“Blogging the Institutes” is my on-going attempt to paraphrase John Calvin’s work, the Institutes of the Christian Religion. You can find out more about the series in the Introduction. For all the posts in this series, check out the Master List.
The Prophets Show the Majesty of Scripture
The writing style of some of the prophets in the Bible surpasses the eloquence, style, and beauty of even some pagan writers. Through their eloquence, the Holy Spirit shows us that He can use a variety of language, not just simple language, to convey the truth. Whether you read the writings of King David or Isaiah, whose writings flow sweet and pleasant, or you read Amos, Jeremiah, or Zechariah, who write less polished works, the truth is the same: the greatness of the Spirit is clear to all.
Now, I am aware that Satan tries to imitate God. So he will use works written with a Scripture-like simplicity in order to disseminate error into the minds of unbelievers. He will also use hard-to-understand language to mask the errors he is slipping in. Anyone with common sense can see how vile such practices are. Although many people try to discredit the Scriptures, they are filled with teachings which could never come from human beings. Examine the prophets! In them, you will find divine teaching. Those who feel their works are boring lack any kind of literary taste and sensibility.