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-30-
God Hath Spoken
Saul was no godly man; yet he prophesied. In fact, we read later that when an evil spirit from God came upon Saul, he attempted the murder of David, and that he tried it more than once. He hunted David as one would hunt an animal; yet he prophesied. He did what God caused him to do. God, who had said that He would bring His Spirit upon Saul, now caused him to prophesy.
We read in I Sam. 19:24 that when Saul prophesied he lay down naked all night. Saul uttered prophesies involuntarily, as did Balaam. This ought to cause us to understand that simply because a self professed preacher may utter some truths in his preaching, this does not mean he is a godly man, or a true Christian.
In the book of Psalms we can read the testimony of David regarding the doctrine of inerrancy. In the 19th Psalm we have two books: in verses 1 6, we have natural revelation, or the book of God as it is revealed in nature; but beginning in verse 7 we have the description of the written revelation of God.
"The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple." It is the testimony of David that the Law of the Lord is perfect, and I would ask, "Are there errors in that which is perfect?" Note again, that when David declares "The Law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul," he is saying that if Scripture was not perfect it could not convert the soul.
Let us consider Psalm 119. Most Bible scholars affirm that Psalm 119 was actually written by David, and that it is a collection of his devotion and personal worship through the years. See verse 89. "For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven." If there are errors settled in heaven, then heaven itself is not a place of perfection. The Word of the Lord is, however, settled in heaven. It must be without error, seeing it is perfect.
Look at a passage in the book of Isaiah chapter 1, beginning at verse 10. "Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offering of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.
"When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.
"Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (vs.. 10-18). Note that the denunciation of Israel for the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah is the very word of the LORD.
Again, Isaiah writes (chapter 30, vs. 8-15): "Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever: That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD: which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.
"Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon: therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant. And he shall break it as the breaking of the potter's vessel that is broken in pieces; he shall not spare: so that there shall not be found in the bursting of it a sherd to take fire from the hearth, or to take water withal out of the pit. For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not." The point to be considered is that the prophet is commanded to write, "This is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the word of the LORD."