Why is it important to study the various characters in the Bible?

Genesis itself, as we have seen, is a book of seven biographies. We do not pretend to make a list here of all the Old and New Testament worthies. What a list it is, however! Let each one write it out as fully as may be, and perhaps dedicate one day to thinking over all that he can remember about a character. This might come in as a kind of a change from other lines of study. A sad duty, also, is the preparation of a list of those who furnish warnings instead of example, headed by Cain and followed by such men as Korah, Dathan, Abiram, king Saul, all the kings of Israel after the division, and many of those of Judah, Ahithophel, Absalom, Judas Iscariot. What a dark list it is!

As to methods of study here, we would only suggest that we should endeavor to get as clear a conception as we can of each character historically, in his individual relation to God, to the times in which he lived and to the persons with whom he was thrown. It is very striking that we find how faithfully God has delineated the character and conduct of His beloved people. He gives us a picture of "Solomon in all his glory," and yet does not hide from us the exceeding folly of the wisest of men when he allowed strange women to turn away his heart from God. David, the man after His own heart, is not spared in the faithful narrative which shows his weakness in connection with Joab and his awful sin of which he so deeply repented and for which he was so faithfully chastened. Even Abraham, "the friend of God," was not perfect. Indeed, there is the biography of but one perfect Man in the entire inspired volume, and how good it is that we have, not merely one, but four inspired biographies of Him, presenting Him to us in every phase of character in which we should know Him — in His official dignity as King, as in Matthew; in His prophetic and yet lowly service narrated in Mark; as the Man who knew every human need and felt every human sorrow as in Luke, and as the One who was in the bosom of the Father and remained there even as He walked the earth and witnessed for Him, recorded in John.

In dwelling upon a history such as that now before us, which manifestly presents much failure and infirmity, it is well for us to keep in memory what we ourselves are, lest we be found pointing out the lapses of others in a spirit of self-complacency. The divine penman has set before us, with unflinching fidelity, all the imperfections of those whose history He records. His object is to present God to the soul in all the fullness and variety of His resources, and in all His competency to meet the helpless sinner in his very deepest need. He has not written the history of angels, but of men — men "of like passions with us"; and this is what makes Old Testament narratives so exceedingly instructive to us; we are presented with facts which speak to the heart; we are conducted through scenes and circumstances which unfold to us, with touching simplicity, the hidden springs of our nature, and also the hidden springs of grace.

1867 264 Nothing is more interesting or helpful to us than to be taught the ways of God by a living example; one like ourselves in nature and feeling, used of God and empowered by Him to do His will. We see where the grace of God works and where it is hindered; and not only this, but in the vessel we get an apprehension of the way man under similar circumstances would act, as well as a clear perception of what the mind of God is and how it addresses itself to man, and how man is formed and controlled by it. The nature of any great divine working is explained to us through the medium of the human servant; and we see, on the one hand, how God would use the man, and, on the other, how the man failed, as well as how he acted when simply led of God. We require to know both, because unless we do, we cannot get a clear idea of the divine working. In scripture we generally get through an individual the nature and character of the event through which God's servant and chief human agent is passing; and as we study and observe God's instructions to the individual, we arrive at an understanding of God's mind at the time.

Reading of a biographical character is always interesting, and it is frequently profitable. But the Spirit of God, when recording the life-stories of men, differs from all others in the line that He pursues. Human biographers aim at presenting the commendable side of the characters with which they deal, and they either draw a veil over their ugly features, or touch them lightly or apologetically. But the Spirit of God tells us the whole truth about the men whose lives He is pleased to record. It could not be otherwise. The Bible is the revelation of God Himself — all that He is told out there; and the same Book must needs also show us man as he really is. The goodness of God and the badness of man are there presented side by side for our instruction and blessing.

God gives us the history of Jacob thus fully in order to show how His grace could meet a man of that kind, rise above all his failures, and bless him; and therein, I repeat, is the value of Scripture biography as compared with every other biography. If you take up the biographies of today you find all that is nice, and amiable, and kind about a man related in them. The biographer, however, throws the mantle of charity over those weaknesses, sins, and downfalls of his subject, of which he may be aware, and of course can say nothing of many more of which he is ignorant. What is the result? You have not the real man before you. The consequence of it is that a young person takes up a book of this sort, reads the history say of some good, earnest, devoted Christian man, and then puts it down in despair, saying, "It is no use my trying to be a Christian, for I could not be like that. It is very doubtful if I am one at all." Let me cheer you by just saying, That is not the man at all — it is only a bit of him; and what you are finding in yourself was most likely in him, only the uncomely bits of his life have been omitted. Now the Bible gives you the man as he is in absolute fact, and then tells you what God's grace can do for such.

There are few exercises more profitable for the Christian than that of reflecting upon the character of God, as unfolded in the history of the saints and fathers of ancient times recorded in the Scriptures of the Old Testament: and indeed this might be expected from the very nature of the subject, which is such that, whatever be its extent, it unfolds principles to us which stand intimately connected with all that is important for us to know or be established in. Thus, whether we get the dealings of God on a limited scale, as with any one of the fathers personally, or more widely extended, as with the seed of Israel afterwards, it is nevertheless the same lesson we are called upon to learn, namely, God and man. Now, this is what should enhance exceedingly the value of the Old Testament to the Christian; almost the great body of its teaching is of the above character: and not only so, but it also (as looked at in this point of view) guards effectually against the mere exercise of imagination; for when we consider the history of any man or people, it is not necessary that we should decide positively what is shadowed out therein; It is enough for us to see that we have before us a more or less extensive development of the character and actings of God and man; and this, without ever descending beneath the surface of Scripture, cannot fail of being instructive and edifying to the soul.

Now scripture consists, as we said above, not only of facts, but of facts arranged with a view to one over-ruling purpose, which the unassisted mind of man could never have proj ected or supplied, and while I hope to show this more fully in speaking of the New Testament, it is convenient here to show in support of this statement the purpose of the long series of histories of men seen in the Old Testament. As St. Paul says, "All these things happened unto them for ensamples and they are written for our admonition" (1 Cor. 10:11). Human sinfulness is traced through its manifold disguises. Thus we find scoffing infidelity in the antediluvians (Jude 14, 15; Gen. 6:12); envy in Cain (Gen. 4:5) and Joseph's brethren (Gen. 37:11); malice in Saul (1 Sam. 18:28-29); slander in Doeg (1 Sam. 22:9) and Ziba (2 Sam. 16:1-3); contempt for Divine teaching in Korah (Num. 16:3) and Ahab (1 Kings 20:42); covetousness in Achan (Joshua 7:21), Balaam (Num. 22:7), Gehazi (2 Kings 5:20-27); ambition in Abimelech (Judges 9:1-5); pride in Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:13) and Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4:30).

We find moral excellences illustrated: faith in Abraham (Rom. 4:12); patience in Job (James 5:2 ); meekness in Moses (Num. 12:3); decision in Joshua (Joshua 24:15); patriotism in Nehemiah (Neh. 1:4; 5:14); friendship in Jonathan (1 Sam. 19:2-4)

Certain characters furnish us with patterns: Hannah (1 Sam. 1:27-28) to mothers; Samuel (1 Sam. 3:1-21) and Josiah (2 Chron. 34:3) to children; Joseph (Gen. 39:9) and Daniel (Dan. 1:8) to young men; Barzillai; (2 Sam. 19:34-35) to old men; Eliezer (Gen. 24) to servants: David (1 Sam. 24:6-10 etc.) to those under authority. And in these examples we must note the evidence of weakness: Abraham (Gen. 20:2) failed through fear; Job (Job 3:1) through impatience; Moses (Deut. 32:51) through irritability and presumption.

It is wonderful what a variety of mind, character, and of Christian experience, the soul finds before itself in the histories of Scripture. The soul reads itself there very fully; the workings of nature not only in man, but in the renewed man, its conflicts and its strength, giving us to see so much that we know in ourselves; and at times the lights and shades, as well as the distinctive features, are to be traced.

To study and estimate the different characters which pass before us in history, contrasted in everything but their common design, and to trace with the eye of faith the overruling hand of God in all their works and ways, will be found both deeply interesting and highly profitable. It is the study of what God is in government, and of what man is in himself, however richly gifted or renewed by grace. Speaking of those great, we must always add, but, fallible men. There is only One who is infallible, and, thank God, we own no Head, no centre, but Him; and no name but His-the name of Jesus; and it is only from this elevated point of view that we can rightly estimate the characters and events of history.