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Daily Devotionals
Our Daily Homily - Volume 3
Devotional: February 17th

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Jeremiah 36:23—The king cut it with the pen-knife, and cast it into the fire. (R.V.)

It was an audacious and foolish act. Only a fool or a madman could have trifled thus. He did not relish the prophet’s words, and so he cut them to pieces; but though he destroyed them, he could not in this way arrest the penalties which they foretold. Indeed, he increased them: "There were added besides unto them many like words." The criminal may tear up the warrant for his arrest; but it will not help his case. The captain may destroy the map which indicates the rocks in his course; but that will not rob them of the cruel fangs with which they will pierce the timbers of his ship. Men may deride and destroy the Bible; but this will not empty the future of hell, or hell of its bitter remorse.

We are all tempted to use the pen-knife to God’s Book. There are passages in it which we do not like; those that cross our favorite notions, our cherished sins. Practically, we eliminate them. We never read them, or we explain them away, or profess to doubt their inspiration. We have no right to set certain passages of Scripture aside because they conflict with our notions of truth or system of theology. The scientific man will not adopt a law while one fact refuses to be included in it. The commercial man will not close his books while a shilling is unaccounted for. Blessed as the habit is of listening for God’s voice within, we must never forget the absolute necessity of its corroboration from the words of Scripture.

It is wise, therefore, to read the Scriptures with an open and unbiased mind, not bringing our preconceptions, like pen-knives, to cut out what we do not agree with, but meekly inquiring what it may please the Lord our God to speak.

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