Our Day | Page 2

minds in all
lands, What do these things mean? What next in the program of
world-shaping events?
Like a great searchlight shining across the centuries, the sure Word of
Prophecy focuses its bright beams upon Our Day. In this light we see
clearly the trend of events, and may understand what comes next in the
program of history fulfilling prophecy.
In the Volume of the Book the living God speaks to Our Day of events
of the past that have a lesson for the present, and of things to come.
Divine prophecy fulfilled before men's eyes is God's challenge to
unbelief. The Word of Holy Writ has been the guiding light through all
the ages. It is the lamp to our feet today.
"Steadfast, serene, unmovable, the same, Year after year,... Burns on
forevermore that quenchless flame; Shines on that inextinguishable
light."
[Illustration: THE GOOD SHEPHERD
"The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." John 1:14.]
[Illustration: "PEACE BE TO THIS HOUSE"
"If any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him,
and will sup with him, and he with Me." Rev. 3:20.]

THE BOOK THAT SPEAKS TO OUR DAY
Man may write a true book, but only God, the source of life, can write a
living book. "The word of God ... liveth and abideth forever." 1 Peter
1:23. The Bible is the living word of God. We look at the volume; we
hold it in our hands. It is like other books in form and printer's art. But
the voice of God speaks from these pages, and the word spoken is alive.
It is able to do in the heart that receives it what can be done only by
divine power.

The Book That Talks
Far in the heart of Africa a missionary read to the people in their own
language from the translated Word of God. "See!" they cried; "see! the
book talks! The white man has a book that talks!" With that simplicity
of speech so common to children of nature, they had exactly described
it. This is a book that talks. What the wise man says of its counsels
through parents to children, is true of all the book: "When thou goest, it
shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou
awakest, it shall talk with thee." Prov. 6:22.
Here is companionship, faithful and true, a blessed guide and guardian
and friend.
"Holy Bible! book divine! Precious treasure, thou art mine!"
God Its Author
The sixty-six books of Holy Scripture were written by many penmen,
over a space of fifteen centuries; yet it is one book, and one voice
speaks through all its pages. Spurgeon once said of his experience with
this book:
"When I see it, I seem to hear a voice springing up from it, saying, 'I
am the book of God; man, read me. I am God's writing; open my leaf,
for I was penned by God; read it, for He is my author.'"
This book declares of itself: "All scripture is given by inspiration of
God." 2 Tim. 3:16. "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." 2 Peter 1:21. As the rugged verse of the old hymn puts it:
"Let all the heathen writers join To form one perfect book: Great God,
if once compared with Thine, How mean their writings look!
"Not the most perfect rules they gave Could show one sin forgiven, Nor
lead a step beyond the grave; But Thine conducts to heaven."

It is the voice of the Almighty. Very different it is from the sacred
books of the non-Christian religions. In those writings it is man
speaking about God; in the Holy Scriptures it is God speaking to man.
The difference is as great as heaven is higher than earth. Here it is not
man groping in the darkness after God. In this book of God's revelation
we see the divine arm reaching down to save the lost, and hear the
voice of the loving Father calling to His children, every one and
everywhere. "Incline your ear," He calls; "hear, and your soul shall
live." Isa. 55:3.
The Word That Creates
We must have something more than instruction; we must have a word
of power that is able to tell of sins forgiven, and to conduct us beyond
the grave to heaven. One of the greatest of China's sages, Mencius, said,
"Instruction can impart information, but not the power to execute."
That touches the crucial point. We must have instruction that can come
with power divine to execute. We have it only in God's words. Christ
said: "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth