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CHAPTER I<\/p>\n
THE ETERNAL GOD ACCORDING TO THE EVIDENCE OF NATURE<\/p>\n
THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
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<\/span><\/p>\n Intelligent design is greatly in evidence in the facts that the mineral kingdom is the basis of the vegetable kingdom, out of which the latter arises and upon which it is dependent for its continued existence; that the animal kingdom is dependent upon both the vegetable and mineral kingdoms; and that the human kingdom is absolutely dependent upon the other three for its being. In this advancing series of kingdoms a clear design is seen to run upward which cannot possibly be interpreted as finding its goal and complete fulfillment in man, but which points infinitely far beyond and above him, as the ultimate and final goal. On the one hand, the student who studies the world about him at close range finds that in every organism–whether it be the uni-cellular amoeba or the most highly developed organism of man, every organ of whose anatomy is highly specialized and coordinated with its fellow-members to the nth (the last) degree to function for the benefit of the entire organism–design and purpose are the dominating factors. On the other hand, in studying the universe at distant range by means of modern astronomical instruments, the higher branches of mathematical science, and astronomical physics, one learns that it is an immense chronometer, by which every watch and clock which control modern business and social life are regulated. In every watch and clock there are numbers of wheels of different sizes and weights, some running in one direction while others run in the opposite, each running at a different rate of speed; but at the same time they are so formed, adjusted and placed that each contributes its part to the one common purpose, namely, that of keeping the correct time. No man in a rational, serious mood would for a moment deny intelligent design and purpose in the manufacturing of the watch and claim that the materials which enter into its construction came into existence, assumed their present form, and took their position in the mechanism by chance or evolutionary processes. Should one in a serious moment argue thus, no one would take him seriously but would have sufficient reason to doubt his sanity.<\/p>\n Since the Universe, consisting of our solar system of planets and satellites, together with the innumerable and inconceivably great solar systems, flung out into illimitable space, which move in their appointed orbits of different sizes and at different rates of speed and in innumerable ways („wheels within wheels“), according to inviolable laws, forms one great chronometer, likewise no man in a serious, rational mood will deny the existence of a SUPREME INTELLIGENCE, Who has created and Who governs this great Universal Chronometer.\u00b9<\/p>\n The recent astronomical discoveries have greatly enriched and enlarged man’s conception of the vastness of the universe, so that he no longer speaks of distances in the great fields of universal space in terms of miles, as formerly; but now he speaks of these vast distances in terms of „light years.“ This enlarged conception of the material universe has likewise enlarged and enriched his conception of the Creator of the same, since the Creator and Controller is vastly greater than that which is created. Hence in another figure, one may think of the universe as one great Declaration, written in emblazoned letters, „GOD IS!“<\/i> Psa. 19:1,2: „The heavens are recounting the glory of God, and the expanse is making known the work of His hands“ (Author’s Tr.).<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Within Judaism there is quite a growing class of people who, intellectually speaking, have cut loose their moorings from their ancestral faith, repudiating the idea of a personal God from Whom they draw their very existence and to Whom they owe allegiance and responsibility, and who conscientiously believe in the autonomy of the individual, and being thoroughly convinced that the human intellect is sufficient of itself to solve all the problems of existence. Thus in their thinking they become „a law unto themselves,“ possessing latent powers upon which they can draw to meet every emergency.<\/p>\n In reply to this position it is sufficient to call attention to the fact that this boasted freedom is purely a creation of the pride of man, there being no objective reality corresponding to this subjective creation. This fact is apparent to everyone who thinks, being demonstrated by the fact that the freethinker is limited, notwithstanding his daring boastfulness, in the same way in which all men are limited. Notwithstanding the fact that many barriers which hitherto have been considered insurmountable have been overcome by the many discoveries of modern inventive genius, these barriers really have not been removed, but have been pushed a little farther back, and still say to man, „Thus far and no farther shalt thou go.“ Furthermore, it is a fact known to all that freethinkers, who have made their boast that they possess all of the powers of the universe within their own souls, and that they can live a certain number of years, which number is often placed at from three to four times the age which is now recognized as the limit of man’s life, very frequently at the time of their boasting are overcome by the ills of life, as are others who make no such claims, and are dashed into eternity. The present age is highly pragmatic, demanding the clear, scientific demonstration of a theory before accepting the same as true. Hence since the freethinker has thus far given no evidence of „the latent powers within,“ but is subject to the accidents of life, a thinking public will never accept his unproved theories.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Again, an attitude which characterizes another group within the pale of Judaism may be called „Agnostic“ which simply means one who does not know. Historically, Herbert Spencer was the one who coined this word from the material supplied by the Greek word meaning „know,“ prefixed by the negative particle, the combination of which words means „not know.“ Since his day the number taking this attitude has grown until at present a not inconsiderable number has assumed the same.<\/p>\n As a fundamental theory in an ideal system of philosophy it may satisfy a certain type of mind, but in a practical world in which men live it is utterly unable to meet the stress and strain of life as it is, and to satisfy the inquiring mind of an honest seeker after truth. Again, the agnostic cannot live a life in a practical world consistently with his philosophy, for the moment he attempts to put into practice his philosophy, he is automatically by the same bound hand and foot, being unable to enter into any of the affairs of life. Hence agnosticism, as an ideal philosophy divorced from practical life, may satisfy those who are super-sensitive and overly cautious in avoiding the errors of an over-confident, dogmatic, materialistic philosophy; but it can never relieve one of the moral and spiritual responsibility which is resting upon him, since he is a sentient, intelligent being in a real world.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Rationalism, unfortunately, has invaded Judaism. The rationalist, concerning whom this section deals, is, as the term implies, one who is following human reason, or who believes that he is following reason. He is, figuratively speaking, worshipping at the shrine of modern scholarship.\u00b2<\/p>\n The latest pronouncements of the scientific world are for him final on all matters. Every statement of belief in all spheres of human thought must be stamped with the seal of the approval of „scholarship“ before it is considered worthy of his acceptance. If scholarship sends forth its dictum that God is an impersonal, unknowable substance, to this tenet he willingly subscribes. If, on the other hand, it explains the world purely along materialistic lines, then that tenet becomes his dogma.<\/p>\n By such as are under the bondage of rationalism and tyrannical „scholarship“ let it be noted that the voices of rationalism and scholarship are „legion,“ for they are many. The proof of the above statement is easily found by a rapid survey of the history of philosophy, which study will convince the unbiased mind that no two philosophers agree in general; but what one affirms the other denies, either in part or in toto. Furthermore, the theories and explanations of the scientific world as set forth in the standard text-books and periodicals of today contradict and reject the theories and explanations, in many instances, of the books and publications of a decade ago. The scientific world changes so very rapidly that the one who was then thoroughly familiar with scientific thought but who since then has been unable to pursue his studies is almost a total stranger in that field.<\/p>\n From these facts it is very clear that one cannot pin his faith in religious matters to the dicta of scholarship.<\/p>\n The cumulative experience of the race should teach one that, although the human mind is wonderful and has accomplished amazing things, it is finite and there are boundaries beyond which lie innumerable things which it can never comprehend.\u00b3 This statement being true, the finite mind can never fathom the problem connected with the existence of God, Who is infinite. Hence rationalism is a very insecure foundation upon which one may build for the future life.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n \n The word orthodox<\/i> is of Greek origin and means literally „thinking straight.“ When applied to the Jew it refers to that great mass of Hebrews who believes in the God of Israel and in the Tenach as His revelation. Likewise, the orthodox Jew confidently believes in the Talmud as an authoritative revelation of God which inherently was contained in the statutes, ordinances, and commandments referred to in Exodus 24:12. A further characteristic which especially distinguishes him is that he holds very tenaciously to the customs and manners which have been handed down to him through the centuries.<\/p>\n The cardinal doctrines around which all things religious center, for him, is Israel’s Great Confession, „Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is One.“ His God is the God Who made the heavens and the earth. Who chose the Hebrew people to be a people for His own possession, having called Abraham, the great ancestor of the race, and his descendants, to be a channel of blessing to the entire world. He, furthermore, believes that eventually his God will regather the nation and restore it to its own land and send the Messiah, Who shall reign from sea to sea, subjecting the Gentile nations unto Israel. In all of these fundamental tenets he is correct, generally speaking. As to his understanding of the Great Confession the reader will find a full discussion of it in Chapter IV of this book. Since the limits of this work prohibit an extensive investigation of the proofs of the existence of God, the reader is referred to any standard text-book on evidences for the many and indisputable proofs of a Supreme Being.<\/p>\n According to the testimony of the Old Testament, man had, from the beginning of the race, a knowledge of the true God. „The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth his handiwork“ (Ps. 19:1). Although he had this knowledge, which God revealed to him, he, not glorifying God and not being thankful, refused to retain God in his knowledge. Therefore, God gave him up to a reprobate mind to practice all ungodliness and unrighteousness.<\/p>\n 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hinder the truth in unrighteousness; 19 because that which is known of God is manifest in them; for God manifested it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even<\/i> his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse: 21 because that, knowing God, they glorified him not as God, neither gave thanks; but became vain in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.<\/p>\n 24 Wherefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts unto uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves: 25 for that they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.<\/p>\n 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile passions: for their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working unseemliness, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was due.<\/p>\n 28 And even as they refused to have God in their<\/i> knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful: 32 who, knowing the ordinance of God, that they that practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also consent with them that practice them (Rom. 1:18-32).<\/p>\n Footnotes:<\/p>\n \u00b9 According to the latest scientific research concerning the great pyramid at Gizeh, its builders were far advanced in the knowledge of the physical sciences and astronomy, since many of the fundamental and basic principles of the same, which have only in comparatively recent years been discovered by modern science, took on permanent form in stone in that structure.<\/p>\n \u00b2 The reader is not to infer that the author is opposed to learning and scholarship, because he delights in the acquisition of knowledge: principles<\/i>, truths<\/i>, and facts<\/i>. For many years he has practically devoted his entire time to his search for knowledge and education. The thing which he condemns in modern scholarship is its rabid dogmatism, speculation, and ostracism of all who do not subscribe to its theories and speculation. Furthermore, after having studied the situation from various angles, he is thoroughly convinced that there is no conflict between real scholarship and the Bible. The latter, having been subjected to the most terrific attacks by enemies who concentrated all of their intellectual powers against it for its destruction, survives today and will continue to survive in the future. The work of faithful, scholarly archaeologists is constantly confirming it.<\/p>\n The rationalistic criticism against the Scriptures, especially the Old Testament, is, as one noted critic well said, „nine-tenths purely subjective.“<\/p>\n Frequently the statement is made that all scholars are agreed on certain propositions. Especially are such statements the current coin in circles where the Bible is looked upon as purely a human book.<\/p>\n This statement denies scholarship to all of those who believe that the Bible is inspired of God. When the facts are known, it is evident that there is a very large group of men who, in native ability, keen discriminating and analytical powers, and scholastic attainments, equal any of the scholars who hold to the rationalist position.<\/p>\n In the same circles the believing scholars are often spoken of as „traditionalists.“ If this term is applied to one because he believes those narratives and events which have been established by historical testimony and archaeology, to be a traditionalist is the proper thing. If, however, it is used to mean those who blindly hold to certain positions handed down from former generations without any investigations, it is improper and unethical to apply it to the large group of men referred to in the last paragraph. They have „by their works“ proved that they refuse to accept as true things formerly believed and that they are diligent seekers after facts.<\/p>\n \u00b3 As examples of such things note the following expressions: the soul, spirit, immortality, life, the processes of digestion and assimilation of foods in their sustaining life of the organism, electricity, and epistemology. With these expressions philosophers and scholars have grappled throughout the centuries and at present they know practically nothing more than when they began the study of the same. \n \n BOOK TWO<\/b><\/p>\n THE ETERNAL GOD ACCORDING TO THE EVIDENCE OF THE TENACH (0.T.) CHAPTER II<\/p>\n INTRODUCTION: THE TENACH, A REVELATION OF THE GOD OF ISRAEL<\/p>\n <\/center><\/p>\n SINCE the world, as seen in Chapter I, gives abundant evidence of the existence of a Supreme Being, Who has stamped His handiwork with the unmistakable trade-mark of teleology, which fact proves conclusively that the present condition of the world is not an end within itself but, like a prophetic utterance, points forward to a higher and a more glorious existence in the future, and since His providences in this life set forth clearly His beneficent character and love for His creatures, it is most reasonable to suppose that He has spoken to them. The Bible claims to be this Word which He, in His love, has revealed for the good of humanity. Various attitudes are taken by different groups of people toward this collection of sacred literature.<\/p>\n VARIOUS ATTITUDES TOWARD THE BIBLE<\/p>\n There are those among the Hebrew people as well as among the Gentiles who look upon the Bible as of human origin and treat it accordingly. To them the religion of Israel is but one of the great religions of the human race, and the Bible is to be classed along with the „sacred books“ of the heathen nations. This group of men conscientiously believes that the writers of the Hebrew Bible were inspired only as poets of other nations lay claim to inspiration\u00b2 , namely, Homer, Virgil, Dante, Milton, Shakespeare, et al. This inspiration is nothing more than the resultant of an inherited mental state and bias toward things religious, stimulated by environment, which at times lifted the writers to sublime heights. To them, since the Bible is purely a human book, it, like all other works of men, contains mistakes and errors which must be corrected by research and comparison with the evidence from the monuments of antiquity and made to tell a truthful story concerning the past.<\/p>\n In this connection let the reader note the fact that many things mentioned in the Scriptures which were called in question by the rationalistic critics prior to the modern discoveries in oriental lands have been proved to be correct, and the critics have had to retreat from their position of attack. It is a fact, well known to all who are familiar with the science of Biblical criticism, that in every instance where an attack has been made upon the historicity and genuineness of a certain portion of the text or of the data contained therein, the evidence brought to light by archaeological research has not in one instance discredited the Biblical record, but rather has proved and confirmed the same. If the Scriptures were of human origin, as is claimed by the rationalists, archaeological data would not confirm them. Therefore since archaeology establishes their truthfulness, they cannot be classed with ordinary writings of uninspired men.<\/p>\n Another attitude taken toward the Scriptures by certain Hebrews is that only the „Ten Words“ are the words of God, but that the rest of the Scriptures is the writing of the wise men of Israel. It is difficult to see how one may maintain this position, since the same record which states that God spoke orally the Ten Words at Sinai also claims that He spoke the rest of the Torah. If the numerous statements throughout the Tenach which say that the „word of the Lord“ came to such and such a prophet are not true, since one is dependent upon the record which is preserved to him for his knowledge of what actually occurred, it is impossible to affirm that God spoke the „Ten Words.“ But the same record which states that God spoke these, also says He spoke the rest of it. One must accept all or reject all. There is another group of people who conscientiously believe that the Lord spoke the „Ten Words“ and „The Book of the Covenant“ (Ex. 21:1-24:8). What has just been said in the last paragraph is applicable with the same force to the position held by this group. A still larger group believes confidently that God spoke the Torah, the Five Books of Moses, but did not inspire in the same degree the writings of the prophets and the Psalms. Hence the former are studied most minutely and are considered as authoritative and binding, whereas the latter are read largely as religious literature. The Five Books give overwhelming evidence that they are „The Word of God“ in a special and unique sense, being the very thoughts and words which God gave to His servant Moses to deliver to His people. In this connection, for the purpose of strengthening faith in the inspiration of the Five Books of Moses, it is well to call attention to a few outstanding characteristics of these books, which differentiate them from the writings of uninspired men.<\/p>\n A comparison of the cosmogonies of the ancient oriental nations with that set forth in Genesis shows clearly that the Genesis account stands in a class by itself. All of these ancient cosmogonies are characterized by polytheism, jealousy, hatred, and wars among the gods. Likewise, a confusion of thought and a general vagueness permeate them. In the Genesis account of creation, however, a pure monotheism shines forth in splendor and glory. Furthermore, the low moral tone of the other accounts is entirely absent from the Genesis record. In them there appears no well-defined progressive action, whereas in the Mosaic account appears the stately, forward march of the Eternal God in the unfolding of His great plan and purpose in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and of the restoration to order and beauty of the destroyed earth in anticipation of the creation of man.<\/p>\n There is a very close parallel between the Biblical account of bringing order out of chaos in Gen. 1 and the facts and data discovered by intelligent thoughtful scientists.\u00b3 Concerning the onward progressive development of the Mosaic account, Prof. Dana remarks: „The record in the Bible is therefore profoundly philosophical in the sense of creation which it presents. It is both true and divine. It is a declaration of authorship, both of creation and the Bible on the first page of the sacred volume“ (Manual of Geology, p. 745). In the Biblio. Sacra, Jan., 1856, Prof. Dana states: „The first thought that strikes a scientific reader (of Genesis) is the evidence of divinity, not merely in the first verse of the record and the successive fiats, but in the whole order of creation. There is so much that the most recent readings of science have for the first time explained, that the idea of man as the author becomes utterly incomprehensible. By proving the record true, scientists pronounce it divine; for who could have correctly narrated the secrets of eternity but God Himself?“<\/p>\n A third characteristic which differentiates the Torah from the works of men is its high and holy system of ethics. An honest comparison of the ethical code of Moses with that found in the law of Hammurabi4<\/sup><\/span> proves conclusively that the author of the former was inspired by the Spirit of the Eternal, Holy God.<\/p>\n Again the scientific world has discovered the fact that the „Law of the Octave“ is the fundamental principle underlying the physical world, the evidence of which is seen in the fact that it obtains in the fields of chemistry, music, color, snow flakes, etc. The same law, likewise, obtains in the Bible. In the first place, it is clearly seen that in the Hebrew text of Gen. 1:1 the number of words and also the number of letters are <\/span>seven<\/i> and twenty-eight.<\/i> Hence two applications of THE LAW OF THE OCTAVE here are seen in the numbers seven and twenty-eight, the latter being a multiple of the former. This basic rule finds thousands of applications throughout the entire body of Scripture, which fact proclaims to the world, with no uncertain sound, that the Creator of the World, Who, speaking in a figure, placed the watermark of the Law of the Octave both in the material world and upon the Scriptures is the Creator of the Universe and the Author of the Scriptures.5<\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n The question arises at this point, How was it that the Author of Gen. 1 anticipated modern science by hundreds of years? The only plausible answer is that he received this knowledge by the inspiration of God through the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n Once again, the inspiration of the Torah is seen in the accurate statement concerning the propagation of the species in the vegetable kingdom in the expression „bearing fruit after their kind.“ This statement, much overlooked by scientists, in the light of modern research appears sublime. Its significance was never realized fully by real scientists until in recent years. This statement is a Biblical way of expressing Mendel’s law which was discovered by Gregor J. Mendel in the latter half of the nineteenth century. The results of his experiments were unknown to the scientific world until His work was discovered in 1900. Since then innumerable experiments have been made by painstaking investigators who have demonstrated the scientific accuracy of what is now known as „the law of alternative inheritance,“ or Mendel’s law. The discovery of this law revolutionized scientific thinking. Bateson’s definition of it is as follows: „The essence of the Mendelian principle is very easily expressed. It is, first, in great measure the properties of organisms are due to the presence of distinct detachable elements separately transmitted in heredity, and secondly, that <\/span>the parent<\/i> cannot pass on to the offspring an element and consequently the<\/i> corresponding property, which it does not itself possess.<\/i> Mendel simply proved the scientific accuracy of the Biblical expression. Another illustration of the scientific accuracy of the Torah is seen in the statement that the stars are innumerable. The Greek philosophers in the palmy days of Grecian history when human culture and education reached the highest points claimed that there were about 1028 stars. Modern science has demonstrated the accuracy of the Biblical account. The only way to account for the exact knowledge set forth in the Biblical record is to accept the only reasonable hypothesis, namely, that the Eternal God revealed these facts, then unknown to the world, to His servant Moses who wrote accurately what God revealed to him.<\/p>\n Hundreds of years prior to this time God, in promising a glorious posterity to Abraham, used the number of the stars as a comparison. How did the writer know that the stars were so very numerous, since the wisdom of the world limited their number to ten hundred and twenty-eight? As stated above, the only satisfactory answer is found in the thought that God’s Spirit inspired the writer. Again, the Divine Source of knowledge which the writer of the Torah possessed is seen in the fact that the sanitary laws embodied in the Torah anticipated modern discoveries. Furthermore, a comparison of the code of Moses with the laws of Hammurabi of Babylon, who was a contemporary of Abraham (he being the „Amrafel“ or Amraphel,<\/i> of Gen. 14:1) shows the superiority of the Mosaic code to that of Hammurabi. The scintillations of Divine light flashing forth in these scientific statements and anticipating science by hundreds of years prove conclusively the Divine inspiration of the author.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/center><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n In Deut. 13:1-5 Moses gave Israel the negative test whereby she could ascertain whether a man who claimed to be a prophet of God with a message of God to them was a prophet of God or not. He says, „If there arise in the midst of thee a prophet … and he give thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, ‚Let us go after other gods‘ … thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet … and that prophet … shall be put to death.“<\/p>\n The expression, „If there arise,“ etc., assumes the possibility of the appearance of prophets in their midst. The test by which they were to determine whether a prophet was true or false was this „and he give thee a sign … and the sign come to pass … saying, ‚Let us go after other gods.'“ The giving of this test assumed unmistakably that there would arise true prophets who would bring a message to them from God. The credentials which a prophet was to bring, said Moses, were that he should give a sign or wonder which was to come to pass. Of course, if the sign or wonder which he gave did not come to pass, it was self-evident that he was not sent from God; but if the sign or wonder did come to pass that fact was not in and of itself a sure guarantee that God had sent him, for there is a world of evil spirits which at various times worked through false prophets as they did through the magicians who opposed Moses when he went to deliver Israel from Egyptian bondage. These magicians possessed supernatural power which was from Satan, the adversary of God. If the sign or wonder came to pass the final test of the prophet was to be found in the character of his message, namely, if he said, „Let us go after other gods,“ that message was positive proof that the supernatural power which he manifested in giving the sign or wonder which came to pass was not from God but from the evil one. This test also assumed that if the message which the prophet brought was, „Let us go after the Lord,“ then this message was to be the final proof that God had sent the prophet.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Again in Deut. 18:20-22 God supplemented the original test in the following words, „But the prophet, that shall speak a word presumptuously in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.“ This passage unmistakably assumes the appearance in Israel both of true and of false prophets. The identification of the true prophet is that he should speak in the Name of the Lord what the Lord commanded him to speak. Upon the appearance of a prophet speaking in the Name of the Lord, should Israel say in her heart, „How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken?“ the absolute test of the prophet is found in the following words: „When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken: the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously, thou shalt not be afraid of him.“ Hence the final test of a prophet and his message was found in his speaking in the Name of the Lord, and in the fulfillment of the prediction. This same passage also assumes that two types of false prophets would appear: first, the one who speaks in the Name of God that which God had not commanded; secondly, the prophet who would speak in the name of other gods. According to this verse, if a prophet spoke in the Name of God presumptuously, or if he spoke a message in the name of the heathen gods, God positively says, „that same prophet shall die.“ The context shows that He is not talking about a natural death, for such would be no sign whereby Israel might know whether the message was true or false, when delivered by a prophet speaking presumptuously in the Name of God. Hence the death here coming to either type of false prophet is a judgment which God would send upon false prophets, whereby Israel would know conclusively that they were false. Such a prophet arose in the days of Jeremiah (Jer. 28:1-17) in the person of Hananiah, who spoke a message presumptuously in the Name of God and who died in the seventh month of the same year, which death was the judgment of God sent upon him, and which was God’s method of showing Israel that Hananiah was a false prophet.<\/p>\n At different times in Israel’s history God raised up prophets who, according to His promise in these passages from Deuteronomy, gave a sign in the Name of God which came to pass. The fact that they spoke in the Name of Israel’s God and that the sign came to pass was God’s absolute guarantee that these prophets were speaking His word just as Moses had, and that their words were as authoritative and binding upon Israel as those which he had given through Moses. Israel in the prophetic days was very cautious to ascertain what message was from God and what was not.<\/p>\n Footnotes:<\/p>\n \u00b9 The fundamental principle of rationalism is a prejudice and hostility toward all Divine interposition in the affairs of men. Hence for it a miracle is impossible. Since the miraculous element stands out most conspicuously throughout the historical books, they are by rationalistic scholars considered only as fallible works of men from which all miracles must be expunged as legends and fictitious history. Therefore they do not hesitate to use the „pen knife“ to cut out all of this so-called unreliable legendary history. The process goes on ad liberatum. <\/i><\/p>\n To approach the record with a predisposition against miracles is most unscientific and unscholarly. To be scientific one must take the data which are supplied and investigate the same thoroughly. Many things today are being done which a century ago men would have pronounced absolutely impossible. Hence one is acting unwisely and unscientifically in approaching any subject with a decided predisposition, either for or against it. A passion for facts should be the governing principle. Historical facts are established by historical testimony. Logic and philosophy, though seemingly flawless, can never overthrow a fact that is established by genuine historical testimony.<\/p>\n The seemingly impossible does occur. If men who have learned many of the „laws of nature“ can so manipulate, combine, and utilize them as to bring about results which Nature unaided cannot accomplish is it incredible that the Eternal God, the Creator of the Universe, Who subjected the material creation to certain laws, can manipulate, combine, and utilize these, His laws, and bring about results which are unknown to men? As an example of man’s combining and utilizing the laws of nature and producing results which Nature alone could not accomplish, note the „heavier-than-air machines“ which are commonplace with us today. The God who created this world can intervene whenever in His good will and pleasure He chooses. Hence a „miracle“ is possible. What is a miracle? A miracle is an act of God which ordinarily He performs in a hidden and veiled manner (Isa. 45:15), but which, for some moral or spiritual purpose, He performs in an open and manifest way. When competent<\/i> witnesses testify that God has intervened, the fact must be accepted as true. (See Chapter XXI for a competent witness.)<\/p>\n \u00b2 Considering the Hebrew Scriptures as works of men, the „critics“ approach them as they do any ordinary document.<\/p>\n Allow the author to assert that the science of literary criticism has rendered an invaluable service to humanity, especially in its detecting fraudulent and fictitious documents, which have been used in the past by unscrupulous men for the purpose of promoting their own designs and purposes. But this noble science of literary criticism has been prostituted and, in an illegitimate and illogical manner, made to serve the purposes of rationalism.<\/p>\n With the tools of literary criticism rationalists have approached the Tenach and have dissected it, especially the historical portions, and have apportioned it to various writers who lived in the period of time beginning with the ninth century to the Maccabean period. Biblical criticism began with the dissection of the Torah. At the present time that theory which holds the field is what is known as the Documentary Theory. According to this hypothesis, Moses did not write the Torah, but there were two historians who lived some time during the seventh or eighth centuries before the common era and who wrote histories from the creation of the world to their day. They are known as J and E. About the time of Josiah, who reigned about 622 before the common era, some priest, who wanted to exalt the sanctuary at Jerusalem, fabricated a code of laws in such an ingenious manner that he was successful in convincing the king and the people that it was an ancient code which had been delivered by Moses. This was the Deuteronomic Code. Later a school of prophets, following the lines of Ezekiel, drafted what is known as the Priestly Code. Finally, in the post-exilic days and probably in the days of Ezra there were „redactors“ or editors who combined these various documents, editing and cementing them together with their own comments. Thus came into existence the Torah as it now stands. This theory has been carried to a most minute and detailed analysis by some so that it is claimed that there were several other documents used in the composition of the Torah.<\/p>\n The critics are very confident that with their critical apparatus they are able to dissect the Torah (and also the entire Tenach) into the exact original documents and to tell who wrote each sentence and word. Hence they speak most confidently of the „assured results“ of criticism.<\/p>\n Since this age is highly scientific and pragmatic, the author would like to restate the challenge which has been proposed to the critics, but which, so far as he knows, has never been accepted. The challenge is this: let a committee of ordinary practical business men select, say, four different lengthy compositions on a certain subject written by different men who have a different outlook and whose education differs. Let them turn over two of these documents to some writer who will take them and weave them into a single document. In accomplishing this task the „redactor“ is to make such changes and alterations as will serve his purpose: rejecting certain words, phrases, clauses, sentences, and paragraphs; adding such material as he wishes; and making such editorial revisions as are necessary. This work being done, let another „redactor“ take this new composite document and another one of the originals and „edit“ them, and from them produce another single document. Likewise, let a third take this second composite document and weave it together with the fourth original one. Then let the four original and the first two composite documents be put in a vault by this committee for safekeeping.<\/p>\n Then let the committee turn over exact copies of the final composite document into the hands of critics (experts) who possess special literary and analytical powers in order that they may restore each of the original documents and also each resultant new document. When the work has been finished let each critic submit his work to this committee who will in turn compare the „assured results“ with the original documents.<\/p>\n If they are unable, with their critical apparatus, to dissect and to analyze such a modern document, apportioning to each writer his very words, no one can have confidence in their ability to dissect the Torah, which was completed, according to the critical theory, in the period between the Exile and the Maccabean period, and to restore the supposed original documents. If they cannot accurately dissect the Torah, neither can they any portion of the Tenach.<\/p>\n To ask the critic, by the test given above, to demonstrate his ability to restore original documents is no unreasonable request, for scholarship has been subjected to such an acid test, at least, once before. In order to prove that George Rawlinson had the proper clew to the deciphering of the cuneiform writing, the trustees of the British Museum gave lithographic copies of a long historical inscription (Tiglath-pileser I, ca. 1120-1100 B.C.) to four men who worked independently. When they had finished the work, the translations were submitted for comparison. To the unbounded joy of scholars these translations agreed substantially from beginning to end. Thus scholars demonstrated their ability to decipher the cuneiform inscriptions. Not until the literary critics are able to demonstrate by such a practical test their ability to restore original documents, is it reasonable for them to ask intelligent, thinking people to accept the „assured results“ of Biblical criticism.<\/p>\n \u00b3 Many scientists endeavor to throw doubt on the Mosaic account of creation by affirming that the Bible asserts that the world in round numbers is about 6000 years old, whereas they believe they have absolute evidence that it has been in existence for hundreds of thousands of years. One of the reasons for such conclusions is based upon speculations concerning the various strata of the earth’s surface. These speculations date back to the adoption of the „onion coat“ theory of the earth first propounded by Werner. The current theories used in explaining the long „geological and prehistorical periods“ or epochs are but modifications and adaptations of this long exploded, „onion coat“ theory. To prove it resort is had to the supposed evidence furnished by such places as the Grand Canyon of the Colorado and the Niagara Falls and Gorge. Scientists today know the yearly rate at which these rivers are cutting their way through the strata of rocks. They measure the depths of these, gorges and the recession of the Falls and make their simple calculation by division. By so doing they assume that the same causes and conditions have existed from the beginning. But it is a well-known fact that according to the generally accepted theories concerning the glacial periods the same conditions have not prevailed upon the earth all along. This fact being true, conditions have varied, hence any estimates based upon such calculations are fallacious and unreliable.<\/p>\n Resort is, likewise, had to the evidence furnished by the anthropologists. Assuming what is only a theory and cannot be proved, that there are skulls and human remains that date back thousands of years, one does not have to surrender his faith in the Bible as the Word of God. In Gen. 1:2 is a record of the destruction of the earth which originally was created in a perfect condition (Isa. 45:18). In Gen. 1:28 God told Adam to „be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.“ The word translated „replenish“ is the same as used in Gen. 9:1 where God told Noah to replenish the earth. So far as our knowledge is concerned there may have been a pre-Adamic race upon the earth before the catastrophe of Gen. 1:2. If this theory (the author simply states the theory, but frankly admits that he does not know) is true, these ancient skeletons may be of the pre-Adamic race.<\/p>\n 4<\/sup><\/span> The similarities and verbal agreements between the Mosaic code and that of Hammurabi are so very pronounced and striking that most critics reach the conclusion that Moses borrowed many things from Hammurabi when he made his code; or worked over the former code, expunging from it all undesirable matter and altering the text to serve his purpose. That there is a very close and vital connection between the codes is beyond dispute. It is certain that Hammurabi did not borrow from Moses for the former lived, in round numbers, 400 years prior to the latter. Did Moses borrow from Hammurabi? To this question most critics answer in the affirmative; but the author begs to differ from them on this point, since the Mosaic writings give positive evidence of having been written by a man inspired by God Himself.<\/p>\n How, then, can these similarities be accounted for scientifically? Gen. 26:5 supplies what, to the author, seems to be the solution to the problem: „Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.“ From this passage it is absolutely certain that in the days of Abraham there were „commandments, statutes, and laws“ which were in force and which God Himself had given. This passage becomes very luminous in the light of the facts presented in Gen. 14 from which one learns that Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. Evidently there was some kind of a „system of worship“ or ritual over which he presided, since he was „priest of God Most High.“ Being king of Salem (Jerusalem), he ruled a kingdom in which laws were enforced. These laws and the ritualistic service were of divine origin.<\/p>\n Confirmatory evidence supporting the proposition that God gave a revelation which antedates the Mosaic is found in the fact that there were prophets outside the borders of Israel. As an example of one, note the prophecies of Balaam who was a Syrian and who endeavored to curse Israel (Num. 22-25). By some scholars it is asserted that many of the Messianic prophecies found in Egypt, which antedate the days of Moses by centuries and in which the names of the gods of Egypt appear, read like prophecies of the Tenach if the names of these heathen deities are expunged and the Name of the God of Israel inserted. These facts point very definitely to the conclusion that there were true prophets of God who lived and spoke messages of God prior to the days of Moses. These messages from God, however, were corrupted by men after they refused to retain God in their knowledge. The original meaning, however, still was conveyed, though veiled greatly, when read in the light of the pure unadulterated Word of God as it appears in the Tenach.<\/p>\n Instead of Moses‘ borrowing from Hammurabi, one would conclude that the similarities between the Hammurabi code and that of the revelation of God, as found in the Torah, may more scientifically be explained upon the basis that Hammurabi borrowed from these primitive revelations of God.<\/p>\n It is quite likely that the tradition preserved among the Hebrews that God offered His law first to all nations and, when they refused it, He gave it to Israel who accepted it, is to be traced historically to this primitive revelation. Since God is the Author both of the primitive revelation, from which, doubtless, Hammurabi borrowed the highest and best elements of his code, and since He is the Author of the Mosaic Code, it is easy to account for the similarities of the heathen code with that of the divine Mosaic Code.<\/p>\n <\/span>5<\/sup><\/span> In no other writings, either ancient or modern, does this phenomenon occur. This statement being a proven fact, the law of the octave which is stamped both upon the book of nature and the book of revelation proves without a doubt to the candid, careful investigator for truth that the Bible is the Word of the Living God Who created the heavens and the earth, and in Whom man lives and moves and has his being. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nSINCE man is „incurably religious,“ the evidence of which is seen in the fact that there are „gods many and lords many“–heathen gods–which statement is especially true of the Hebrew people, for they are a people with a „genius for religion,“ and since every shade of idea, ranging from atheism to the devout, sincere, orthodox position is found among them, it seems most appropriate to begin the study of the subject of Israel’s God with an investigation of the problem of His existence and of His revelation to man.<\/p>\n
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\nAs to God’s existence, comparatively few people entertain any doubts, since in the material world the evidence of design, which is stamped upon every form of existence as its „trade-mark,“ is overwhelming to the candid investigator and seeker after facts, truths, and principles. The truthfulness of this statement is verified in the chemical laboratory by the test-tube, in the biological laboratory by the high-powered microscope, and in the astronomical sphere by the telescope and the spectroscope.<\/p>\n
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\nA. Rationalistic
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\nCHAPTERS 2-20<\/p>\n
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\nII. TESTIMONY OF THE TORAH TO THE PROPHETS AND WRITINGS<\/span><\/p>\n
\nWhen one admits the Divine origin of the Five Books of Moses he is logically bound to accept the Divine origin and authority both of the Prophets and the Psalms, for Moses in two passages assumed unmistakably that God would raise up prophets for them who would deliver His Word to them.<\/p>\n
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