The Union of Human and Divine
The relation of man to this divine revelation was unique. While preserving his own individuality and expressing the divine revelation in his own style, he was yet under the direction of the Holy Spirit. This union of the human and the divine is beautifully expressed in these words:
TOJ 74.2
“The Bible points to God as its author; yet it was written by human hands; and in the varied style of its different books it presents the characteristics of the several writers. The truths revealed are all ‘given by inspiration of God’ (2 Timothy 3:16); yet they are expressed in the words of men. The Infinite One by His Holy Spirit has shed light into the minds and hearts of His servants. He has given dreams and visions, symbols and figures; and those to whom the truth was thus revealed, have themselves embodied the thought in human language.
TOJ 74.3
“The ten commandments were spoken by God Himself, and were written by His own hand. They are of divine and not of human composition. But the Bible, with its God-given truths expressed in the language of men, presents a union of the divine and the human. Such a union existed in the nature of Christ, who was the Son of God and the Son of man. Thus it is true of the Bible, as it was of Christ, that ‘the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.’ John 1:14.
TOJ 75.1
“Written in different ages, by men who differed widely in rank and occupation, and in mental and spiritual endowments, the books of the Bible present a wide contrast in style, as well as a diversity in the nature of the subjects unfolded. Different forms of expression are employed by different writers; often the same truth is more strikingly presented by one than by another. And as several writers present a subject under varied aspects and relations, there may appear, to the superficial, careless, or prejudiced reader, to be discrepancy or contradiction, where the thoughtful, reverent student, with clear insight, discerns the underlying harmony.
TOJ 75.2
“As presented through different individuals, the truth is brought out in its varied aspects. One writer is more strongly impressed with one phase of the subject; he grasps those points that harmonize with his experience or with his power of perception and appreciation; another seizes upon a different phase; and each, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, presents what is most forcibly impressed upon his own mind—a different aspect of the truth in each, but a perfect harmony through all. And the truths thus revealed unite to form a perfect whole, adapted to meet the wants of men in all the circumstances and experiences of life.
TOJ 75.3
“God has been pleased to communicate His truth to the world by human agencies, and He Himself, by His Holy Spirit, qualified men and enabled them to do this work. He guided the mind in the selection of what to speak and what to write. The treasure was entrusted to earthen vessels, yet it is, nonetheless, from Heaven. The testimony is conveyed through the imperfect expression of human language, yet it is the testimony of God; and the obedient, believing child of God beholds in it the glory of a divine power, full of grace and truth.”—The Great Controversy, Introduction, v-vii.
TOJ 75.4
The fallible human instruments dealt with great, infallible themes. Moses, although sinful by nature and fallible in judgment, was the instrument through whom God led Israel from bondage to liberty. He was their apostle, prophet, and lawgiver. The four evangelists, although compassed with human frailties and weakness of character, were the agents through whom God gave the blessed gospel of His Son to all mankind.
TOJ 76.1
648
TOJ
The Testimony of Jesus
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Limitations","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0046_eng_f_human_limitations_648_443.mp3#duration=81&size=746748"},{"para_id":"648.449","title":"God and Heaven Alone Infallible","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0047_eng_f_god_and_heaven_alone_infallible_648_449.mp3#duration=220&size=1576216"},{"para_id":"648.463","title":"Information From Others","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0048_eng_f_information_from_others_648_463.mp3#duration=202&size=1473139"},{"para_id":"648.474","title":"Fallible Men Chosen for Leadership","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0049_eng_f_fallible_men_chosen_for_leadership_648_474.mp3#duration=190&size=1397887"},{"para_id":"648.483","title":"Looking to God, Not Man","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0050_eng_f_looking_to_god_not_man_648_483.mp3#duration=176&size=1314963"},{"para_id":"648.491","title":"Chapter 12\u2014Verbal Inspiration","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0051_eng_f_chapter_12_verbal_inspiration_648_491.mp3#duration=97&size=842950"},{"para_id":"648.495","title":"Actions of General Conference","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0052_eng_f_actions_of_general_conference_648_495.mp3#duration=150&size=1160747"},{"para_id":"648.507","title":"Idea or Word Inspiration","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0053_eng_f_idea_or_word_inspiration_648_507.mp3#duration=227&size=1620063"},{"para_id":"648.516","title":"Mrs. White\u2019s Own Statement","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0054_eng_f_mrs_white_s_own_statement_648_516.mp3#duration=79&size=735567"},{"para_id":"648.524","title":"Human Counsel Not Ignored","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0055_eng_f_human_counsel_not_ignored_648_524.mp3#duration=199&size=1453190"},{"para_id":"648.534","title":"Chapter 13\u2014Suppression and the Shut Door","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0056_eng_f_chapter_13_suppression_and_the_shut_door_648_534.mp3#duration=229&size=1633201"},{"para_id":"648.544","title":"Mrs. White\u2019s Own Explanation","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0057_eng_f_mrs_white_s_own_explanation_648_544.mp3#duration=164&size=1240036"},{"para_id":"648.554","title":"\u201cTestimonies Garbled by Eli Curtis","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0058_eng_f_testimonies_garbled_by_eli_curtis_648_554.mp3#duration=117&size=958405"},{"para_id":"648.561","title":"\u201cThe First Omission","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0059_eng_f_the_first_omission_648_561.mp3#duration=152&size=1168508"},{"para_id":"648.569","title":"\u201cThe \u2018Shut Door\u2019 Defined","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0060_eng_f_the_shut_door_defined_648_569.mp3#duration=263&size=1839089"},{"para_id":"648.586","title":"\u201cAn Unreasonable Conjecture","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0061_eng_f_an_unreasonable_conjecture_648_586.mp3#duration=127&size=1020512"},{"para_id":"648.594","title":"\u201cA Misquotation","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0062_eng_f_a_misquotation_648_594.mp3#duration=64&size=644087"},{"para_id":"648.600","title":"\u201cThe Seal of God","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0063_eng_f_the_seal_of_god_648_600.mp3#duration=30&size=440019"},{"para_id":"648.604","title":"\u201cRenouncing the Sabbath","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0064_eng_f_renouncing_the_sabbath_648_604.mp3#duration=51&size=566511"},{"para_id":"648.608","title":"\u201c\u2018Time Nearly Finished\u2019","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0065_eng_f_time_nearly_finished_648_608.mp3#duration=328&size=2225691"},{"para_id":"648.630","title":"Last-Day Scoffers","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0066_eng_f_last_day_scoffers_648_630.mp3#duration=169&size=1271119"},{"para_id":"648.638","title":"\u201cThe Enmity Against Christ","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0067_eng_f_the_enmity_against_christ_648_638.mp3#duration=571&size=3687945"},{"para_id":"648.668","title":"Other Questions","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0068_eng_f_other_questions_648_668.mp3#duration=187&size=1381552"},{"para_id":"648.678","title":"The Conference of 1856","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0069_eng_f_the_conference_of_1856_648_678.mp3#duration=259&size=1813032"},{"para_id":"648.694","title":"Chapter 14\u2014Changes in Revision","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0070_eng_f_chapter_14_changes_in_revision_648_694.mp3#duration=318&size=2169819"},{"para_id":"648.710","title":"No Claim to Verbal Inspiration","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0071_eng_f_no_claim_to_verbal_inspiration_648_710.mp3#duration=95&size=830614"},{"para_id":"648.716","title":"Mrs. White Approves Revision","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0072_eng_f_mrs_white_approves_revision_648_716.mp3#duration=321&size=2183839"},{"para_id":"648.737","title":"Typical of Other Changes","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0073_eng_f_typical_of_other_changes_648_737.mp3#duration=22&size=388679"},{"para_id":"648.739","title":"Additions to Later Editions of Books","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0074_eng_f_additions_to_later_editions_of_books_648_739.mp3#duration=283&size=1957603"},{"para_id":"648.756","title":"Chapter 15\u2014The Extent of Mrs. White\u2019s Writings","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0075_eng_f_chapter_15_the_extent_of_mrs_white_s_writings_648_756.mp3#duration=56&size=596738"},{"para_id":"648.759","title":"A Wide Scope of Writing","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0076_eng_f_a_wide_scope_of_writing_648_759.mp3#duration=305&size=2089985"},{"para_id":"648.773","title":"The Income From Publications","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0077_eng_f_the_income_from_publications_648_773.mp3#duration=417&size=2760579"},{"para_id":"648.795","title":"The Disposition of Mrs. White\u2019s Debts","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0078_eng_f_the_disposition_of_mrs_white_s_debts_648_795.mp3#duration=85&size=769606"},{"para_id":"648.799","title":"Estimate of the Public Press","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0079_eng_f_estimate_of_the_public_press_648_799.mp3#duration=429&size=2833707"},{"para_id":"648.822","title":"Chapter 16\u2014A Balanced Acceptance","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0080_eng_f_chapter_16_a_balanced_acceptance_648_822.mp3#duration=200&size=1459531"},{"para_id":"648.831","title":"Vitiating the Instruction","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0081_eng_f_vitiating_the_instruction_648_831.mp3#duration=195&size=1428720"},{"para_id":"648.843","title":"Present Time Application","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0082_eng_f_present_time_application_648_843.mp3#duration=149&size=1154984"},{"para_id":"648.852","title":"Chapter 17\u2014Relation to Church Fellowship","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0083_eng_f_chapter_17_relation_to_church_fellowship_648_852.mp3#duration=235&size=1671898"},{"para_id":"648.864","title":"Spiritual Gifts and Church Membership","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0084_eng_f_spiritual_gifts_and_church_membership_648_864.mp3#duration=148&size=1148213"},{"para_id":"648.871","title":"Not a Hard and Fast Rule","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0085_eng_f_not_a_hard_and_fast_rule_648_871.mp3#duration=127&size=1020303"},{"para_id":"648.878","title":"The Testimony of Early Leaders","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0086_eng_f_the_testimony_of_early_leaders_648_878.mp3#duration=117&size=960953"},{"para_id":"648.886","title":"Disfellowshiping Members","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0087_eng_f_disfellowshiping_members_648_886.mp3#duration=57&size=603610"},{"para_id":"648.889","title":"Ministers and Church Faith","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0088_eng_f_ministers_and_church_faith_648_889.mp3#duration=178&size=1325782"},{"para_id":"648.899","title":"Common Honesty","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0089_eng_f_common_honesty_648_899.mp3#duration=68&size=666919"},{"para_id":"648.902","title":"Chapter 18\u2014Opposition Fulfills Prophecy","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0090_eng_f_chapter_18_opposition_fulfills_prophecy_648_902.mp3#duration=174&size=1302287"},{"para_id":"648.909","title":"Idle Rumor and Report","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0091_eng_f_idle_rumor_and_report_648_909.mp3#duration=89&size=793552"},{"para_id":"648.917","title":"At War With the Church","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0092_eng_f_at_war_with_the_church_648_917.mp3#duration=93&size=814508"},{"para_id":"648.924","title":"Believe the Lord and His Prophets","mp3":"\/mp3\/648\/0093_eng_f_believe_the_lord_and_his_prophets_648_924.mp3#duration=76&size=716561"},{"para_id":"648.932","title":"Chapter 19\u2014The Personal 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