Charles Spurgeon, from “The Bible.”
Text: Hosea 8:12 — “Were I to write for him my laws by the ten thousands, they would be regarded as a strange thing.”
In the contemporary English of Spurgeon’s day, the first half of this verse was translated, “I have written to him the great things of my law” (KJV). Why don’t people receive God’s Word as the great thing that it is? Why do they balk at such a treasure?
What translates seamlessly into 21st century culture is the spirit of the Enlightenment that scoffs at God’s Word as a strange thing, a relic, a dusty old book of rules and cruel stories. In his message, Spurgeon said he had a friend who told him “there are a great many sciences far more interesting and useful than theology.”
Not surprisingly, Spurgeon—who loved his bible as much as anyone ever loved anything—has a word for those who would scoff. Much of science, he pointed out, is a matter of “arranging butterflies” and “telling us of the strata of the earth.”
The bible, on the other hand, teaches us “the most excellent of sciences.”
Spurgeon
Would you know astronomy? It is here: it tells you of the Sun of Righteousness and the Star of Bethlehem.
Would you know botany? It is here: it tells you of the plant of renown—the Lily of the Valley, and the Rose of Sharon.
Would you know geology and mineralogy? You shall learn it here: for you may read of the Rock of Ages, and the White Stone with the name engraved on it, which no man knows except he that receives it.
Would you study history? Here is the most ancient of all the records of the history of the human race.
Whatever your science is, come and bend over this book; your science is here. Come and drink out of this fair fount of knowledge and wisdom, and ye shall find yourselves made wise unto salvation.
These are they which testify of Christ.
But what if you still think you’re too sophisticated for the bible? That reading and studying it—let alone living by it—are beneath you? Rather than denouncing those who laugh at his heart’s treasure, Spurgeon holds out hope—
