Proverbs 26:3-5 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back. Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

These verses have a lot of wisdom in them that one could apply in our culture and political climate. But it takes some work to understand what God is saying here and to learn how to apply it.

There are other verses where God instructs us how to deal with questions or statements that are unlearned or ignorant. For instance:

1Timothy 4:7 But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

1Timothy 1:4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

2Timothy 2:23-26  But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive; (strive here can mean to argue to win superiority over another) but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

There are many similar verses and examples in the Bible that teach about how to stay out of trouble with the mouth. So, it might be wise in our walks with God to learn how to deal with fools. In this short study, we are going to basically stay with the verses in Proverbs 26. But first let’s go to the book of James.

Learning how to conduct yourself around others, believers or not, is a worthwhile adventure.

James 3:1-8  My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

The only thing that can tame the tongue is the Word of God. As the Word of God settles in your heart, it will help to control your mouth. So, to study the words “mouth” and “tongue” and other related words might help in your understanding of how to deal with the questions or situations that you find yourself in.

Now for Proverbs. I found that reading these verses from several translations to be helpful. Here are a few.

NASB: Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him. Answer a fool as his folly deserves lest he be wise in his own eyes

Anchor:Do not answer a fool in his own foolish terms, lest you put yourself on his level. Answer a fool in his own foolish terms so he will not think himself wise.

The Amplified inserts the word “self-confident” in brackets before the word “fool.”

Lamsa: Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be also like him. But answer a fool according to your wisdom, lest he think in himself that he is wise.

Moffatt’s: Never answer a fool according to his folly, lest you become like him: Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he imagines he is wise.

 Knox’s: Leave the fool’s challenge unanswered, and prove thyself wise; or answer it, if thou wilt and prove him fool.

An example along the same line of thinking:

Proverbs 23:9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

If they are not asking you for help, stop trying to convince people of your viewpoint or trying to impart your wisdom to them. They probably do not want any help. By doing so, you are trying to force a person to drink that is not thirsty.

Isaiah 36:21 But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not.

Matthew 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

I have found that if you only give a small taste of what you have and then be silent for a time, you may see if they really want to know or if they are only trying to entice you into spilling your guts and having more ammunition with which to attack and accuse you.

EW Bullinger’s notes from the Companion Bible: The point of Vs 3 (Proverbs 26:3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back. (KJV) is that you cannot reason with a fool. Vs 4 gives the reason. If you answer not according to his folly, he will think he is wise like yourself. If you do answer him according to his folly, he will think you are a fool like he is: i.e., according to Vs 3 you cannot reason with him. These are finely stated facts, not commands.

Dake’s notes: Answer a fool wisely to confute his folly and expose his senselessness lest he be wise in his own eyes

The point in Vs 4-5 is that you cannot reason with a fool, because you would have to reason with him on his own level and this would make it manifest that you are a fool yourself. If you answer not according to his folly, he thinks he is as wise as you are. If you do answer according to his own folly, he thinks you are a fool as he is, so your reasoning is defeated. The only hope in such a case is the rod of Vs 3.

Here in Matthew, Jesus, never at a loss for words from his Father, deals with fools.

Matthew 16:1-4 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.

Sometimes the questions people bring up or the statements they make, I just do not know what to say. Sometimes they throw out words to entice you into an argument. Innocently, of course. It is best then to say nothing. You could just shake your head and walk away or just turn your attention to a different person in the room. This is an example of properly answering a fool according to his folly. (Answering without words is an answer). This method shows both the fool and the people listening that you will not stoop to argue or respond on the level of the fool. This action shows that their question or statement is so foolish it is not worthy of a response.

Matthew 21:23-27 And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority? And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet. And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

Here when they asked Jesus a question to trap him and to set him up, he simply asked them a question back. This technique of answering a question with a question can get you out of a lot of sticky situations. Just don’t do that to me!

Note from NIV Bible: Verses 4-5 illustrate Ecclesiastes 3:7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; The apparent contradiction between these verses is best resolved by remembering two things: 1. There is nothing to be gained in answering a fool in his own manner. 2. There may be occasions when to permit a fool to go unrefuted would confirm him in his conceit.

The problem in answering a fool is that by answering, it gives the impression to the fool and to those listening that his question or statement was valid. You validate that what he said is worth a response. By not answering, you are in effect saying that what they said is so foolish it is not worthy of a response.

But if you are going to respond, you need to do so in such a way that it shows to the fool and those listening that the person was a fool.

Mark Twain said that if you answer a fool when you should remain silent, you are now arguing on the fool’s level and those listening may not be able to tell which of you is the fool!

Lamsa had some enlightening notes on these verses too: Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be also like him. But answer a fool according to your wisdom, lest he think in himself that he is wise. At the first, you can show the foolishness of the question by not giving it the dignity of a response. Not even worth answering. But it may require an answer if the one asking begins to become conceited because he thinks he has asked such a good question. If that is the case, give an answer that shows what a foolish question it was in the first place, by that it becomes evident that the questioner is a fool.

Hopefully, looking at these translations and notes has been helpful for you. It may take time for these truths to settle down in your heart and to learn to live this way, but it will keep you out of much trouble.

Here is a more modern quote that is similar.

Thomas Paine: To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.

Apparently from God’s perspective, even wise people need some instruction on how to deal with fools. We as God’s wise children need to know and be aware of when to be silent and then when to answer in such a way as to refute those that hash the Word to pieces and  answer in such a way to show that they are ignorant. This type of learning can then be applied to discussions of gender, politics, and vaccinations, etc.

God does not want us to be dragged down to their level but to rise above the crowd of foolish and unlearned questioners . God wants us to give our wisdom to those who want to know. This is part of learning how to walk with God. It is part of taming the tongue and learning to listen to His still small voice. You are never alone. God is always at work within you.

The post A Rod For a Fool’s Back appeared first on Roger Braker: Selah.

When I was in my first year of college, a young man attempted to witness to me about the Bible by saying that Romans 13:1, 2 and following said that God put all government leaders in power, and we were to obey them. I will tell you what I said to him at the end of this blog.

I did not know the truth about Romans 13 and obedience to the government for many years, but I never forgot what he said.  His comments stayed on a hook in my mind until I found a good answer/response to his statements.

Romans 1-11 sets out the reason mankind needed a redeemer. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God,” “there are none righteous, no not one.”  It also sets the criteria for salvation for both the Judean and the Gentile — believing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It also shows that the accomplishments of Jesus Christ made available spirit life, which Adam lost, to all those that believe the Gospel concerning Jesus Christ.

It speaks about our walk in newness of life for those that have been justified by believing the accomplishments of Jesus Christ. 

It speaks about walking according to the new nature and not the old nature of sin.

It speaks about the believer no longer being under condemnation/judgment and being inseparable from God any longer.

It speaks about the realities of the accomplishments of Jesus Christ being made available to both the Judean and the Gentile by believing.

Then in Romans 12 especially Vs. 9 and following, it speaks about the believers’ walk in love toward those that have been born again or born from above.  In *A Journey through the Acts and Epistles on page 245, one of the footnotes reads: “Here in Romans 12 it is considered in its practical aspects with regard to the renewing of the mind and the relationships with others in the body of Christ.” (emphasis added)

One of the relationships we have in the body of Christ is our relationship with the higher powers God has placed in the church.

Romans 13:1-2 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. KJV

The Living Bible translates Romans 13:1-7 this way!

Romans 13:1-7 Obey the government, for God is the one who has put it there. There is no government anywhere that God has not placed in power. So those who refuse to obey the laws of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow. For the policeman does not frighten people who are doing right; but those doing evil will always fear him. So, if you don’t want to be afraid, keep the laws and you will get along well. The policeman is sent by God to help you. But if you are doing something wrong, of course you should be afraid, for he will have you punished. He is sent by God for that very purpose. Obey the laws, then, for two reasons: first, to keep from being punished, and second, just because you know you should. Pay your taxes too, for these same two reasons. For government workers need to be paid so that they can keep on doing God’s work, serving you.  Pay everyone whatever he ought to have: pay your taxes and import duties gladly, obey those over you, and give honor and respect to all those to whom it is due.

Although many have said and translated the “higher powers” here to be the government, the context does not support that understanding. It is obvious from reading history that God did not put at least some of the more modern leaders into power for us to obey. God did not put Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, or Pol Pot in their positions where they set out and killed many of God’s people. Even with a small amount of logic, that should be evident.

God uses the illustration in Romans 13 of the respect, honor, and monies paid to the government to teach us we are to give that same honor and respect to the higher powers in the church, the body of Christ. So much so, we owe no man anything.

The section of scripture that does deal with obedience to the government is in 1 Peter.

Although these records in 1 Peter are not addressed to the whole church, they are addressed to all Israel that are born again and were part of the diaspora, the scattered of Israel.  They were to be a royal priesthood to serve those not born from above, the Gentiles.  It talks about their conduct as they lived and served as strangers and foreigners here on the earth. (This world is not our home!)

From *A Journey through the Acts and Epistles:

 1 Peter 2:11-15 Beloved, I exhort you as visiting foreigners and sojourners to abstain from fleshly cravings, anything that wars against the soul, keeping your good manner of life among the Gentiles, so that by it those who speak against you as evildoers may glorify God in the day of visitation as they behold your good works.  Be subject to every created human being for the Lord’s sake: whether to a king as the one in authority or to governors as those sent by him [the king] for punishment of evildoers and for praise of those who do good. So is the will of God that by doing good you may muzzle the ignorance of foolish people.

God by way of Peter speaks here also of the born-again Israelites’ relationship with wives and Gentile husbands, and men that have Gentile masters or employers. 

Even though this is not written to the body of Christ at large, there is much to be learned from what God instructs the diaspora, the displaced and born-again Israelites, on conduct while we in the church sojourn here until Christ returns.

In 1 Peter 2, it also says if you are going to sin (get in trouble with those in authority over you), it is no glory to you or your Father even if you patiently endure the consequences.  But if you get in trouble for righteousness sake, that is grace before God.

1 Peter 2:21 – 23 Moreover, for this purpose you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving an example to you so that you might follow his tracks, “who did not sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth.” When he was insulted, he did not retaliate with an insult.  When he suffered, he did not threaten in return, but he delivered himself to Him Who judges justly. WTJ

Having looked at all of this, it is important to remember that our lives are not our own.  Having God’s spirit within, we are to walk with Him as to right conduct in different situations.

We have the written Word here to guide us, and we have His gift of holy spirit. It takes both a knowledge of His Word and the spirit of God to walk in the love of God.

Some have talked about our “rights” lately — our rights under the Constitution or our rights according to the founding fathers of our country.

Romans 14 talks some about “rights.” — the right to eat meat offered to idols, to not celebrate one day above another, etc.  Yet, it teaches that I may cause others to sin if I exercise those rights. Our walk with God is one of love, not one of claiming all of what we perceive to be our rights.

Some have spoken recently about “civil disobedience” and then have found what they said were great believers in the Bible exercising civil disobedience.  In most if not all of these records, these people were doing what God instructed them to do in that specific situation. 

In the book of Acts, Peter was in prison and the angel of the Lord came and set them free. The angel then told them to, “Go, stand and speak in the temple all the words of this life.” This is what God told them to do even though they had been commanded by the ruling authorities to not speak in the name of Jesus anymore.  Peter’s response, when questioned about his disobedience, was, “We ought to obey God rather than men.” This is what God told Peter and the others to do.  This was not civil disobedience; it was obedience to God.

When the midwives saved the male children alive as opposed to killing them in the time of Moses, as was the King’s commandment, they were obeying what God told them to do.  This is not civil disobedience.

We do not live this life for ourselves but as sons and daughters of God and as those that serve him.  We are to honor the higher powers in the church and obey those in authority over us whether they be kings or employers.

But we also have the spirit of God born in us. We are to walk in love and obey our Father whether it is what is in the written Word or what He tells us by way of His spirit so that we may bring glory to Him. 

Oh yes, the young man that witnessed to me about Romans 13…  I asked him,

“Are you saying God put Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin in power, and that as Christians we are to obey them?”

He said, “Yes that is what the Bible says.”

I said, “I don’t know what the truth is, but you are an idiot.”

Then I walked away. I thank God that He put me in a place where I could eventually learn truth.

*Footnote: A Journey Through the Acts and Epistles A Working Translation By Walter J. Cummins
    Available at www.ContinuingintheScriptures.com

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Sharon and I went shopping for food on Thursday, and it was interesting. Everywhere we went people were wearing masks. We live in a time now where some people won’t leave their homes and where police arrested a father and daughter playing catch in a park. The world seems to be filled with fear and oppression everywhere you look.

In light of current goings on, God’s Word has some interesting things to say. Our adversary, the devil, has a temporary lease on the earth and is currently the god of this world. The devil has his people in many positions of power all over the earth.

We as God’s children live in this world, but we are no longer of this world. God is our Father and our citizenship is in the kingdom of God. As our Father, God has given us great understanding through His Word and has made many promises available to us.

One of the most revealing sections of scripture about current events is in Ephesians 6:10 and following:

Ephesians 6:10-13 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

We are in a spiritual battle of which the ultimate goal is to stop the movement of God’s Word and to afflict God’s children. The way we fight in this battle is to pray for each other and for the leadership of the church.

Ephesians 6:18-20 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me (Paul), that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Many ministers are being told not to hold services in their churches on Sunday under penalty of arrest. WOW! So, we pray. Even when Judah was carried away into captivity into Babylon, God told them to pray for the city, even though it was ruled by pagans.

Jeremiah 29:7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.

Good advice for us today. Pray for our cities, our country and our leadership.

1 Timothy 2:1-2 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

Could you pray for people not born again that run your cities and states? God says to. Note that there are many different types of prayers in the Bible.
But as we live here and are at times put under much pressure, God has much to say about His protection that He offers His children. The following is like an expansion of the 23rd Psalm where it says, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me.”

Isaiah 41:10-13 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

In the context we are talking of here;

They that are incensed against you shall be as nothing.
They that strive with you shall perish.
They that contend with you shall be as nothing.

These are they that are of this world.

We live in this world, but we are not of this world.

John 17:11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

John 17:15-16 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Our Father, knowing the pressure and persecutions we are subjected to while we are in the world, tells us where to put our thoughts, our trust and our hope.
Therefore, I have asked my fellowship to read the 91st Psalm every day through these times as it offers some great reminders of our Father’s love for us, how He fights for us and the protections He offers us.

Psalm 91:1-16 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

Dake’s Annotated Bible makes some interesting observations about parts of this Psalm.

For the person that dwells in the secret place of the most High, God shows His great ability to protect.

He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler (traps set for the righteous by the wicked).
He shall deliver you from the noisome pestilence (a rushing calamity that sweeps everything before it).
Cover you with his feathers (used here figuratively to indicate God’s protection and care).
There is protection under His wings.
His truth will be your shield and buckler.

God also gives us illustrations of what we do not need to fear:

Not afraid of night terrors (treasons, robbery, murders, disease)
Not afraid of day arrows (figuratively, dangers that come by day)
Not afraid of pestilence that come in the dark (plague)
Not afraid of noonday destructions

Then God says that a thousand shall fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not come near you. This reminds one of the night the destroyer flew over the land of the Egyptians known as Passover, none of Israel’s firstborn died.

God also says you will see the reward of the wicked. I don’t know when that will be, but for sure we will be there when the books are opened at the Great White Throne. After the Great White Throne, you will seek for them and will not find them. Perished forever.

God promises to be with us in trouble, to answer us when we call upon Him for help and to deliver us.

God’s Word is filled with records of His great ability to deliver even in the worst of times. What He asks us to do is to pray — pray for each other, pray for our leadership in the church, pray for all men and pray for our city, state and country leaders. God asks us to put our trust in Him and set our love upon Him.

Stand with your loins girt about with truth. Put on the whole armor of God. Then having done all STAND.

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Did the people of the Old Testament, outside of the priests, have access to the written Word, the Scriptures?

If not, why was it written?
Why was the Word of God then written if most could never read it?
How were the Israelites to learn what God had said if they could not read it?
Why does the written Word seem to carry so much authority that the phrase, “It is written,” is used 80 times in the Bible and 63 times in the New Testament?

We will start our search for these answers by looking at:

2 Peter 1:21: For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

These holy men of God, prophets, communicated God’s will to people primarily by speaking what God told them.

So then in the Old Testament what people had of the scriptures was the spoken Word. They had to remember what they heard. Some eastern cultures put great emphasis on memorization for this reason. This way they could teach their children God’s Word, and they taught them to put it to memory.

At times God told these prophets to write down what he had told them.

Exodus 31:18:  And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

This may be where the expression “written in stone or it is not written in stone” comes from.

Exodus 24:3, 4:  And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do.

And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, ……

Deuteronomy 17:14-20: When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me; And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

Deuteronomy 31:9-13:  And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and unto all the elders of Israel. And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing.Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law: And that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.

Deuteronomy 31:24-26:  And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished, That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying,Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee.

Moses wrote the Words of God down, and if they had a king, the king was to make a copy for himself. There were only two copies of the written Word as far as we have read. Notice there is no allowance made for additional copies. There were not copies handed out to the people. You could not go the local Bible book store and buy it. The people only had the spoken Word.

1Samel 10:25:  Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.

1Kings 15:31:  Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

2Chronicles 32:32 : Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

Nehemiah 13:1:  On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God forever;

As we have read several times, the people only heard the Word when it was read to them. They had no copies of their own. In fact, from what we have seen there was a copy in the Temple, and if the King did what God commanded him to do, he also had a copy. That was it. Other scrolls or books that the prophets wrote down were taken to the temple and laid up before the Lord.

Even as late as Judah being carried away in the Babylonian captivity, there was only one copy as recorded in:

2Kings 23:24:  Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD.

When Judah was carried away to Babylon and Jerusalem was burnt to the ground along with the Temple and the Palaces, some believe the scrolls were taken with some of the righteous men that were carried away to Babylon.

It was during that time that eventually the Hebrew Old Testament was translated into Greek. That Greek translation is called the Septuagint. While the Hebrew, according to scholars, had many rules about who could copy it and how, the Greek translation had none of those rules.

Thus, if you were a wealthy family you could hire a slave to copy all of the Old Testament so your family could have a copy. This is most likely how the synagogues had scrolls in them to read from. Remember, just before the captivity they found THE book of the law. Now when Jesus comes on the scene there are copies in the synagogues.

Bullinger notes in his Companion Bible whether Jesus quotes from the Hebrew or the Septuagint.

Remember, Jesus was of the House of Judah and would not have had access to the scrolls that the priest and Levites had in the temple. Being the son of God, he needed to know the scriptures. God took care of that problem. His family must have had the funds to have the Old Testament copied out.

There is no doubt that the Old Testament was addressed TO the people of that time. It was addressed mostly to Israel, but other sections were addressed to the nations around them. But it was all spoken to them.

Jonah 3:2-4:  Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days’ journey. And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.

Once again, the Ninevites had the spoken word.

So why did God have all this Old Testament written down?

To answer that, let’s look at Genesis. God had made Adam three parts: body, soul and the most important part was spirit.

Genesis 3:9-15:  And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

God is standing there with Adam and Eve, who had the dominion of the creation, on one side and the devil on the other side. At this point, because of the sin of Adam, the dominion of the creation is overthrown from Adam to the devil. As we will read in a minute in Ephesians 1:4, the word, “foundation” is sometimes translated “overthrow” or “reordered.” The devil then became the god of this world, and the world was overthrown or reordered. On that day of Genesis 3:15, God lost his son, Adam, because of Adam’s sin. So God promised to send a redeemer to pay for Adam’s sin.

God knew that once Jesus Christ had paid in all that was required to redeem mankind that He would have sons and daughters once again born of His spirit that He could talk with like He did with Adam.

But before God reordered the world and gave the dominion to the devil, He called out the church of today. This is what this verse in Ephesians is referring to.

Ephesians 1:4:  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation (the overthrow/reordering) of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

In the Old Testament times, the people were body and soul, sons by adoption, servants of God. God did some mighty and great things for them, but they were not His children born of His spirit

God knew from this point of Genesis 3:15 that He would have children once again. God wanted His children to know what all He had done to redeem and acquire His family. He wanted us to know what He liked and disliked, how He had delivered his people and saved them in the past. He wanted his children to have a history of what all transpired to bring their redemption to pass.

So the prophets spoke, rehearsed in the ears of the people, what God told the prophets to say. But at times, God told those prophets: Write that down. My children are coming, and I want them to know.

But then who was it written for? Not the people of that time, it was laid up before the Lord in the temple.

Before we answer the question of who the Old Testament and the gospels were written for, I want to cover the following point.

Why is it that things that are written are so full of authority, or why do we ascribe more authority to written words than we do to spoken words?

Why does the phrase “It is written” show up 63 times in the New Testament alone? I found an article written by Randall D. Kittle titled “The Enduring Power of the Written Word.”

He states that written words do have more power, are more permanent, more easily reproduced, and pervasive than spoken words.

The written words can penetrate more into people’s lives. In other words, people that may not listen, may pick up an article and read, thereby letting the words enter their minds. And these written words may move around the world because they are easily copied and transmitted and end up in places the speaker could never reach.

Words communicated by mouth can easily change when repeated from one person to another, as can be seen by children’s party games. Written words are easily reproduced and that, accurately, via magazines, newsletters, books etc.

Written words are more permanent. Spoken words disappear into thin air as soon as they leave the speaker’s mouth. Gone. Clay tablets have been unearthed in Ur of the Chaldees. Thousands of years old. Ancient works by great authors are still around. You may have read some of the words of ancient authors as well as more recent ones like the biographies of Bullinger, the works of Dickens, etc.

Finally, written words have more perceived authority. All of us have misspoken at times. We have used the wrong word. Sometimes we must back up and cover for what we did not really mean to say. But written words are completely different. We have all heard the phrase, “I read it in a book.” Or we have quoted some famous author. That is because our minds assume that words that are written are premeditated. We assume that the writer has researched the subject, has tried out the information, has chosen his words carefully, and once it is published, the piece is exactly what he meant to say. Therefore, written words carry more weight and have more authority than spoken words.

God had all the Old Testament and gospels written for our sake, His children that He had waited so long for. God wanted His words to endure over time. Having His Word written down gave it great authority to the end that the New Testament writers could say, “It is written,” all the way through the gospels and the first three books of the church epistles.

God explains that He had this all written for our sake, His children, upon whom the ends of the world are come, That we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Romans 4:23, 24:  Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

Written for OUR sake also.

Romans 15:4:  For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Written for OUR learning, that God’s children of the age of grace might have hope through patience and comfort of the scriptures.

1Corinthians 9:9, 10:  For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

Written for OUR sake. Could it be any clearer? It was addressed to Israel, but it was written for OUR sake!

If God expected us to realize these truths for our administration from reading about an ox what else is hidden in the pages of the Old Testament that God put there FOR US? If we don’t read and study the Old Testament, we will never know.

1Corinthians 10:11:  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Written for OUR admonition (our instruction) upon whom the ends of the world are come.

For years I have heard people say, “Well, our group just studies the church epistles, the part that is written to us. We mainly work the book of Ephesians, the mystery, that was written to us.” Really? That is kind of an insult to our Father that went to all the work to have the entire Old Testament and gospels WRITTEN FOR YOU!

So read and enjoy the Old Testament. Read about Abraham. Read the law. Read of the rebellion of Israel in the wilderness. Read about how God worked with the kings of Israel and Judah. Read about David’s life. Read the wisdom of Solomon. As you read, the Church Epistles will come alive with new understanding.

God had the Old Testament written for YOU, His child.

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