General Conference Bulletin, vol. 6

Bible Study - IMPORTANCE OF THE WORD

S. N. HASKELL

May 24, 9:15 A. M.

We must be Bible students. The time is coming when everything that can be shaken will be shaken; but there is one thing that never will be shaken, and that is the Word of God. He who stands on that Word is the one who will stand in the time before us. The one who stands on any experience not founded on the Word will have a tremendous shaking before he gets through. GCB May 25, 1909, page 141.2

Turn to Luke 1:15: “For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.” There are two thoughts in that verse,—that John was to be filled with the Holy Ghost, and that wine and strong drink are in direct opposition to the Holy Ghost. We in this time will need to live out health-reform principles if we ever become filled with the Holy Ghost. GCB May 25, 1909, page 141.3

Now here is another thought. Do you think that the judgment of such a man as that would be good? (Voices: Yes, Yes.) Well, do you think it would be safe to follow that judgment without being sure that it was founded on the Word of God? GCB May 25, 1909, page 141.4

Now notice verses 76, 77, of this same chapter: “And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways: to give knowledge of salvation unto his people, by the remission of their sins.” John is to be filled with the Holy Ghost; his mission is to go before Christ and prepare the way of the Lord, and to give knowledge of salvation to the people. Then there is some connection between having the Holy Ghost and being able to give knowledge of salvation to the people. A theoretical experience will not do; a practical experience is absolutely necessary. GCB May 25, 1909, page 141.5

Another text about John: “But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. This is he, of whom it is written, Behold I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” Luke 7:26-28. John was a prophet, yes, more than a prophet; he was a man of prophecy. That is, he fulfilled the prophecy in the fortieth chapter of Isaiah. GCB May 25, 1909, page 141.6

Put another text beside that: “And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.” John 10:41. Though John was the greatest prophet, yet he performed no miracle; so one may be a prophet, and not necessarily perform miracles. GCB May 25, 1909, page 141.7

Read another scripture, Matthew 3:13-17. [These verses were then read.] When Jesus came to be baptized, John’s spiritual discernment taught him that here was a candidate different from others he had baptized, and he refused to baptize him, realizing his own unworthiness. But did John know that this was the Son of God? He felt he had met the Son of God, but did not dare to follow his own judgment. GCB May 25, 1909, page 141.8

“And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw and bare record that this is the Son of God.” John 1:31-34. GCB May 25, 1909, page 141.9

Then did John know, when he saw the Saviour coming to him from that great crowd, that he was the Son of God? He did not, yet he had the right impression. He did not dare to follow that impression, and declare him to be the Son of God then. John had seen in vision that Christ would come to him to be baptized, and that the Holy Ghost would descend upon him. After he saw the complete fulfillment of all that the spirit of prophecy had shown him, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” GCB May 25, 1909, page 141.10

Now I ask, is it safe to follow a partial fulfillment of a prophecy?—No. Is is safe to follow the best man’s judgment, when you do not see a fulfillment of the whole?—No. Then what is our first duty in this world?—To know the Word for ourselves. GCB May 25, 1909, page 141.11

Men may perform miracles and do wonders. But did John perform miracles?—He did not. Then because men can do wonders, and show a portion of the fulfillment of prophecy in their teaching, is that enough to make it safe for us to follow them? I want to tell you, my brethren, in the fear of God, that if there is any class of people who need to understand the Word of God, it is the remnant. Unless these principles are understood, there will be many a shipwreck of souls. GCB May 25, 1909, page 141.12

Another illustration of the importance of the Word:— GCB May 25, 1909, page 141.13

“And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about three-score furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?” Luke 24:13-17. GCB May 25, 1909, page 141.14

Did the disciples know the Saviour when he came?—They did not. Could he have made himself known in just one second?—Yes. If he had shown the wounds in his hands, they would have believed that he was Jesus. But he walked with them to Emmaus (it must have been two hours), and did not tell them that he was the Son of God. GCB May 25, 1909, page 141.15

“Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. And they drew night unto the village whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.” GCB May 25, 1909, page 141.16

Now what did he do when they did not know him? He taught them the Scriptures. He began at Moses, and went through all the prophets. These disciples were anxious to see the Saviour, but they did not believe that he was risen. Then which is the most important, to get a fresh revelation from God, or to get an understanding of the Word? GCB May 25, 1909, page 141.17

After a time he revealed himself to his disciples, and said: “These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things.” GCB May 25, 1909, page 141.18

Then it stands out very clearly, that they needed two things. One was an understanding of the Scriptures. But it was not enough to understand the theory. Perhaps you will see it more clearly, if you turn to the twentieth chapter of John, and read verses 20-23: “And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they say the Lord. The said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained.” GCB May 25, 1909, page 141.19

Now after he had given them an argument from the law of Moses and all the prophets that he was the Son of God, he then said, “Peace be unto you.” Then he showed them the marks of his crucifixion. But he first opened their mind to understand the Scriptures. GCB May 25, 1909, page 141.20

Carry in your minds two or three texts; first, the last verse of Daniel 7: “Hitherto is the end of the matter. GCB May 25, 1909, page 141.21

As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.” GCB May 25, 1909, page 142.1

Daniel did not understand the matter. In the last verse of the eighth chapter the Lord explained matters to him. The vision had been made very plain, but he did not understand it. He could not understand it because he had something else in his mind all the time, and he was trying to harmonize those visions with the return of the Jews from Babylonish captivity; and so he could not see the connection. But he fasted and prayed; and in Daniel 10:11 is the record of the visit of the being sent to him to make him understand the vision, and he was told: “Understand the words that I speak unto thee.” Instead of his mind being on the words, he had his mind on his own ideas. So oftentimes we think the Scriptures teach thus and so, but before we see the truth, we need to lay aside every preconceived idea, and take the Bible as the words of Christ. GCB May 25, 1909, page 142.2

The Word itself, if read and considered, will enlighten our minds in all things. The meaning of the Bible is in harmony with the words themselves; so if I study the words, and consider the words, the Lord will open up to my understanding the truth contained in the words. There is a connection between this and the outpouring of the Spirit of God. The Word opens the heart for the reception of the Spirit. When the Lord gives the Spirit, one of its offices is to open the understanding, that we may understand the words. We can not receive nor control the Spirit, but we can have the Bible, and can study it; and when we do this, it puts us in an attitude where our minds go out to comprehend what God says, and the Lord, by his Holy Spirit, comes in. That Spirit will open our understanding. If you have to do with teaching the Word of God, let God do his own convicting. Believe the Word of God yourself, and the Lord will take care of the results. GCB May 25, 1909, page 142.3

When I was in Africa, I was some three or four weeks in Basutoland, where the evangelist of the French missionary society was very much prejudiced against me. I was introduced to Brother Kalaka, a man they had educated to translate the Bible. He took me through the country. I never said a word about our views to him, because I knew they would question him when we came back; but I did read scriptures that took up our points of faith, and often I would emphasize them when I read. We were together four weeks, and I wanted to know what he thought, but he never committed himself. Finally we came back to a little brook of water, and he said, “See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?” I answered him in the language of Phillip, and had there been water enough I would have baptized him. I gave him “Steps to Christ,” and asked him to translate it. When he read it, he said, I dare not translate such a book unless I read it through with you first, and show you expressions that we have no words to convey in our tongue. He said: “That book was written by the Spirit of God.” That was the opinion of a man to whom I had said nothing as to our special views; I had simply read the Bible. I want to impress your minds with the importance of the Bible and the importance of reading the Bible. Impress the Bible, and not your theory so much, and God will take care of the converting power. Have more confidence in the Bible, and then you will have more confidence in the spirit of prophecy. GCB May 25, 1909, page 142.4