77
The Bible and Modern Criticism appears to John on Patmos, and says, “To the angel of the church write these things,” this is an instance of verbal dictation. . . . But just here we are amused at those weak-minded critics who, with hackneyed phrases, talk so glibly about mechan ical instruments” and “mere verbal dictation.” Does then a self-revelation of the Almighty and a making known of His counsels, a gracious act which exalts the human agent to be a co-worker with Jehovah, annihilate personal freedom? Or does it not rather enlarge that freedom, and lift it up to a higher and more joyous activity? Am I then a “mechanical instrument” when with deep devotion and with enthusiasm I repeat after Christ, word for word, the prayer which He taught his disciples? The Bible is, consequently, a book which originated according to the will and with the co-operation of God; and as such it is our guide to eternity, conducting man, seemingly without a plan and yet with absolute certainty, all the way from the first creation and from Paradise on to the second or higher creation and to the New Jerusalem (Comp- Gen. 2:8-10 with Rev. 21:1, 2). PROOF OF THE BIBLE’S INSPIRATION How does the Bible prove itself to be a divinely inspired, heaven-given book, a communication from a Father to His children, and thus a revelation? First, by the fact that, as does no other sacred book in the world, it condemns man and all his works. I t does not praise either his wisdom, his reason, his art, or any progress that he has made; but it represents him as being in the sight of God, a miserable sinner, incapable of doing anything good, and deserving only death and endless perdition. Truly, a book which is able thus to speak, and in consequence causes millions of men, troubled in conscience, to prostrate them selves in the dust, crying, “God be merciful to me a sinner, must contain more than mere ordinary truth.
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker