The Heart of God: Introduction (3)

And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Luke 24.27

Read and reflect on 2 Timothy 3.15-17 and 2 Peter 1.16-21.
Because the Bible is the Word of God, it has one Author. Thus, in spite of the great diversity of writers we find in the Scriptures, we should expect them to demonstrate a certain consistency from Genesis to Revelation. Like a perfectly designed banquet, with various courses, Scripture provides a glorious spread of spiritual nourishment for the hungry soul. We need to learn to eat all the Word of God.

For reflection
1.  What words or ideas do Paul and Peter use to indicate that Scripture ultimately is the work of God? What does each of these ideas suggest about the process whereby people came to write words which turn out to be the Word of God? Look at 1 Corinthians 2.12, 13. How should this encourage you as you seek to understand the Scriptures better?

2.  Paul and Peter were mainly referring to the Old Testament. However, the New Testament makes similar claims for the writings of the Apostles. How can you see this, for example, in Ephesians 3.4, 5; 2 Peter 3.1, 2, 15, 16; and 1 John 4.6? Did the Apostles think we should regard their writings in the same way we regard the Old Testament, as the very Word of God?

3.  Who were some of the human authors of Scripture? Name one or two things you like about each of these. How can you see that the Spirit of God was working through each one of them? That is, what leads you to believe that the words of these human authors, diverse and separated from one another in time as they were, are nevertheless the very Word of God?

4.  Meditate on Matthew 13.51, 52. What did scribes do in Jesus’ day? What would you expect a Kingdom scribe to be doing? What makes a scribe wise to do this Kingdom work? What “treasure” does Jesus seem to have in mind here (cf. Ps. 119.162), and how should you interpret this with respect to your growing appetite for God’s Word, and your desire to be skillful in wielding the two edges of Scripture in your Personal Mission Field?

5. Meditate on Acts 20.17-27. Paul would never see these people again. He’d done all he could do to help them be strong in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. What especially did he emphasize in verses 26 and 27? What is “the whole counsel of God”? What kind of minimum daily requirement would you suggest as a diet for feeding on this cuisine?

Summary
The Bible is the Word of God. That should just about say it all, at least to those who claim to be the sons and daughters of God (Jn. 1.12). Our God Who created, redeemed, keeps, and is sanctifying us has spoken decisively and clearly to us all the counsel we need to do the good works for which we have been saved (Eph. 2.10). What would you think of someone who seemed to have but little appetite for the Word of God? What would you say to such a person to encourage him to take up better dietary habits?

Closing Prayer
As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
My tears have been my food day and night,
While they continually say to me,
“Where is your God?”
When I remember these things,
I pour out my soul within me.
For I used to go with the multitude;
I went with them to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and praise,
With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.
Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him
For the help of His countenance.

Psalm 42.1-5

Next steps – Transformation: Review your present approach to reading and meditating in Scripture. What adjustments do you need to make to help ensure that you are becoming a wise consumer of God’s Word?

T. M. Moore

Two books can help you gain a fuller understanding of the terrain we will be covering in this series. Kingdom Documentsprovides a concise overview of the primary teaching of the Old and New Testaments, and shows, through early Church creeds, how our forebears understand the primary teachings of God’s Word. (click here to order). I Will Be Your Goddevelops more fully the idea of God’s covenant and leads us to consider the practical implications of our covenant relationship with God (click here).

Visit The Ailbe Seminary, where our course, Introduction to Biblical Theology, offers a parallel study of our theme in this series, using brief video presentations and the workbook God’s Covenant: An Introduction. All courses at The Ailbe Seminary are available without charge.

We are happy to be able to offer each week’s Scriptorium studies in a free weekly PDF, suitable for personal or group use. You can download all the studies in this series by clicking here. Please prayerfully consider sharing with The Fellowship of Ailbe through your giving. You can contribute to The Fellowship by clicking the Contribute button at the website or by sending your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.