Chapter 1
THE MIRACLE BOOK -- THE WONDERFUL BOOK OF GOD
The Miracle Book is the Book of Truth. There are four grand arguments
to support this assertion. 1. The miracles it records. 2. The prophecies it
contains. 3. The goodness of the doctrine. 4. The moral character of the penmen.
The miracles flow from Divine power, the prophecies from Divine understanding,
the excellency of the doctrine from Divine goodness, the moral character of
the penmen from Divine purity. Thus the religion of the Miracle Book, the
religion of Christianity, is built upon four immovable pillars -- the power,
the understanding, the goodness and the purity of God.
This Miracle Book must be the invention of good men or angels, bad
men or devils, or of God. It could not be the invention of good men or angels,
for they neither would nor could make a book and tell lies all the time they
were writing, saying "Thus saith the Lord" when it was their own invention.
It could not be the invention of bad men or devils, for they could
not make a book which commands all duty, forbids all sin, and condemns their
soul to all eternity. It is therefore concluded that the Miracle Book must
have been given by Divine inspiration. (Bible Explainer, p. 132)
The Miracle Book is the Book of the Ages. It is a divine revelation
from God to man; a revelation of the Fatherly heart of the Eternal God Himself,
a revelation of the wonderful Christ, a revelation of man -- his fall and
recovery through the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a revelation of the highest
ideals possible in life. It calls for the highest ethical conduct. The Bible
is the greatest and most complete code of laws ever published. It is the book
of wisdom, making the foolish wise; the book of life, showing the way of
life; the book of divinity unexcelled; the greatest book of biography ever
published; the best covenant ever executed and the best testament ever signed.
It is the youth's best instructor and companion. It is the learned man's
masterpiece, the ignorant man's dictionary.
This wonderful Book is The Book of Revivals. One could hardly conceive
of a spiritual awakening, a spiritual revival, without a Bible. Certainly
we could not conceive of a Christian country without a Bible. If we would
become Christian and remain Christian, we must have the Word of God. The Bible
has been back of all civilizing and reviving movements. "From it has come
the inspiration which has sent out the most successful missionaries and evangelists
to gather in the lost; and no evangelical agency can expect to prosper unless
it keeps the Bible in the very forefront."
This wonderful Book opens with the Fact of God and closes with a new
heaven and a new earth. "In the beginning God," and then His creative work,
"God created." God Almighty, a lovable Person, One who has created the world
and man, and One who cares for His creative work. The first sentence of the
Bible refutes many errors. For instance, Pantheism says that God and the
universe are identical, but the statement, "God created the heavens and the
earth," separates God from creation and thus refutes Pantheism. The same
statement refutes creation by chance; for it reads, "God created." It refutes
the eternity of matter, for God created matter.
This wonderful Book is still the Best Seller. It is translated today
into almost every language known. The great Bible Societies cannot meet the
demands for copies. No book has been more desired by humanity and God has
seen to it that copies are available: no book has been more persecuted, but
it has survived. It is settled in heaven and it settles those who will accept
it.
This wonderful Book is the Divine side Book. It shows the way to God
and heaven. It points the way of salvation. It reveals the way of the solution
of our problems, at least, the deepest problem, namely, the problem of sin
in the human heart. The Bible is the Guide Book for the nations. It guides
in the greatest truths concerning man and his destination. One of our dailies
recently in writing an editorial about the death of a gangster so early
in life, ended the editorial by saying, "The narrow way is the better way
after all." Where did he get the idea of the "narrow way"? Frequently we
hear such expressions as "the wages of sin," "the way of life," "the apple
of the eye," "the salt of the earth," "the powers that be," "the widow's
mite," "the fat of the land," "all things to all men," "a mess of pottage,"
"the labor of love," "the handwriting on the wall," and similar expressions.
We become use to them and perhaps forget for the moment that they are from
the Word of God.
This wonderful Book is unequaled. It is "the only infallible text of
real orthodoxy, the only unerring touchstone of truth, the only immaculate
code of laws, the only faultless system of morals and the only immutable ground
of hope," and to wear it out -- never! No: it cannot be equaled. An unknown
writer has paid this tribute to the Bible: "This Book contains the mind
of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the reward of saints and
the doom of sinners. Its histories are true, its doctrines holy, and its
precepts binding. It contains light to direct you, food to support you and
comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the
pilot's compass, the soldier's sword and the Christian's charter. It is a
river of pleasure, a mine of wealth and a paradise of glory. It is given you
in life, will be open at the judgment and will be remembered forever. Read
it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy." It is
the book of culture, the book of ethics, the book of the philosophy of the
plan of God, especially in redemption and the way of salvation. It is the
Book eternal. It is "The well of English undefiled," to use Dean Chaucer's
words; and with William Gladstone, it is "The impregnable rock." It is related
of Dr. Samuel Johnson that he "read the sweet story of Ruth aloud in a literary
club, at a time when infidelity was rife: and great was the amazement of his
hearers when, in answer to their exclamation, 'Where did you find it?' he
answered, 'This was written twenty-five hundred years before Columbus was
born;'" and yet it contains the latest news. Read it over and over, and still
added light comes from familiar passages. On being asked by his daughter what
he was reading, Dr. Elliott, who was sitting by the window with the Bible
open on his knees, replied, "The news, my dear, always good news.
This wonderful Book is Eternal and Supreme. "The voice said, Cry. And
he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass and all the goodliness thereof
is as a flower of the field; the grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the
Word of God shall stand forever" (Isaiah 40:6-8). And it is supreme: "There
are no songs," says Milton, "comparable to the songs of Zion, no politics
like those which the Scriptures teach;" and he might have added, no literature
equal to that of the Bible. Yes, the Bible is supreme in the field of books.
This wonderful Book is a Universal Book. It is the Book for the nations
as well as the Book of the nation, home and individual. Blackstone holds its
place for the lawyer, and special texts by others for different vocations
in life; but the Bible is for all. It is in a realistic sense the Peoples'
Bible. It has its place in every field of research. It has been there before
us in some degree or respect and will be there after we are gone.
This wonderful Book is a Saving Book. We are born again by it: "Born
again by the incorruptible seed, the word of God that liveth and abideth forever."
We are sanctified by it: "Sanctify them through Thy truth, Thy Word is truth."
A church father, while yet a terrible sinner, read the Scripture: "Not in
rioting and drunkenness, not in strife and envying; but put ye on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh;" and Saint Augustine
said, "No farther would I read; nor needed I; for instantly at the end of
the sentence. light infused into my heart, all the darkness of doubt vanished
away. The great Spurgeon had a similar experience. It occurred while listening
to a humble Primitive Methodist man speaking on the text: "Look unto me and
be ye saved, all the ends of the earth." "Setting his eyes on me, as if he
knew all my heart," says Spurgeon, "the preacher said, 'Young man, You are
in trouble.' 'Well,' says Spurgeon, 'I was, sure enough.' Says he, 'You will
never get out of it unless you look to Christ.' And then, lifting his hands
up, he cried out, as only a Primitive Methodist could, 'Look, look, look!'
I saw at once the way of salvation. Oh, how I did leap for joy at that moment!
I knew not what else he said. I was so
'Look,' what charming word it seemed to me! I looked until I could have
almost looked my eyes away: and in heaven I will look on still in my joy unutterable."
This wonderful Book is Here To Stay. It has survived many a storm and
it will survive. It is the Book of the past, it is true, but it is the Book
of the present and it will be the Book of the future. It has met the needs
of the past. It meets the need of the present. It will meet the needs of the
future. It has been the hope and consolation of millions, and it will continue
to be so. It is God-inspired, God breathed. Some person has put it well in
a poem:
"Last eve I stood before a blacksmith's door And heard the anvil ring
its vesper chime; Then looking in, I saw upon the floor Old hammers, worn
with beating years of time.
"How many anvils have you had,' said I, 'To wear and batter all these
hammers so?' 'Just one,' he answered; then, with twinkling eye, 'The anvil
wears the hammers out, you know.'
"And so the Bible, anvil of God's Word, For ages skeptic blows have
beat upon; And though the voice of Paine, Voltaire was heard, The anvil is
unworn -- the hammers gone."
This Miracle Book, this Book of God! Let us get back to it! Back to
Christ and His saving religion! Back to the leadership of the blessed Holy
Spirit. Back to God, the God of battles, the
God of victory! Yes, back to the grand old Book the Bible! One of the
greatest joys of my busy life is the joy of commencing the day upon my knees
with my open Bible. I arise enriched, illuminated, encouraged and strengthened
for the duties of the day. "In the beginning God" fits in nicely here. Back
to reading the Book! Back to a reverent, sincere and prayerful study of the
Bible, the Word of God! The Miracle Book!
