p. 109 | The Word of God by J. Clarke

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 6, 1866

The Word of God.

By J. Clarke

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet. Psa. cxix, 105." Man, feeble, dying man, when left to his own resources, is truly a forlorn and benighted being. He is weak in body and mind, subject to disease and accident, and countless misfortunes in this life; and worse than all, he is continually exposed to the degrading influences of sin and Satan.

Literally separated from his Creator, until he has forgotten that he owes him allegiance; unable to rise from this sin-cursed earth; dying, withering, fading, decaying; man is at best a wanderer, an exile.

Far away in the azure heavens, he beholds bright constellations of stars, where he imagines bright celestial beings who never sinned, abide, and hold rapturous and holy conversation with their Creator, whom they never offended. But how can man mount to those celestial abodes, and climb those lofty heights, or pass that long route, that dread ocean of space, to where Orion gives light and splendor and beauty to those radiant spheres? Or were it possible for him to visit those favored abodes, could he assure himself of the society of those holy beings? Would they associate with the unholy and sinful race of Adam?

Left to his own reflections, without the word of God how many perplexing questions would arise! What doubts! what fears! what unexplained, undefinable, desires and longings, and aspirations! and, alas, what gloom would settle over the tomb!

But the mystery is solved. God's precious word unravels the dread mystery of sin and the grave; and spreads a halo of glory about the tomb of the just. The Bible answers every query and solves every doubt.

In this blessed book, the lover of history, finds full information of past and future events, beginning with the first Eden, and reaching over a period of seven thousand years, to the second Eden in the earth made new. Here the lover of prophecy may be feasted with the words of inspiration telling of scenes to come; the future history of our race and of the planet we inhabit.

Here the antiquarian may find interesting relics of the past; and authentic information of the origin of man; and in the book of God he may find a direct quotation from the writings of Enoch, its style bearing witness that it is copied from a writing totally unlike the style of Jude, who made the quotation, as different as the style of David the psalmist is from that of Luther the reformer.

He who loves to dwell upon Christian experience, may find in the Bible a rich and pleasing variety. Here are promises and threatenings, encouragements and warnings; here are lamentations and hymns of praise.

In this holy book, we find laws interspersed with history, and laws statutes and commandments, so mingled with exhortations, experience, and interesting relations of facts, that they seem more like kind advice than like laws.

The Bible is the moral sun of our race. It is so, not to us alone, but as much to those who went before us; they walked in the same light.

Written at different periods in the world's history, by kings and statesmen, by shepherds, herdsmen and fishermen, by poets and philosophers, men of different nations and languages, they breathe a like spirit, and speak the same sentiment, though in different ways, and circumstances.

God's word is the grand lever by which the moral world is moved: never yet a sinner was enlightened and brought to repentance, but directly or indirectly by means of the Bible; and by this means the Christian grows up into Christ.

The world of mankind are indebted to God's word for all their blessings; and those lands once blest with wealth, enlightenment and civilization, in connection with the existence of God's word and people among them, relapsed into darkness and degradation, when they had driven all such influences away from them; and those countries where God's word has freest course, have most of political, moral, and social privileges and happiness.

It is a precious and blessed book; and he who would live nearest to God, must read it most, and with a humble, prayerful spirit.

God speaks in this blessed book. Would you hear the thunders of Sinai, or the still small voice which Elijah heard? or would you hear him at the baptism of Jesus, or on the mount of transfiguration? Then read often and much, and with prayer for the aid of the Spirit.

Would you foil Satan and win the love of Jesus, would you overcome the world, the flesh and the Devil? then read and meditate in the word of God.

Does it seem for a moment dry and uninteresting? repair to the throne of grace, and seek from the Author of the Bible, a fresh baptism of the Spirit.

Then when your soul is in raptures at the views of God's goodness and love, you will say with an inspired writer, "How sweet are thy words unto my taste, yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" Psa. cxix, 103.