“Divine language and divine speaking precede human language and human speaking” (God-Centered Biblical Interpretation, 64). We must start from the proper foundation as we wrestle with the tension between linguistics and the doctrine of inerrancy. When we remember that God is the creator of communication we can properly approach these tensions.
The Bible begins with the creation account where we read the repeated refrain, “And God said.” The first communication in the history of the world comes from the mouth of God, he speaks the world into existence. God is the author of communication; it predates man and all human manifestations of communication. The Triune God had perfect communication existing in itself prior to the creation of the world, and in creating God continues that perfect communication. He is the author of it and we should not take it lightly that God speaks the world into creation. Before we ask questions about “how God can communicate,” we must acknowledge that he already has. He is the creator of all our communication and the governing power behind it. The God of the Bible is a communicative God.
Throughout the Old Testament we are confronted with the bold declaration that “Yahweh says.” The Lord is said to “declare,” to “promise,” to “warn”, and to “uphold” with his words. God uses his words to bring life into existence, to guide that life into relationship with him, to rebuke that life for turning away from him, and to promise his love to that undeserving life. God also interprets his acts via speech. So, for example, we see this in the events of the flood. In Genesis 6:9-21 God warns Noah about the coming flood, then in 8:20-9:28, after the event of the flood, God interprets the event. John Frame states that this is really a reflection of the way God acts in the whole structure of the Bible. He writes:
This alternation is in fact the macrostructure of Scripture. The Old Testament announces the coming of Christ to redeem his people. The Gospels narrate the fulfillment of that announcement. The rest of the New Testament interprets that event and announces further events to come. (The Doctrine of God, 470)
God speaks, God acts, and God interprets his actions. He speaks directly through his voice, he speaks via his people, and he speaks (primarily) through his written Word. Our God communicates to us constantly; He is a communicative God.
I am aware that this does not, in itself, resolve the linguistic difficulties we face as we wrestle with the Scriptures. There are complex issues that we must address here as we continue to think through modern challenges to the doctrine of inerrancy. Yet, we must acknowledge that we are not alone in resolving these tensions. God himself has spoken, he has evidenced his use of human language, he is at the very foundation of all communication. God has spoken! This realization can mitigate some of the concerns people have about understanding God and his Word. The record of history is that not only does God know how to communicate with his people, but he’s done it successfully since the dawn of creation. That’s a good place to begin as we move forward in our own understanding.
Sparrow & Heart Soul Care 