Schoolmaster to Christ
DEUTERONOMY INTRODUCTION
Schoolmaster to Christ
DEUTERONOMY INTRODUCTION
In Hebrew, "these are the words;" in Greek, "second law;" in Latin, "deuteronomii; " and in English, "Deuteronomy." The Hebrew really means "and he shall write out for himself a copy of this law." In a true sense, Deuteronomy is a repetition of the law. It is the last of the five books of the Pentateuch, or "five-fifths of the Law." It possesses an individuality and impressiveness of its own (I.S.B.N.)
Deuteronomy contains the last addresses of Moses to the people, delivered in the plains of Moab. It is not to be regarded as merely a recapitulation of the three previous books, but rather as Keil has so admirably stated, "a hortatory description, explanation, and enforcement of the most essential contents of the covenant revelation and the covenant laws, with emphatic prominence given to the spiritual principle of the law and its fulfillment, and with a further development of the ecclesiastical, judicial, political, and civil organization, which was intended as a permanent foundation for the life and well-being of the people in the land of Canaan" (The Pentateuch, ET, Vol. III, p. 270). The laws of Deuteronomy are spoken by Moses to the people (1:5) and are clothed in a hortatory form. In no sense is its legislation to be regarded as a new or second law, differing essentially from that of the previous books of the Pentateuch.
The character of the Book of Deuteronomy is as distinct as that of any of the four preceding sections of the Pentateuch. If we were to judge from its title, we might suppose that it is mere repetition of what we find in previous books. This would be a grave mistake; there is no such thing as mere repetition in the God's Word. God never repeats Himself, either in His Word or works. Wherever we trace our God, whether on the page of Holy Scripture or in the vast fields of creation, we see divine fullness, infinite variety, marked design; and, in proportion to our spirituality, we can discern and appreciate them. Here, too, we need the eye anointed with heavenly eye-salve. What a poor idea of inspiration must one have, who could imagine that the fifth book of Moses is mere repetition of what is found in Exodus, Leviticus; and Numbers. Even in a human composition, we would not expect to find such flagrant imperfection, much less in the perfect revelation that God has so graciously given us in His Holy Word. The fact is, from cover to cover of the inspired Word of God, there is not a single superfluous sentence, not one redundant clause, not one statement without its own distinct meaning; its own direct application. If we do not see this, we have yet to learn the depth, force and meaning of the words, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God."
Precious words – pray they were more thoroughly understood in this age. It is of the utmost importance that the Lord's people be rooted, grounded and settled in the grand truth of the plenary inspiration of Holy Scripture. Laxity toward this most weighty subject is today spreading to an appalling extent in organized religious institutions, and is to be feared. In many quarters it has become fashionable to pour contempt on the idea of plenary inspiration. It is looked on as childishness and ignorance. It is regarded by many as proof of profound scholarship, breadth of mind, and original thinking to be able to find flaws in the precious Word of God by free criticism. Men presume to sit in judgment on the Bible as though it was a mere human composition. They undertake to pronounce what is and what is not worthy of God, virtually sitting in judgment on God Himself. As might be expected, the present result is utter darkness and confusion, both for the so-called learned professors and all who foolishly listen to them. Regarding the future, who can conceive the eternal destiny of having to answer before the judgment seat of Christ for the sin of blaspheming the Word of God, and leading hundreds astray by infidel teaching?
However, we will not occupy time commenting on the sinful folly of infidels and skeptics – even though called Christians – or their puny efforts to cast dishonor on the peerless volume that our gracious God has caused to be written for our learning. Such is truly a fatal mistake. Let it always be our deep joy and consolation to meditate on the Word of God, so that we may always be discovering some fresh treasure in that exhaustless mine, some new moral glories in that heavenly revelation.
The Book of Deuteronomy holds a distinct place in the inspired canon. Its opening lines are sufficient to prove this. "These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan, in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red Sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab."
So, this is the place where the lawgiver delivered the contents of this marvelous book. The people had come to the eastern bank of the Jordan and were about to enter the land of promise. Their desert wanderings were nearly ended, as we learn from the third verse where the point of time is presented, as the Geographical position is in verse 1. "It came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that: Moses spake unto the children of Israel according unto all that the Lord had given him in commandment unto them."
Thus, not only do we have both time and place presented with divine precision and minuteness, but from the words just quoted we also learn that the communications made to the people in the plains of Moab were far from being a repetition of what has come before us in our studies on the books of Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers. Of this we have further and very distinct proof in a passage in Deuteronomy 29: "These are the Words of the covenant which the Lord commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, beside the covenant which he made with them at Horeb."
Let us particularly note these words. They speak of two covenants, one at Horeb, and one in Moab. The latter, far from being a mere repetition of the former, is as distinct from it as any two things can be. Of this we will have the fullest and clearest evidence in our study of the profound book now open before us.
True, the Greek title of the book, signifying the law a second time, might seem to give rise to the idea that it is a mere recapitulation of what has gone before; but we may rest assured it is not – it would be a gave error to think so. The book has its own specific place. Its scope and object are as distinct as possible. The grand lesson it inculcates from first to last is obedience, not in the mere letter but in the spirit of love and fear – an obedience grounded on a known and enjoyed relationship, quickened by the sense of moral obligations of the weightiest and most influential character.
The aged lawgiver, the faithful, beloved and honored servant of the Lord was about to take leave of the congregate. He was going to heaven and they were about to cross the Jordan; and hence his closing discourses are solemn and affecting in the highest degree. In a most touching and impressive manner, he reviews all their wilderness history, recounting in a style eminently calculated to touch the deepest moral springs of the heart the scenes and circumstances of forty eventful years of desert life. We hang over these most precious discourses with wonder and delight. They possess an incomparable charm arising from the circumstances under which they were delivered, as well as from their own divinely powerful contents, speaking to us no less effectively than to those for whom they were specially intended. Many of the appeals and exhortations come home to us with a power of application as if they had keen uttered yesterday.
Is it not this way with all Scripture? Are we not continually struck with its marvelous power of adaptation to our own state, and to the day in which our lot is cast? It speaks to us with a point and freshness as if it were written expressly for us – written this very day. There is nothing like Scripture. Take any human writing of the same date as the Book of Deuteronomy; if we could lay hands on some volume written over three thousand years ago, what would we find? A curious relic of antiquity, something to be placed in a museum, perhaps side by side with an Egyptian mummy, having no application whatsoever to us or to our time – a musty document, a piece of obsolete writing, practically useless to us, referring only to a state of society and a condition of things long since passed away and buried in oblivion.
On the contrary, the Bible is the Book for today. It is God's own Book, His perfect revelation. It is His Own voice speaking to each one of us. It is a Book for every age, for every people, for every class, for every condition, high and low, rich and poor, learned and ignorant, old and young. It speaks in a language so simple that a child can understand it; and yet so profound that the most gigantic intellect cannot exhaust it. Further, it speaks right to the heart; it touches the deepest springs of our moral being; it goes down to the hidden roots of thought and feeling in the soul; it thoroughly judges. In a word it is as the inspired apostle tells us, "Quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Heb. 4:12).
Consider the marvelous comprehensiveness of its range. It deals as accurately and forcibly with habits and customs, manners and maxims of the twenty-first century Christian as with those of the earliest ages of human existence. It displays a perfect acquaintance with man, in every stage of his history. The New York of today and the Tyre of three thousand years ago are mirrored on the sacred page with like precision and faithfulness. In every stage of its development, by a master hand, human life is portrayed in that wonderful volume God has graciously penned for our learning.
What a privilege to possess such a book; to have in our hands a divine Revelation; to have access to a Book, of which every line is given by inspiration of God; to have a divinely given history of the past, the present, and the future. Who can rightly estimate such a privilege as this?
But then, this Book judges man; judges his ways, and his heart. It tells him the truth about himself. Hence man does not like God's Book. An unconverted man prefers a newspaper or sensational novel to the Bible. He would rather read the report of a trial in one of our criminal courts, than a chapter in God's Holy Word.
Hence, man's constant effort to pick holes in God's blessed Book. Infidels in every age and of every class have labored hard to find flaws and contradictions in Holy Scripture. The determined enemies of the Word of God are to be found, not only in the ranks of the vulgar, coarse and demoralized, but among the educated, refined and cultivated – just as it was in the days of the apostles, "Certain lewd fellows of the baser sort," and "Devout and honourable women." Two classes socially and morally removed from each other found one point on which they could heartily agree: utter rejection of the Word of God and those who faithfully preached it (Compare Acts 13:50 with 17:5). So we find that those who differ in almost everything else agree in their determined opposition to the Bible. Other books are left alone. Men care not to point out defects in Virgil, Horace, Homer or Herodotus; but the Bible cannot be endured because it exposes the truth about them and the world to which they belong.
And was it not exactly the same with the living Word – the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ when He was here among men? Men hated Him because He told the truth. His ministry, His words, His ways, His whole life was a standing testimony against the world; hence their persistent opposition. Other men were allowed to pass on; but He was watched and waylaid at every turn of His path. The great leaders and guides of the people "sought to entangle him in His talk;" to find occasion against Him in order that they might deliver Him to the power and authority of the governor. Thus it was during His marvelous life; and, at the close, when the blessed One was nailed to the cross between two malefactors, these latter were let alone; there were no insults hurled on them; the chief priests and elders did not wag their heads at them. No; all the insults, all the mockery, all the coarse and heartless vulgarity – all was heaped on the Divine Occupant of the center cross.
It is well that we should thoroughly understand the real source of all the opposition to the Word of God, whether it is the living Word, Jesus Christ; or the written Word, the Holy Bible. Such an understanding will enable us to estimate its real worth. The devil hates the Word of God, hates it with a perfect hatred, and hence he employs learned infidels to write books attempting to prove that the Bible is not the Word of God; that it cannot be, because there are mistakes and discrepancies in it; and not only so, but in the Old Testament we find laws and institutions, habits and practices that are unworthy of a gracious and benevolent Being.
To this style of argument we have one brief and pointed reply; regarding all such learned infidels we simply say, "They know nothing whatsoever about the matter." They may be learned, clever, deep and original thinkers, well learned in general literature, competent to give an opinion on any subject within the domain of natural and moral philosophy, able to discuss any scientific question. Further, they may be amiable in private life, truly estimable characters, and kind, benevolent, philanthropic, beloved in private and respected in public. All this they may be, but, being unconverted and not having the Spirit of God, they are wholly unfit to form much less to offer a judgment on the subject of Holy Scripture. If one ignorant of astronomy were to presume to sit in judgment on the principles of the Copernican system, these very men of whom we speak would no doubt pronounce him incompetent to speak, and unworthy to be heard on such a subject. In short, no one has any right whatsoever to offer opinion on a matter of which he is unacquainted. This is an admitted universal principle – its application in the case now before us cannot justly he called in question.
In his first epistle to the Corinthians, the inspired apostle tells us, "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." This is conclusive. He speaks of man in his natural state, be he greatly learned, and highly cultivated. He is not speaking of any special class of men; but simply of man in his unconverted state, man destitute of the Spirit of God. Some may imagine that the apostle refers to man in a state of barbarism or savage ignorance. By no means; it is simply man in nature, be he a learned philosopher or an ignorant clown, "He cannot know the things of the Spirit of God." How then can he form or give a judgment regarding the Word of God? How can he take it on himself to say what is, or what is not worthy of God to write? And if he is audacious enough to do so, as so often he is, who will be foolish enough to listen to him? His arguments are baseless; his theories worthless; his books fit only for the waste paper basket. And all this on the universally admitted principle above stated that no one has title to be heard on a subject of which he is ignorant.
In this way we dispose of the whole tribe of infidel writers. Who would think of listening to a blind man on the subject of light and shades? And yet such a man has much more claim to be heard than an unconverted man on the subject of inspiration. Human learning, however extensive and varied; human wisdom, however profound, cannot qualify a man to form a judgment on the Word of God. No doubt, a scholar may examine and collate MSS, simply as a matter of criticism; he may be able to form a judgment as to the question of authority for any particular reading of a passage; but this is altogether a different matter from an infidel writer undertaking to pronounce judgment on the Revelation that in His infinite goodness God has given to us. We maintain that no man can do this. It is only by the Spirit Who Himself inspired the Holy Scriptures that those Scriptures can be understood and appreciated. The Word of God must be received on its own authority. If man can judge it or reason on it, it is not the Word of God at all. Has God given us a Revelation or has He not? If He has, it must he absolutely perfect, in every respect; and being such, it must be entirely beyond the range of human judgment. Man is no more competent to judge Scripture than he is to judge God. The Scriptures judge man, not man the Scriptures.
This makes all the difference. Nothing can be more miserably contemptible than the books infidels write against the Bible. Every page, every paragraph, every sentence only goes to illustrate the truth of the apostle's statement: "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." Their gross ignorance of the subject with which they undertake to deal is only equaled by their self-confidence. Of their irreverence we say nothing; for who would think of looking for reverence in the writings of infidels? We might perhaps look for a little modesty were it not that we are fully aware of the bitter animus that lies at the root of all such writings, rendering them utterly unworthy of a moment's consideration. Other books may have a dispassionate examination; but the precious Book of God is approached with the foregone conclusion that it is not a divine Revelation because infidels tell us that God could not give us a written revelation of His mind.
How strange that man can write revelations of his thoughts; and infidels have done so and continue to do so repeatedly; but God cannot. What folly; what presumption. We may lawfully inquire as to why God could not reveal His mind to His creatures? Why should it be considered so incredible – for no reason whatsoever except infidels would not have it so. The question raised by the old serpent in the Garden of Eden over six thousand years ago has been passed on from age to age by all sorts of skeptics, rationalists and infidels – "Hath God said?" With intense delight we reply, "Yes"; He has spoken to us. He has revealed His mind; He has given us the Holy Scriptures. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." And again, "Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope" (2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Rom. 15:4).
Praise the Lord for such words. They assure as that God gives all Scripture; and that all Scripture is given to us – precious link between the soul and God. What tongue can tell the value of such a link? God has spoken – spoken to us. His Word is a rock against which all the waves of infidel thought dash themselves in contemptible impotency, leaving it in its own divine strength and eternal stability. Nothing can touch the Word of God. Not all the powers of earth and hell, men and devils combined can ever move the Word of God. In spite of all the assaults of the enemy, there it stands from age to age in its own moral glory. "For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven." "Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name." What remains for us? Just this, "Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee." Here lies the deep secret of peace. The heart is linked to the throne, to the very heart of God, by means of His precious Word. As a result, we are put in possession of a peace the world can neither give nor take away. What can all the theories, the reasoning and the arguments of infidels effect? Nothing whatsoever. They are esteemed as the dust of the summer threshing floor. To one who has truly learned to confide in the Word of God and to rest on the authority of Holy Scripture, all the infidel books ever written are utterly worthless, pointless, and powerless. They display the ignorance and terrible presumption of the writers; but regarding Scripture, they leave it just where it always has been and always will be: "settled in heaven," as immovable as the throne of God (In referring to infidel writers, we should bear in mind that by far the most dangerous of such are those calling themselves Christian. In days gone by, whenever one heard the word "infidel" the thought of a Tom Paine or a Voltaire often came to mind; however, today we think of so-called pastors and many degreed teachers of organized religious institutions). The assaults of infidels cannot touch the throne of God; neither can they touch His Word; and, blessed be His Name, neither can they touch the peace that flows through the heart that rests on that imperishable foundation. "Great peace have they that love thy law, and nothing shall offend them." "The word of our God shall stand for ever."
"All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away; but the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you" (1 Pet. 1:24, 25).
Here again we have the same precious golden link. The Word of the Lord endures forever; and so our salvation and peace are as stable as the Word on which they are founded. If all flesh is as grass and all the glory of man as the flower of grass, then what are the arguments of infidels worth? They are as worthless as withered grass or a faded flower; and the men who put them out and those whom they move will, sooner or later, find them to be so. It is a sinful folly to argue against the Word of God, to argue against the only thing in all this world that can give rest and consolation to the weary human heart; and to argue against that which brings the glad tidings of salvation to lost sinners.
Perhaps we might be met with a question often raised; one that troubles many, leading them to fly for refuge to what the world calls, "The authority of the church." The question: "How do we know that the Book called the Bible is the Word of God?" Our answer is simple; "The One Who has graciously given us the blessed Book can also give us the certainty that the Book is from Him." The same Spirit Who inspired the various writers of Holy Scripture can make us know that those Scriptures are the voice of God speaking to us. It is only by the Spirit that anyone can discern this. As we have already seen, "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." If the Holy Spirit does not make us know, and give us the certainty that the Bible is the Word of God, no man or body of men can possibly do it. On the other hand, if He does give us the certainty, then we do not need man’s testimony.
We freely admit that on this great question, a shadow of uncertainty would be torture and misery. But who can give us certainty? God alone. If all the men on earth were to agree in their testimony to the authority of Holy Scripture; if all the councils that ever sat, all the doctors that ever taught, all the fathers that ever wrote were in flavor of plenary inspiration; if every organized religious institution, every denomination, were to assert the truth that the Bible is the Word of God; if all human authority rose up and agreed to the integrity of the Word of God, it would be utterly insufficient as a ground of certainty. In other words, faith founded on that authority would be totally worthless. God alone can give us the certainty that He has spoken in His Word; and when He gives it, then all the arguments, all the caviling, all the quibbling, all the questionings of ancient and modern infidels, are as the foam on water, the smoke from a chimney top, or dust on the floor. The true believer rejects them as so much worthless rubbish, resting in holy tranquility on that peerless Revelation graciously given to us by our God.
If we are going to be raised above the influence of infidelity on one hand and superstition on the other, it is important for us to be clear and settled regarding this grave question. Infidelity tells us that God has not given us a book-revelation of His mind – could not give it. Superstition tells us that even though God has given us a Revelation, yet we cannot be assured of it, nor can we understand it without man's authority; without man's interpretation. It is well to see that both deprive us of the precious boon of Holy Scripture. This is precisely what the devil aims at. He wants to rob us of the Word of God; and he can effectually do this by the apparent self-distrust that humbly and reverently looks to wise and learned men for authority.
For example, a father writes a special-delivery letter to his son, a letter full of the affection and tenderness of a father's heart. He tells him of his plans and arrangements; of everything he thinks would interest the heart of a son, everything that the love of a father's heart can suggest. The son goes to the post office to inquire about his father's letter. An official tells him there is no letter, that his father has not written and could not write, could not communicate his mind by such a medium. He is told that it is folly to think such a thing could happen. Another official comes forward, and says, "Yes; there is a letter here for you, but you cannot understand it; it is useless to you; it can only do you harm because you are unable to read it correctly. You must leave the letter in our hands, and we will explain the portions we consider suitable for you." The former of these two officials represents infidelity; the latter superstition – by both the son is deprived of the longed for letter, the precious communication from his father's heart. But what answer should he give to these unworthy officials? He should say to the first, "I know my father can communicate his mind to me by letter; and that he has done so." He should say to the second, "I know my father can make me understand his mind much better than you can." With bold and firm decision he should say to both, "Give me my father's letter now; it is addressed to me, and no man has the right to withhold it from me."
In this way, the simple-hearted Christian should meet the insolence of infidelity, and the ignorance of superstition – the devil's two special agencies against the precious Word of God. "My Father has communicated His mind, and He can make me understand the communication." "All scripture is given by inspiration of God," And "whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning." Magnificent answer to every enemy of God's precious and peerless Revelation – be he rationalist or ritualist.
We offer no apology for this lengthy introduction to the Book of Deuteronomy. We are thankful for the opportunity to bear a feeble testimony to the grand truth of the Divine inspiration of Holy Scriptures. We feel privileged to promote the immense importance and absolute necessity of the most uncompromising decision on this point. At all cost and all times, in all places and for all purposes we must faithfully maintain Divine authority, the absolute supremacy and all-sufficiency of the Word of God. In its highest and fullest sense, we must hold to the completeness of God's Holy Scriptures. They do not need human authority to accredit them or human voice to make them available. They speak for themselves and carry their own credentials. All we have to do is believe and obey, not reason or discuss. God has spoken it – it is ours to hearken and yield an unreserved and reverent obedience.
As we will see, this is one grand leading point throughout the Book of Deuteronomy; and never was there a time in the history of the Lord’s church, in which it was more needful to urge on the human conscience the necessity of implicit obedience to the Word of God. In our age, such is so little felt. Many professing Christians seem to consider that they have a right to think for themselves, to follow their own reason, their own judgment, or their own conscience. Too many today act like they do not believe the Bible is a divine and universal guidebook, thinking there are things we are to choose for ourselves. As a result, we have the almost numberless sects, parties, creeds, dogmas, traditions, denominations, and schools of thought. If human opinion is in any way allowed, then as a matter of course one man has as much right to think for himself as another; and thus it has come to pass that organized religious institutions have become a proverb and byword for division.
The remedy for this wide spread disease is absolute and complete subjection to the authority of Holy Scripture. It is not men going to Scripture to confirm their opinions and views; but going to Scripture to get the mind of God regarding everything, bowing down their whole moral being to Divine authority. The one pressing need of this age is reverent subjection in all things to the supreme authority of the Word of God. No doubt, there will be variety in our measure of intelligence, in our apprehension and appreciation of Scripture; but what we specially urge on all Christians is that condition of soul, that attitude of heart expressed in those precious words of the psalmist, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee." We may rest assured, this is grateful to the heart of God. "To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word."
Here lies the true secret of moral security. Our knowledge of Scripture may be limited; but if our reverence for it is profound, we will be preserved from a thousand errors, a thousand snares – then, and only then, will there be steady growth in the knowledge of God, Christ, and the written Word. We will delight to draw from those living and exhaustless depths of Holy Scripture; to range through those green pastures that infinite grace has so freely thrown open to the flock of Christ. In this way, the divine life will be nourished and strengthened; the Word of God will become more and more precious to our souls, and the powerful ministry of the Holy Spirit will lead us into the depth, fullness, majesty and moral glory of Holy Scripture. We will be completely delivered from the withering influences of mere systems of theology (high, low or moderate) – a most blessed deliverance. We will be able to tell the advocates of all schools of divinity that whatever elements of truth they may have in their man-made systems, we have in divine perfectness in the Word of God – not twisted and/or tortured to make them fit into a human system, but in their right place in the wide circle of God's Revelation that has its eternal center in the blessed Person of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
