Seven Wonders Of The Word Of God
Ps 19:7-14
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
Introduction
Psalm 19 and especially these verses have been a favorite of mine for many years. It first came to my attention as a young Christian over thirty years ago when I first heard it sung on an old record by a youth singing group.
This Psalm along with Ps. 119 is one of two Psalms dedicated to extolling and exalting the Word of God.
Christians are often accused of worshipping the Bible. This is not true. We worship the God who wrote it. He alone deserves our worship. But at the same time the Bible makes this declaration concerning the Word of God.
Ps 138:2
2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
David said of God in this Psalm, “Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.”
The Bible truly is a wonderful book – a book full of wonders. This morning I would like us to consider some of these Wonders of the Word of God. First let’s look at:
I. The Wonder of It’s Inspiration
The Bible is the most unique book ever written for it claims to have as it’s author God.
It may have been written over a period of 1600 years, on three continents, and by 40 different men. Yet it had only one author – GOD.
2 Peter 1:20-21
20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
2 Tim 3:16-17
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
1 Thess 2:13
13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
It is inspired, that is “God-breathed”.
It declares that it is the word of God. The expression “the Lord said” or “the Lord spoke occurs over 2000 times in the OT alone.
II. The Wonder of It’s Formation
The Bible contains 66 books – 39 in the OT and 27 in the NT.
The 39 books of the O.T. are written primarily in Hebrew, with a little Aramaic, and the 27 books of the N.T. are written exclusively in Greek. Yet these diverse authors each in their own way present a unified portrait of God’s plans and purposes in our world.
The 27 books that make up the New Testament were written over a 50 year span, and they deal with Jesus Christ’s birth, life, death, and resurrection, the beginning of the Christian church, and instruction about how to live as a follower of Jesus Christ.
In the King James it contains 1,189 chapters and 31,173 verses.
It was written by 40 authors ranging from kings, to statesmen, to doctors, to farmers and shepherds.
The Bible was written over a period of 1,600 years on three continents.
The Bible is an entire library of different kinds of literature. As to different kinds of literature, the Bible contains history, poetry, humor, prophecy, romance, letters, biographies, songs, journals, advise, laws and stories.
1. It’s Diverseness
a. The Bible is not a book of history – yet it is historical.
b. The Bible is not a book of science – yet it is scientific.
c. The Bible is not a book of just facts – yet it is factual.
2. It’s Uniqueness
a. The Bible is the first Book – it is first in pre-eminence.
b. The Bible is the Best Book – As David said of the sword of Goliath, “there is none like it.”
c. The Bible is the oldest book – It was written in the heart of God from eternity.
So when I say "Bible" this is what I’m talking about, these 66 books that have been the foundation for the Christian faith since it’s very beginnings.
III. The Wonder of It’s Preservation
Ps 12:6-7
6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
1. Its Hatred - It is the most hated of books.
a. It’s an authority and people reject authority
b. Men hate and reject it because they are ignorant of it’s truth
1) The truths of sin, judgment, and Hell are bitter to them
2) Men reject it because they are too busy with the things of this world to heed the Bible.
2. It’s Survival - The Bible has survived every attack against it
a. Men have tried to destroy it. By burning - by ridicule - By so called science – but it still survived
b. Men have tried to outlaw it. - Under penalty of death or imprisonment if you owned one.
c. Men have tried to pervert it. Add to it or take away from it.
One of the greatest errors of the Cults is the accusation that the word of God became corrupted and
so that is why they came along with their “scriptures”.
d. Men have tried to hide it. – in dead languages – in perverted translations
3. It’s Prominence - It is the Monarch of books – The king among books. It rules over all.
a. The printing press came into existence because of the Word of God.
b. The Bible was also the first book ever printed on the printing press,
c. it’s the best selling book of all time.
What kind of a God would we have if He could give us a Book and then not preserve it.
IV. The Wonder of It’s Design
The Bible declares itself to be many things and to have many uses.
I have in my hand:
1. A Two Edged Sword – Heb. 4:12
2. A Hammer – Jer. 23:29 – It breaks the resistance of the heart.
3. A Mirror – James 1:23-25 – It reflects the true picture of man
4. A Fire – Jer. 23:29 and 20:9 – The Word of God is pure and refining
5. A Lamp – Ps. 119:105 – It is illuminating
V. The Wonder of It’s Power
This book has the power to change lives.
It has the power to pick drunkards up out of the gutter.
It has the power to make saints out of infidels.
It has the power to restore broken marriages
It has the power to give hope to the murderer on death row.
Isa 55:11
11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Illustration
Someone once asked the great preacher Charles Spurgeon if he was prepared to defend the Word of God. He replied, “Defend it! I would as soon try to defend a lion. God’s word doesn’t need defending. Just preach it. Let it out of it’s cage and it will defend itself.”
VI. The Wonder of It’s Message
It gives Jesus Christ the preeminent place
In Genesis – He is the Seed Of The Woman
In Exodus – He is the Passover Lamb
In Leviticus – He is our High Priest
In Numbers – He is the Star Of Jacob
In Deuteronomy – He is the Rock
In Joshua – He is the Captain Of The Lord’s Host
In Judges – He is the Sword Of Gideon
In Ruth – He is the Kinsman Redeemer
In Samuel – He is the Seed Of David
In Kings – He is the Lord God Of Israel
In Chronicles – He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords
In Ezra – He is the Lord Of Heaven And Earth
In Nehemiah – He is the Restorer
In Esther – He is the God Of Providence
In Job – He is the daysman
In Psalms – He is the King Of Glory
In Proverbs – He is the Wisdom Of God
In Ecclesiastes – He is the Creator
In Song Of Solomon – He is Altogether Lovely
In Isaiah – He is the Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince Of Peace
In Jeremiah – He is the Lord Our Righteousness
In Lamentations – He is the Weeping Prophet
In Ezekiel – He is the Wheel In The Wheel
In Daniel – He is the Fourth Man If The Fire
In Hosea – He is the Lord God of Hosts
In Joel – He is the Hope of His People
In Amos – He is the God of Hosts
In Obadiah – He is the Destroyer Of The Proud
In Jonah – He is the God Of The Second Chance
In Micah – He is the God Of Jacob
In Nahum – He is the Avenging God
In Habakkuk – He is the Everlasting Glorious God
In Zephaniah – He is the King Of Israel
In Haggai – He is the Desire Of All Nations
In Zechariah – He is the one Pierced In The House Of His Friends
In Malachi– He is the Lord Of Remembrance
In Matthew – He is the King Of The Jews
In Mark – He is the Servant
In Luke – He is the Son Of Man
In John – He is the Eternal God
In Acts – He is the Ascended Lord
In Romans – He is the Lord Our Righteousness
In Corinthians – He is Our Sufficiency
In Galatians – He is Our Liberator
In Ephesians – He is the Head Of The Church
In Philippians – He is Our Strength
In Colossians – He is the Fullness Of The Godhead
In Thessalonians – He is the coming Christ
In Timothy – He is the Mediator Between God And Man
In Titus – He is the Great God And Savior
In Hebrews – He is the Captain Of Our Salvation
In James – He is the Great Physician
In Peter – He is the Unblemished Lamb
In John – He is the Advocate
In Jude – He is the Lord That Cometh With 10,000 Saints
In Revelation – He is the Alpha And Omega, the Lion Of Judah, the Bright And Morning Star,
the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, and King Of Kings And Lord Of Lords
VII. The Wonder of It’s Promises
1. The Promise of Salvation
2. The Promise of Forgiveness of Sin
3. The Promise of Eternal life
4. The Promise of Heaven
5. The Promise of Jesus Coming again
6. The Promise of Hope – The Word of God is all about hope in a hopeless world.
Conclusion
Illustration
Dr. W.A. Criswell tells of a small N.T. that was taken from the breast-pocket of a fallen American soldier in Vietnam, a young boy from Georgia. When Mr. Pat Zondervan held up that New Testament before the congregation of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Dr. Criswell could see the light of a bullet hole through its middle. Later, when Dr. Criswell held it in his hands, he saw that the pages were stained with the blood of that fallen soldier. Flipping through it, he found an inscription in the back that had survived intact. It read, "On this date, I Wilton Thomas take Jesus Christ as my personal Savior." Then it was signed and dated by the hand of that young man. That is what the Bible is for. It is not to amaze us with its scientific accuracy or impress us with its historical integrity, but to lead us to a personal knowledge of God through Jesus Christ as Savior.
Life is all about choices.
Salvation is a decision
