Expert: Spirit Sword - 9/21/2006

Question
In this verse:
2 Chronicles 12:15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.

Shemaiah is referred to as a prophet.  I know that there are others identified also in the Bible that we dont have any writings from...so...are the writings that Shemaiah done....not God Breathed?  Why is this not included in the Bible?
Also, there are other "books" mentioned in Kings....are these not God breathed?

Answer
Hello Ken,

Thank you for your question.
Only God would know why he decided not to put the other writings of the prophets in the scripture.  It's quite possible that Shemaiah's writings and other books written at the time were not God breathed.
If I am a prophet that does not necessarily mean that everytime I talk or write I'm divinely inspired by God as to what to say or write.  And it also doesn't mean that if I was divinely inspired at the moment that my writings would eventually end up in the scriptures.  God is the ultimate authority over this matter and it's up to Him whether or not to include what He wants to in scripture.  Could there possibly have been other divinely inspired manuscripts out there?   Possibly... but my guess is most likely not.  However, one fact we do know and can rest assured in is that whatever ended up in the 66 books of the Bible are divinely inspired.