THERE are very few of you who cannot answer this question. I expect you will tell me that the Bible is the Word of God; and that is quite true. If you look carefully into the Book itself, you will find that the Scriptures are called by that name more often than any other. You may read also of “the Word of life,” “the Word of righteousness,” “the Word of patience,” and “the faithful Word;” for the Bible tells us how we may have everlasting life; how the righteousness of God is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe; it tells also of His patience and long suffering in still calling sinners to come to Him; and of all His faithfulness.
Then in the Old Testament, as well as in the new, you will find other names by which this book is called. In the prophecy of Jeremiah God says, “Is not My Word like a fire? and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?” You know that fire will melt a block of ice, and will warm anything that comes near it; so God’s Word can melt the hardest heart, and make it warm and tender; and if a heart is stony and hard, the hammer of God’s Word can break it up, so that the seed sown in the garden of that heart, may live and grow.
The Lord Jesus tells us in Luke 8, that “the seed is the Word of God.” You remember the parable He told about the sower sowing the seed, and how some of the seed fell by the wayside where the ground was trodden hard by passers-by, some on stony ground, some among thorns, and some on good ground. The seed was all alike, but the ground was different. He told His disciples the meaning of the parable. We know that whenever God’s Word is read or spoken, the precious seed is being sown again.
What sort of ground is there in your heart, dear children? Is it so hard that you do not want to understand the Word, and so forget it? Is it so stony and dry for want of the Living Water (which the Lord Jesus gives to all who ask Him), that the seed springs up only to wither away? Is your heart so full of your work, and your play, and the things that you have or you want, that you don’t take the trouble to think about the Word you read, and the seed gets choked? Or is it a heart that hears and understands, that believes and remembers, and keeps and does the Word of the Lord? If so, then there will be fruit from the seed sown; love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. All this fruit may not come at once, but if the seed grows, there is sure to be some; for “by their fruits ye shall know them.”
If your heart has received and believed the Word of God, and your feet have begun to walk in the narrow way that leads to life, then the Bible is something else to you. “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psa. 119:105105NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (Psalm 119:105).) That Word will show you how to walk in the paths of righteousness where the Good Shepherd leads His sheep; how to follow Him, and how to turn away from the things that would displease Him. He will help you to remember and do what it says.
More than this; if you belong to the Lord Jesus, through faith in His Word, you are told to put on the whole armor of God; and to take “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” You need that sword, if you are to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ. God has given us this sword and He wants us to learn it and know it, so that we may be able to use it, so that the enemy may not lead us astray.
We read that every Word of God is pure, and we read of tasting the good Word of God. The Word of the Lord is right (Psa. 33:44For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth. (Psalm 33:4)), and His Word is true (Psa. 119:160160Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever. (Psalm 119:160)); it will never deceive us nor lead us astray. The Word of the Lord is tried; not one word has failed or ever will. All Scripture is profitable; it was written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scripture might have hope. Jeremiah could say, “Thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.” King David could say, “This is my comfort in mine affliction.”
So we have in the Word of God a fire and a hammer, good seed, a light to guide us, a sword to fight with, food for Our souls, sure guidance, faithful promises, profitable learning, joy for our hearts, and a comfort in trouble. It tells us of the One who came that all these things might be ours, and of His Father who sent Him.
If you want to understand it better, ask the Lord as King David did, “Open Thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law.” If you know anything about it, you know that it is sent to us from God; and the more you know it, the more you will treasure it.
ML 09/22/1912