it doesn’t matter much if his cleaning woman and gardener steal from Him? Or perhaps to bring it closer to home, does the fact that my boss doesn’t pay me what I’m worth mean that I am free to spend part of my working hours reading a book when he’s not around, of course)? (See Assignment 1)

Does it really matter whether we accept God’s Word as the principal authority for our lives? Does it matter whether we obey God’s commandments? It sure does, but maybe for a different reason from what you might think! It is not that God is standing behind a curtain with a big club ready to smash us whenever we disregard His authority or disobey His Word. It is much more positive than that. God is a good God, God is wise, and all of His commandments are for man’s greatest good and blessing. Contrary to popular opinion, God is not a “party pooper.” God is not out to keep us from enjoying the pleasures of life. Rather, God’s commandments are designed to help man to achieve the greatest possible joy and true happiness both in this present life and for all eternity. We will discuss this in more detail in future issues. (See Assignment 2)

But some may ask, “How do we know for sure that the Bible is God’s Word? There are many other ‘holy books’ in the world, such as the Muslim Koran, the Hindu Vedas, the writings of Buddha, the Book of Mormon, and others. How do we know that the Bible is the authoritative Word of God?” Good question! We will have to wait for the next issue to begin exploring the answer to this question.

Running the Race
REPROOF AND CORRECTION

Robert was a long-distance runner. One of the best in the area. One afternoon while running in a cross-country meet he was leading the pack (as usual). As Robert came over the crest of a hill he saw the path ahead divide in a Y; confidently he took the branch to the left. Suddenly he heard a whistle blowing and an official screaming at the top of his lungs, “Wrong way! wrong way!” Turning around, he dashed back to the right path, and was still able to finish third in spite of his error. How grateful he was that the official spotted him going the wrong way and sounded the alarm, perhaps keeping him from coming in last.

Robert was reproved by the official, and as a result, corrected his course. Likewise, the Scriptures have been given to us, not only to teach us doctrine, but to reprove and correct us (2 Tim. 3:16).

Do you allow the Bible to speak to you, to reprove and correct you as Robert was corrected by the official? Let us learn to pray like the psalmist, “Search me, O God … and see if there be any wicked way in me” (Psa. l39:23,24). The Book of Proverbs talks about those who do and do not receive reproof: “He who refuses reproof errs…is brutish,…shall die” (Prov. 10:17; 12:1; 15:10). “He who regards reproof shall be honored…is prudent…abides among the wise…gets understanding” (Prov. 13:18; 15:5,31,32).

May the Lord help each of us to have hearts that are sensitive to His reproofs, and the spiritual energy to turn those reproofs into positive changes in our behavior and course of life.

Assignment 1: What scripture verse in the Book of Colossians would you use to answer that last question?

Assignment 2: Using a Concordance, find three verses in the Bible that tell us of the goodness of God. Also, write down at least one experience in your own life that has demonstrated the goodness of God.