Noninspired References In Inspired Writings
It is difficult for some believers to understand why a prophet who receives a message from God needs to quote other authors to communicate that message. In the latter section of chapter two, we made reference to the fact that the prophets use their own human language to communicate the divine message. “It is not the words of the Bible that are inspired, but the men that were inspired.” The prophet appeals to all types of expressions, documents, indexes, and even the reminiscences of other witnesses, to communicate the message received. On occasion, the servants of God look for historical references to corroborate or to ratify what has been shown them in vision. On other occasions, they do so to document dates or circumstances related to the history being described. In every case, however, the messenger is impressed by the Spirit and inspired to seek the correct information. The important difference between a general historian and a prophetic historian is that the Holy Spirit guides the prophets’ procedures by helping them to select the material that allows them to describe exactly what God wishes to communicate.VOTS 62.2
Let us look at the personal testimony of a prophet who experienced these very circumstances, including the need to find the appropriate words and historical references, the need to accurately transmit what she saw and the message that had been communicated:VOTS 63.1
As the Spirit of God has opened to my mind the great truths of His word, and the scenes of the past and the future, I have been bidden to make known to others that which has thus been revealed—to trace the history of the controversy in past ages, and especially so to present it as to shed a light on the fast-approaching struggle of the future. In pursuance of this purpose, I have endeavored to select and group together events in the history of the church in such a manner as to trace the unfolding of the great testing truths....VOTS 63.2
The great events which have marked the progress of reform in past ages are matters of history, well known and universally acknowledged.... In some cases where a historian has so grouped together events as to afford, in brief, a comprehensive view of the subject, or has summarized details in a convenient manner, his words have been quoted; but in some instances no specific credit has been given, since the quotations are not given for the purpose of citing that writer as authority, but because his statement affords a ready and forcible presentation of the subject. VOTS 63.3
However, in spite of the explanations and reasons given by the prophet herself for using historical references, some believers still ask: “Does that mean that the quotations from the secular historians become inspired when they are used by a prophet?” The truth of the matter is that the statements of a secular historian do not pass through some “alchemistic” process, nor do phrases written by a non-inspired author become inspired as if by magic. Remember that the words used by the prophets themselves do not go through such a transformation process. We repeat: “It is not the words of the Bible that are inspired, but the men that were inspired.” The words are still human words. What actually happens is that God inspires the prophet to look for and select the historical references. Then these statements, together with the prophets’ own words, communicate an inspired or revealed message by God to His servant. That message, notwithstanding, is communicated in human words, paragraphs, and phraseology.VOTS 64.1
In fact, this is one of the most important points in understanding the entire process of divine-human communication. It may also be the most difficult to comprehend and accept. This combination of divine and human elements seems to exceed our capacity for understanding. However, unless we keep in mind the fact that the message is divine, but the language used by the prophet is human, it will always be difficult to understand and accept that a prophet may use different sources, or literary and historical materials, to give final form to the message received from God.VOTS 64.2