Because all that God tells us in his word is so universally true, whether of himself, or of the world, or of human nature, it has perpetual application in every man's life. It is, after all, just a simple little melody which constitutes the music of life, and the ages and generations only play the variations on it. This nation's history, that man's life, the deed that is blazoned abroad or the thought that lives unknown in the innermost heart--they but repeat the song with varying emphasis, with chord and discord, truly and falsely, but in essentially the same strain. Without detracting in the least from the literal, historical truth of the Bible, I see a spiritual meaning constantly accompanying it like a shadow. These circumstances, I read about other peoples and men and times--somehow it seems to me I have passed through them myself. Every new experience of mine which a day may bring, I find there already tabulated and described in words better than I could have chosen, and I wonder why I had not noticed it there before. Never a subtle suggestion, never a note of praise, never [34] a pang of sorrow, remorse, penitence, but it is already expressed there through the Spirit of God.

      I have tasted the innocence of Eden. I also ate forbidden fruit and have in my time tried to hide from God and to cover my shame with flimsy pretense of fig leaves. The hatred of Cain has rankled within my breast, and I have shared in the obedience and persecution of Abel. I have sought, like Cain's descendants, to compensate with worldly pleasure, business, works, and arts, the missing of Jehovah's favor. I have walked with God as Enoch and Noah. Like Abraham, I went forth by faith into uncertainties; and I, too, had to learn to give the dearest things of life to God, that from his hand I might receive them again. The discipline of Jacob has fallen to my lot. I wrestled with the angel at Peniel and came off limping, by my daring efforts to force the purposes of God, but was blessed of him when in realization of my weakness I threw myself on his mercy and clung to him. I have been in Egyptian bondage, and, bought with blood, I passed through the Red Sea. I fumbled many needless years in the wilderness because of unbelief. I passed over into Canaan by faith, and won victories and found rest. Israel-like, I failed to make a clean sweep, and was led away from God by the unconquered, unsurrendered things in my heart, and went into captivity. I hanged my harp upon the willows of Babylon and in bitterness of soul remembered Zion. So has the hope of Israel also found its response in my heart: "When Jehovah brought back those that returned to Zion, we were like unto them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the nations, Jehovah hath done great things for them."

      These things I read, and it seems to me like a reminiscence, as if I had been there myself and participated in [35] them long ago. Nor only that. The thoughts that were in my heart unknown, unrecognized; the motives that led me; the feelings that worked there unconsciously--the word of Good so portrays them before my eyes and reveals them to me that I cannot go on longer in self-deception. It diagnoses, it points out, it prescribes the remedy, it heals. Wonderful book! Look in the psalms of David. There is the whole gamut of the human heart. What joy have you had, what sorrow, what doubt, what fear, what longing, what satisfaction, what hopes, what despairs, what deep things of the heart which you would shrink to reveal to another? Lo, they are all there, openly told.

      Now this does not clash at all with the fact that God spoke unto us by his Son, and to the fathers, on the other hand, in times past, by the prophets. In matters of worship and religious practice we are exclusively under teaching of Christ. Nevertheless, the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy; and "whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and through comfort of the (Old Testament) Scriptures might have hope." (Rom. 15:4.) There are immutable principles revealed, and an unchanging God, and the same human nature, with whom God deals at every point and angle. And so, in all its parts, the word of God bears a perpetual meaning and message to all men everywhere and of all times. For this reason, "every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness: that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work." (2 Tim. 3:16, 17.) May that Word become more and more precious in our eyes and fill us with hope and love, with motive and strength unto every good work! [36]

[TAG 34-36]