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February 21, 2014
The Lord and
Inspiration
And the LORD called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of
the tabernacle of the congregation, saying . . . (Leviticus 1:1)
This
introductory verse to what many erroneously consider a dry and difficult
book of the Bible actually introduces a remarkable phenomenon. All the
rest of the chapter consists of a direct quotation from the Lord Himself.
In fact, most of the rest of the book also consists solely of the direct
words of God, except for an occasional interjection of a statement that
God was still speaking. In all, 717 of the 832 verses in Leviticus (that
is 86 percent) consist of the very words of God, directly quoted. This is
more than any other book of the Bible, except for the books of the
prophets, some of which also consist almost entirely of verbatim
statements from God. The same situation is found in lesser, but still
substantial, degrees in other historical books, not to mention the
extensive quotations from the sermons and discourses of Christ in the
four gospels.
While
it is true that the Holy Spirit used many different means by which to
convey the Scriptures (all of which are verbally inspired and fully
inerrant) to writing, it is also true that, on many occasions, what amounts
to the dictation method was used by Him. Evangelicals have often been
intimidated by the scientists' ridicule of this mechanical theory of
inspiration, but they should not be. God is well able to use whatever
means He chooses to reveal His word to men, and we should simply take Him
at His word!
Leviticus
is a guidebook for the consecration and cleansing of God's
people‐especially His priests. In the New Covenant, all believers are
priests, and therefore are expected to be consecrated and pure. But ye
are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar
people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you
out of darkness into his marvellous light (1 Peter 2:9). HMM
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