“A lamp.” “A fire.” “A hammer.” “A sword.” “Spirit.” “Life.” “Truth.” “Seed.” “Milk.” “Solid food.” What am I talking about? Throughout the Scriptures the Word of God is compared to different things. Each of those comparisons helps us better understand the power and purpose behind what God has said. Saying that God’s Word is a light, a fire, a hammer, a sword—and that it is spirit, life, truth, seed, milk, and solid food—are all ways of picturing the importance and usefulness of it.
We can see how the Bible is a “lamp” to our feet and a “light” for our path (Psalm 119:105) as it shows us the way to God and the way to live for God. God’s Word burns with the fire of a thousand suns as it pierces the darkness of sin and unbelief. It is a hammer that flattens the pride and opinions of people. The words of the living God function like a sharp double-edged sword dividing soul and spirit and judging the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12) The Son of God said that the Word of God is spirit, life, and truth. In the gospel lesson for this Sunday we heard Jesus compare the Word of God to seed that is sown by a farmer to produce a crop. In his first letter Peter called God’s Word the spiritual milk that nourishes believers. The author of the letter to the Hebrews also compares it to solid food that believers need as they grow and mature in faith and Christian living.
In all of the comparisons that I just mentioned we gain more and more insight into the Word of God. They each give us a slightly different view of how God’s Word works and how we are to use it. In the Old Testament lesson for this Sunday God compares his Word to two more things that I have not yet mentioned. He says that his Word is like rain and snow. What new perspective does this simple comparison give us concerning God’s Word? We ask the Holy Spirit to lead us to answer the question:
HOW IS GOD’S WORD LIKE RAIN AND SNOW?
I. It comes from God
II. It sustains spiritual life
III. It accomplishes God’s purpose
The sixty-six chapters of Isaiah have been called a “mini-Bible.” The first thirty-nine chapters show God’s judgment and condemnation upon the sins of his people. That is similar to the thirty-nine books of the Old Testament. (Although there is of course the good news of the Gospel found in the Old Testament as well.) But if we continue the comparison we see that the last twenty-seven chapters of Isaiah, similar to the 27 books of the New Testament, declare a message of hope and comfort as they point ahead to the work of the Messiah. Obviously the verses we are considering come from the second half of Isaiah. So here the LORD wants us to find comforting truths concerning his Word as he compares it to rain and snow. May we take his message to us to heart as we are led to understand the meaning of that comparison.
I.
To understand a comparison between one thing and another we need to at least understand one of the two things that are being compared. In this case God uses something from everyday life that most of us can understand. He refers to the weather. Where do rain and snow come from and what effect do they have on our world? Meteorologists and scientists can explain what they have observed about the weather. The moisture in the clouds falls as rain or snow. That water causes plants to grow and sustains life on earth. Then the water evaporates from the oceans, streams, and lakes and begins the cycle all over again.
But this marvel of nature doesn’t happen by chance. God—the creator—made it so. He continues to sustain the natural order he has put into place. Psalm 135:7 states, “He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; he sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.” Jeremiah declared, “When he thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.” (Jeremiah 10:13) And as Jesus said of his Heavenly Father, “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:45) The rain and snow come from God at his command.
In these verses that we are considering from Isaiah the LORD uses the rain and snow that come from him as a point of comparison to his Word. Just as the snow and rain come from God so do his words. But isn’t that obvious? Don’t we all agree and believe that the Word of God comes from God? Thankfully our congregation and our synod still acknowledge the Bible as the inspired Word that has come from God. But that truth and the implications of it are under attack. We hear of Christian churches that say the Scriptures are God’s Word and yet they deny or ignore much of what it says. Some will say that the Bible “contains” the Word of God just as a pitcher of “kool-aid” contains sugar along with water, air, and flavoring. In other words they are saying that Bible has God’s Word in it but it also has the thoughts and words of humans. Almost every Christian church body will agree that the Bible is “inspired” but many will not agree that every thought and word in it is inspired.
So although it may be stating something that we take for granted we need to hear the truth again that these words come from God. Just as the rain and snow come from God so every word of the Bible from the “In the beginning,” of Genesis to the “Amen” of Revelation comes from God. In 1 Thessalonians 2:13 the Apostle Paul wrote, “…when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God.” 2 Peter 1:21 says, “For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” The Apostle Paul’s words to Timothy make this truth even more clear. He declared, “All Scripture is God-breathed.” (2 Timothy 3:16) Yes, just as the rain and snow come down from God so the Bible comes from God.
This simple comparison between the rain and snow and God’s Word leads us to another point. Recall that after the flood the LORD set a rainbow in the sky and promised that he would never again destroy the earth in the way he had. He said, “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.” (Genesis 8:22) Closely connected to that promise is the assurance from God that he will continue to send rain and snow to water the earth. As long as the earth remains the weather systems will still bring rain and snow from God. In a similar way God’s Word will not be withdrawn or changed. Actually it will last longer than the weather. God promises to keep it intact and unmovable forever.
Sometimes God has to say something that should be obvious to us. In this comparison that he made between his word and the rain and snow there is an obvious truth. God’s Word comes down from him at his command. Just as no one else can send rain and snow upon the earth so God alone sends his Word to the world.
II.
The second point that the LORD makes with this comparison between his word and the rain and snow is that he sends it to sustain life. “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth.” Remember that the purpose for this comparison is to help us better understand why God gives us his Word. We understand that when water comes down from the sky in the form of drops or flakes it brings life to the earth. Just look at the grass, and trees, and gardens in our area. When the rain stops for a week or so those things become a little less green don’t they? Life as we know it could not go on without the rain and snow that sustains it. And think about all the foods we eat from around our country and around the world. The coffee that some of us drank this morning came from plants half a world away. The bread, the vegetables, the fruits, and in a less direct way all the different kinds of meat that we eat come to us because the rain and snow sustain life on the earth.
But let’s not lose sight of the comparison that the LORD made between the rain and snow and his Holy Word. Consider how God’s Word sustains spiritual life just as the rain and snow sustain physical life. By nature the soul of every person is a parched and lifeless desert. We have no hope, no love, no joy, and no peace. But when God’s Word is showered upon the hearts of men a luscious garden grows. Through God’s Word the “fruit of the Spirit” grows. It is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) Just as water transforms a barren landscape so God’s Word transforms the lives of people. 1 Peter 1:23 reminds us of this, “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” The water of God’s Word makes us spiritually alive. The Apostle Paul wrote about the life giving power in God’s Word in Romans 1:16, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.”
I don’t think that any of us would deliberately try to keep the rain and snow off of our lawn, or off of our fields and gardens. We know that water sustains plant life. But now if we understand that simple fact of life and we understand the comparison that the LORD made between his Word and water how can we not be taking it in at every opportunity. Through our worship services, Bible class, and Sunday school God wants to bring life to our souls. We have the Meditations, many of you have the New Testament on tape or compact disk. The Forward In Christ magazine provides many opportunities to receive the rain and snow of God’s Word.
Perhaps we have become like dry ground that resists water. Our hearts have become so hard we don’t receive the water of God’s Word. We need to hear this warning from Hebrews 6:7-8, “Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.” If we let the life giving water of God’s Word run off of our hearts without letting it soak in our faith will whither and die. So let us make the most of every opportunity to receive the Word. Just as the rain and snow sustain physical life so the Word of God alone sustains our spiritual life.
III.
The purpose behind the rain and snow leads us to the last point that we will consider in our sermon. God’s Word accomplishes God’s purpose. “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth. It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” God sends the rain and snow to accomplish a purpose. Through it he feeds the earth. Through it he enables mankind to raise crops.
And what is the purpose behind God’s Word? We did he record a message for us in the Bible? I think John said it best in his Gospel, “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:31) Jesus stated the purpose behind his Word, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” (John 5:24) God has given his Word to us to save us from eternal death in hell. He gave us his Word to create saving faith in our hearts so that we have a life with him now and forever in heaven.
The second purpose behind God’s Word is to produce good works among believers. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 reminds us of this, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Just as the rain and snow come from God to accomplish his purpose so also he sends out his Word to accomplish his purpose. He wants all people to find salvation through faith in his Son and for all people to live holy lives according to his will.
At the aviation museum in Dayton Ohio you can learn a lot of details concerning the famous Wright brothers and their flying machine. Actually Orville and Wilbur Wright ran a bicycle shop in Dayton before they began pursuing their dream of flying. One part of their story that stands out in my mind is something that happened after their first successful flight. On December 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright succeeded in keeping their homemade airplane in the air for 59 seconds. Immediately they sent a telegram to their sister in Dayton, Ohio, telling of this great accomplishment. The telegram read, “First sustained flight today fifty-nine seconds. Hope to be home by Christmas.” Upon receiving the news the sister was so excited about the success that she rushed to the newspaper office and gave the telegram to the editor. The next morning the newspaper headline read, “Popular Local Bicycle Merchants To Be Home For Holidays.” One of the greatest stories of the twentieth century was missed because an editor missed the point.
But think of how many people have made the same mistake in reading the Scriptures! If one is too casual about it, he might learn some truths but miss that which is most important. Have we missed the point behind God’s Word? He has given it to accomplish his purpose in our lives. To bring us to faith, keep us in the faith, and empower us to our faith. That is God’s goal for all those who receive his Word.
“A lamp.” “A fire.” “A hammer.” “A sword.” “Spirit.” “Life.” “Truth.” “Seed.” “Milk.” “Solid food.” God’s Word has been compared to many different things. Each of those comparisons helps us understand another aspect of God’s Word. Through Isaiah the LORD makes one more comparison for us to take to heart. He says his Word is like the rain and snow. It comes from God. It sustains spiritual life. It accomplishes God’s purpose. With that knowledge let’s soak it in. Amen.
