Every living person has been exposed to some type of general revelation. We can see order, patterns in the heavens, and the wonder of life, which despite our scientific tools and methods, is too complex for our full understanding. We can see the grass grow and we have a general idea, unless trained otherwise, that there is design and therefore there is a Designer. But, having only general revelation, our relationship with God is vague, aloof. We could easily conform, in an acceptably agnostic way, to a quote from a non-conformist band of our youth:
There's a god and a devil, I'm sure it must be,
But why should I bother them - they don't bother me. Alvin Lee (N-O song, 1969)
Every culture, and almost every man (including rock n roll guitarists), believe there is some kind of god. But general revelation alone can not answer exact questions (posed in Proverbs 30:4): Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? Watching the corn grow (while exciting as it is!), can not tell us this. Who created this, and specifically, what is his son’s name? We need specific revelation to answer specific questions.
Reading further, past Proverbs 30:4, the solution is apparent: “Every word of God is pure...” (30:5). The word of God is our pure link to understanding. And, we believe we have His pure word, written form, in the most available and common world language: English. I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve been a lazy student of linguistics, especially Early Modern English (King James style); consequently, I’ve been slow to understand God’s specific revelation in its purest form. And, equally disappointing to me, there are few teachers available to guide me (Acts 8:31).
Let us therefore, as God’s children and the beneficiaries of His revelation, study the word, including the grammar: the spelling, the punctuation, the construction and arrangement, and the slight changes that affect the timing and direction. In short, let’s learn the meaning of the text as it was intended. I am a student, and already, by simply scratching the surface with the tools of grammar, this supposed archaic Bible has come alive. Most of the nuggets are overtly gleaming before our eyes, and they are systematically revealed when the tools of grammar are employed. Please, friends and yoke-fellow, join with me and diligently study; so we can teach it to others in its pure and awesome wonder.