“According to the Word of God”
By Timothy Glover
Throughout the Old Testament, we see numerous references to the phrase, “according to the word of the Lord,” or some similar reference. The Ark of the Covenant had a blueprint and was to be carried by the priests with the staves or poles kept in the rings of the ark. The priests were to transport the ark upon their shoulders using the poles. Yet, when David took possession of the ark back from the Philistines, he had a new cart built to transport the ark back home (1 Chron. 13:7). Uzzah and Ahio were guiding it. When the oxen stumbled at the threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to steady it. The Lord struck him dead because he laid his hand on the ark (1 Chron. 13:10). David was immediately angry that God struck Uzzah dead. It seemed so innocent and natural for Uzzah to prevent the ark from falling off the cart. Why is it so important who should carry it? Why be so concerned about how it should be carried? David answers these questions in the fifteenth chapter. He repeats the words of God and explains that the punishment of God was because “we did not seek him according to the due order” (15:13). In Numbers 4:15 reads, “And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of Jehovah.” They went back to the due order, back to the commandment of the Lord. Yet, God did not tell his people not to build a cart to transport the ark. It is even logical to reason that, because of the extenuating circumstances, a more expedient method was required. Please take note, when you read of people who acted “according to the word of Lord,” that they were obligated to do precisely what was spoken and nothing more.
Now, did David and the Israelites sin when they did not follow God after the due order? When Uzzah failed to obey the voice of the Lord, did he stand condemned? The text reads that God struck him dead. Jeremiah reports that God’s people would die by the sword, famine and pestilence because “they have not obeyed the voice of Jehovah your God” (Jer. 42:20-22). The wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23) because when we do not adhere strictly to what God has said, we separate ourselves from His favor.
God gave Noah specific directives in building the ark. He told his people through Moses to make the tabernacle “according to all that I show thee, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all the furniture” (Ex. 25:9). Then, he closes in verse 40, “See that thou make them after their pattern, which hath been showed thee in the mount.” Gen 6:22 and Ex 40:16 are similar statements applied to both Noah and Moses, “Thus did ______ according to all that God commanded him, so did he.” It was according to God’s pattern that Solomon built the temple (1Chron. 28:11-18). The New Testament reminds us of the pattern in 8:5. Throughout the pages of the Bible, God required men to obey him precisely as he had spoken (cf. 1 Sam. 15:10-23; Lev. 10:1-2; 2 Kings 5; Joshua 6) and these things were written for our learning that we though patience might have hope (Rom 15:4). Paul writes the Corinthians that the experiences in the wilderness wandering serve as a warning to them that they not fall into the same sin (1 Cor. 10:6-13).
The New Testament, written by inspired men to declare all truth, produces a pattern. Jesus said that the words he speaks would judge us in the last day (Jn. 12:48). From John 14-16, we learn of the promise of another Comforter who would guide the apostles into all truth; the Spirit would take of Christ and reveal it to the apostles (Jn. 16:14; 1 Cor. 2:10). Paul explains, “Whereby when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ (Eph. 3:1-3). That which is written is the pattern for us today. We learn that we must not go beyond things written (1 Cor. 4:6) and the dead will be judge “by what is written” (Rev. 20:12). John writes, “Whosoever goes onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ hath not God…” (2 Jn. 9). If that teaching is not brought, he is to be neither welcomed nor greeted lest we become a partaker in his “evil works” (2 Jn. 10-11). Paul speaks of those who would pervert the gospel by preaching “another” gospel other than what Paul delivered to them (Gal. 1:6-8) and he denounces these false teachers with the statement, “Let him be anathema.” Thus, we must preach the same gospel; commit the same thing to faithful men (2 Tim. 2:2) and do all in the name of Jesus (Col. 3:17).
An epidemic is spread throughout this country that would reject the simple truth of the gospel in an effort to stand against traditionalism, maintain political alliances with brethren, or to balance the alleged overemphasizes of law and the censure of denominations and false brethren by graciously extending the hand of fellowship. We wish to respond to some of these dangerous trends in this issue.
| The Word | Gospel | Inspired | Accurate?
| Understanding
| Agreement
| Our Guide
| Blind to?
| Not to?
| Understand-2
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