MORE UNDERSTANDING than FARMER SMITH’S TEACHERS
(A Modern Parable)
I have MORE understanding THAN ALL MY TEACHERS for thy testimonies are my meditations. --Psalm 119:99
Bible correcting critics, educators, and preachers have had their professions ennobled to such a degree that soon after they ascend the throne of scholarship, this religious elite imagines to dictate to the rest of us as to what is a Bible and what is not. Nevertheless, God has been raising up ploughboys to understand more of the word of God than this religious NOBILITY. Farmer Smith is not impressed with these little popelings. He continues to meditate in God’s testimonies, regarding them as absolute truth (John 17:17) and true from the beginning (Psa. 119:160). With this proper approach and attitude toward his authorized English Bible, Farmer Smith has more understanding than all his self appointed teachers. Moreover, he also is wise to his teachers!
Farmer Smith Understands Professor Willy Wordstealer
I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that STEAL MY WORDS . . . --Jer. 23:30
Farmer Smith’s first teacher, Professor Willy Wordstealer, treats the Bible as if it were any human book. That the Bible is the word of God, has no bearing on his rationalistic word games and approach to both please the academic community and to steal God’s word from believers without them realizing it. Substituting obscurantism for clarity and dissimulation for integrity, he introduces his "better renderings." Nevertheless, Farmer Smith has not been meditating in his testimonies or in his father’s testimonies (Professor Muddystream). Farmer Smith understands that Satan loves to steal God’s words from the human heart (Mark 4:15) and also from the pages of God’s Book. Ploughboys see through Willy the Wordstealer and all of Satan’s revision committees, who would steal the Lord’s words from His people. They also understand that the Lord is against all such nonsense. He is against those, who steal His words!
Farmer Smith Understands Professor Freddy the Fudger
For our exhortation was not of DECEIT . . . nor in GUILE . . . -- 1 Thess. 2:3
Webster tells us that a “FUDGER” is one that puts a story together dishonestly. Professor Freddy the Fudger is a teacher, whose opinionated, subjective, humanistic manipulations of extra-scriptural material, quotes from his heroes of the faith and the rubbish dug from antiquity. He designs this extra-scriptural material to instill doubts and questions about the God blessed, King James Bible. He operates without so much as one "thus saith the Lord” (except to correct the Book). However, Farmer Smith is onto Freddy’s devices and compares them to what the Lord saith.
Farmer Smith Understands Professor Harry the Hedger
. . . If the trumpet give an UNCERTAIN sound, who himself to battle? --1Cor. 13:8
A DOUBLEMINDED man is unstable in all his ways. --James 1:8
Professor Freddy the Fudger has convinced Professor Harry the Hedger and the rest of the faculty, if they go too far out on the intellectual limb, someone will be bound to cut off the limb. Harry is convinced that he must retreat to a more defendable position. When he lifts his King James Bible before his congregation and says (with reservation), "Hoc est Verbum Meum," it becomes the word of God; however, when he puts it down to study, it becomes a book of mistakes that trouble Freddy. He can be heard telling Farmer Smith, "Well, it is the CLOSEST to the inspired word, or "IN A SENSE, it is infallible" or "Yes, it is the word of God, BUT . . ." Farmer Smith with a knowing look, in response to Harry’s uncertainty and vagueness, politely fights off a yawn. Farmer Smith understands more than all his teachers.
Farmer Smith Understands Professor Perry the Pervert
Ye havePERVERTED the words of the living God . . . --Jeremiah 23:36
Professor Perry the Pervert is a mercenary teacher that stands to gain, if he perverts the words of the living God. If he owns a publishing house or bookstore, the gain is money. If he is an important evangelist or professor, the gain is publicity and meetings. If he is a "nobody" preacher, the gain is intellectual (liberal) recognition. Farmer Smith would rather make an honest living plowing the fields and sowing the unmingled seed; he refuses to be bribed or fooled by Perry the Pervert, for he understands more than all his teachers.
Farmer Smith Understands Professor Mickey the Muck Raker
In God I will PRAISE HIS WORD . . . they WREST my words . . . They . . . HIDE themselves, they MARK MY STEPS, when they WAIT for my soul . . . -- Psalm 56:5, 6
Professor Mickey, the Muck Raker, is a teacher that likes to hide in wait, marking the steps of Bible believers and praisers. Character assassination is his favorite tool for dealing with those, who dare praise the possessed word of God. His only academic achievement is in discrediting his opposition. If Mickey the Muck Raker can find a scrap of dirt on Erasmus, King James, the translators, or any defender of the King James Bible (especially one who has had marital problems), he will seize his potsherd of unbelief and scrape up whatever muck that he can find. Farmer Smith recognizes his devices. He understands that if Mickey could, he would use Solomon’s polygamy, David’s adultery, and Peter’s compromise to undermine the Scriptures that they penned. Farmer Smith understands more than all his teachers.
Farmer Smith Understands Professor Sammy the Sniper
. . . AS THE TROOPS . . . WAIT FOR MAN, so the company of priests murder in the way . . . --Hosea 6:9
Professor Sammy the Sniper works closely with Professor Mickey the Muck Raker. He tries to avoid direct confrontation because of his lack of strength. He tries to inflict casualties without having any of his own. Ambush is his modus operandi. His is a most cowardly form of combat, which mainly serves to harass the opposing side.
Sammy will not even answer the volleys of letters, which he receives from his former students; neither will he engage in open debate. Camouflaged in vague and obscurant expression to blend in with believers, he snipes from the bushes. Farmer Smith is careful to avoid the dark and dingy areas, wisely staying in the plowed and open areas, where the seed has been sown. He understands that it is only a matter of time when Sammy’s position will be over run. Farmer Smith understands more than all his teachers.
Farmer Smith Understands Professor Larry the Lover
He that LOVETH ME NOT KEEPETH NOT my sayings. -- John 14:24
Professor Larry the Lover, alias Professor Larry the Liberal and cousin to Professor Mike the Modernist, is a teacher that thinks everyone else has love problems. He constantly observes their speech, behavior, and writings, looking for "angry men." Larry will not make the slightest effort, however, to guard the Bible from injury or defamation. Often, Larry will take up the knife of Jehudi, himself, and cut the word apart. He has the real "love problem." Farmer Smith understands that Larry is not of those who "have kept my word" (John 17:6; Rev. 3:8) or who "keepeth the sayings" (Rev. 22:7). Good folks who "keep" God’s word do not question, criticize, nor change it. Larry really doesn’t love anyone but himself, and Farmer Smith understands all such behavior, for Farmer Smith understands more than all his teachers.
Farmer Smith Understands About the Perversions
We are not as many, which corrupt the word of God . . . — 2 Cor. 2:17
Ye have perverted the words of the living God . . . — Jer. 23:36
There be some that . . . would pervert the gospel of Christ . . . — Gal. 1:7.
Have you ever heard the statement, "Well, the new Bibles might be worded differently, but they still contain the gospel and the blood somewhere?" That is much like the statement, "He is a modernist, but he still preaches the gospel. Deluded souls, who say that, do not realize that the gospel is the last thing to go.
When it comes to the word of God, Satan’s approach is always the same: first he questions it, then he changes it, then he denies it. In the very beginning, he said, “Yea, hath God said?” (Gen. 3:1). Influenced by the devil’s bold question, Eve deleted the word “freely” from God’s original statement (Gen. 2:16; 3:2); then Eve added to His statement, “neither shall he touch it” (Gen. 2:17; 33); then the devil denied the statement all together (Gen. 3:4); with logical and intelligent reasons, of course (Gen. 3:5); then Eve agreed with the consensus of scholarship (Gen. 3:6). Farmer Smith understands who is behind all the perversions (RV, ASV, RSV, etc.)
Farmer Smith Understands What to Do and What Not to Do
Thou shalt NOT sow thy field with MINGLED SEED. --Lev. 19:19
He that HATH [possesses] my word, let him speak my word FAITHFULLY. --Jer. 23:38
The command, not to sow with mingled seed, finds its antitype in the sowing of the word of God in the field of the world. We are told in Mark 4:14 that “the sower soweth the word.” After the word is sown, “some receive the seed with gladness.” However, “when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake; immediately they are offended” (sounds like the typical weak-kneed fundamentalist who has just been confronted with the King James issue).
We are not to mingle God’s pure word with that which is impure. If God’s word is impure, then it is not God’s word, for God’s word is pure (Ps. 12:6). We are not to mingle God’s unbreakable Scripture with that which can be broken. If Scripture can be broken, then it is not Scripture, for Scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35). We are not to mingle God’s true word with that which is not true. If God’s word is not true, then it is not God’s word, for God’s word is truth (John 17:17) and true from the beginning (Ps. 119:110). We are not to mingle God’s incorruptible Seed with that which is corruptible. If God’s word is corruptible, then it is not God’s word, for God’s word is incorruptible (1 Peter 1:23).
Farmer Smith’s self appointed teachers have organized a “Bible of the Month Club.” This club insists that we do not have God’s word "exactly" in English. Yet, if so, how are we to sow "unmingled seed?" Who can really speak it “faithfully,” if they do not possess His word? Farmer Smith has an answer to all these questions and understands more than all his teachers and their "Bible of the month club" in these matters. Farmer Smith knows how ridiculous it would be to render Jeremiah 23:28, “. . . he that hath my ‘Original Manuscripts,’ let him speak my ‘Original Manuscripts’ faithfully.” Farmer Smith understands that you must possess the word of God to speak it faithfully. Farmer Smith knows and understands what kind of seed should not be sown— and what kind should be sown and can be counted on to be a faithful sower of “unmingled Seed!” Farmer Smith understands both what to do— and what not to do. He understands more than all his teachers.
-- by Herb Evans