In order that you may be stirred up and be active concerning this, calmly consider first of all that there are but two kings in this world, each having a kingdom: the kingdoms of Christ and of the devil, which are mortal enemies to each other. A third kingdom does not exist. Every person upon earth is either a subject of King Jesus or of the devil, the prince of darkness. No matter who you are individually, you are truly a subject of one of these two kingdoms. You are neither neutral nor a subject of both kingdoms simultaneously. Therefore, to which kingdom do you presently belong? What do you have to say for yourself? If you neither know nor have ever given this any thought, come and sit next to me for a moment; let us consider this matter, and then make a heartfelt and eternal choice. Whose subject do you wish to be? Whom do you choose to be your king?

WILHELMUS À BRAKEL, THE CHRISTIAN’S REASONABLE SERVICE, VOL. 2, 56.

It is the duty of everyone who desires to be saved to turn to the church, making diligent effort to be accepted as a member of the church community.

WILHELMUS À BRAKEL, THE CHRISTIAN’S REASONABLE SERVICE, VOL. 2, 55.

Evasive Argument #3: The antichrist will only appear at the end of the world and will be destroyed by Christ’s coming unto judgment (2 Thess 2:8).

Answer: It is not true that he will appear near the end of the world’s existence. This is nowhere written in
Scripture. “The last days” refers to the entire New Testament dispensation (cf. Acts 2:17; Heb 1:1-2). The time of his
fall will come, and Christ will come with His judgments to destroy him even prior to His coming in judgment. If this
text is understood as referring to the final judgment, one ought to know that even after the destruction of the antichrist, which will occur prior to the millennium (Rev 19:20; Rev 20:4), his spirit will nevertheless prevail in many. He will only be destroyed when Christ comes in judgment.

WILHELMUS À BRAKEL, THE CHRISTIAN’S REASONABLE SERVICE, VOL. 2, 52-53.

The fact that Rome has become entirely apostate is demonstrated everywhere in this book. Rome places its declarations and traditions next to, and in opposition to, the Word of God. Rome forbids the reading of the Bible, commands that a piece of bread be worshipped as God, has introduced the worship of angels and deceased saints, has erected images and altars, claims authority for itself to forgive sin, promotes the apostasy of the saints, teaches that man is not only able to be perfect but can also perform superfluous works which the pope then keeps in his treasure chest and distributes according to his pleasure. Rome denies that the merits of Christ atone for all sin, original and actual. It teaches that one can and must earn heaven himself. It has fabricated the existence of purgatory, and on behalf of the living and the dead, sacrifices Christ anew in the mass. All Romish errors are too numerous to be mentioned here. These sufficiently demonstrate that Rome and its followers have become apostate concerning the faith.

WILHELMUS À BRAKEL, THE CHRISTIAN’S REASONABLE SERVICE, VOL. 2, 49-50.

Manifold Divine Speeches

In From Paradise to the Promised Land, the following observation is made about the third book of the Pentateuch: “Although Leviticus continues the story of the Israelites’ journey from Egypt to Canaan, almost 90 percent of the book consists of divine speeches on a variety of topics.”[1] The sheer volume of divine speeches demands one’s attention.

Similarly, in his textbook on the Pentateuch, Victor P. Hamilton elaborates on the revelatory nature and extensiveness of the divine speeches in the book of Leviticus:

Leviticus underscores that the material found in its chapters is divinely-revealed content. No hint is given that any institution described is incorporated from another religious system. Nor is there any indication that the substance of the book is the product of a committee on liturgy that imposes on the community its recommended means of worshipping God.

The revelatory nature of the material in Leviticus is underlined by the fact that twenty of the twenty-seven chapters begin with the formula, “the Lord said unto Moses.” The exceptions are chapters 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, and 26. And some of these simply continue the emphasis of the preceding chapter (hence the absence of the formula), or else contain this formula in the body of the chapter instead of at the beginning.[2]

Leviticus is chockablock with divine speeches that divinely reveal how to approach and worship God, and much of the content is verbatim divine speech. The two narratives that record events rather than divine speeches also underscore the revelatory nature of this material: Leviticus 8:1-10:20 and 24:10-23 are both narratives which contain stories about individuals who commit egregious sins and are judged unto death, and, in the former event, Nadab and Abihu die because their offerings are not regulated by the manifold divine speeches,[3] and, in the latter event, Moses and Israel wait for the Lord’s commandment before condemning and executing a blasphemer.[4] The theme “The Lord said” is not tertiary but central to even these two respective narratives about high-stake events, which also underscores the “divinely-revealed content” in the book of Leviticus.

Leviticus in Context

T. Desmond Alexander argues for the close connection of Leviticus to the rest of the Pentateuch:

The book of Leviticus continues the story of Exodus by describing what takes place in the thirteenth month after the Israelites’ divine deliverance from Egypt (cf. Exod. 40:17; Num. 1:1). As a result, the books of Exodus and Leviticus and, as we shall later observe, also Numbers are closely connected. Leviticus both assumes the erection of the tabernacle, which forms the climax of the book of Exodus (40:1-38), and records the consecration of Aaron and his sons as priests, fulfilling the instructions given to Moses by the LORD in Exodus 29:1-46. Leviticus must therefore be read in conjunction with Exodus, both books forming part of the continuous and carefully composed narrative that comprises the Pentateuch.[5]

Special revelation, in Leviticus, is drank as from a firehose, and this must be read in conjunction with the rest of the Pentateuch. In Leviticus, the sacrifices (1-7), the priestly ordination (8-10), the distinctions between physical and moral impurities and holiness (11-26), and the vows (27), they all are of a revelatory nature, and the content of this revelation is intimately connected to the preceding events, e.g., Exodus, consecration of priests, instructions for sacrifices, etc. What is the chief message of the “divinely-revealed content” in the book of Leviticus, which is connected to the rest of the Pentateuch? In a word, as one author summarized, “Leviticus summons Israel to a holy life.”[6] This holy life is characterized by sacrifice, priests, and holy instructions. This holy life is connected to holy space—the Tabernacle. The two questions, “Where to worship a holy God?” and “How to worship a holy God?”, are connected respectively in Exodus and Leviticus. These Pentateuchal books are closely connected and together they emphasize that it is the LORD alone who “places at the disposal of the Israelites a way of restoring and maintaining a harmonious relationship with their God.”[7] It is a merciful and gracious God who provides both a locality and manner by which his people may enjoy his special presence and fellowship. The book of Leviticus summons Israel to a holy life that is regulated by the manifold divine speeches.

Impact of Leviticus

Leviticus emphasizes the majesty and holiness of God: God condescends to abide in the Tabernacle with Israel, but the sanctuary is a holy place which simultaneously emphasizes that God is divine and draws near to but yet is also separate from his creatures, i.e., the basis of Israel’s approach is solely God’s revealed will. How should insights and revelation from Leviticus modify our behavior or thinking? As one author said, commenting on the revelation of the Mosaic period, “The coexistence of these two elements, that of trustful approach to God and that of reverence for the divine majesty, is characteristic of the Biblical religion throughout.”[8] Approaching God, even in the NT era, still requires both these elements: trustful (submissive) approach with awe and reverence.

[1] T. Desmond Alexander, From Paradise to the Promised Land: An Introduction to the Pentateuch, 3^rd ed. (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012), 237.

[2] Victor P. Hamilton, Handbook on the Pentateuch (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1982), 245-246.

[3] Regarding the sin and the reason why Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord for offering “strange fire”, Michael Bushell explains: “The phrase is unusual and does not occur elsewhere in Scripture, though a similar phrase in Exodus 30:9 forbids the offering of “strange incense” . . . . The word used for “strange” is a common term with the basic meaning of “strange” or “foreign”. The noun form means “stranger”. The question is what it was about the fire in this case that made it “foreign”. It was not the fire itself or the incense, for these were indistinguishable from the fire and incense offered at other times. The problem was with the manner in which the fire was offered. The passage makes this clear. The fire was “strange” because God had “not commanded them” to offer it. It was as simple as that. God viewed offerings that He had not commanded as “foreign” or “strange” intrusions. The sin of Nadab and Abihu was one of presumption, of making an offering not commanded by God” (Songs of Zion: The Biblical Basis for Exclusive Psalmody, 4^th rev. ed. (Norfolk: Norfolk Press, 2011), 165-166). In the book of Leviticus, the content of the divine speeches discloses how God desires to be worshipped, e.g., sacrifices, priests, purity, etc. This parallels the book of Exodus: God discloses where worship shall take place—the locality of worship is the Tabernacle, which was a type constructed after the heavenly pattern (Heb. 8:5; Exod. 25:40).

[4][4] In Leviticus 24:10-23, the son of an Israelite woman blasphemed the name of the LORD. He was brought to Moses, and he remained under arrest and in their custody while Moses and Israel waited “that the mind of the LORD might be shewed them” (verse 12). It isn’t until after the Lord speaks (verse 13) that Moses then instructs Israel to stone the blasphemer (verse 23). Even this narrative about an event underscores divine speech: “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying . . .” (verse 13).

[5] T. Desmond Alexander, From Paradise to the Promised Land, 237.

[6] Victor P. Hamilton, Handbook on the Pentateuch, 246.

[7] T. Desmond Alexander, From Garden to the Promised Land, 257.

[8] Geerhardus Vos, Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments (Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2017), 150-151.

Every kingdom has its borders and border markings within which its subjects reside and by which they are separated from others. The kingdom of heaven is likewise separated from all nations, and functions independently without intertwining itself with other spheres of sovereignty. This separation does not pertain to locality, region, or city, as was true in the Old Testament, but she is separated from others by fellowship and confession. Thus, the church does not wish to have those within its community who still belong to the world or embrace a false religion. The church wishes to be separate in order that the kingdom of Christ may be all the more evident. . . .

As the church is separated from the rest of the world, she is likewise united internally, which is evident from the word congregation itself, it being expressive of her internal fellowship. This is evident by virtue of her separation, and by way of comparison she is called a house which is built by the uniting of individual stones. She is called a body, consisting of many united members; a flock, consisting not of sheep who are dispersed but who are gathered together; and a kingdom in which the subjects are united for mutual protection.

WILHELMUS À BRAKEL, THE CHRISTIAN’S REASONABLE SERVICE, VOL. 2, 21.

To distinguish the true church from all erroneous assemblies, we call ourselves Reformed—not, however, in reference to doctrine, as if we had changed or improved the same. No, according to God’s Word the truth remains impeccably preserved. We do so, however, in reference to errors which permeated the church. These the church has cast out, departing from Roman Catholic heresy by which she had been so long oppressed, and reforming the church according to the precepts of God’s Word. Certain parties reproachfully call members of the true Reformed Church Calvinists after Calvin, minister in Geneva, who was one of the first to oppose Roman Catholic error. We say, “among the first,” for neither he nor Luther, but Zwingli, was the first. We acknowledge Calvin as a member of the true church. He has done much to promote the truth, but he is neither the head of the church nor the one who prescribed the rule for life and doctrine. We neither magnify nor lean upon man. We do not follow human inventions nor call ourselves after men. If someone desires to name us after a man, he does so at his own peril. If in doing so he wishes to distinguish us as the true church from the false church, the matter itself is good, but not the manner.

WILHELMUS À BRAKEL, THE CHRISTIAN’S REASONABLE SERVICE, VOL. 2, 20.

It is one thing to join the church externally, and it is another thing to speak of an external church. Even though they [i.e., unconverted persons] are externally in the church, this does not mean that there is an external church of which they are bonafide members. Membership in an external church to which the promise of salvation is not annexed is not their objective, but rather a church as being a fellowship within which they may be saved. To this church they apply themselves, but only externally, and not in truth with a converted and believing heart. Therefore they are no members, even though men view them as such externally. They are thus within the church as a poisonous fruit which is attached to a good tree with good fruits. They are therefore within the church as strangers, who for some time dwell in a house, but whom no one deems to be family members. Because of this external association with the church there is also an external relationship to the Lord Jesus as King of His church, as well as her true members, and they enjoy the external privileges of the church. Their entrance into the church, and the church’s acceptance of them does not make them true members of the church. Such can only come about by faith and repentance.

WILHELMUS À BRAKEL, THE CHRISTIAN’S REASONABLE SERVICE, VOL. 2, 13.

Since there are so many churches which call themselves the Christian church, we are at present all the more obligated to search the Word of God in order to ascertain which is the true church, and which congregation holds to the truth. He who therefore earnestly searches God’s Word by either reading it, hearing it read, or hearing it preached, and who perseveringly, humbly, and heartily prays to be led into the truth, may expect that the Lord will bring him to the true church. If he is already in the true church, he may also expect that the Lord, to his joy, will assure him of this.

WILHELMUS À BRAKEL, THE CHRISTIAN’S REASONABLE SERVICE, VOL. 2, 4.

Therefore one must search the Word of God to discern which congregation constitutes the church. I repeat, search the Word, for the veracity of God’s Word is not determined by the church, even though she preserves, protects, and proclaims the Word entrusted to her (Rom 3:2), and thus is called “the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim 3:15). The true church, however, is identified by the Word of God, for she is “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets” (Eph 2:20).

WILHELMUS À BRAKEL, THE CHRISTIAN’S REASONABLE SERVICE, VOL. 2, 3.