Hello all, it's been a while, but as of now I hope to post something at least once a week. Tuesday seems to be the day for that, so you might check then if you're interested. Feel free to post comments, I appreciate being told when I'm off my rocker. :)
Many believers (certainly myself included) quote verses from the bible, and often they are used as proof of various Christian ideas, for encouragement, etc. Much good and building of the kingdom comes from this, but there are two things I will mention here that happen that are not so good. The first is using a verse so out of context that the meaning is completely lost. An example is the way I've heard many use the following: "God is not a God of confusion..." (1 Cor. 14:33) I've been told many times that, "as this verse says," I should always have an understanding of what God is doing, and that if something does not make sense, it is not of the Lord.
However, the context of the verse clearly shows that it relates to order in the gathering of believers, and that the body is encouraged and built up when prophecy (and teaching, etc.) are done in an orderly manner. We are not to all talk at once because God is not a God of confusion. Actually, other verses point to the fact that we will not be able to understand God (Isaiah 55 comes to mind). So one problem is that verses can be taken out of context and used in a way that distorts their meaning (there are more aggregious examples, to be sure).
The second came to mind today as I read Ezra 1:
"In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing." (1:1)
My thought was, "Where did Jeremiah prophesy this?" So I looked at a few cross references before I came across Jeremiah 29:10 (also 25:12, but that isn't as relevant for this discussion):
"For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place."
Jeremiah 29 is a letter written to the Israelites exiled in Babylon after the fall of Jerusalem. They had witnessed the utter destruction of their nation, of the temple of their God, and were forced to travel to a land that was not their own, the hope of their captors being that they would lose their national identity. But Jeremiah sought to encourage them with the word of the Lord, that God would fulfill His promise to return His people to His land. Their hearts were no doubt faint, and those who still loved the Lord (many didn't, that's why they were exiled) were no doubt discouraged in a way that I cannot imagine. Their entire life was thrown into upheaval, and God said, "I'm still here, and I will bring you back! Endure this time, and I will fulfill my word, as I always do!"
I don't know about you, but I am personally much more familiar with the next verse: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. " And this verse, Jeremiah 29:11 is one of the most quoted in all of the bible. But it isn't just a feel-good verse. It's a powerful comment that one makes when they quote it! It isn't just a nice thing God said. It's a promise made to a nation! And it reveals SO MUCH about the character of God!
So on one hand, believers need to take care not to quote a verse out of context, and use the word (sword) in a manner that accurately reflects its meaning. And on the other hand, as we do quote it, we should seek the fullness of what God said, that we might bask in the depth of His wonderful word. Jeremiah 29:11 has much to offer, as does every verse if we take the time to see it.
"Open my eyes, that I may behold
wondrous things out of your law." Psalm 119:18
Next topic: Faith in every day life
In the future: How does the Holy Spirit speak? This will probably consist of several posts.
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