During the month of December, Life magazine came out with a double-size issue in which the topic was "The Bible." It was well illustrated by works of religious art, and pictures of ruins in other lands. The cover carried a picture of Moses 'with the ten commandments, by Rembrandt. It was doubtless calculated to attract the religious element among its readers; but, alas, it is written in such a manner as to undermine the faith. It is a sad commentary on Christianity in this once favored land when a publication with great coverage and almost unlimited means at its disposal can disgorge such patent unbelief. We consider that this elaborate article can only come from a source which the editors little suspect. We may use the language of sacred Scripture, and comment, "an enemy hath done this." It could scarcely be more damaging if it were designed by a sinister power.
At one time this nation was well grounded in the fact that the Bible is the Word of God-not that all people believed the Bible, but by and large it was respected. Its precepts were admired, even when not bowed to; and it served as a great restraint against ungodliness and lawlessness. Now we are witnessing a rapid growth in these unlovely and noxious weeds on every hand. The Word of God said long ago, "There is no fear of God before their eyes." Rom. 3:1818There is no fear of God before their eyes. (Romans 3:18). "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Pro. 1:77The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7). When once the veracity and trustworthiness of God's immutable Word is destroyed in the soul, man has no anchor to hold him steady. He easily becomes the plaything of his lusts, and becomes what Scripture calls, "to every good work reprobate." When confidence in God is displaced, and the fear of God is removed through "philosophy and vain deceit," the restraining influences are gone.
It would be a bold man who would publish a prominent magazine and entitle it, INFIDELITY; but the very essence of the Life article could make more infidels than a brochure entitled as such. Furthermore, this article is buttressed by claims for super intelligence of its many contributors, and by extravagant avowals of later developments which seem to discount all that ever went before. But we aver that present-day claimed superiority of knowledge and research, which boldly sets aside a "thus said the LORD," is certainly lacking in modesty, and has an abundance of self-confidence. But let it be affirmed according to Him who is THE TRUTH, "The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day" (John 12:4848He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. (John 12:48)). Let men remember that "the judgment of God is according to truth" (Rom. 2:22But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. (Romans 2:2)).
We are greeted in this article (which we have reviewed by request) by the assertion that this Book is composed of "words written by men." The thought that it is the Word of God is categorically refused; the very idea of its being inspired by God is not in their thinking. Now if God dictated not only the thoughts but the words of Scripture, then it has a claim on men's consciences. If God has written words, even though He may use the pen of a man, He is able to make His mind known through that instrumentality. The infidel minds of men deny to God the ability to cause words to be written for us; but infidels claim this ability and this right for themselves, and freely use it to their shame and everlasting ruin. We may well paraphrase the words of the Apostle Paul, and say, "Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you" that God can make His mind known? The basic fault lies in this, that men refuse God's Word because it is God's word to them. It speaks to their consciences, and that they will not have. If a man has a sharp knife, one jab with it is sufficient to prove its keen edge. One jab is worth more than a thousand words, and so with the Word of God; it cuts between joints and marrow, and is a "discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Men are very cunning and crafty in seeking to reject the Word of Him who cannot lie, because it contains unpalatable truths which bind their consciences.
But to return to Life's article. The next thrust at the Word of the living God states that "most of its words were written down by others who remain nameless." This is a bold statement for a man "whose breath is in his nostrils" to make. From whence has he that superior wisdom that enables him to pronounce on the penmen whom God in His wisdom chose to use? The fact is, that men today reject it forthwith as the Word of God, and fancy to themselves that if they can discount it by questioning the names of the penmen, they can obviate their bounden duty to Him. We will see more of these daring charges concerning anonymity of the various writers.
A sleight-of-hand cheat is used to set aside all that God recorded, saying that it was only really passed down from father to son, and none of it was recorded. This is base presumption, if not bold effrontery. The article then goes on to claim that nothing was written down until about the year 1000 B.C., when the Hebrews began to record things. But will they please tell us how it was that the Hebrews were so deficient -in such an art when the surrounding nations were adept in it long before? But by this master stroke, they are free to claim that when the Israelites began to keep records, they recorded old stories and poems, which apparently were grossly inaccurate, for "their scrolls required frequent recopying, leaving room for many changes, some on purpose, and some inadvertent." Here is a crucial blow: when they did write, they did not write God's words, but "old stories and poems," which were frequently revised. Thus every claim for inspiration is rejected, and all we have left is a collection of old stories which were handed down inaccurately, then recorded inaccurately, and changed frequently. To believe this is to reject everything, even to God Himself.
This beginning of Hebrew writing is explained to be about the time of Solomon; but whence came all of Solomon's great wisdom? "And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the seashore. And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about. And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.... And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom." 1 Kings 4:29-32, 3429And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore. 30And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. 31For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about. 32And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five. (1 Kings 4:29‑32)
34And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom. (1 Kings 4:34). He may well have attained to things that some men of letters still lack. But according to these rejecters of the Bible truth, the surrounding peoples were far in advance of the Hebrews. This, we judge, is a state of mind bent on finding fault with the Bible to discredit it.
And where was the "sweet psalmist of Israel" when the poetic gems were penned? Furthermore, David's songs were divine utterances prophetic of the coming of Christ. The Lord Himself often referred to the sayings of David as pointing toward Himself. He also called David a prophet, and said that "He, seeing this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ" (Acts 2:3131He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. (Acts 2:31)). What a lie this gives to these men of the cloth who reject the Word of God. Yes, David wrote fluently and frequently, and Solomon his son excelled all the children of his day, to say nothing of Moses five hundred years earlier. But more as to this later.
How glad some people seem to be when they can point out some flaw in the Bible, although if they recognized their insufficiency for these things, they would be very hesitant to perhaps display their ignorance. Take, for instance, this charge: "Another burden of the Bible is its internal contradictions and crudities." What bold presumption! To bolster their boldness they ask, "Was it God or Satan who prompted David to take a census?" A schoolboy who had faith in God and reverence for His Word would be able to answer the quibble. Did not the Lord Jesus say to Peter, "Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat"? Was it Satan's desire to sift Peter? Yes, doubtless; but the Lord in His all-perfect wisdom permitted it. Did not Satan desire to thrust Job into the crucible? Yes, surely; but God overruled the trials and brought blessing to Job in the end. Was it not even so in David's case? The Lord permissively gave Satan license to provoke David to count Israel; but divine wisdom was demonstrated in the end, for through this trial David discovered the place where "mercy rejoiceth against judgment." There is no conflict or discrepancy in the two accounts, nor crudity, as alleged. Satan provoked David, but God overruled it and permitted the incident. There is no difficulty where the will is not perverse!
Now note this infidel notion: "But the logic of later Protestantism produced a degree of fundamentalist `bibliolatry' that maintained every word was divinely and equally inspired." Here then is the crux of their attacks on the Bible. They show their colors when and where a man or a people stand firmly for divine revelation in every part. Any true child of God who has worked with biblical research knows that there are mistakes of copyists and the like, and human errors of transcription have occurred; but careful God-honoring criticism has had its place in clearing up difficulties; but holy reverence is unknown to these modern apostles of free-thinking German-oriented higher criticism. Many of the difficulties disappear as the mist when there is reverence for God. With an anointed eye the difficulties dissolve. But the malevolent charge of "bibliolatry" is as unjust as it is untrue. It is not idolatry to honor God's Word, but it is gross idolatry to worship at the shrine of science "falsely so-called." Life alleges that Darwinian geology challenged the literal truth of Genesis.
If men would listen to science, which they set in contradiction to God and His Word, they might note the words of two eminent philosophers, John S. Mill and Herbert Spencer. These great men who were not noted for belief in God and His Word, said boldly that science can give no account of permanent and primary causes of the universe as it is. Further, that "science begins where creation ends. Science can investigate the effects of creation, but can give no account of the wonderful powers which wrought in creating." Herbert Spencer in particular added, "The only thing science can do is to conduct its students to a blind wall, on the other side of which lies the solution wholly outside science." The believer, on the other hand, can understand what the wise men of the world reject: "By faith we understand"; it is that simple, full, and complete, and is devastating to the wisdom of the world which God will bring to naught.
The gratuitous remark that the Bible "is certainly not myth all the way through" is not commendatory; for on closer examination nearly all things are challenged and weighed in the balances of unbelief. To allow of myth in any degree is offensive to the spiritual mind, for by the same measurements nearly every basic truth of God is discarded, openly or covertly.
Another false premise is contained in this: "The subject of the story is the continuing encounter and dialog on this earth between man and God." God has no continuing dialog with fallen man, for he is at enmity with God. It is an assumption that man in his wickedness is on speaking terms with the Holy God. This is the basic error of Cain, who presumed to approach God without a sacrifice, without an offering of acceptable worth. "Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain" (Jude 1111Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. (Jude 11)).