...and hearing by the Word of God - Part One

Note: This is the 7th post in a series on Grace that should be read in the following order:

1 Purpose of this Blog
2 Grace Defined - Part One
3 Grace Defined - Part Two
4 Grace operates through Faith - Faith Defined
5 Faith comes by hearing
6 Faith comes by hearing - Time alone with God
7 ...and hearing by the Word of God - Part One
8 ...and hearing by the Word of God - Part Two

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. "
(Romans 10:17)

"...by the word of God."

There may be no larger subject or theme or thought in the Word of God, The Bible, than the Word of God. Jesus said the out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Thus it is in the Word of God that we find the abundance of God's heart.

I will write this again.

It is in the Word of God that we find the abundance of God's heart.

What is on His mind.

What are in His thoughts.

So, what is this Word?

In Psalms 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, the theme is the Word of God. In it we find the following discriptives of the Word of God:

The Law of the Lord

His Testimonies

His Ways

Thy Precepts

Thy Statutes

Thy Commandments

Thy Righteous Judgments

Thy Word

And that is just to verse 9 out of 176. Take the time to read and meditate on Psalms 119.

In Danial Chapter 10 the angel calls the Word the "Scripture of Truth."

The word Scripture is used 32 times in th Old and New Testaments to refer to the Word of God.

Paul wrote:

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. "
(2 Timothy 3:16-17)

The word translated "inspiration of God" literally means "God-Breathed". Thus, All Scripture is God-Breathed.

And Peter concluded:

"Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
(2 Peter 1:20-21)

So, out of the abundance of His heart, God speaks to and with men through His Word. Indeed, He seeks to speak to you and to me.

But the writer to the Hebrews said,

"God, who at many times and in many ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son..."
(Hebrews 1:1-2a MKJV)

Ahh...He has "spoken to us by His Son."

Verse 3 states:

"Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person..."
(Hebrews 1:3a)

Would you know God?

Would you know God's heart? God's will for you? God's thoughts?

Jesus is "the express image of his person."

What was Paul's great desire?

"That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings..."
(Philippians 3:10a)

And Jesus told the religous rulers of His day;

"Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. "
(John 5:39-40)

And the Father spoke out of the cloud to Peter, James and John:

"This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. "
(Matthew 17:5)

Let us pause here for a moment.

Please understand and let it sink into your heart, that the Word of God, the Law and the Prophets, the Holy Scriptures entire purpose, from beginning to end, was that we might KNOW Jesus.

When we read, study and meditate upon the Word of God, we should be doing so that we might know Jesus.

That we might know Jesus.

That we might know Him more fully, more personally, more intimately.

And that knowing Him, we might make Him known.

In Paul's prayers for the believers in Epheseus he asks:

"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,"
(Ephesians 1:17-18)

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.
(Ephesians 3:17-19)

It's all about Jesus.

Doctrine is good.

Biblical history is good.

But, it is all about Jesus.

When you read the Word, whether it be Genisis or Revelations or anyplace in between, always remember, it is all about Jesus and your one on one, personal relationship with Him.

Prophesying of Jesus, David wrote:

"Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest. I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation."
(Psalms 40:7-10)

In the Book of John we are told:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
(John 1:1-4, 14)

And in the Book of Revelations we are told:

"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
(Revelation 19:11-13)

So in Jesus we see something very different than the Law and the Prophets. We even see somthing different than the Acts and the Epistles.

Jesus Christ IS the Word of God.

He made the heavens and the earth, for "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God." (Heb 11:3)

He is the "Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the Ending" (Rev 1:8)

Jesus told us that:

"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. "
(Matthew 24:35)

For, " Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever." (Heb 13:8)

And Isaiah prophesied:

"The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever."
(Isaiah 40:6-8)

Thus John wrote:

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ."
(1 John 1:1-3)

Jesus did not come only to die and rise again, but to show us the Father. To be the express image of His glory and person. The Word of life came to fellowship with His creation.

John the Baptist preached thus:

"He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.

He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.

For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God:"
(John 3:31-34a)

Understand this:

In the Old Testament, God spoke through His prophets.

In the New Testament, God spoke through His apostles and prophets.

In Jesus, we have God, the Very Word of God speaking to us the Word of God.

The entire Old Testament points forward to Jesus.

The entire New Testament poinst backwards and fowards to Jesus.

We need to determine two things.

When we read the Bible...the Word of God...it should always be bringing us closer to Jesus and the Father.

It is NOT an intelectual pursuit. It is an everlasting, eternal pursuit of fellowship with God.

And...

We should always make a point of including in our daily Scripture reading and meditation, something from the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John).

"This is my beloved Son," the voice from heaven said, "Hear ye Him!"

So, hearing comes by the Word of God.

As we hear or read the Word, asking God to speak to us, the Spirit starts giving us hearing and we see Jesus and the Father revealed to us.

As the takes place, Faith is born in our hearts and grows allowing Grace to work in us and through us.

I leave you with these:

"The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul:

the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart:

the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever:

the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Moreover by them is thy servant warned:

and

in keeping of them there is great reward."
(Psalms 19:7-11)

"Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes."
(Psalms 119:9-12)

"O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.

Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.

I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.

I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.

I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.

I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me.

How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. "
(Psalms 119:97-105)

"My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God."
(Proverbs 2:1-5)

"My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh."
(Proverbs 4:20-22)

"In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word. "
(Psalms 56:10)