Judging the Word or the Word Judging Us

Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the king. Thus it happened, when the king heard the words of the Law, that he tore his clothes.
2 Chronicles 34:18–19

Judging the Word or the Word Judging Us
Here we have a tender conscience bowing under the action of the Word of God. This was one special charm in the character of Josiah. He was, in truth, a man of a humble and contrite spirit who trembled at the Word of God. Would that we all knew more of this! Josiah had no question whatever in his mind as to the genuineness and authenticity of the words which Shaphan had read in his hearing. We do not read of his asking, “How am I to know that this is the Word of God?” No, he trembled at it; he bowed before it; he was smitten down under it; he rent his garments. He did not presume to sit in judgment upon the Word of God, but he allowed the Word to judge him.

Thus it should ever be. If man is to judge Scripture, then Scripture is not the Word of God at all; but if Scripture is in very truth the Word of God, then it must judge man. And so it is, and so it does. It lays bare the very roots of his nature. It opens up the foundations of his moral being. It holds up before him the only faithful mirror in which he can see himself perfectly reflected. This is the reason why man does not like Scripture, cannot bear it, seeks to set it aside, delights to pick holes in it, dares to sit in judgment upon it. It is not so in reference to other books. Men do not trouble themselves so much to discover and point out flaws and discrepancies in Homer or Aristotle or Shakespeare. No, but Scripture judges them, judges their ways, their lusts. Hence the enmity of the natural mind to that most precious and marvelous Book. There is a power in Scripture which must bear down all before it. All must bow down under it, sooner or later.

C. H. Mackintosh