The Promise That God’s Word Will Never Pass Away – Part 3

Wade Webster

It Is A Confirmed Promise

God’s promise alone is enough for us. We know that God keeps His promises (1 Kings 8: 56). We know that He cannot lie (Num. 23:19; Titus 1:2). We know that time after time, God has been found to be faithful. This is especially clear in the case of this promise. Through the centuries, men have tried to destroy the word of God, without success. Someone has well said, “His words have passed into laws, they have passed into doctrines, they have passed into proverbs, they have passed into consolations, but they have never ‘passed away.’” Bernard Ramm said, “A thousand times over, the death knell of the Bible has been sounded, the funeral procession formed, the inscription cut on the tombstone, and committal read. But somehow the corpse never stays put.” Consider just few of the failed attempts to destroy God’s word:

• Jehoikim: Johoikim slashed and burned the word of God because he did not like the prediction that the king of Babylon would certainly come and destroy the land (Jer. 36:29). Though he cut out the unwanted prophecy and cast it into the fire, it still came to pass. God’s word lived on. At the instruction of God, the destroyed section was restored and additional words were added to it. What happened to Jehoikim? According to Jeremiah’s prediction, Jehoikim died and was “buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem” (Jer. 22:19).
• Antiochus Epiphanes: Antiochus Epiphanes was a Syrian ruler who came to power during the period between the testaments. When he became ruler in Syria in 175 B.C., he destroyed the temple, sold the people of Jerusalem into slavery, forced Greek culture upon the people, and sought to do away with the sacred writings. He wanted to break their morale and substitute the worship of Zeus for the worship of God. Once a month, houses were searched, and whoever was found with a copy of the law or had observed the practice of circumcision was condemned to death. Yet the sacred writings survived his reign and persecution.
• Emperor Diocletian: Diocletian was a Roman emperor during the early part of the fourth century A.D. He decreed death for anyone who possessed a copy of the Bible. He took great pleasure in burning Bibles. After two years, he boasted that he had completely “exterminated the Christian writings from the face of the earth.” He even erected a monument over the ashes of burned Bibles. However, just twenty years later, when Constantine came to the throne and offered a substantial reward for copies of the word, the law of God was found in abundance (2 Kings 22-23). In fact, within twenty-five hours, fifty copies had been offered to him. Like those before him, Diocletian had failed.
• Voltaire (1694-1778): Voltaire was a well-known French infidel. In 1778, he boasted, “One hundred years from my day there will not be a Bible in the earth except one that is looked upon by an antiquarian curiosity-seeker.” He further boasted, “It took twelve men to build Christianity. One will destroy it.” Only fifty years after his death, the Geneva Bible Society used this very printing press to print Bibles. Furthermore, the house in which Voltaire had lived was used to store and distribute Bibles. Approximately two hundred years after this prediction, a first edition of Voltaire’s work sold in Paris for a few cents. On that very same day, December 24, 1933, the British government purchased an ancient New Testament manuscript, Codex Sinaiticus, from the Soviets for half a million dollars. The highly-prized manuscript, dated about 350 A.D., is still on display in the British Musuem.
• Thomas Paine: Many remember Paine as the author whose writings were influential in moving the colonists to declare their independence. However, in his book The Age of Reason, he ridiculed the Bible and its claims. His book became known as The Atheists’ Bible. In boasting of the demise of the Bible, Paine declared, “In five years from now there will not be a Bible in America. I have gone through the Bible with an axe and cut down all its trees.” However, it was Paine who was eventually cut down. He spent the last part of his life in bitter isolation, and his dying words were filled with regret. Dying, he declared, “I would give worlds if I had them, had The Age of Reason never been written  . . . . O Lord, help me! Christ help me! . . . . Send even a child to stay with me, for it is hell to be alone. If ever the devil had an agent, I have been that one.” Fittingly, Paine’s printing press was also later used to print Bibles and biblical materials.

Although we need no confirmation to take God at His word, much confirmation can be found relative to this promise. Amazingly, in trying to destroy God’s word, God’s enemies have confirmed it!

The Promise That God’s Word Will Never Pass Away – Part 2

Wade Webster

In the first installment of this study, we introduced God’s promise that His word would never pass away. Now, we want to consider the first of three things about this exceeding great and precious promise.

Is a Clear Promise

Jesus’ promise is a clear promise. He didn’t use fifty-dollar words or figurative language. There is nothing confusing or unclear about it; even a small child can understand what Jesus is promising. This clear promise is repeated many times and in many ways in Scripture. Consider these examples (emphasis added):

• “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever” (Ps. 12:6-7).
• “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 for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether” (Ps. 19:7-9).
• “For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations” (Ps. 100:5).
• “Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever” (Ps. 119:152; cf. 89-91).
• “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever” (Isa. 40:8; cf. 51:6, 8; 54:10).
• “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you” (1 Pet. 1:22-25)

Clearly,God did not want us to misunderstand this promise.. He stated it many times and in multiple ways.

The Promise That God’s Word Will Never Pass Away – Part 1

Wade Webster

Jesus declared, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matt. 24:35). What a promise! The background of this statement is the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. The temple was made of huge stones; some were forty feet by twelve feet by twelve feet. They weighed as much as one hundred tons. Yet Jesus said that the day was coming when one stone would not be left upon another (Matt. 24:2).

In contrast, the smallest stones or parts of God’s word would never be overturned. In the fifth chapter of Matthew, Jesus declared, “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” (Matt. 5:18). The jot refers to iota, the ninth letter, which is the smallest letter of the Greek alphabet. The corresponding letter in Hebrew would be yod, the  tenth letter in the Hebrew alphabet; it looks like an apostrophe. There are more than 66,420 of these letters in the Hebrew Scriptures. Tittle refers to “a little horn.” These small distinguishing marks would be the equivalent of dotting an i or crossing a t for us. Jesus was declaring that not even the smallest letter or tiniest part of a letter would pass from the law. The people described in the Bible had the greatest confidence in the Bible they held in their hands. Paul made an argument based on one letter. He based his argument on the fact that the word “seed” didn’t have an “s” on it. Jesus based an argument on the tense of a verb (Mark 12:18-27). Clearly, they had confidence in every jot and tittle of God’s word.I remember one of the first poems I heard quoted from the pulpit. I was a child, and the poem was “The Anvil” by Rudyard Kipling. No doubt, you have heard it.

Last eve I passed beside a blacksmith's door,

And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;

Then, looking in, I saw upon the floor

Old hammers, worn with beating years of time.

“How many anvils have you had," said I,

"To wear and batter all these hammers so?"

"Just one," said he, and then, with twinkling eye,

"The anvil wears the hammers out, you know."

And so, thought I, the anvil of God's Word,

For ages skeptic blows have beat upon;

Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard,

The anvil is unharmed—the hammers gone.

The message of the poem is clear: God’s word endures. I especially like the line, “The anvil wears the hammers out, you know." It sure does! Most things wax old and perish (Ps.. 102:25-26). Even the ground upon which we stand will one day be gone. However, God, His word, and His kingdom will remain. Our focus in this lesson is on the word of God. Consider the promise that God’s word will never pass away.

The Promise To Heal Our Land – Part 3

Wade Webster

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chron. 7:14). In previous installments of this study, we considered the requirements and the recipients of this promise.  As we conclude this study, we will consider the rewards of the promise.

The Rewards - “…Then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land”

The “if…then” construction is very clear in this passage. It is crucial to understanding the promise that this passage contains. If we will respond as God has specified, He will respond as He has promised. He promises to do three things- hear, forgive, and heal.

• Hear - Sin keeps God from hearing/answering our prayers. Isaiah wrote, “Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear” (Isa. 59:1-2). When we are willing to acknowledge our sins and abandon them, God will again hear our prayers.
• Forgive - God stands ready to forgive. He is abundant in pardon. We read, “For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You” (Psa. 86:5). No matter how great our sin may have been, He remembers it no more. Though they were as scarlet, they are now as white as snow. Through Isaiah, God declared, “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor;Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow. “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land;” (Isa. 1:16-19).
• Heal - Long before Jesus walked the earth healing all kinds of disease, God was pictured as a physician capable of healing man and matter. The fact that both the people and the land were sick with all manner of ailments was not a commentary on God’s inability to heal. It was a reflection on their refusal to repent and take the medicine that God prescribed. This point is made abundantly clear in the prophecy of Jeremiah. We read, “For the hurt of the daughter of my people I am hurt. I am mourning; Astonishment has taken hold of me. Is there no balm in Gilead, Is there no physician there? Why then is there no recovery For the health of the daughter of my people?” (Jer. 8:21-22). There was a physician- God. There was a balm - the word of God in the mouth of His prophets. They simply wouldn’t go to the doctor or take the medicine that He prescribed.

God is faithful (Deut. 7:9-11). He always keeps His promises (Num. 23:19; 1 Kings 8:56).

As we have noted before, Old Testament Israel and modern-day America are very different. Yet, it remains true that God is a Faithful Creator (1 Pet. 4:19). He watches over and cares for the whole creation. He rules in the kingdoms of men and gives power to the one that He wants (Dan. 4:17). However, the best parallel again is to the church. God has made exceedingly great and precious promises to us (2 Pet. 1:3-4). If we will humble ourselves before Him and seek Him, He will hear, forgive, and heal us. John wrote, “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us” (1 John 1:7-10).

Although the promise under consideration in this lesson was to those who lived in the Old Testament, there are clearly lessons that we can learn from it and comfort and hope that we can draw from it (Rom. 15:4). God is every bit as ready and willing to heal our land today as He was theirs in the long ago. The problem then and now was not God. It was and is man.

The Promise To Heal Our Land – Part 2

Wade Webster

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chron. 7:14). In the last part of this study, we noticed the requirements – humbling, praying, seeking, and turning.  In this installment, we will notice the recipients..

The Recipients - “…My people, who are called by my name…”

God calls them His people. He chose them. They are called by His name. What a blessing it is to belong to God. What an honor it is to be called by His name. However, with these blessings, come serious responsibilities. Because we are so closely identified with God, our actions reflect upon Him. When we do right, our actions glorify God’s name. However, when we do wrong, our actions bring reproach on the name of God. As you know, God is very protective of His name. His name is great and He wants to keep it that way. Through Ezekiel, God declared, “Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying: “Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own ways and deeds; to Me their way was like the uncleanness of a woman in her customary impurity. Therefore I poured out My fury on them for the blood they had shed on the land, and for their idols with which they had defiled it. So I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed throughout the countries; I judged them according to their ways and their deeds. When they came to the nations, wherever they went, they profaned My holy name—when they said of them, ‘These are the people of the LORD, and yet they have gone out of His land.’ But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations wherever they went. “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD,” says the Lord GOD, “when I am hallowed in you before their eyes” (Ezek. 36:16-23).

As we noted earlier, there are key differences between Old Testament Israel and modern-day America. God did not put His name on our nation as He did upon Israel. However, our nation was founded upon Christian principles. Many of our founding fathers sought God’s blessings upon the nation that they were trying to build and they gave Him praise for victories won. We have been identified on the world’s stage as a Christian nation. Sadly, today this moniker is largely a reproach . Again, the greater parallel is between Old Testament Israel and the church. We wear the name of Christ (Acts 11:26). Our actions can bring glory or reproach upon the worthy name that we wear (Jam. 2:5). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke of the glory that can be brought upon God by our good works. He declared, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Mat. 5:14-16). Peter spoke of the reproach than can be brought upon the name of Christ if we don’t live holy lives. He wrote, “If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter” (1 Pet. 4:14-16).