The Belgic Confession of Faith (5)

Article 4

Article 4 of our Confession of Faith speaks about the canonical books of the Holy Scripture. It states that we believe that the Holy Scriptures are contained in two canonical books, namely the Old and New Testament. These are thus named by the church of God.

The word canonical is derived from canon, a Greek word that originally was used for a straight rod or stick. Such a stick or rod was also used for measuring. People used that word not only in the literal sense, but also for everything that is a measure, rule, standard for our lives or for the way it should be. Our norm, our rule, our principle, our model, is what we call a canon. “Canonical” means that the books of the Holy Scripture should be the standard, the rule for our life, the standard for political life, life in society or family life, church life, but also for our personal or spiritual life. Everything which is not according to that standard or that canon is wrong, and is not according to God’s will.

God puts this standard also in our midst. It is good to emphasize that fact in these days of subjectivism in the world, which says, “Just do what you feel like doing, what feels nice. As long as you agree with it you may do anything you like.” This is also a spirit which can penetrate the church. This spirit says, “Leave everything up to the conscience.” Everyone must know it for themselves. There is freedom of conscience, but that freedom must be subject to the canon, to the rule of God’s Word. You can read in the Bible that the Scriptures are a model. The Lord says it Himself in John 20:31, “These are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.” This is your rule, “and that believing ye might have life through His Name.”

In Galatians 6:16 we read, “And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.”

This biblical canon is a closed collection of writings, inspired by the Holy Spirit. These writings have a divine authority to be held as the rule for both faith and life.

How do we know that all these books are canonical? Who decided? The Bible did not appear upon earth suddenly. God’s Word developed gradually. Moses was the first one who began to write things in a book. In Exodus 24:4-7 we read that Moses wrote all the words of the Lord in a book. Deuteronomy 31:26 says, “Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD.” In Joshua 24:26 we read that Joshua “wrote these words in the book of the law of God.” The Lord has also used many other instruments to write down what He inspired.

There are more books which contain religious instruction. We know the Apocrypha are books that are accepted by the Roman Catholic Church. They believe that there are more books which are canonical. We believe, however, that the Bible is complete. Between 330-290 B.C. all the books of the Old Testament were adopted by the Jewish Church; the Old Testament canon was already closed. In 393 A.D. there was a synod at Hippo and in 397 A.D. in Carthage, where the collection of New Testament books was completed. There they decided that this is our canon, or rather, the church did not decide that which was canonical, but God made it known unto the hearts and consciences of those delegates. Thus, in full agreement with each other, they decided to write down this list also for future generations, for they felt in their hearts that this is the Word of God. This canon is complete. Nothing has to be added unto it, nothing is to be taken away from it, as the Lord Himself says in His Word.

This is how the canon of the Holy Scriptures was derived. There are thirty-nine books in the Old Testament. The Jewish Church had twenty-four books because they combined several books which we regard as different books. For instance, in their Bible, in their scrolls, Ezra and Nehemiah were one book, 1 and 2 Samuel were one book. 1 and 2 Kings were one book, 1 and 2 Chronicles and the twelve minor prophets were each just one book. So that came to twenty-four or even twenty-two. Sometimes they joined Ruth with Judges and Lamentations with Jeremiah.

Our confession says that the Holy Scriptures are contained in two books, the Old and New Testaments. That brings us to the question: Are these two books of equal importance? Do they have the same value? Many undervalue the first book, the Old Testament, and say: “You don’t find the gospel therein: it is just the law. The New Testament is the book for the new dispensation. The Old Testament is just an interesting book that gives some information about the history, about the manners and customs of Israel and that is all.” They say that the writers of the Old Testament did not have the light that the New Testament authors had. But that is not true. This is really an old error, for already in the third century there was a certain Marcion who rejected the Old Testament. He said, “The Old Testament is written by a cruel and angry god and contains many inferior laws.” The Anabaptists in the time of the Reformation also said that the Old Testament was inferior to the New. They said that the Old Testament is a book with dead letters, a book of slavery, of bondage, of wrath, and it is much less precious than the New Testament which speaks of love. Think of the sermon on the mount which is much better than the law of God in the Old Testament. In this way they make a separation. But Augustine, the church father, said: “In the Old Testament, the New Testament is hidden. It is included in it: it is just as a flower in bud which will bud out in the new dispensation. In the New Testament the Old Testament is opened, but it is the same Word.” This is a beautiful expression.

The Old Testament is the word of promise. The New Testament is the word of the fulfillment of the promise. The Old and New Testament books can be divided and distinguished into historical, poetical, prophetical and also dogmatical books: thus there is a certain variety, but they are all the Word of God.

Our confession then gives the list of canonical books. What can we learn from this? Is there any instruction in it? Yes there is. We can receive instruction already from the names of the authors. For instance:

The name Joshua means: Jehovah is salvation; Samuel means: heard of God, God hears; Isaiah means: salvation of the Lord; Jeremiah says; Jehovah establishes; Ezekiel: a son of man — just a weak vessel, sinful and unqualified — but the name is beautiful, God strengthens; Hosea: salvation; Joel: Jehovah is God; Amos: burden bearer. I wish that there would be many “amos people” among us — burden-bearers — bearing the burdens of the church and of the office-bearers. Obadiah: servant of Jehovah. I wish that there would be many among us, also among our young people. Jonah: dove — although this dove did not fly in the right direction, but tried to fly away, yet he was a dove in the sight of God. Even in the belly of the fish he was His dove. Micah: who is like unto Jehovah. He says in the last chapter: “Who is like unto the Lord who forgiveth iniquities?” He admires the work of redemption and salvation and forgiveness. Nahum means consolation. Habakkuk has a beautiful name which means embrace. He was embraced by God. He was bved by God from eternity. Zephaniah: hid or protected by the Lord. I hope that we also may know that hiding place. Haggai: festival of the Lord. It is not just mourning and all sadness among God’s people. The Lord also sometimes gives His people a feast. He prepares gladness for them. Zechariah: remembered by God — even if it seems that the Lord does not remember. But the great mountains shall become a plane, before Zerubbabel. Malachi: messenger. Behold I send my angel. Psalms: not just something to sing, but praises. Daniel: God is my judge — even if people judge you and do injustice. God is my judge. Daniel saw Him, the Ancient of days, upon the throne. Ezra: help or helper. Nehemiah: Jehovah comforts.

When we see the meaning of the names of the authors, then perhaps it raises our curiosity a little about the contents of some of their writings.

The first book of the Bible, Genesis, the book of the births, describes the creation of man after the image of God, the entrance of sin into the world, and the initial revelation of God’s redeeming grace. We must begin at the beginning. The Lord also begins at the beginning. Genesis 1 begins with “In the beginning.” The gospel of John in the New Testament also speaks of “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” Do you see the parallel? There is a unity between the Old and New Testaments. Genesis, birth. We are born but we need to be born again. That is the first thing, for there we learn to see that we have committed sin and that we have brought sin in the world and the curse upon the earth.

Exodus speaks about the doctrine of deliverance, the leading out of Egypt through the shedding of blood. When Genesis may become the practice in your life, when you learn to know your own birth, and that you brought sin into the world and a curse upon yourself, your children and creation, then you feel that you cannot stand before God. Then there comes a cry, “Is there a way, Lord? Is there a means?” Exodus reveals that means. There is blood to cleanse sinners, although it is necessary that it is applied to the doorpost of our hearts.

Leviticus teaches how sinful man can approach God and stand in His holy presence. Because of that blood, the sinner may draw nigh to God and may open his unclean lips and may come with all his needs before God. Have we learned this? Do we know something of the way of salvation, of that Lamb of God? Do we also know of that drawing nigh unto God, knowing that we are dust and ashes, sinful people living in the midst of people with unclean lips, but knowing that there is a way wherein we may draw nigh unto God?

Numbers pictures the pilgrimage of God’s people, the pilgrims’ journey through the wilderness to the promised land. Then we become a wilderness people. Not only poor beggars, but a wilderness people. We will learn to know that wilderness more and more in our lives.

Deuteronomy not only points to the blessing that accompanies the life of obedience to God, but also the curse that awaits the unfaithful. We must not only travel through the wilderness, but there must be something visible in our life — obedience to the Lord. He says, “You cannot be My disciples unless you deny yourself and take up your cross daily and follow Me.”

Job speaks of the mystery of the sufferings of God’s people. They can be so afflicted in that wilderness! They may have a cross that cannot fit through the door, or that friends cannot understand. But Job also tells why the Lord afflicted him and why He brought him in the fiery furnace of affliction; it was that he might come out refined as gold, and that will also happen to that people traveling through the wilderness.

The book of Psalms speaks of the spiritual experiences of God’s people, of their struggles, their trials, their joys and their sorrows, their deliverance and praises.

When we read the prophets, then we see who God is for that people in the wilderness, in their affliction, and who He is for their enemies. Isaiah speaks of God as the One who loves His people.

Jeremiah offers a revelation of the righteousness of God. “The Lord our righteousness.” This righteousness is two-sided: God will be faithful to His covenant promises and He will not alter what has gone out of His lips, but He will also punish those who oppress His people.

Ezekiel speaks of the holiness of the Lord who would sanctify His Name among the nations.

Daniel speaks of the glory of the Lord, as exalted above all the kings of the earth.

People of God, do you know something of the love and righteousness of God? Do you also know that the Lord sanctifies His people? Do we know and worship the glory of the Lord who is King and Ruler over all the earth?

We read also of this people in the New Testament:

Galatians speaks about the liberty, the freedom of this people who are no longer under the law, although the law is their rule in their life of thankfulness.

Ephesians speaks about the unity of the church.

Colossians magnifies Christ as the Head of the church.

There is much more to say about the Bible books. The Lord also took care of the collection and preservation of these books. He revealed His special care over them. We see that also in the second century, in the time of Antiochus Epiphanus who was a bitter enemy of the Jews. He tried to track down and burn all the scrolls of the law. Yet he did not succeed, as some scrolls were rescued and hidden. God preserved His testimonies.

Also, at the time of the Roman persecutions, God’s Word was never destroyed. This has not happened in our day in communist countries either, where the government tries to destroy God’s Word. They have gone so far as to make bathroom tissue of the Bible pages and thus try to mock with the Word of God. Yet we see that Satan was never able to destroy the Word of God and to take it away.

There was a certain atheist, Voltaire, in Paris. He hated religion, the Bible, and Christians. He mocked with them and tried to promote atheism. But do you know what happened? In the house where he lived the French Bible Society was founded. In this house, where once this atheist lived, Bibles were made ready for mailing and the Word of God was distributed through France.

Friends, we are privileged, for we have the Word of God of which we read: “Thy testimonies are very sure.” Thy testimonies — that is plural, all the Word of God, prophetical, historical, poetical or doctrinal books — are very sure.

In the original we read a word which means that it is experienced to be very true. They found out by experience that God’s Word is very true. Dear friends, have we ever experienced that the contents of Genesis is very true? Do we know that it is very true what Exodus says, that there is blood which opens the door of the prison and leads you out initially and that there is a wilderness journey where the Lord provides with water out of the Rock, the Lord Jesus Christ?

And so we can go on, speaking of these Bible books. Do we know something of it, not only of the contents of those books, but also of the truth of those books? Did we ever experience in our life that the Lord through impossibilities fulfills His Word? There is a wilderness people that may say sometimes, “Lord, Thy testimonies are very sure. I found it out. I experienced it. It is true what Thou hast promised, what Thou hast said in Thy Word.”

How precious this Word then becomes! It is “a light that shineth in a dark place ... until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts.” May this Word also be your lamp and light upon your path, your guide and comfort.

Rev. C. Vogelaar is pastor of the Ebenezer Netherlands Reformed Church of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.

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