SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES

In the December issue we illustrated a searching of the Scriptures from John 5:39 in reply to Jame’s question. There we found father, mother and children, gathered about the table investigating a portion of scripture. And the next question of James must be considered now, as promised, by his father, last month. And then we must observe, how we are to conduct our searchings of the scriptures.

Father.—Now children let us consider our next question. Who can tell me what the next question is?

James.—I can dad! It was this;—what did the minister mean when he said, “I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh.” (Prov. 1:26)

Father.—Martha, does the minister mean to say that he will laugh and mock?

Martha.—No, he does not. If I read correctly, then it is Wisdom that is speaking and He will laugh and mock.

Joan.—Well, how do you reckon it to be Wisdom?

Martha.—Look at verse (20) and there we read, “Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:” and in verses 21 to 33 Wisdom is the speaker.

Father.—You are correct Martha. But who is this Wisdom?

Martha.—The Apostle Paul preached to the Corinthians that Jesus Christ was the power of God, and the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24). And unto the Colossians he writes that, “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” are hid in Christ (Col. 2:3). And Christ calls himself Wisdom, in (Luke 7:35). Therefore it is Christ who is speaking here in these verses, (Prov. 1:20-33).

James.—Why, then, will Christ laugh at ones calamity; and mock when fear taketh hold upon a person?

Father.—Because, when Jesus called to simple ones, and scorners, and fools, to turn from their sins and iniquities and repent: also, because they refused to obey His pleadings, and, set at nought all His counsel, advise, love and instruction in the ways of salvation: because sinners so wilfully, stubbornly, and obstinately refuse to listen to His pleadings and thus go on in their sins and evil desires of their corrupt hearts, craving the lusts of their flesh, which is sin and everything forbidden by God in His Law; because they will not be reproved by Christ, but scorn Him and hate the knowledge of His ways; Therefore, “shall they eat of the fruit of their own way,” verse 31. The day of their calamity is coming and that means trouble, sickness unto death, or in worldly affairs, home and family, business, losses, etc.; then comes death confronting them and all they have for their soul is a terrible fear even as desolation; all alone, none to help; and then horrible destruction looms before them, and in deep inexpressable distress and anguish of soul they are whirled into eternity into the hands of an angry God; as a whirlwind destroys everything that’s in its path, so they will meet eternal destruction. Then, God will laugh at their calamity; and He will mock them for having scorned Him and His dear Son Jesus; and hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord while they lived in the day of grace and mercy.

Such is the sad end of all children and parents; of every one that lives and dies in sin. Then, God’s justice will be glorified in their ruin. Then, it will be too late to cry, “Lord, Lord, open to me;” and God will then answer, “Depart, depart from Me, I know you not.” Oh horrible burning in the lake of brimstone. Destroyed by our own folly. Ruined by our own sins. O my dear children, this eternal destruction is the curse of God resting upon each one of us as the bitter consequences of sin and transgression. And God would be just and righteous if He had left that curse remain without any hope of salvation. But thanks be to His Name for the gift of His dear Son Jesus Christ whom God promised and sent to save sinners. Even in the last verse of this chapter there is hope for a certain class of sinners. And they are, “whoso hearkeneth unto Me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

James.—O, who is this person, that can give a safe dwelling place?

Martha.—That is Wisdom still speaking, James. Jesus is the Saviour promised by God; and here He encourages sinners that will hearken to His pleadings, and will call upon Him to rule over them and to counsel them in all things: to all such He promises that no evil shall befall them. He will be their Guide even unto death. Nay, more than that, they shall be quiet from fear of evil. O James, even after death, Jesus will deliver them from all fear of evil, now in this life and for the life to come.

Father.—Yes, children that is the true comfort and happiness of the soul for this life and for the life hereafter. May the Spirit of the Lord quicken us to hear His voice, pleading with us now, in mercy and compassion; “I am He that liveth, and because I live, thou shalt live also:” I say unto thee, “Arise, thy sins are forgiven thee!” Yea, “if thou wilt receive My words, and hide My commandments with thee; so that thou incline thine ear unto Wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and SEARCHE ST for her as for hiden treasures; Then, then, shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.” And that my dear children is our next question, as we mentioned at the beginning, “how are we to conduct our searchings of the scriptures?”

Joan.—What does conduct mean?

Martha.—That means, how must we go about the business of searching. How must it be managed. For example, if any one is lost and the officers begin looking for such a person, they have a system or regulations by which they search. So it is in searching the scriptures.

Father.—The Rev. A. Hellenbroek, gives us an answer to this question, he says: (1) In the fear of God, Ps. 111:10; (2) with a praying heart, Ps. 119:18; (3) reverently, Isa. 66:5; (4) attentively and with spiritual judgment, 1 Cor. 2:13. Then too, children, do not rest in the letter, but search into it by comparing one passage with another. And do not stop at what they seem to say, but pry into passage after passage to know indeed what they do say. Yea, labour and study them to know what they direct unto. Ask yourself, “What is hid in these scriptures?” Seek for Christ in them as that hidden treasure, buried there by God. Dig into that ocean of love as those that go deep down for pearls, for Jesus is the Pearl of great price. Thus did the Bereans in Acts 17:11 as recorded in our November 1934 issue.

And you should always fasten your eye upon the aim and end) of the Scriptures; namely, Heaven; and upon Christ as the only Way to it. For the Scriptures contain these teachings. They set before us eternal life as directly opposite to eternal death, our sad state by nature. They direct us in the way to it; and also reveal the foundation of it whereupon we only can build for it.

Christ is the Way to Heaven as the scriptures testify of Him, therefore we must SEARCH the scriptures and may do so with a hope of finding the hidden treasure, and the living Water which flows from them, because they testify of Him, and finding Christ in them the hope of our soul, we shall then understand the fear of God, and find the knowledge of God, for to know Him is life eternal.

Mother.—What unspeakable love God has and is for sinners. And to so bless us with His Word. O, I think we should search the scriptures from the beginning, don’t you dad?

Father.—Yes, mother that would be a splendid thing. The Lord willing and we are spared we will do so. And may the Lord grant us a diligent heart to search them. Raise a true sincere desire within us after Himself. And may He ever keep us from, “THINKING WE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE” merely because we read and study it regularly. Nay, if that is all we have in view, then we will not fare any better than the Jews who grounded their expectations of eternal life upon their knowledge of the scriptures in mind only but lacked the abiding of the Word within them. O Lord grant that Thy Word may truly, “abide in us,” as in a Zacheus.

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