THE STABILITY OF GOD’S WORD.
By John Orr
THE reason assigned by the psalmist for loving God’s Word was a most excellent one: “Thy Word is very pure; therefore Thy servant loveth it.” Ps. 119:140. As given in the margin of the text, the word “pure” as used here means tried, or refined; that is, free from any tincture of adulteration, of whatever kind. It has no semblance of untruth, no element of weakness whatever. It is exactly what it purports to be, the Word of eternal truth. Coming from Jehovah Himself, it partakes of His nature, and reveals His will. His nature being love, and His will eternal righteousness, the Word is lovable and elevating to all who study its features. It therefore follows that to add to that Word the sentiment of another, who has not this characteristic of purity, would be to change its nature and so make it false. He who would seek to change it in the least, would do so because it does not suit him in its present state. This would show him to be impure in sentiment and false at heart. Should he change the Word to suit him, it would then express his nature and his sentiment, which must be one of falsehood, since he does not agree with it in its pure condition. So, then, the warning of the wise man on this point is very timely: “Add thou not unto His words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” Prov. 30:6. Every pure object has great virtues. One of the potent elements of God’s Word is its creative energy. This is well expressed by the psalmist: “By the Word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.” Ps. 33:6. Men form objects with their hands, from material within reach, after periods of labor. In the creation it was different; no material previously existed; no long period of time was consumed in laborious work; but the voice of God took shape, and a universe appeared where none previously existed. Bible writers are unanimous on this point. The audible breathing of God produced, and gave shape to, the physical universe. Thus we are taught by the simple words of Scripture that the creation was an instantaneous work. In confirming this idea, the writer of the Psalms continues: “For He spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.” Verse 9. We notice that the word “done” in this text is printed in Italics to show that it was supplied by the translators, not being found in the original text. Reading this as it was first given, it tells us that “He spake, and it was;” that is, when God’s voice was heard, that which it called for instantly appeared. Not only are we taught that the Word of God produced the worlds, but that His command caused them to continue as evidence of the creative energy of His Word. Speaking on this point the apostle testifies to Christ’s “upholding all things by the Word of His power.” Heb. 1:3. Then His is a Word of power, which not only created the worlds, but upholds them all in their courses. It is not necessary for God frequently to repeat the order of light and darkness, and the changing seasons, because that Word was spoken once for all at the beginning, when “He commanded, and it stood fast.” As the worlds are the production of a God-breathed energy, so, too, the life of all creatures came from the same source. The record of man’s creation tells us this: “The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life,” and so he “became a living soul.” Gen. 2:7. Adam lived by a God-breathed life; that is, his life and energy were forces received direct from the breath of God. The breathing of God is, therefore, not only a creative energy, but the pulse-beat, as it were, of His own life. It quickens everything which it begets, or upon which it rests. So we are told that “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God.” 2 Tim. 3:16. Literally rendered, this would read, “All Scripture is God-breathed,” which would imply that the Bible itself is also endowed with the life and energy of God. But as this God-breathed Word was to be for the benefit of man, who had lost the knowledge of God and His ways, it was necessary to breathe it through chosen ones who were in touch with the needy, and who could therefore impart it to them in its purity. Thus we read: “The prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Peter 1:21. So the Scriptures were not given as the mind of men directed, but the Holy Spirit,—the breathing of God,—moved them to speak and write as they did. David tells how this was. He says, “The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and His Word was in my tongue.” 2 Sam. 23:2. Independent of his own mind, the tongue of the holy man was operated by the Spirit,—the breathing of God,—and so the words expressed were purely those of the breath of God. The living Word still has the same power, and is able to re-create man, and make him a new creature in Christ Jesus. See Eph. 2:10; 4:24; 2 Cor. 5:17. No other power can eliminate from the fallen one the gross uncleanness placed there by sin. One of old asked, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?” The answer is quickly given: “By taking heed thereto according to Thy Word.” Ps. 119:9. It is the power of this Word that makes the Gospel potent to save; for the Gospel is “the power of God” (Rom. 1:16), and we have already seen that the power of God is revealed in His Word. Were not the eternal Word,—the breathing of God,—the foundation of the Gospel, it could have no power to save, because the Word of God is both the beginning and ending of power. But we are not left to logic to settle this question. Inspiration itself declares: “The Word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached unto you.” 1 Peter 1:25. It is truly assuring to know that this Word of power which upholds the universe, will ever be available for man’s needs. Referring to the effect of that Word when proclaiming the law from Sinai, the apostle says: “Whose voice then shook the earth; but now hath He promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifying the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which can not be shaken may remain.” Heb. 12:26, 27. From this we understand that God’s voice will sometime shake everything that has been made, which will be the removing of them. Every mountain and island will then be moved out of their places. Rev. 6:14–17. Only that which can not be shaken will remain. God’s Word has never been shaken, but has remained steadfast under all circumstances, therefore it will stand when every other support has been removed from men. At that time, those whose feet have been planted on the eternal Word will continue, even tho the foundations of the world itself have been removed. There is nothing so sure as the Word of God, upon which to build the hope of life. “How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word;
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
Who unto the Saviour for refuge have fled?”