Write it in a Book

Write it in a Book

Jesus Christ said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me" (John 14:6). The Bible, the one supreme authority for mankind, is looked upon by men as just another book. Christ referred to the Bible as the scriptures. "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me" (John 5:39).

There has been literally thousands of book written about the scriptures. Each giving a man's opinion about what it says! The Apostle John said that all the books in the world could not hold every word spoken by Jesus. John wrote down Christ words to be preserved for mankind down through the ages. "This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen" (John 21:24-25).

There has been only one book down through the ages that has spoken with the authority of the Almighty God. This book has been called the "manual for mankind." It tells us how to live God's way and this way is "THE WAY" of life (John 14:6).

WHY THE WRITTEN WORD?

Why does God say "Write it in a book?" The written word has been proven to be preserved longer than the spoken word. If the words of the Bible had not been written, the words would have been lost, never again to be read or heard!

It was only in the early 1900's that sound was recorded for movies and later the audio tapes to record the spoken word. Now we have all different means of recording and preserving the spoken word. Before that, all things had to be written down to be kept for the generations that followed.

Many of God's prophets and servants were told to write it in a book! "And the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest" (Exod 34:1). "The LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven" (Exod 17:14).

Jeremiah, Isaiah and Ezekiel were also told to write it in a book! "Thus speaketh the LORD God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book" (Jer 30:2). "Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever" (Isa 30:8).

Because of the faithfulness of Jeremiah to write it in a book, we now have the prophecies and warnings for us today. If he were like so many people who don't believe in the authority of the God, Jeremiah would have just gone his own way. But, Jeremiah believed God and followed His instructions perfectly!

The people of Israel and Judah had demonstrated their refusal to obey God's commands, Jeremiah, the prophet was instructed to write another warning "Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day. It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin. Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah: and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD, which he had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book. And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I am shut up; I cannot go into the house of the LORD: Therefore go thou, and read in the roll, which thou hast written from my mouth, the words of the LORD in the ears of the people in the LORD's house upon the fasting day: and also thou shalt read them in the ears of all Judah that come out of their cities" (Jer 36:2-6). Jeremiah was shown the attitude of the king when the king burned the roll of a book Jeremiah had written. ‘So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll: and he took it out of Elishama the scribe's chamber. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes which stood beside the king. Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month: and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him. And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth. Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words" (Jer 36:21-24).

Ezekiel was told to write in a book the warnings to the House of Israel. "Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the pattern. And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, shew them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof: and write it in their sight, that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them" (Ezek 43:10-11).

THE SPOKEN WORD

Why did God instruct the prophet to commit His words to writing? Because of the importance of the message, it was necessary to do so or it would soon be forgotten! What would we know today of the thousands of spoken words in time past, if they had not been recorded in writing. If the words had not been recorded by the Prophets and Apostles, we would not know what had been taught. Nothing, but what is recorded in writing is remembered today from the past. If not for the written word, there is no way to recall to remembrance the many things that has been said. "The "spoken" word at best is like a comet that suddenly flares as a brilliant spectacle flashing across the evening sky and then disappears, passing out into infinite space, never again to be seen of men" [Prophecy of Jeremiah by Howard Rand].

IMPORTANCE OF THE WRITTEN WORD

The "written word" is as the light of the sun shining day after day. It will continue to exist to enlighten multitudes as yet unborn who will read and understand because of the continued light of revelation preserved in the written word.

The message God gave to Jeremiah was so important He required the prophet to commit them to writing. The need of passing along the record to later generations was the reason they had to be written. The spoken words are soon forgotten. By committing all his prophecies to writing, Jeremiah was assured that all his writings would serve as a continuous warning, not only to his generation, but to all people down through history!

THE WRITTEN WORD CAN GO WHERE THE SPOKEN CANNOT REACH!

Today, in the 21st century, there are places that audio tapes cannot be sent. Only the written word can reach some people. Some prison systems do not allow inmates to have audio recorders. They can only receive God's truth through the written word. Some countries tax the audio tapes, so people request the written words only.

Those who are deaf cannot hear the spoken word, but can read and understand the written word. God's word has been preserved in writing so all nations of the world can read. Thankfully, God inspired the King of England to have the Bible written in English so all lay people could read and understand. The written word now can go where the spoken word could never be heard.

Jeremiah was in hiding from the princes and the King. It would not have been safe for him to speak these word personally to the leaders. Jeremiah followed God's instruction and had Baruch, his scribe write down all the words God has spoken to him. Baruch was instructed to read the words in the house of the Lord. "Then read Baruch in the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the LORD, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the higher court, at the entry of the new gate of the LORD's house, in the ears of all the people. When Michaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard out of the book all the words of the LORD, Then he went down into the king's house, into the scribe's chamber: and, lo, all the princes sat there, even Elishama the scribe, and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, and Elnathan the son of Achbor, and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the princes. Then Michaiah declared unto them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the book in the ears of the people. Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, unto Baruch, saying, Take in thine hand the roll wherein thou hast read in the ears of the people, and come. So Baruch the son of Neriah took the roll in his hand, and came unto them. And they said unto him, Sit down now, and read it in our ears. So Baruch read it in their ears. Now it came to pass, when they had heard all the words, they were afraid both one and other, and said unto Baruch, We will surely tell the king of all these words" (Jer. 36:10- 16).

Typical of all the people of that time, they did not want to hear what God had to say! Jeremiah had been warning of coming disaster for many year. It was not until his words had been committed to writing that the princes, upon hearing those words read began to realize the seriousness of their position. Even after hearing the words of warning God gave to the King, he and the people were still not afraid nor willing to repent of the evil being done at that time. "Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words" (Jer. 36:24).

The inspired New Testament writers preserved Christ words by writing them down. The Apostles and disciples letters were sent to different area and later became a part of the New Testament for us today. Luke wrote, "It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed" (Luke 1:3-4). The Apostle John said, "And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full" ( 1 John 1:4). Peter wrote, "This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour" (2 Pet 3:1-2).

DESTROYING THE WORD

The men of Jeremiah's time were so hardened in unbelief, that the attack on God's words made no impression on them. This same kind of attack upon the Word of God is being done today in the modern unbelief of people today. Leaders and scholars question the accuracy of the Bible. The destruction of the authority and truth of God's Word, The Bible, is effectively accomplished as if it were consigned to the fire. The people of today do not want God to tell them what to do. They do not want the authority of God's Word to be the final say in their life. They ask "WHY DOES GOD ALLOW TRAGEDY TO HAPPEN?" As a nation and people, even the whole world, do not want God involved in their life. It smooths their conscience to go to church once a week or to say they believe in God, but they don't want God to tell them what to do. Is it any wonder that God has taken Himself out of their lives!

Today, modern society's criticism of the Bible and its teachings have left only the cover, nothing in between. Jehoiakim used a penknife to mutilate the Word of God and the modern teachers of today use secular scholarship to mutilate God's Word.

MUTILATOR'S OF THE SCRIPTURE

The severity of judgment pronounced upon people for destroying God's word should cause all who practice mutilating God's Word, to know God will hold them personally accountable for this great sin. Great as the sin of refusal to heed God's instruction is, the mutilation of His written word is always the prelude to judgment! Because of the present activities of modern mutilators, judgment will be pronounced. Men cannot escape the condemnation pronounced upon those who add to or take away from God's revelation. "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you" (Deut 4:2). "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book" (Rev 22:18).

Men have tried to discredit or destroy the Bible, God's word. But Christ said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away" (Matt. 24:35). It is only through the light of God's infallible Word that man can ever come to the knowledge of the truth! Only true and accurate knowledge of man's purpose on this earth is in the recorded history and prophecies of the Bible.

GOD HAS SENT A WARNING TODAY!

God has given His people a warning. We need to take heed! A watchman has been warning God's people of the coming destruction of this end age and it society.

A warning is given to get back to the truth once taught to the Prophets and the Apostles. We need to believe that the Bible speaks with authority. We, as God's people, need to know that the Bible interprets the Bible. We need to stop mixing religions and truly take the Word of God as the authority in our life.

God has given instructions to His people through His divine WORD!

We cannot afford to add to or take away from His word. If we delay or postpone God's Holy Days for man made rules, then He will say to us as He has said to the people of ancient Israel. "And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word" (I King 18:21).

Church of God, In Truth