The Word of God Is Alive!
Introduction: Scripture gives us many dimensions of the “Word,” and the very Word of God brought all that we know of our material surroundings into existence. The written Word reveals to us both the nature of God, and the nature of mankind. That incomparable Word provides eternal life to those who accept it by faith. The Word of God is consistent and true — it can be received into the heart as a sweet fragrance, stimulating all of our senses through relational experience because the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
NOTE: Bible passages are from the KJ21 (King James 21st Century Version).
A — The Word at the Beginning of Creation
Genesis 1 “1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 3 And God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.”
Psalm 19 “1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth His handiwork. 2 Day upon day uttereth speech, and night upon night showeth knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard.”
Comments: The Holy Scriptures open with “In the beginning God” and by verse 3 of the very first chapter we begin to see the creative power of the LORD revealed by His Word. The Lord God established all of the physical creation by the power of His Word. Mankind was the very distinctive pinnacle of God's creation, as the Lord made man after the image of God. After that image was marred by man's sin, the LORD continued to communicate with man showing His patience and grace over many centuries before He began communicating through the written Word. And the very creation itself speaks volumes to those who will listen all around the world, about the creator and his loving provision for mankind.
B — Rejection of the Word Finally Brought About the Global Flood
Genesis 4 “26 And to Seth also there was born a son, and he called his name Enosh. Then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.”
Genesis 6 “5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagining of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.”
Comments: After the temptation by the serpent in the garden of Eden, Cain was the first named offspring of Adam and Eve to commit the first murder. Cain rejected the LORD’s provision for restoration to fellowship. Seth was born when Adam was 130 years old, and after Seth’s son Enosh was born, men began to call upon the name of the LORD. Enoch walked with God, and living that metaphor was very pleasing to the LORD. However, sin continued in generations of mankind as they rejected the Word until corruption became so widespread that the Lord brought global judgment. But, through grace the LORD gave words of direction to Noah which he followed by faith, saving eight people in the ark.
C — The Word of the LORD to His Chosen Men
Genesis 15 “1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, ‘Fear not, Abram. I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward.’”
Psalm 119 “89 Forever, O LORD, Thy word is settled in heaven. 105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. 160 Thy word is true from the beginning, and every one of Thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.”
Comments: Ten generations after Noah, the Lord called out Abraham to establish a new covenant with him to prepare a people for His name. Abraham’s grandson Jacob had more than one encounter with the LORD, and the LORD changed his name to Israel. It was over a thousand years after the global flood before the LORD began to give us the written word through his servant Moses. The LORD spoke to David through Nathan the prophet, making a promise that would have a two-fold fulfillment: in Solomon, and later in Christ Jesus. In the early period of the kings of Israel, many beautiful Psalms were written, and the four verses from Psalm 119 speak incomparable truths to our hearts, about the Word of God.
D — The Word of God Is Living and Powerful
John 1 “1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 3 All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.”
Mark 4 “39 And He arose, and rebuked the wind and said unto the sea, ‘Peace, be still.’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”
Comments: After the promise to King David of that special son, the Lord spoke through prophets down through many generations of kings. At the proper time, the long awaited descendant of King David was born, to fulfill “that which was spoken by the prophet.” Mary and Joseph became direct recipients of the Word of God as they were both reassured about the birth of Christ Jesus. Recorded for us are many examples of the power and control in the words of Jesus. Then when Jesus spoke the truth before the leaders of Israel, their rejection caused them to judge his words as blasphemy, that the purpose of the LORD might be fulfilled in his death. But our LORD has the power over death!
E — The Word Is Alive
Acts 13 “47 I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest bring salvation unto the ends of the earth. 48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the Word of the Lord; and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. 49 And the Word of the Lord was spread abroad throughout all the region.”
Hebrews 1 “1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son… 3 He is the brightness of God’s glory and the express image of His person, upholding all things by the word of His power.”
Comments: The Lord Jesus told his disciples in person about his coming death, burial, and resurrection. Then the Matthew passage shows the fact of the resurrection as Jesus had said, and in the passage from John, the risen Christ appeared and again spoke direct instructions to the assembled apostles. It was after the resurrection of Christ that the New Testament began to be written to complement God’s written Word in the Old Testament. The Words in the Bible are like those of no other book as they change the hearts of men, and produce in those who receive the Word by faith, new life in Christ. God spoke to us in various manners and through prophets, but in these last times He has spoken through His Son Jesus, who upholds all things by the word of His power.
F — The Word of the LORD Stands Firm Forever
Isaiah 40 “8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of our God shall stand for ever.”
Matthew 24 “35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My Words shall not pass away.”
1 Peter 1 “23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever; 25 but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached unto you.”
Comments: The Word of God endures forever, and if we truly believe and receive His Word into our hearts by grace through faith, we will be secure forever. As John said, the world could not contain the books to record all that Jesus has said and done, but we have more than enough to live by, and God’s Word is profitable to make us complete until the day of redemption to eternal life. Paul gave Timothy, and us, a summary of the value of the Word that should be reviewed and applied in our lives to the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen and Amen.
Reflections in Prayer
O Lord, how can I adequately pray about the richness of your Word and the impact it continues to have in my life because of your great love. As Paul has said, I want to know you and the power of your resurrection; and I want to offer my life as a living sacrifice. Thank you Lord that I need not depend on my intellectual understanding or even my strength of will, for you have supplied your Holy Spirit to conform me to the image of Christ. Your Word has shown me that I am like all of mankind in my flesh: if my heart is not changed by the many sources of your Word, it is because I have rejected your love extended to me. I want to abandon the sin that desires to have me, and instead humble myself before you that you will lift me up. I believe that you have spoken directly to those created in your own image from the beginning of creation, guided others by your Spirit to write your Words, came in the flesh to present your Word as the son of man and Son of God, then sent your Holy Spirit to work within the heart of the believer as you have done for me personally. Hallelujah to the risen lamb!
Published 23 January 2010