We would not know who God is without the Word of God. The 6Word (JESUS CHRIST) is God’s revelation of Himself to humankind. We would not know what righteousness is without the Word. The Word defines righteousness. We would not know the fullest definition of sin without the Word. We would know neither of our origin nor of our destiny without the Word. God’s plan for the ages would never be ours without the Word of God.

  • Quote from “3:16” of Max Lucado:

If you know nothing of the Bible, start here. If you know everything in the Bible, return here. We all need the reminder. The heart of the human problem is the heart of the human. God’s treatment is prescribed in 7John 3:16.

Moses disciplines Israel. The two stone tablets contained the 8ten commandments. These were not the only code of laws in the ancient world. Other law codes had come into existence when cities or nations decided that there must be standards of judgment, ways to correct specific wrongs. However, God’s laws for Israel were unique: (1) they alleviated the harsh judgments typical of the day; (2) they were egalitarian, democratic or free – the poor and the powerful received the same punishment; (3) they did not separate religious and social law. All laws rested on God’s authority.

      9Hiding or keeping God’s Words in our heart is a deterrent to sin. This alone should inspire us to memorize Scripture. Memorization alone will not keep us from sin; we must also put God’s Words to work in our life by yielding, surrendering to the Holy Spirit and help us.

God will discern whether or not we make every effort and whether or not we have truly come to faith in Christ; nothing in all creation can hide from Him. We may fool ourselves or other Christians with our spiritual lives, but we could not deceive God. He knows who we really are because the 10Word of God is full of living power. The Word of God cannot be taken for granted or disobeyed. The Israelites who rebelled and learned the hard way that when God speaks, they must listen. Going against God means facing judgment and death.

The Word of God is living, life changing and dynamic as it works in us. The demands of the Word of God require decision. We not only listen to it, we let it shape our lives. Because the Word of God is living, it applied to these first-century Jewish Christians, and it applies as well to Christians today. Most books may appear to be dusty artifacts just sitting on the shelf, but the Word of God collected in Scripture vibrates with life.

The Word of God penetrates through our outer façade, frontage, pretense, outward show, or public image and reveals what lies deep inside. The metaphor of the sharpest knife pictures the Word of God cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires, revealing what we really are on the inside. Nothing can be hidden from God; neither can we hide from ourselves if we sincerely study the Word of God. It reaches deep past our outer life as a knife passes through skin.

Two thoughts are presented by the phrase, everything is naked and exposed before His eyes. (1) We cannot give excuses, justifications, or reasons – everything is seen for exactly what it is. No one can deceive God. (2) We are exposed, powerless, and defenseless before God. The word refers to paralyzing grip of the wrestler in a choke grip or hold.

The Word of God penetrates like a sword, and is exposing us to God Himself to whom we must explain all that we have done. All people must give an account to God, but without trappings and rationalizations. These words give warning that believers must be careful not to drift away, but to obey God wholeheartedly. God is the final judge.

It is noteworthy; however, that there was a condition attached to the promise of God that only then will we prosper and succeed: total victory depended on firm and constant meditating day and night, talking and obedience of the Words of God, by 4Joshua and all the people including us, to all the laws of God.

First, Timothy was to 11preach the Word of God – the message of the Gospel. The word suggests vigorous proclamation! Paul wanted Timothy to be bold and passionate. It was up to Timothy to preach the Gospel so that the Christian faith could spread throughout the world. Timothy should always be persistent, whether the time is favorable or not, Paul, soon to die, may have looked back on his life realizing how short the time had bee. Paul urged Timothy to make the most of the time he would be allotted on this earth. Timothy would need to patiently correct those who were in error by explaining the truth, helping them to understand and accept it. He should rebuke those were sinning by explaining their sin and their need for repentance. He should encourage those who were growing, for even those growing in the faith need instruction and guidance. Patience should always characterize Timothy’s attitude as he dealt with the people in his church; good teaching (or doctrine) should be the basis for his words.

      The expression be quick to listen is a beautiful way of capturing the idea of active listening. We are not simply to refrain from speaking; we are to be ready and willing to listen. This “quick” listening is obviously to be done with discernment. 12We are to check what we hear with God’s Word. If we do not listen both carefully and quickly, we are liable to be led into all kinds of false teaching and error. Quick to listen and slow to speak should be taken together as sides of the same coin. Slowness in speaking means speaking with humility and patience, not with hasty words or nonstop gabbing. Constant talking keeps a person from being able to hear. Wisdom is not always having something to say; it involves listening carefully, considering prayerfully, and speaking quietly. When we talk too much and listen too little, we communicate to others that we think our ideas are much more important than theirs. James wisely advises us to reverse this process. We need to put a mental stopwatch on our conversations and keep track of how much we talk and how much we listen. When people talk to us, do they feel that their viewpoints and ideas have value?

            The second coming of Christ – the moment God’s people had been waiting for (See 13Mark 14:62; 14Luke 24:30). Christ’s return will be unmistakable. Heaven will be opened, as Christ, on a white horse, makes His entrance. The white horse symbolizes victory. (Some think this is the same rider as mentioned in 156:2, who was also on a white horse. They suggest that the rider symbolized Christ and the spread of the Good News across the world.

            This rider is named Faithful and True, judges fairly and then goes to war. The order of words indicates that the warfare is a result of God’s judgment on the inhabitants of the earth who have completely rejected Him. Although Jesus is called “Faithful and True,” “Word of God” (1619:13), and “King of kings and Lord of lords” (1719:16), these verses imply that no name can do Him justice. He is greater than any description or expression the human mind can devise.