A Daily Devotional

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The Living And The Written Word

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).

The Holy Scriptures and the person of our Lord Jesus Christ are so inseparably bound together, that whatever calls into question the integrity and authority of one, correspondingly affects the other. Let us not be guilty of saying that the written Word and the incarnate Word are in all aspects the same, but the Bible clearly reveals Christ as “the Word . . . made flesh, (who) dwelt among us” (John 1:14). “And His name is called The Word of God” (Revelation 19:13).

In carefully worded arguments, Christ, time and again, called attention to the fact that the teachings of the Old Testament Scriptures were actually teaching about Him. “Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. . . . For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?” (John 5:39,46,47). “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead” (Luke 16:31).

Therefore, those who diligently search the Scriptures find in them sufficient testimony to Christ, and where there is faith in the witness of Scripture, there will be faith in Christ and His words. But if men reject the testimony of Scripture, they will not even be convinced by His miraculous resurrection from the dead.

Christ claimed that all of Scripture pointed to Him. On the road to Emmaus, He taught that all three popular divisions of the Old Testament traced one progressive Messianic revelation. To understand the New Testament, we must know the Old, for both tell the same story, each amplifying the other. They are forever inseparable.

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No More Fears


“What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee” (Psalm 56:3).

“The only thing to fear is fear itself.” This is a nice platitude, but it is altogether pointless without trust. There is no antidote to fear except trust in one who is able to deliver us from the thing we fear.

The first mention of fear in the Bible is significant. Adam said to God, “I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid” (Genesis 3:10). Indeed, one should be afraid when he has ignored or rejected God’s Word, for “it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). The same warning is given in the Bible’s final reference to fear. “But the fearful, and unbelieving, . . . shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death”(Revelation 21:.

In contrast, note the last mention of fear in the Old Testament and the first in the New, both speaking of the entrance of the Son of God into the world. “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in His wings” (Malachi 4:2). “Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: . . . She shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20,21).

Thus, the remedy for the fear of man or anything else is the true fear of the Lord. “I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4). He has already endured everything we could ever fear, even death itself, that He might “deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Hebrews 2:15). Therefore, since “the L SIZE="-1">ORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1).

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Our Banner


“We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfill all thy petitions” (Psalm 20:5).

Today has been designated as a day to give special honor to our country’s flag. Of course, it is not so much the flag itself which deserves honor, but that which it represents. To “honor” the flag is to affirm one’s loyalty to the country. Conversely, to mock or abuse the flag makes a statement about one’s lack of patriotism.

While loyalty to one’s country is proper, since nations and governments are ordained and established by God, the Christian has a dual citizenship and loyalty. His primary allegiance must be to his Lord and Savior. As in our text, “in the name of our God we will set up our banners,” or flags.

As David penned these words, he was in trouble and needed help. But not to worry: “Now know I that the LORD saveth His annointed; He will hear him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand” (v.6). David’s allegiance was well placed.

In the day of adversity, “some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright” (v.7,8). No help will be truly efficacious except His. “The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble . . . defend thee. . . . Send thee help . . . strengthen thee. . . . Remember all thy offerings . . . accept thy burnt sacrifice. . . . Grant thee according to thine own heart . . . fulfill all thy counsel . . . fulfill all thy petitions” (vs.1–5).

A “banner [flag]” raised in His name deserves our “honor and loyalty [salute].” “The name of the God of Jacob defend thee” (v.1).

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Creation In Praise Of God

“For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands” (Isaiah 55:12).

Every now and again, the Biblical writers were so lifted up in spirit as they contemplated the glory of God and His great works of creation and redemption that they could sense the very creation itself singing out in happy praises. “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1) is one of the most familiar of these divinely inspired figures of speech, but there are many others. “Make a joyful noise unto the L SIZE="-1">ORD, all the earth: . . . Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof. . . . Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together before the LORD; for He cometh to judge the earth” (Psalm 98:4,7,8,9).

Often, these praises are in contemplation of God’s final return to complete and fulfill all His primeval purposes in creation, as in the above passage. This is also true in our text, which looks forward to a time when “instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: And it shall be to the L SIZE="-1">ORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off” (Isaiah 55:13).

And this all points ahead to the eventual removal of the great curse which now dominates creation because of man’s sin (Genesis 3:14–19). For the present, “the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now” (Romans 8:22). One day, however, the groaning creation “shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption” (Romans 8:21). Therefore, “let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; . . . Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice” (Psalm 96:11,12).

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Good Is The Word Of The Lord


“Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? And from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country unto me, even from Babylon” (Isaiah 39:3).

Hezekiah, King of Judah, was righteous before the L SIZE="-1">ORD, but shortly before the event described in our text, Hezekiah was “sick unto death” (38:1). Isaiah came to him to say, “Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die” (38:1). But Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord not to die and was heard. His health was restored, and he lived another fifteen years.

As a result of this sickness, the surrounding nations learned of his grave illness and at least one, Babylon, sent an emissary to Judah out of concern for his well being. In Hezekiah’s gladness, he took the visitor on a tour of all the treasures of the house—“precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices” (39:2). However, this became another step in the fulfillment of prophecy, for when the King told Isaiah that he had shown the Babylonians all the treasures, Isaiah, speaking for God, foretold that all these things would be “carried to Babylon” in captivity (39:6). This would be a fulfillment of God’s judgment spoken of back in Deuteronomy 28:49: “The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth.”

Hezekiah could have felt used by these well wishers, but his faith in God was great. “Good is the word of the L SIZE="-1">ORD which thou hast spoken. . . . There shall be peace and truth in my days” (39:. Well, isn’t that just the point? There are going to be ups and downs in each person’s life and in the history of man. But what counts is what we are and do here and now for God, and how we respond to circumstances that bring truth and peace in our days.

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Neither Wine Nor Strong Drink


“For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb” (Luke 1:15).

Although the Bible never commands total abstinence from alcohol for Christians, it is increasingly being recognized that alcohol is the most widely abused and dangerous drug of all—causing more fatal accidents and injuries, more broken homes, more sexual promiscuity, more job absenteeism, and more disease than cocaine or any other drug. Yet it is widely promoted socially and increasingly is being accepted even among evangelical Christians.

But the example of John the Baptist is worth considering. The angel Gabriel testified that He would be “great in the sight of the Lord” and then added that he would “drink neither wine nor strong drink,” implying a connection between the two. Indeed, Christ called John the greatest man who had ever lived up to that time (Matthew 11:11)—that is, greater than even Abraham, Moses, or Daniel!

Then, the very same verse says that John would “be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb,” and he is the only man of whom that was ever said. Again there seems to be a connection, for no one could simultaneously drink wine or strong drink and also be filled with the Spirit. The apostle Paul also warned concerning this conflict when He said:“Be not drunk [literally, ‘begin to be drunk’] with wine . . . but be filled [that is, ‘be continually being filled’] with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).

Drinking alcoholic beverages in moderation may be permissible for Christians, but that does not make it right. “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient” (I Corinthians 6:12). At least in John’s case, being great in God’s sight and being filled with the Spirit were closely associated with abstinence from alcohol.

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Our Ministry To Angels


“To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God” (Ephesians 3:10).

There is “an innumerable company of angels” in heaven (Hebrews 12:22) who serve as “ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation” (Hebrews 1:14).

At the same time, it is instructive to realize we also have a ministry to the angels. Despite their great power and knowledge, angels are not the “heirs of salvation” themselves, and so will never personally experience that peculiar type of love and fellowship which we share with our Lord and Savior. Nevertheless, as personal beings with the free will to reject their role as God’s servants if they choose, they are intensely interested in our salvation. “Which things the angels desire to look into” (I Peter 1:12).

In addition to serving for the protection and guidance of individual believers, apparently certain angels are also assigned by God to serve Christian congregations functioning corporately, especially in true local churches. Paul mentions the observing presence of angels in the Corinthian church (I Corinthians 11:10), for example. In His letters to the seven representative churches, Christ addressed the individual angels of each church (Revelation 2:1, etc.). That these are heavenly angels (not human pastors) is evident from the fact that the word “angel” is used 65 other times in Revelation, and always refers to real angels. Finally, the words of our text for the day give a special incentive for our lives, for there we are reminded that it is through God’s dealings with “the church” that His holy angels are able to learn for themselves “the manifold wisdom of God.”

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The Higher Ways

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9).

God’s thoughts and ways are by no means equivalent to man’s. How, then, can we hope to understand those things which He has communicated to us in His Word? To be sure, God has not told us all He knows, but what He has provided is sufficient for our faith, and He has also given clues as to the nature of many things we can only fully know in eternity. We know enough now to trust Him for the things we can’t verify. But the aspect of Scripture that sets it apart from all other “religious” writings is that its truths are surrounded by and based on historical and scientific facts that are verifiable. The fact that we find Scripture to be accurate wherever it can be checked, gives us reason to believe that those teachings which we can’t check are accurate as well.

What are some of God’s favorite object lessons? Certainly His creation is one. A God who can call something into existence which didn’t exist before can do anything. “Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things” (Isaiah 40:26). Another standard is God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt. “According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I show unto him marvelous things” (Micah 7:15). Yet another is the second regathering of Israel in the last days. “The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from . . . all the lands whither He had driven them” (Jeremiah 16:15, cf., v.14). The final great guarantee that He will work on our behalf is the fact of the resurrection. “His power to usward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead” (Ephesians 1:19,20).

Make no mistake! God is capable of solving any problem we have. And what’s more, He wants us to know it!

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Children And Fathers

“And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).

The book of Proverbs contains many admonitions regarding child-rearing methods. We find that an improperly disciplined and rebellious child will bring untold heartache to his or her parents. “A foolish son is the heaviness of his mother” (Proverbs 10:1). “A fool despiseth his father’s instruction” (15:5) for “He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: And the father of the fool hath no joy” (17:21). But things can be even worse: “A foolish son is the calamity of his father” (19:13). “He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach” (19:26). Such wanton selfishness may so twist a mind that a son even “robbeth his father or his mother” (28:24).

The writer of Proverbs knew that “the rod and reproof give wisdom” (29:15), a truth restated in our text. Paul states that we are to “bring them up in the nurture (literally ‘chastening’ or ‘discipline’) . . . of the L SIZE="-1">ORD” reflecting the same ideas as “rod” in Proverbs 29:15. Proper training of children includes a set of rules enforced by rewards and punishments. Children need established limits and to be assured of the joys of acceptable behavior.

Paul also advised the use of “admonition,” which is similar to “reproof,” and has to do with proper verbal teaching. We must both train and instruct our children properly. They must learn discipline and reasoning.

Of course, in all of this, we must be careful to “provoke not (our) children to wrath,” thus fomenting rebellion. May God give us the wisdom to strike this delicate balance, thereby raising a God-honoring and God-loving heritage.

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The Holy One Of Israel

“So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: And the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel” (Ezekiel 39:7).

This wonderful name of God was often used during the days of the later kings of Judah. It occurs three times in the book of Psalms (Psalm 71:22; 78:41; 89:18) and then no less than 27 times in Isaiah. The name then occurs three more times (Jeremiah 50:29; 51:5; Ezekiel 39:7), with the final one being our text above. This unusual pattern can be written, sequentially, as 3 + 33 + 3 = 33, perhaps reflecting a divinely ordained design to suggest the Holy Trinity.

The strong emphasis on this particular name during the later period of Judah’s kingdom, probably was because of the prevalent unholiness of the nation during those years, finally culminating in the captivity of Judah itself. God stressed again and again that He was the Holy One, and that “Ye shall be holy; for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44).

This theme is prominent in most of the 33 passages where this majestic name is used, but it is especially emphasized in its final occurrence, as recorded in our text. The context of this latter passage is the prophesied invasion of Israel by “Gog, the land of Magog” who will “come up against my people of Israel . . . in the latter days” (Ezekiel 38:2,16). At that time, says the Lord, “there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; . . . and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD” (Ezekiel 38:19,23). Then, at last, His people will never pollute His holy name any more and “the house of Israel shall know that I am the L SIZE="-1">ORD their God from that day and forward . . . for I have poured out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD” (Ezekiel 39:22,29).

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David’s Bedside Command

“So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David” (I Kings 2:10).

About 1000 B.C., King David, second ruler over the unified nation of Israel, died in his capital city of Jerusalem. After about 70 years of life, including 40 years of ruling (seven years over Judah and 33 years over both Judah and Israel), David went “the way of all the earth” (2:2). However, this event was surrounded by anything but a peaceful scene.

At the news of David’s failing condition, his oldest son at that time, Adonijah, took the initiative to proclaim himself to be king. And because his father didn’t challenge him in this (1:6), Adonijah gathered a court of supporters and invited a select group of followers to his coronation. Nathan, the prophet, and the mighty men who belonged to David were not called. What followed was David’s last victory over his enemies.

Nathan spoke to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, and she spoke to her husband David. The woeful story was told how even as they spoke, Adonijah’s court was proclaiming “God save king Adonijah” (v.25).

David, in spite of his age and condition, still could take command. He reassured Bathsheba that Solomon would reign after him. Then he gathered his faithful leaders and instructed them what to do. Solomon was to ride to a second coronation site on David’s own mule. Nathan was to anoint Solomon king over Israel, after which he would sit on the throne in David’s stead. All this took place from David’s deathbed. “And the king bowed himself upon the bed. And also thus said the king, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it” (1:47,48). David was a man after God’s own heart who would fulfill His will (Acts 13:22).

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All Things Well


“And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: He maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak” (Mark 7:37).

Jesus, indeed, “hath done all things well.” One strong evidence of His deity is this very fact. No matter how carefully we study His deeds, we can find no flaw in any of them—no deficiency, nothing He should have done differently, or left undone. He never had to apologize or express regrets, as we often at least ought to do. He was always master of every situation. Peter said that He just “went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him” (Acts 10:38).

The same would apply—perhaps even more emphatically—to His words. He never had to speculate or equivocate: “And they were astonished at His doctrine: for He taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes” (Mark 1:22). Jesus never guessed about anything or merely expressed an opinion, as we frequently do. He never suggested a “possible” interpretation. Everything He taught was with absolute authority, for He was (and is) the very Word of God (John 1:1,14).

His words occasionally were harsh and judgmental, when dealing with hypocrisy and false teaching (e.g., Matthew 23:29–33) but more often were kind and forgiving. In fact, “all bare Him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth” (Luke 4:22). Even hardened soldiers, sent to arrest Jesus, returned empty-handed, for, as they said: “Never man spake like this man” (John 7:46).

Indeed, “His word was with power” (Luke 4:32). He was “Jesus of Nazareth . . . a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people” (Luke 24:19). In fact, He was more than a man; He was the perfect man, and the only-begotten Son of God!

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Deception-a Step To Death


“And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, ‘Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul’” (I Samuel 28:12).

It was the night before Saul’s death, and the Philistines were at hand. Furthermore, the Lord had departed from Saul (I Samuel 28:16) and already David had been anointed (I Samuel 16:13) the next king. Samuel, as judge and prophet, had anointed Saul as King (I Samuel 10:1) in response to the people’s desire for a king (v.19). But Saul disobeyed by not utterly destroying the Amalekites and their livestock (15:9). For this grievous disobedience, Samuel had to tell Saul of the impending end of his reign. What he told Saul bears on our study verse above. “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the Word of the LORD, He hath also rejected thee from being king” (v.23).

With that backdrop, we come to the unbelievable plight of one utterly broken by the hand of the Lord. Saul’s forces are to fight the Philistines once more. Samuel is dead (I Samuel 25:1); the Spirit of the Lord has departed from Saul (I Samuel 16:14); and David has already been anointed to take Saul’s place as king. Saul, in desperation, searches out a witch to bring back Samuel from his grave to advise him as to what he should do, but Samuel confirms the defeat of Israel and the death of Saul and his sons on the following day (28:18,19).

What shame had come upon God’s appointed king; yet this is the same fundamental plight which God gives to all who disobey His Word. On the other hand, to those who heed it—to those who obey His Word and keep His covenant: They “shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people” (Exodus 19:5).

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Epaphras

“There salute thee Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus” (Philemon 23).

The few bits of information we can glean about Epaphras make us want to learn more. Not only did Paul call him “my fellow prisoner,” as in our text, but also “our dear fellow servant” and “a faithful minister of Christ” (Colossians 1:7), as well as “a servant of Christ” (Colossians 4:12). He had been a member of the church at Colosse (“one of you,” 4:12) and had eventually become associated with the apostle Paul in his ministry in that region. He had brought word to Paul concerning the church while Paul was a prisoner at Rome, and had somehow, probably as a direct result, been imprisoned there himself.

He had brought a most encouraging testimony about the church to Paul, assuring him that the Lord “bringeth forth fruit” in Colosse, testifying of their “faith in Christ Jesus” and “love in the Spirit” (Colossians 1:6,4,8). Paul, in turn, sent word to the Colossians “that he hath a great zeal for you” (Colossians 4:13) Even though he was now in prison, he was “always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God” (Colossians 4:12).

Epaphras was a faithful witness and minister, strong in faith, great in zeal, fervent in prayer, loving in spirit, and willing to suffer for his faith. According to tradition, he later became a pastor at Colosse and eventually was martyred there.

That’s about all we know about Epaphras, that great hero of the faith, but his life would surely be an inspiration if we knew it all; and it will be a joy to meet him in the age to come—as well as a host of other faithful believers who have served the Lord in various times and places through the ages.

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Allegories In Scripture



“Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the Mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar” (Galatians 4:24).

This verse is often used as a justifying proof text for allegorizing Biblical narratives. Here Paul is saying that the ancient conflict between Abraham’s wives, Hagar and Sarah, the mothers of Ishmael and Isaac, respectively, was a spiritual allegory, depicting the conflict between law and grace.

Many of the early church fathers indulged in such an allegorical approach to Scripture, attempting to harmonize Christianity with Greek philosophy. Modern theological liberals often do the same thing whenever modern scientific philosophy seems to conflict with a Biblical narrative. The most important example is the story of creation in the very first chapter of the Bible. The allegorical interpretation of this record denies its historicity, but tries to retain its supposed “spiritual” message by finding a devotional application in its narratives. Similarly, the record of the fall of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3 is explained away as an allegory of the yielding of “every man” to temptation.

However, the only narrative actually called an allegory in Scripture is the one mentioned in our text. In fact, this is the only time the word for “allegory” (Greekallegoreo) is used in the Bible at all. It is significant that Paul’s use of the word does not suggest in any way that the story of Hagar and Sarah was not real history. There are numerous other references to Abraham, and at least three to Sarah, in the New Testament, and all clearly treat them as real persons.

This Biblical example, therefore, tells us that, if we draw allegorical applications from its historical records, it can only be on the basis that the events themselves really happened.