The Bible

Gospel Tract #

Scripture Burners

JEHOIAKIM, KING OF JUDAH, BURNED THE ROLL CONTAINING JEREMIAH'S PROPHECY

"And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim ... that this word came unto Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all thy words that I have spoken unto thee"

"The king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll: and he took it out of Elishama the scribe's chamber. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes which stood beside the king. Now, the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month: and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him. And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth. Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words" (Jer. 36:1,2,21-24).

There are many today, like Jehoiakim of old, who are burning every scripture in the Bible that does not meet the approval of their creed. It is true, these modern Jehoiakims are not using literal fires; however, what they are using is much more destructive than the fire which was on the hearth in the winterhouse of King Jehoiakim. They are using the fire of erroneous interpretations, which is burning the true meaning from every sacred scripture that would point out the way of the cross and lead men to the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. No, these Bible destroyers no longer use the penknife and the fireplace; they leave the knife and the fire off, and use only the "pen" and the "place," Yes, they take their pen and place their own interpretations; this is why we have so many different and conflicting creeds in the world today, "doctrines of devils," as Paul called them. Strange as it may seem, men prefer to burn (pervert) the words of our Lord rather than repent and get right. Nevertheless, the Truth of God's Word is moving forward, as never before, conquering and subduing all things, even as God has said, "my Word . . . shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent if" (Isa. 55:11).

We know that God has a few men of truth who are filled with His Spirit and who are "rightly dividing the Word." Too, we know, there are thousands upon thousands who are misconstruing every essential passage of scripture and leading multitudes unto complete darkness and disaster. These false leaders in their self will are even more wicked than Jehoiakim ever dared to be. He was honest enough to burn the roll and not try to set forth a false interpretation, and thus poison the minds of others. Jeremiah could and did rewrite his book after Jehoiakim burned it; hence no one was deceived by misinterpretations.

God has had and always will have a few Jeremiahs, men of activity, who will graciously receive His Word and write it on rolls. Yes, reader, the pen is as much needed today as it ever was, for God as never ceased speaking to His people. With all due respect to the Bible, I am convinced that God has messages for us now that are not yet in print, indeed, sermons for His holy ones.

Since 1932, the year that God laid the job of writing some of these sermons upon me, I have met thousands who were waiting and ready for these communications. On the other hand, I have met a number of Jehoiakims, those who burn, or utterly destroy them; yet God has provided means whereby we are printing and mailing more of these messages than ever before. Surely God has caused us to triumph gloriously in this work.

Remember, reader, if you are one of these Jehoiakims who in this great wickedness have been destroying God's revelations in our little gospel tracts, you should be greatly afraid, for the Lord God of recompenses shall surely requite. He will not leave you who You may have to face these sermons in merit. No one can stop the hands of ti of Jacob, for His commandments, statutes, go. Men might bum every Bible and every gospel tract on earth, and Yet the Word of God would still exist. It existed before it was written by men, for John 1: 1 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God." Yes, the Word of God is much older than the paper mills or the printing presses; so come, ye Jehoiakims, and save your time and souls, put up your penknives, put out your fires, and quit trying to resist God's precious Word, whether it be- in the Bible or on some true gospel tract. "For the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword," and any attempt to conspire against it will surely be a snare unto you. "For whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap."