This drew me
to consider the wonder of Jesus giving us his words. It wouldn’t really matter
if what he had to say was good or bad, the fact that it was his words, from his
heart, with his purity and love directing every syllable, would mean that the
truthfulness of his words would be the best thing we could ever hear. As II
Timothy 3:16-17 makes very clear, if Jesus words were to teach us, reprove us,
correct us, or train us in righteousness, anything that would change us and
make us more like Jesus would be a good word.
As I considered
the significance of these words to my life, I recalled that there was a
Scripture somewhere that spoke about people trembling at the word of God. When
I looked this up, I discovered that there were three Scriptures expressing this
response. First, “Then all who trembled
at the words of the God of Israel, because of the faithlessness of the returned
exiles, gathered around me while I sat appalled until the evening sacrifice.”[1]
Since this is
the breathed-out word of God, we can take it that trembling at the words of God
is a good thing. In this case, some people were trembling at the words of God
because of the way other people were rebelling against God’s words. They knew
what God said; they knew what the people were doing; and they were afraid of
how God would carry out his word against their nation.
The second
passage expressed this: “But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and
contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.”[2] While there were many in the land who spurned the word of God, God
gives his own word that he is on the lookout for even “one” who responds to his
word with humility, contrition, and trembling.
The
third Scripture gives this encouragement to those who tremble at the word of
God: “Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at his word: ‘Your brothers who hate you and
cast you out for my name's sake have said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy’; but it is they who shall be
put to shame.’”[3] It is obvious that those
who follow God’s word can be hated by their own “brothers”, and even “cast out”
of fellowship with God’s people. What matters is what God thinks of these
things.
This is all
particularly significant in light of the seven letters to the churches. The
number seven in the book of Revelation indicates completeness. We can take the
seven letters as the complete word to the complete church. If we pray through
those letters honestly, we will know how Jesus sees our own churches. Since the
letters include things Jesus commends, but also things he condemns, it is
imperative that we tremble at the word of God as we honestly pray: “Search me, O God, and know
my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous
way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”[4]
From my heart,
Monte
© 2013 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517,
Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8 ~ in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted,
Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good
News Publishers.)
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