I Do Not See It That Way

    I am amazed at the arrogance of those whose attitude toward the Bible is, “I know the Bible says that, but I just don’t see it that way.” You would think that anyone who knows what the Bible says would immediately embrace it, but that is far from the case. Have we never considered that it is not just a book which “says it,” but because that book is from God, it is God who says it?

The Bible did not come from mortals giving their private interpretation about spiritual matters. If this were the case, then our decision to ignore what their views were becomes a viable option. Yet hear the words of Peter.  “Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:20-21, ESV). When the prophets delivered their message, it was not their message but God’s!

Take time to look at the words of Ezekiel. He was God’s prophet sent to rebellious Israel. Before he ever began his work, God told him that he would be rejected by the Jews (Ezek. 3:7). The irony was that they “came to church” to listen to his preaching, but had no intention of obeying the words of God which he preached. God described it this way, “They come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them. . . . Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them” (Ezek. 33:31-32). They enjoyed listening to the prophet, but they despised his message. It was as though they said, “I know Ezekiel says this, but I do not see it that way.”

They were so mistaken! It was not Ezekiel giving his lecture; it was the voice of God speaking through him! Ezekiel tried to remind that nation of this truth. Many would be amazed to discover that Ezekiel uses the phrase, “Says the Lord,” 210 times and the phrase, “The word of the Lord came, saying” 50 times.  That’s more than five times on every page of the book of Ezekiel.

So the next time you hear someone say, “I know that is what the Bible says, but I do not see it that way,” just remember they have not rejected a book, they have rejected the Author of that book! Our place is not to elevate our wisdom above the wisdom which God has clearly expressed in His word. Our place is to humbly come before Him and say, “Speak, for Your servant hears” (1 Sam. 3:10).

Eric