Encyclopedia of sacred theology - pagina 522

498

§ 82.

THE INSTRUMENTS OF INSPIRATION

which education was

still

more

[Div. Ill

definitely accentuated

by

personal surroundings and experiences.

But besides this general service which the objective phenomena rendered, both the ordinary and the extraordinary, they tended at the same time, by inspiration, to reveal the

God

thoughts of

to

aj^plies especially to

as the veil, eyes,

was

which by

the agents

of

His revelation.

This

the whole utterance of nature, in so far sin

was put upon nature and upon our

largely lifted in that higher life-circle of Israel, so

that the language of nature concerning "the glory of the

Lord, which fiUeth the whole earth, " was again both seen and

do to view the revelation of the power of outcome of mechanical inspiration. It was established organically, in connection with what the messengers This revelation of God both saw and observed in nature. assumes a different character, when the "rainbow," the " starry heavens," and the " sand of the seashore " are employed, not as natural phenomena, but in their symbolical Only significance with respect to a definite thought of God. sign; as, for then does that which is common in itself become a instance, when Jesus points His disciples to the golden cornfields, and speaks of " the fields, that are white for the harThe speech, which in this sense goes forth from the vest." common phenomena of nature, can thus be strengthened by heard.

God

It will not

in nature as an

the extraordinary intensity of their manifestations instance, the thunder in Ps. of the

Lord

xxix. has become

— the lightning-bolt,

;

the

as, for

voice

more intensively violent

in

mighty storm-wind of Habakkuk iii., or these This significance can also be three together upon Horeb. emphasized by their strikingly noticeable succession, as in Striking events, like that meeting 1 Kings xix. 10-12. with Melchizedek upon Abraham's return from war with the mountainous tribes, may give, as here appears, an What entire series of thoughts from the revelation of God. is common in itself can become a sign, simply because prophesied beforehand (for instance, 1 Sam. x. T). And, finally, all sorts of things that were common in themselves can obtain a significance by their combinations or positions, Ps. xviii., the

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