Many years ago a preacher shocked me during a sermon. He had an old Bible in hand, and the next thing I knew, he literally was ripping pages out of it! Everyone watching was surprised, if not shocked, by his actions, knowing the preacher deeply respected God and his word.
It reminds me of this scene out of Jeremiah 36, where the king burns, piece by piece, a scroll containing God’s word.
The king was sitting in his winter quarters in front of a charcoal fire. After Jehudi would read three or four columns, the king would cut them off the scroll with his pocketknife and throw them in the fire. He continued in this way until the entire scroll had been burned up in the fire.
My preacher friend was making a point by ripping pages out of the Bible. He said, "While we would never rip pages out of the Bible, when we choose to ignore what is says, then we might as well go ahead." He went on to say we often pick and choose the parts we want to follow and then ignore the rest, in essence, ripping them out.
Give credit to the king, he certainly did not hide his disdain and defiance! We are a little more secretive and subtle perhaps?
I’m not sure what you think about all that. I’m not sure I know myself, but I am aware of the need to take seriously what God says. All of it. Not just the parts I like and find easy to follow. I wonder what I am ripping or cutting out and burning?
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