No. 768
“Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness. That the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17, ASV)
In our July 2021 paper, we established that there is a supreme Creator who is intelligent, wise, just, powerful, and good. We further established that our Creator had special reasons for keeping certain features of His program secret, only gradually revealing these mysteries to those in fellowship with Him. We now consider whether the Bible furnishes reasonable evidence that it is a divine revelation worthy of acceptance by those in heart harmony with the Creator.
The Bible is the only book in the world that sets forth the order of earth’s creation in a logical and rational manner, giving an account of the processes of the creative epochs. It shows man to be earth’s lord and ruler. (Gen. 1:28) The Bible alone gives man a proper standing as the Son of God, made in His image and likeness with respect to mental and moral qualities. The Bible clearly explains the current condition of mankind: “Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.” (Job 5:7) “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” (Psa. 51:5) The Bible alone explains how and why sin and death prevail among mankind and not among the angels.
The Bible alone explains the relief God has provided for the human race and how and when we will receive it. The Bible alone gives an orderly record of the first man and his descendants up until the flood. The Bible alone gives an explanation why the flood came and what purposes it served in the divine program. The Bible alone gives a record of the epoch immediately following the flood and carries a genealogical line from Adam to Noah, to Abraham, to the nation of Israel.
It is true that other so-called sacred books to some degree purport to give an account of creation, but the stories they tell are so wildly absurd as to be unworthy of the slightest credence. We grant that the account in Genesis is not as full and complete as we could have wished for, yet we find a perfect harmony between its brief, epitomized framework and deductions of modern science.
In studying the Bible, we should remember that it was not written to the world or for the world. Further, it does not yet concern the world, except as the world relates to the divine program. From the time of Abraham, the divine program has been attached to him and his posterity – natural Israel and spiritual Israel. The divine program proposes to bless Abraham and his seed by a recovery from the conditions of sin and death, and through Abraham’s seed these blessings will in due course extend to and bless “all the families of the earth.” The Bible can only be rightly viewed or judged from this standpoint.
Although the Bible does not claim that the world’s history from creation to Moses was divinely inspired, divine supervision of that history is clearly implied. God’s dealings with the human race through Abraham and Moses were necessary for man’s recovery from the dominion of sin and death. The Bible claims divine interaction with and revelation to Abraham and the reason for it is explicitly stated: God’s time had come for Him to begin the work of rescuing the race and Abraham’s faith identified him as the appropriate channel for making known the Gospel or “good news” of divine mercy.
God made a promise to Abraham: “And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” (Gen. 28:14) That promise became the basis of hope and faith and the inspiration for righteousness to the typical people who foreshadowed the blessings to come through this Abrahamic Covenant. The Prophets foretold certain details connected with the fulfilling of the promise made to Abraham and his seed, and encouraged the favored nation to whom these promises were made to stand firmly for the Lord and continue to be His typical people.
We refer to this Covenant as the Oath-Bound Covenant, the divine promise of a future blessing to mankind through Abraham’s seed. As St. Paul says, “Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath.” (Heb. 6:17) God’s oath gives strength to those seeking to be affiliated with Him and accounted worthy of association with Messiah in the blessing of the world. It aids believers in fleeing from sin and resisting its allurements, in denying self and in taking up the cross. (Heb. 6:10-14) The Apostle assures us that the twelve tribes of Israel were inspired by it to continually serve God, staying loyal to Him and separating themselves from the nations surrounding them: “Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come.” (Acts 26:7)
BIBLE ACCOUNT IGNORED
Evolutionists and Higher Critics ignore the Bible account and claim man’s origin to have been by evolutionary processes, from an ape-like condition to a condition of superior intelligence. They find it difficult to account for the intelligence displayed by Moses and the Egyptians of his time, and so in defense of their theory they surmise millions of years from man’s creation to Moses, regardless of the fact that in so long a period the world would be vastly over-populated. Moreover, they have another problem in that the intelligence and wisdom displayed by Moses and recorded in the Bible is far beyond the intelligence and wisdom of the masses today. The words and laws of Moses and Israel are cited as standards of wisdom and justice in the most learned circles and courts of justice of today. It is safe to say that the laws of the most civilized nations of the world today have either been constructed out of the Mosaic Law or have been diligently patterned after them.
Pause for a moment to consider some of the features of the Mosaic Law. Some of its commonly accepted provisions are greatly improved modifications of Latin laws. Some of its other features have been neglected in our modern laws, but are being demanded by today’s social movements. If these demands are not met, many expect that our present civilization is in danger of anarchy. Consider, for instance, the Law of Moses respecting debtors and creditors under which a debt could not extend beyond fifty years. In the fiftieth or Jubilee year, every responsibility, personal and financial, was wiped out and each estate was permitted to come back to its original possessors, allowing each family to recover from its disasters and financial difficulties. This neglected provision has been recognized to some extent by bankruptcy laws adopted by all civilized nations. The limiting of debt has prevented it from crushing out hope and ambition.
A MODEL GOVERNMENT
Unlike all other governments, the one instituted by Moses recognized God Himself as the ruler, and the nation as His people. The “holy of holies” of their tabernacle was the divine meeting place, and the various tribes circled around it. Personal responsibility to God was the overriding sentiment in all of their laws, and the spirit of the Decalogue is today recognized as the very best statement of human obligation. Jesus summed it up as follows: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.” (Luke 10:27; Deut. 6:4-5) More than thirty centuries have failed to improve upon this statement. The government instituted by Moses was in many respects a model of fairness and justice, and not just for the Israelites. The rights of the stranger – the foreigner – were also stipulated.
For over four hundred years, Israel was in many respects a republic whose judges acted under divine commission and law, but it was then changed to a monarchy at the request of its elders. The Lord permitted this although He did not approve it. The Prophet Samuel was the last to hold the office of judge, acting as the representative of the people. The Lord said to him: “Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.” (1 Sam. 8:7) Under divine direction, the Prophet explained to the people in great detail how their divine rights would be disregarded by a king and how their liberty would be greatly diminished, but they refused to listen. (1 Sam. 8:10-22)
Considering the inclination of the people to desire a king, it is evident that Moses might have taken that position himself without the slightest opposition. The judges were representatives of the various families and tribes, and Moses said of them, “And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him. Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.” (Deut. 1:16-17)
No civilized nation of today provides more carefully for the equitable treatment of the rich and the poor before the civil law than did Israel. The Jubilee arrangement was an example of this, as we have seen. Further, all the laws were made public, so that even the poorest individuals knew their rights. Following are examples of some of the laws of fairness and justice given to Israel by divine edict:
(1) Laws regarding the rights of foreigners and strangers: “Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the Lord your God.” (Lev. 24:22) “And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.” (Lev. 19:33-34) “Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.” (Exod. 23:9)
(2) Laws protecting the weak and vulnerable: “Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.” (Exod. 22:22-24)
(3) Laws protecting workers and the poor and needy: “Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates: At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the Lord, and it be sin unto thee.” (Deut. 24:14-15) “If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.” (Exod. 22:25)
(4) Laws protecting the handicapped and elderly: “Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the Lord.” (Lev. 19:14) “Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the Lord.” (Lev. 19:32)
(5) Laws regarding the equitable treatment of others: “If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.” (Exod. 23:4-5)
(6) Laws providing for the humane treatment of animals: “Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.” (Deut. 25:4) “Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together.” (Deut. 22:10) “Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.” (Exod. 23:12) The ox must not be muzzled while threshing the grain, because any laborer is worthy of his food. Hitching an ox and an ass together would be cruel because they are so unequal in size and strength. Rest for animals was provided for just as it was for humans.
NO POLITICAL POWER TO THE PRIESTHOOD
Despite all of these laws protecting others, there was not one word of special entitlement for the priesthood. While a priestly tribe was indeed indicated under the Mosaic Law, it was given no political power – in fact the opposite was true. The priests were to teach the people and minister holy things to them, but they were not to rule over them. Moreover, the priestly tribe had no inheritance in the land as did the other tribes, and were dependent upon the voluntary offerings of their brethren. However, there were no threats of present or future penalties to the people if they were negligent in giving to their teachers. The simple exhortation was: “And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee.” (Deut. 14:27)
To say that this arrangement was selfish or concocted by unscrupulous priests is to declare oneself ignorant of the institutions of Israel. On the contrary, if more people carefully studied the Bible, many would be lead to inquire, “Where did Moses get that Law?” It would be clear to them that this highly intelligent, humble, patriotic, and noble instrument was not the product of a primitive ape-like intellect. Even more than that, its divine authorship would be evident.
We leave the typical features of Moses’ Law for consideration elsewhere. We merely point out what the Apostle declares – that these types are “a shadow of things to come.” (Col. 2:17) Thus an accurate understanding of them serves an important function in instructing spiritual Israel concerning spiritual things. The typical cleansings were made with the blood of bulls and goats, prefiguring the antitypical cleansings made “with better sacrifices than these.” (Heb. 9:23)
Who can reasonably or truthfully say that these laws and regulations were the work of crafty, designing men animated by selfish desires? The same principle applies to the historical books and to the prophecies of the Old Testament Scriptures. Throughout these writings, the sincerity of the writers and their loyalty to God were tested. The messages they delivered often brought disfavor upon them and sometimes even cost them their lives. (Heb. 11:30-40)
The very fact that the sins and weaknesses of prophets, kings and priests are laid bare in the Scriptures, yet without any apparent animosity or any desire to color or whitewash them, indicates fairness and a loyalty to Truth beyond anything we are accustomed to today. Indeed, although many influential men are criticized in the Scriptures, there is no evidence whatsoever of any attempt to tamper with the records. The sacred writings were apparently greatly revered.
Much the same can be said for the New Testament writings. They are simply told and unfavorable facts are not ignored. It is plainly stated that Jesus died between two thieves; that He was betrayed by one of His own disciples; that all of His disciples abandoned Him and fled; that one of them even denied Him with cursing. The humble origins of the disciples are clearly documented. Even when the Apostles Peter and John preached under the power of the Holy Spirit, their more educated listeners “perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men.” (Acts 4:13) What biographies or other writings of today display as much candor as we see when we open the Bible?
HARMONY FROM GENESIS TO REVELATION
When we consider the fact that the Bible is composed of sixty-six books written by thirty-eight different authors over a period of nearly two thousand years, it is surely a miracle that these writers tell one story in full agreement. This cannot be explained unless, as the Scriptures themselves assert, these various writers were supernaturally guided. In order to appreciate how stupendous this miracle is, consider that today an equal volume of writing from any thirty-eight persons who are members of one denomination, influenced by one general view point, would be found widely conflicting and contradictory – even if they were the most educated persons in the denomination and picked for the very purpose of this demonstration.
Among those who revere the Bible as being a divine revelation, we find that great differences of thought have resulted in hundreds of denominational creeds, contradicting and opposing one another in a most violent manner. As a result, those today who love peace are constrained to avoid discussing doctrine as much as possible in the interest of unity and harmony. Moreover, we find that the various creeds of Christendom not only contradict each other and contradict reason, they violently contradict the Scriptures themselves. The Scriptures alone are harmonious with themselves and with reason. This demonstrates that the Bible is the most wonderful book in the world. Assaulted both by friends and foes, it still stands as the great divine record of the purposes which God purposed in Himself before the foundation of the world. (Eph. 1:4, 9)
TEN CARDINAL DOCTRINES
It is clear that the Bible is not, as is generally supposed, merely a collection of rules, regulations, statements, etc., whether wise and beneficial or otherwise. From its opening statement to its closing one, the theme of the Bible is God’s program for mankind. Among the many doctrines of Scripture there are ten primary doctrines, interrelated, so that considered together they embody the entire Plan of Salvation. When properly understood, these ten doctrines are harmonious, just as the ten strings of a harp, properly tuned, produce harmonious chords: “Praise the Lord with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.” (Psa. 33:2; Psa. 92:2-3) The ten cardinal doctrines are:
(1) Creation: The Bible begins with a doctrinal statement: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (Gen. 1:1) Expanding on this, the Bible continues: “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” (Gen. 1:2) The earth was in a waste condition, lacking order, and it received no light from any heavenly body. From this state God began to order the earth, preparing it to support life. He then began the process of bringing forth life: “And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit . . . And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth . . . And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.” (Gen. 1:11, 20, 24)
This is consistent with the idea that life evolved from the sea and the land. But then there is a different statement: “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” (Gen. 1:26) Man being given dominion over the animals proves that man was not evolved from animals or part of any evolutionary chain.
(2) The Fall: Often referred to as “original sin,” this doctrine is found in Genesis Chapter three. Satan beguiled Eve into disobeying God’s command and Adam knowingly followed suit. The blight of sin thereby entered the human race and has been passed down by heredity. The Apostle Paul plainly states this doctrine: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” (Rom. 5:12)
(3) The Law: God established the Law Covenant with Israel to demonstrate man’s fallen condition. If Israel could keep the perfect Law it would be redeemed from the death sentence: “Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them.” (Lev. 18:5) The Law was also a schoolmaster preparing Israel for the coming Messiah: “But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” (Gal. 3:23-24) In addition, the entire experience of Israel under the Law provided a set of types foreshadowing the experience of the Church in the Gospel Age: “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples [types]: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world [ages] are come.” (1 Cor. 10:11)
(4) The Ransom: This is the central doctrine of Scripture, to which all other doctrines must conform. It is most clearly stated by the Apostle: “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom [a corresponding price] for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Tim. 2:5-6) No perfect man could be found to be a corresponding price. No angel or spirit being could be a corresponding price since on a higher plane than man, and no animal could be a corresponding price since on a lower plane. Therefore, the prospect of being man’s redeemer was set before God’s Son, the Logos. If He could successfully carry out a covenant of sacrifice (which He did) and if that sacrifice would be acceptable to God (which it was), that sacrifice would then release Adam from the death sentence and consequently release all condemned to death through Adam. Stated another way, “For since by man [Adam] came death, by man [Jesus] came also the resurrection of the dead.” (1 Cor. 15:21)
(5) Resurrection: Resurrection is a reversal of the death process. The word resurrection is from the Greek anastasis signifying to stand up or rise up. It is not merely an awakening from death but the process of overcoming the death sentence and all of its effects of disease, etc. The Scriptures show that there are two resurrections. The world’s resurrection is described as the resurrection of the “unjust” or the resurrection of judgement (mistranslated “damnation”). The world’s resurrection in the fullest sense will take many years. The other is called the resurrection of the “just,” “the resurrection of life,” or the “first resurrection.” It is for the justified elect classes of this age and of times past – the Little Flock, the Great Company, the Ancient Worthies and the Youthful Worthies. (John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15; Rev. 20:5-6)
(6) The High Calling: “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:14; Heb. 3:1) Those of this “heavenly calling” (the Little Flock, the Body of Christ) have sacrificed throughout the Gospel Age. They have been tried and tested while doing a witnessing work to the world. Those accepted to the High Calling are begotten of the spirit - begotten to a new nature - the spiritual nature, and if faithful unto death will receive that new nature fully by being born again, or resurrected as spirit beings in the First Resurrection. They have gathered out of the world and the nominal church others to be of this same class. During the Millennial Age they, along with their Head, will constitute the Royal Priesthood (the Mediator between God and man) and will judge, bless, and uplift the world of mankind during the coming thousand year Millennial Age.
(7) Justification: How are the elect deemed acceptable to God since all are sinners through Adam? “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23) They are reckoned perfect because they are justified by faith in the merit or virtue of their Redeemer’s sacrificial life and death. By faith they are covered by the robe of Christ’s righteousness, giving them a standing before God. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom. 5:1) The Ancient and Youthful Worthies could also be included in this category, because they are justified by faith.
(8) Sanctification: The justified are then called to consecrate, offering their justified humanity as a sacrifice: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” (Rom. 12:1) “Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” (Psa. 50:5) If accepted by God, they are then sanctified, that is, they are set apart for God’s service.
(9) Restitution: This doctrine is succinctly stated by the Apostle Peter: “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive [retain] until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” (Acts 3:19-21) These Restitution Times will follow as a result of our Lord’s second advent and the establishment of His Kingdom in glory and power. The word “restitution” means to restore something back to its original or primary condition. The work of Christ and His Church in glory during the Millennium will be to restore mankind to the condition, privileges, and blessings it enjoyed before sin and death entered the world.
(10) Second Death: The Apostle Peter’s discourse continues and gives us our final cardinal doctrine: “For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.” (Acts 3:22-23) All who willfully refuse the offer of restitution and life after being brought to a knowledge of the Truth in the coming age will die the Second Death, eternal death, as symbolized by the lake of fire. (Rev. 21:8)
The book which teaches these ten cardinal doctrines reveals the mind of God and His Plan of Salvation for the world. It is certainly worthy of universal acknowledgment and acceptance as the divine message. “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” (Rom. 11:33)
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Based on What Pastor Russell Wrote for the Overland Monthly, pages 8-13, with additions.
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