That’s what GQ magazine would have you believe. Not that you are going to them for your theological and ecumenical advice. They are just another in the voice of the masses crying out against the word of God. Here is their estimation of the inspired word: “The Holy Bible is rated very highly by all the people who supposedly live by it but who in actuality have not read it. Those who have read it know there are some good parts, but overall it is certainly not the finest thing that man has ever produced. It is repetitive, self-contradictory, sententious, foolish, and even at times ill-intentioned” (Jesse Ball; April, 19, 2018; “21 Books You Don’t Have to Read,” https://www.gq.com/story/21-books-you-dont-have-to-read). While reading this might upset you or make you cringe, it is hardly the first time someone has taken a stab at the Bible.
Perhaps one of the most infamous attempts to silence the message of God was by Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah. Jeremiah was commanded by God to write everything God had told him concerning the doom of Jerusalem and the fall of the southern kingdom of Judah. After writing the work, he was commanded to read it to the people. God’s desire was this, “Perhaps the house of Judah will hear all the calamity which I plan to bring on them, in order that every man will turn from his evil way; then I will forgive their iniquity and their sin” (Jer. 36:1-3). God’s message is one that calls for repentance. It was the message John the baptizer preached (Matt. 3:2), it was the message Jesus preached (Matt. 4:17), and it was the message of the early church (Acts 2:38; 17:30).
The scroll was made (it took 10 to 21 months) by Baruch the scribe of Jeremiah. Baruch then began to read the scroll the to people. Eventually the officials to the king heard the message, “When they had heard all the words, they turned in fear one to another and said to Baruch, ‘We will surely report all these words to the king’” (Jer. 36:16). This was the proper response. Surely the son of Josiah the reformer would respond in kind. That was not the case. As the scroll was read, he cut off what had been read and burned it until the whole scroll was consumed. “Yet the king and all his servants who heard all these words were not afraid, nor did they rend their garments” (Jer. 36:23-24). The last chance the kingdom had at redemption was lost at the hand of the king.
Many people will respond differently to the message of God. Even those who supposedly live by it. It is ours to keep preaching repentance and the judgment to come. We must not be dissuaded by detractors, for “they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions” (1 Tim. 1:7).