It is a circumstance indicative of the natural moral defects of the
Jewish character, that their most "holy men," who were assumed to be
familiar with the counsels of Infinite Wisdom, and on terms of daily
intercourse with Jehovah, yet were, according to their own history, men
of such defective moral habits and moral character as to be unreliable
either as examples of moral rectitude, or with respect to their
prophetic utterances. We will here present a brief sketch of the
character of the principal prophets, drawn from their own "inspired
writings:"--
The leading prophet Isaiah says, "The priest and the _prophet_ have
erred through strong drink. They are swallowed up of wine. They are out
of the way through strong drink. They err in vision. They stumble in
judgment" (Isa. xxiv. 7).
Here is a sweeping charge against _all_ the prophets,--_not one_ of them
excepted. If they err in vision (of course he means _spiritual_ vision),
then what reliance can be placed in their prophecies, especially if it
is true, as he declares in chap. ix., that "the prophets teach
lies"? Then we can not confide implicitly in any thing they say. This
conclusion, and also the foregoing portraiture of their character,
is confirmed by Hosea. 2; who says, in chap. ix., that "the Lord will
punish the _prophets for their sins and their iniquities_;" also, "The
_prophet_ is a _snare_ in all his ways; the _prophet is a fool_," &c.
(Hos. ix. 7, 9). Micah says that they _divined for money_, and _made the
people err_. What confidence, we ask, can be placed in men, either for
truthfulness or as moral teachers, who are thus represented by their own
historians and their own friends to be almost destitute of moral
principle? Each one denounces all the others. The implied meaning in
each case seems to be, "Take my pills, and beware of counterfeits."
Zechariah, who was one of them, declared the Lord would drive them all
out of the land with the unclean spirits (Zech. xiii. 2). We should not,
however, be surprised to find them possessing such a character, when
their God, Jehovah, is represented as being no better, and is on the
same moral plane. They, in fact, make him responsible for all their
moral derelictions and sinful acts by representing him as being the
author or instigator. "If a prophet be deceived,... I the Lord have
deceived that prophet" (Ezek. xiv. 9).
Here the word prophet is used in a general sense, so as to imply that
none are excepted. Jeremiah takes God at his word when he exclaims, "O
Lord, thou hast deceived me" (Jer. xx. 7).
Here, it will be observed, the moral character of Jehovah and his
prophets were all cast in the same imperfect mold.
That superstition reigned supreme in the very _highest order_ of the
Jewish minds, to the exclusion of science, is shown by some of the wild,
superstitious freaks of the prophets. Isaiah traveled through Egypt
and Ethiopia three years stark naked (Isa. xx. 3). Such a disgusting
exhibition, if attempted in this age of civilization, would terminate in
a few hours by the lodgment of the lunatic in the calaboose. Jehovah, it
appears, first prompted the act, and afterwards spoke approving of it by
saying it was performed by "my servant Isaiah" (Isa. xx. 3).
Ezekiel and Habakkuk both would have us believe that God seized them
by the hair of the head, and carried them,--the former, the distance of
eight miles; and the latter, three hundred, miles. How Jehovah himself
traveled while performing this feat of carrying the prophets is not
explained. It must have been rather an unpleasant way of traveling, and
must have caused some serious perturbation of mind lest the hair-hold
should slip, and precipitate them to the ground. If this mode of travel
could have been continued, it would have superseded the necessity of
railroads.
Ezekiel, we are told, lay three hundred and ninety days on his left
side, and forty days on his right side; and then, having swallowed
a roll of parchment with the aid of Jehovah (Ezek. iii. 1), he was
prepared for business. We are not told what was the object in swallowing
such a formidable document, or how he managed to get into his stomach an
article having a diameter four times that of his throat. Jeremiah wore
cords around his neck, and a yoke on his back (rather a singular place
for a yoke). Hosea claimed that God commanded him twice to go and marry
a whore (Hos. i. Z). This looks like a connivance at, if not a tacit
indorsement of, whoredom. Ezekiel relates a "story" about being carried
by "the hand of the Lord," and set down among some old dry bones, which
he proceeded to invest with human flesh and sinews, and then drew skins
over them to hold the flesh and bones together (Ezek. xxx vii.). Having
thus manufactured a new supply of the _genus homo_, he invoked the four
winds to inflate their bodies with breath, when, lo! there "stood upon
their feet an exceeding great army." We use his own language. Here is
a story that casts all the wild and weird tales of heathen mythology in
the shade. There would have been no necessity for drafting soldiers in
the recent Rebellion if the country could have been blessed with such a
creative genius as Ezekiel. Such stories set all logic at defiance.
If the first commandment, "Multiply and replenish the earth," had been
neglected so as to render it necessary to adopt another process for
increasing the number of human beings, certainly a more rational and
decent mode might have been invented. We will not relate any more of the
curious capers of these "inspired men of God."
Some Christian writers have disposed of such erratic conduct, and such
wild freaks of fancy, by assuming them to be the garb or metaphor
of some great spiritual truth. This is explained by the proverb,
"Necessity is the mother of invention;" but the common mind knows nothing
of these inventions of the priesthood to save the credit of the Bible.
Hence, whether true or false, such an explanation does not destroy the
demoralizing influence of such ideas and language upon the public mind;
and then it is derogatory to the character of God to assume he would
do such senseless and unrighteous things as are related in some of the
above cases. We insist that it would be a serious calamity upon the
country to make a book containing such moral lessons, or rather immoral
lessons, "the fountain of our laws and the supreme rule of our conduct,"
as urged by the Evangelical Alliance; and it is a sorrowful and
deplorable circumstance that such a book is circulated among the heathen
by the thousand as guides for their moral conduct. We wish they would
refuse to accept it, as the Japanese have done in the past.
II. THE PROPHETS ELIJAH AND ELISHA.
There are some peculiar features in the history of these two Hebrew
prophets, for which they seem to merit a special notice. They appear to
have been on very familiar terms with Jehovah; and the whole machinery
of heaven, we are led to conclude, was under their control, with no
special reason why they should merit such divine partiality, as they
were not overstocked with practical righteousness. The acts of raising
the dead and controlling the elements appear to have been to them very
common-place performances. One of Elijah's greatest miraculous feats
was that of "shutting up the heavens," so that there was no dew nor rain
for three years (1 Kings xvii. 1). Aside from the absolute impossibility
of intercepting the action of the laws which control and regulate the
entire machinery of the universe, there are several considerations which
render this story wholly incredible. It appears, from the language used,
that this drought extended over the whole earth, and all nations must
have suffered the direful consequences; and yet none of their histories
allude to it. The absence of rain and dew for three years must
have caused the surface of the earth to become dry and parched to a
considerable depth, particularly in the torrid zone. The creeks and
rivulets must have been dried up. Every spear of grass, every tree,
every plant, must have withered and perished; and all the cattle must
have died for want of food and drink; and the people must have shared
the same fate. Indeed, not a living thing could have been left upon the
face of the earth where this drought prevailed. And yet no other history
makes any allusion to such a calamity; and a circumstance which renders
it more incredible is, that the moisture which is constantly ascending
from the earth could not have been held in the upper strata of
the atmosphere for half that period of time. When it ascends and
accumulates, and becomes sufficiently condensed, it must fall in the
shape of rain.
2. It appears that the prophet himself, in order to escape the fatal
consequences of this terrible visitation of divine wrath, was instructed
to flee, and hide near the Brook Cherith, which was in the vicinity of
Jordan. Here, we are told, he was fed by a raven, which brought him both
bread and water. The queries naturally arise here, Where did the raven
obtain those articles of food? Why can not suffering and starvation be
prevented at the present day by a similar expedient? Why should several
millions of human beings have suffered a terrible death by starvation in
India within a recent period, if ravens can be employed as messengers
of mercy? Why should God be partial? The preservation of the life of the
prophet could not have been of so much more importance, judging from his
subsequent history, as he achieved but little good afterward; and, as
nobody claims to have seen the raven but Elijah, the case looks a little
doubtful.
3. The next miraculous feat of Elijah was that of increasing a widow's
barrel of meal and cruse of oil after they were nearly exhausted, so
that they lasted for many months. In nearly all such cases we find
incredible features, in addition to the impossibility of performing the
act. No reason can be found, in the history of this case, for bestowing
such miraculous favors upon this woman that would not apply to thousands
of women now, some of them even in a worse state of suffering, and in
greater need of divine aid. It does not appear that the miracle had the
effect to convince anybody of the might and power of his God, nor
that it was designed to produce such an effect. Hence nothing was
accomplished by it but the relief of the poor widow's wants, which was a
very good thing; but, as we have already remarked, she had no more
claim upon the benevolence and munificence of God than thousands of poor
widows and others of the present day who receive no such aid.
4. The prophet performed, we are told, another miracle for the benefit
of this woman, though we do not learn that she was more righteous than
other women. Her son sickened and died (perhaps the meal was not in a
very healthy condition); and Elijah restored him to life. If there were
any truth in the story, it could be accounted for by supposing the boy
was in a state of catalepsy, or trance, as life has been revived in
numerous cases in persons in this condition in modern times; and the
conduct of Elijah furnishes some evidence that he understood it in this
light. He took the body into an upper room, so the performance should
not be witnessed by any of the company (perhaps for fear of being
disturbed; and he was probably apprehensive that they would suspicion,
from his actions, that the boy was not dead). In fact the narrator does
not say he was dead, but only that the breath had gone out of him; and
this could be said in any case of swooning, trance, or catalepsy.
5. Ahab is reported as reproving Elijah for bringing so much suffering
upon the people by the great drought. The reason the prophet assigns
for this divine judgment is worthy of note. It was because Ahab and his
subjects worshiped a false God (Baalim). This explains the whole affair.
The Jews were always assuming that those who did not worship as they did
worshipers of false Gods: but there is no evidence of were this, and no
reason in the assumption. As St. John (i. 18) declares, "No man has seen
God at any time," it follows that each worshiper, under every system of
religion, pictures on the form, size, shape, and character of God for
himself; and certainly, other nations had as much right to form their
own mental conceptions of God as the Jews had, and were as likely to
form a correct idea of him as they. They could not picture out a worse
God than Jehovah. Here we have a true explanation of the reason the Jews
were perpetually denouncing and would not subscribe to the Jewish creed.
The Jews were creed-worshipers.
6. This conclusion is confirmed by the relation, in the next contest
between the God of Elijah and the God of the prophets of Baal: We are
told that Elijah's God could kindle a fire upon the altar, while theirs
could not. Here is admitted the existence of other Gods. The only
difference between them is, Elijah's God was a little smarter. The same
thing is aimed to be shown in numerous other contests between Jehovah
and other Gods. It is merely a trial of skill, strength, and knowledge.
7. And because the God of the prophets of Baal fell a little behind,
and could not quite equal the achievements of Jehovah, we are told
that Elijah put the prophets all to death. Here is another circumstance
tending to show that Elijah could not have been a true servant of a
lust God; for such a God would not sanction such cruelty. But the story
carries an absurdity upon the face of it. To suppose that four hundred
and fifty men would stand quietly, and submit to be slain by one man
single-handed and alone, without any resistance, is altogether too
incredible to be entertained for a moment.
8. The next achievement of Elijah, after eating a barley cake, baked on
the coals, and drinking a cruse of water (1 Kings xix. 8), was to walk
forty days and forty nights, without stopping to eat or sleep. This
performance was almost equal to that of the Hindoo, Yalpa, who walked
round the sun in eleven hours. One story is just as credible as the
other.
9. We are told that, when Ahaziah, who succeeded his father making
war on other nations: it was simply because Ahab upon the throne, got
crippled by falling, and sent to consult the God of Ekron, Elijah, on
hearing of it, asked why he did not consult the God of Israel (2 Kings
i. G); and, when the king's messengers reported to him what the prophet
Elijah had said, he sent fifty messengers to the prophet to invite him
to come and see him, that he might consult with him. These messengers
treated him very respectfully, and called him "the man of God;" but
the prophet, we are told, instead of complying with the king's request,
called down fire from heaven, which consumed the whole number. When
the king heard of the circumstance, he sent fifty more messengers, who
shared the same fate, and were likewise consumed by fire from heaven. An
uncivil and very wicked thing for a righteous prophet to do.
10. We are told that Elijah, in the course of his travels, came to a
stream of water, and took off his mantle, and smote it. The water parted
hither and thither, and permitted him to walk in the bottom of the
stream. Another display of his great miraculous power; but it is void of
truth.
11. The last astounding feat reported of this miraculous prophet
was that of ascending to heaven in a chariot of fire, with horses
made of the same material. Rather a hazardous mode of traveling. This
story is contradicted both by the laws of nature, and the express
declaration of the Bible itself. The former teaches us that the fire
would have been extinguished for want of oxygen before he had ascended
many miles from the earth; and the latter declares, "Flesh and blood can
not enter the kingdom of heaven;" and also that "no man hath ascended up
to heaven but he that came down from heaven,"--Christ Jesus (John
iii. 13). There are several circumstances which render these marvelous
achievements of Elijah wholly incredible, in addition to their
setting aside the laws of nature. We can not learn that any good was
accomplished by it. It does not appear that anybody was converted to a
life of practical righteousness; while we must assume that God must
have had some great purpose in view to cause him to thus set aside and
trample under foot his own laws. On the other hand, a great deal of bad
feeling was engendered, and a great many lives destroyed. And then
there is no allusion whatever to these astonishing miracles in any
other history. All these circumstances and considerations warrant us
in discarding the whole affair, though Christian writers attach great
importance to it.
THE FEATS OR ELISHA.
The marvelous deeds of Elisha appear to be, to a considerable extent,
a mere repetition of those of Elijah. Like his predecessor, he raised a
dead child to life, increased the supply of oil for a widow after it had
run short, and also increased the quantity of good water for the people
by a supernatural process, though not by a shower of rain, as Elijah
did, after a three years drought. There is evidently a disposition to
imitate and outdo his predecessor: hence he brings water without the
process of rain. There are two or three incidents in his history worthy
of notice:--
1. When Elijah took his perilous flight heavenward, and left him alone,
we are told he rent his garments. This act, although customary among
"the Lord's holy people," was rather an insane way of manifesting his
grief. A man in this age doing so would be taken to the insane asylum.
2. The second performance of Elisha, deserving particular notice, was an
act of malignant revenge upon some frolicsome boys reminding him that
he was bald-headed. For this simple, childish, though rude, act of
calling him "bald-head," we are told he caused "two bears to come out of
the woods, and tear forty-two of them to pieces." Why the other children
escaped this fate, we are not told. This conduct on the part of the
prophet evinces a morose, cruel, and revengeful disposition, instead
of a philanthropic and benevolent one, as we should have expected the
Lord's chosen prophet to manifest. If the story were a credible one,
it would be a stigma upon his character while it stands on the page of
history.
3. There is one circumstance related in the history of Elisha which
seems to indicate that he was a man of rather gross habits. It is
stated, that, when he killed a yoke of oxen for food, he "boiled their
flesh with the instruments of the oxen," and gave the people to eat (1
Kings xix. 21). We infer, from this lan guage, that the oxen were thrown
into the cooking-vessel whole, without being skinned or cleaned. It most
have been rather a rare dish, and a tough one also.
4. We will notice one more remarkable incident in the history of this
remarkable prophet. We are told, that, as some men were felling some
trees on the banks of the Jordan, one of them, by accident, let his
ax fall into the stream. On the case being reported to Elisha, he soon
relieved the man of his trouble by throwing a stick into the water,
which caused the ax to swim. Here is another specimen of the philosophy
of the Christian Bible. Heathen mythology is full of such lawless
stories. When the boat in which a Hindoo was rowing capsized, and threw
his dinner into the Indus, a fish was accommodating enough to arrest
it in its descent, and bring it to the surface, and restore it to the
hungry boatman. A very accommodating fish! as much so as the stick!
We will now take a view of the moral bearing of the stories of these
great "God-chosen" and "God-favored prophets," as one Christian writer
styles them. We must assume that God would not suspend the action of
those laws which secure order and harmony throughout nature to perform
such miracles as these prophets are represented as performing, unless
some great and important end was to be accomplished by it. Well, let us
see if this was the result; if not, we must assume that these miracles
were never performed. According to Dr. Lardner, miracles were always
designed to accomplish some great good, and generally to remove the
skepticism of unbelievers, and to convince them of the mighty power of
God. But we do not find that any such effects were produced by any of
the miracles here reported. The performance of Elijah did not convert
Ahab nor Jezebel, nor the worshipers of Baal, either to the faith or
to a life of practical righteousness; nor did those of Elisha convert
Naaman; nor did either of the prophets convert or reform any of the
thousands of heathen in the countries through which they traveled. The
contemporary kings of Judah and Israel still continued in their ungodly
course as before. In a word, nobody was benefited, nobody reformed, and
no good effected by any of these miracles, only to a few individuals,
which could have been accommodated in the usual way,--by ordinary
means. On the other hand, bad feelings were engendered, many lives
lost, and much suffering caused by their miraculous proceedings. We
must conclude, then, that, so far as any agency of God is claimed in
the several cases, these miracles were never performed; and we have the
negative testimony of history to prove still further that these miracles
were never wrought. The history of no other nation mentions them, not
even the three years of drought; yet Christ speaks of it, and indorses
it with all its impossibilities and all its bad consequences, which is
an evidence of his ignorance of natural law. As these stories, by their
stultifying absurdities, do violence to our reason, and also to our
moral faculties, on account of the cruelty, injustice, bloodshed (for it
shows both prophets were murderers), we hold, from these considerations,
that the influence of these stories is demoralizing, and that they
should not be put into the hands of the heathen, as they are every year
by the thousand.