Many Christians say that we shouldn't take God's words literally.
How many times have you heard, "It's the message that counts; not the
exact words" ? God's not a literalist, is He? Do you believe
the literal words of God? Do you believe God? Let's find out what He
says He is. Hi, I'm David Daniels from Chick Publications.
Back in 1446 BC, God gave Moses some specifications about who could carry the ark of the covenant,
and how they should carry it. Those instructions are found in Numbers chapter 7.
Let me sum it up. Only a Levite from the family of Kohath could carry it.
All the holy vessels of God, including the ark, had to be covered up,
before the Kohathites could even see it. It had rings in the side,
and a pole had to be stuck through them, before the Kohathites could come to it.
And the Kohathites would have to carry it by holding the pole on their shoulders.
Numbers 4:15 has another qualification. Listen carefully,
'but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die.'
Let me say it again, 'but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die.' You get it?
You touch it, you die! Those are pretty clear instructions,
aren't they? Well, 400 years later, David wanted to bring
the ark of God into Jerusalem. And I could list it to you from 2 Samuel 6
and 1 Chronicles 13. You can look it up yourself. But let me sum it up.
They didn't carry the ark by the poles. No!
They set it on an ox cart. And two brothers, Ahio and Uzzah, drave the cart.
Guess what happened? The oxen stumbled, the ark shook.
Uzzah went up, grabbed the ark to steady it, and ZAP! Dead Uzzah.
Uzzah's good motives didn't matter. He disobeyed the literal words of God.
A few months later David tried again.
This time he followed to the letter every command that the Lord had given. In fact,
all the Levites suddenly became literalists. And you know what?
It went beautifully. It was awesome! And maybe that's why David danced
before the Lord with all his might. So good motives didn't matter.
The best of intentions didn't matter. What mattered was obeying the literal words
of God. When I was in Bible college in the 1980s,
Debbie and I (my wife) went to Pacific Christian College.
And we would walk up to Eastside Christian Church
for church services sometimes. They had just switched over the pew Bibles
to the New International Version. And there was a great controversy. And you know what
it was about? They didn't like that the words, 'Holy Bible'
were on the NIV, because everyone knew this wasn't the literal
words of God. But you know what happened? Over time everyone
gradually adjusted, gradually forgot, and gradually let the NIV
take over their lives. And their faith started to change.
But let me ask you. Here's a family tree Bible I had for a while, a family Bible,
it's the NIV. And then here's my mule-chokin' King James family Bible right here.
If Jesus were to appear before you, and He did
ask you to hand him His words, which one would you hand Him?
Remember, He knows what He said. God bless you, and have a wonderful day.