Articles
Reactions to the Word
Our Bible is amazing. In one volume it provides a multitude of examples of the moral precepts of God. In addition to this, there are many examples of human reactions to those precepts in God’s Word. Where to begin?
Let us start with Noah. His reaction to God’s instructions for saving his life was, “He did all that God commanded” (Genesis 6:1-22). This, of course, is the best of responses. However, Noah’s descendant Abraham, whom God promised to protect from all threats, did not fully trust those words for a while, and used lies in order to avoid them (Genesis 12:1-20). Abraham’s son, Isaac, and his grandson, Jacob, heirs of similar promises, also chose to use human solutions (Genesis 25:21-23, 26:1-11, 27:1-36).
When the children of Israel fearfully heard God command them to make no images, they disobeyed that command in less than six weeks (Exodus 20:4, 32:1-5). Nadab and Abihu, two of the five original priests of Israel, treated details in God’s Word for burning incense as trivial, and were destroyed by divine fire (Leviticus 10:1-3). When God commanded Israel to invade the Promised Land (with the help of angels), they refused, but when they saw that God was displeased with their refusal, they tried to invade, but were defeated (Numbers 13:1-14:45).
Though King Josiah tore his garments in dismay when God’s word was read to him, and became one of the great reformers of the kingdom period (2 Kings 22:1 20), his son had so little regard for God’s Word that he cut up an original scroll and burned it in a fire. This did no harm, because the prophet could restore all the lost words, and add even more. (Jeremiah 36:9-32). One prophet wrote, “Your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart...” (Jeremiah 15:16). There are many other examples of positive and negative responses to God’s Word in the Old Testament.
The same is true of the New Testament. The Parable of the sower contrasts three negative ways to receive the Word with one positive reception from a “good and honest heart” (Luke 8:9-15). When Christ taught two confused disciples regarding the purpose of His death and resurrection, they said, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:30 32). In response to God’s Word on the Day of Pentecost, it is written, “Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’” They received an answer (Acts 2:36-41).
People today reject God’s Word in the same ways shown in Bible examples. Every person should take notice of the tragic consequences of rejecting the Word of God, in order to avoid making the same mistakes. In contrast, the glorious rewards to be found in receiving the Word should also be studied, and those positive examples of accepting God’s Word should be imitated in the same pattern of obedience.
