The Ultimate Implement
Have you ever seen anything like this before? This is a Swiss Army Knife. Do you know what the Swiss Army Knife can be used for? It would actually be easier to tell what you can’t do with it! Look at all the tools we find in this one tool! This is an incredibly valuable, versatile implement.
Have you seen this Book before? Do you know all that this Book can be used for? This is the Holy Scriptures, and this is more versatile, much more valuable, and far more powerful than any other device known to mankind! The SwissArmyKnife is a pocket knife on steroids – but the Book of God’s Word is the Book of all books – sharper than any two-edged sword! Watch:
Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” KJV
This Book of the Holy Scriptures is the very transcript of the character of God. Created in His image, we’ve fallen from that image, which He desires to restore in each of us, as His children.
This Book is God’s standard by which all of humanity will be judged.
In this Book, the Savior Jesus is revealed as the Incarnation of God’s Word in our human flesh. He is our Forerunner and our Living Example. Jesus is the very embodiment of all that this Book teaches.
The Bible contains 66 books, and it was written by nearly 40 writers from three continents, in three languages, over a period of about 1500 years. Most of them never met; and yet Scripture maintains harmony from cover to cover!
Jesus classified the 39 books of the Old Testament as:
THE LAW ……. the five books of Moses
THE PROPHETS .. the books of prophecy
THE PSALMS …. the books of poetry
* All of these Jesus referred to as “Scripture”: as Holy, inspired by God
Luke 24:27, 44, 45 “And beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, He interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself.”
The Old Testament comprised the entirety of Scripture in Jesus’ time. In fact, Jesus admonished the people to search the Scriptures, because, He said, “they… testify of Me”. John 5:39 That’s the Old Testament that Jesus declares testifies of Him!
The 27 books of the New Testament are, likewise, called “Scripture”, and are also God-inspired writings. In the New Testament, we find the four Gospel accounts, plus the adventures, experiences, and inspired counsel of the Apostles; and then we see The Revelation of Jesus Christ to the churches! Jesus is represented, cover to cover, in this Implement of Truth and Righteousness.
The Scriptures are the express transcript of the character of the Father, as revealed thru the life of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
We are encouraged to search and carefully study God’s Word … II Timothy 2:15 “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the Word of truth.” NAS We are to become familiar with, and know, this Word.
You can read any book for information or for entertainment, but when you open this Book, the same Spirit that inspired the writers is able to speak to your heart. These are words of life, wisdom, and truth; God’s will for you.
… and to search the Scriptures daily: Acts 17:11 “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” Let the Bereans be our example, that we may do the same as they did. Open God’s Word so He may speak to you, each day!
How shall we study? “Line upon line, precept upon precept.” We do not want to build our understanding of a topic, or of a teaching, or of a principle, or of a doctrine on just one Bible verse. We are counseled to gather all that the Scriptures have to say on a subject, then compare and carefully, prayerfully examine the evidence before formulating our convictions.
If you were to write to your nephew in Florida about your home, and how spacious and beautiful it is, you would want to send him several photos of the exterior from different angles, and many more showing the various rooms inside; because just one or two pictures wouldn’t be nearly enough to illustrate what your home really looks like. You’ll want to take a shot of the nice fireplace, that big-screen TV, your spacious kitchen, the roomy dining area, and your comfy bedroom. How about the lush landscaping and your beautiful garden? The more information you put together, the more complete picture you’ll have to show of your home!
And you’ll want to follow exactly this same principle when studying the Scriptures. Get the whole picture – all that’s written on a subject – from all the angles.
Isaiah 28:13 “… the word of the LORD was to them, ‘Precept upon precept, precept upon precept; Line upon line, line upon line; Here a little, there a little,’ “ NKJV. Put them all together for the most complete and accurate picture!
This is the age of doubt. Skepticism and irreverence abound. Many folks have tossed aside the Scriptures – and toss aside Jesus in the process – although the Bible has consistently proved itself as the veritable Word of God, and as the unerring authority in all matters of faith – and of life itself!
So, let’s take a careful look at all that this Book is able to do for us. An excellent place to begin would be:
What is God’s purpose in giving us the Holy Bible?
In response to the temptations of Satan himself, Jesus replied, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4 The Bible reveals the character and nature of Jesus, Who is “the express image of the Father”.
I Corinthians 10:11 tells us that the accounts recorded in God’s Word are given as examples, even as warnings, and “are written down for our instruction, upon whom the end of the ages has come.” RSV
And in Deuteronomy 29:29, we learn, “There are secrets the Lord your God has not revealed to us, but these words that He has revealed are for us and our children to obey forever.” TLB
King David testifies in Psalms 119:105, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” KJV Your Bible is the Creator’s instruction guide for your life; this is your Manufacturer’s manual!
The Bible reveals God’s will for us, and is the Standard by which we all will be judged.
The Bible is authoritative: God actually spoke and wrote a portion of the Scriptures Himself! Take a look at Exodus 20:1-3: “And God spoke all these words, saying …” and what follows is the Ten Commandments. God first spoke them audibly from atop Mount Sinai, before He gave them to Moses, etched in the Tables of Stone. And the sound of His voice, accompanied by thunder and lightning, frightened the people into shock!
Now, watch this! Exodus 20:18-20 “Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. Then they said to Moses, ‘You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.’ “ NKJV
So the Scriptures are literally “God’s Word”, on which Our Heavenly Father has declared this solemn oath: “My covenant I will not break, Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips.” Psalm 89:34 NKJV This is for keeps!
John 10:35 says, “Scripture cannot be broken.” His Word stands forever.
King David, in Psalms 138:2, says of God, “For You have magnified Your Word above all Your name.” His Word is above even His Holy name!
In the Scriptures, God reveals His plans, delivered to us thru the prophets. Amos 3:7 “Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.” NKJV A prophet is a messenger of God. And Biblical prophecy is not of man’s devising.
II Peter 1:21“No prophecy ever came by the impulse of man; but men, moved by the Holy Spirit, spoke from God.”
Regarding prophecy, Isaiah 42:9: “Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; Before they spring forth, I tell you of them.”
Isaiah 46:10 “I make known the end from the beginning; from ancient times, what is still to come.” NIV
The words of God’s own Son are recorded for us in the Scriptures. Hebrews 1:1, 2 “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, Whom He has appointed heir of all things, through Whom also He made the worlds;” Jesus is God’s Messenger. He is God’s Prophet!
John 14:10 “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.” NKJV
So, thru the Scriptures, God has spoken first-hand; He has spoken thru His messengers, thru the prophets; and He has spoken thru His own Son. God’s Word is true, valid, and authoritative, settled for all time, in earth and in heaven. It is eternal!
John 17:17 Here, Jesus is speaking to His Father: “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” NKJV Jesus testifies that God’s Word is Truth!
Psalm 12:6 “The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.” Seven is God’s number of completion.
Psalms 119:89: “Forever, O LORD, Your Word is settled in heaven.” NKJV.
One of the most compelling evidences that the Bible is inspired lies in the accuracy of fulfilled prophecy, in both the Old and New Testaments: II Peter 1:19-21 “And so we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” NAS
Isaiah 48:3-5 “I declared the former things long ago, and they went forth from My mouth, and I proclaimed them. Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass … Therefore I declared them to you long ago; before they took place, I proclaimed them to you.” NASU (See the prophecy of Daniel 2, for openers!)
John 14:29-30 “I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.” NIV God reveals thru the prophets His plans.
The personal knowledge of God’s Word brings eternal benefits to the faithful seeker. The Swiss Army Knife is a fantastic tool. It’s constructed well; it’s durable; it’s versatile; and it’s unique; there’s nothing like it. It will serve you well in your tool box at home, or, if you take it with you while you’re away from home; it’s valuable for small tasks or in dire emergency!
The very same is true of the Scriptures! They’re perfectly assembled; they’re indestructible, they’re immutable through endless ages. At home or away, for routine maintenance, as well as when you find yourself in a time of trouble. There’s never been – ever – a book like the Bible in all history – and there never will be! It’s light-years beyond “multi-purpose”!
So, what will it do for me? What benefits are in this Book for you? Listen …
The Scriptures are a hedge, a safe-guard, against wrongdoing: Psalms 119:11 “ I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” NIV
II Timothy 3:15 “… from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” God has a retirement plan that has no equal – and has no end!
Remember Jesus’ words in John 17:17 “… Thy word is truth.” KJV
Here’s Jesus speaking in the Gospel of John, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31-32 You can take that to the bank of heaven!
And here’s the capper: “Therefore, if the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.” John 8:36
The Word of God is the supreme test – it’s the gold standard test of all doctrine: II Timothy 3:16, 17 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for (listen:) for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God (that the Godly person) may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” NKJV
Now, let’s put some wheels on this. We can sum it all up with the words of the prophet Isaiah: “To the Law and to the Testimony, if they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20 What does light symbolize? True knowledge. Light is Truth. Truth is light! Scripture is the Gold-standard Test when seeking Truth and understanding!
The Bible is indeed the Standard by which all of humanity will be judged.
The guidance of the Holy Spirit is crucial to understanding Scripture. Although we are counseled to search and study the Bible, it can only be correctly understood if the same Holy Spirit Who inspired the writers of the Bible becomes our personal teacher. Always humbly pray for His guidance.
1 Corinthians 2:14 “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” NIV
Listen to Jesus’ words from John 14:26 “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” RSV
I Corinthians 2:11-14 “Even so, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit Who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.” NKJV
Finally, God warns in both the Old Testament and New Testament: we should neither exceed nor remove what has been written in His Holy Word.
Deuteronomy 12:32 “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; You shall not add to it, nor take away from it.” NKJV
Revelation 22:18 ”For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
“And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book” KJV
Jesus, our living example, Whom inspiration calls “The Word Made Flesh”, testifies that the Scriptures will stand through the end of time. Here it is:
Matthew 5:18 “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” NASU
The Scriptures reveal Jesus Christ as God’s written Word in human flesh! He is the total embodiment of everything that this Book teaches.
Man has attempted to alter Scripture, to tamper with God’s Truth, but God Himself says His Truth will stand forever . His Word is Truth. His Son, Jesus, is The Word Made Flesh, and Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Full circle, perfect fit!
In the words of King David, “Forever, O LORD, Your Word is settled in heaven.” Psalms 119:89 NKJV
Psalms 100:5 “For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” Feed on His Word; stash it away in your heart till His return.
Invite and receive this day the Spirit of the Living Word.
Our kind and gracious Heavenly Father. We thank You for the Scriptures, the Ultimate Implement, the Supreme Tool for our journey to Your Kingdom, and for the wisdom, the understanding, and guidance that they provide, when we open, and search, and feed on Your Word.
Increase our capacity to know You and Your will for our lives today, and help us to get ready for Your soon return to this tired, old world, and prepare us for eternity with You in the Earth Made New!
In the wonderful, worthy, holy name of Jesus we pray, Amen
