Sunday, February 16, 2014

Holy Men Spoke the Word 2 Peter 1:21

As the apostle Peter continues his exhortation to the church, he made reference to the time when he, James and John saw Jesus transfigured before them as proof of the validity of his words. However he makes note of a “more sure word of prophecy” and declared that the scriptures are of no “private interpretation”. In chapter one and verse twenty-one Peter tells us the source of all scripture. He wrote:

For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

The verse begins, “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man:” As Peter begins this verse he declares from where the “prophecy” did not come. The scriptures were not just a notion of some man or inspiration of someone's will. The reason there is no “private” or exclusive interpretation of scriptures is because they did not come from just man's will. The inference in context is that if the scriptures were by the will of man, then it could be possible to have a special ability exclusive to others to interpret them. But the scriptures were not just by the will of man.

The verse goes on to say, “but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” Since the scriptures did not come from the “will of man”, from where did they come? Peter answers this question clearly in this portion of the verse. The word “but” is employed and it means that what is about to be written takes precedence over what was just written. Peter states that “holy men” which means “sacred, reverent” men, men who were separated unto a special purpose by God, spoke as they were “moved” which means “to move by bearing, conveying or prompted” or inspired “by the Holy Ghost”. It was God Almighty who gave them the words. It was God Almighty who “moved” upon them to share, and His words are available to all who will take the time to hear and read them.

Have we ever taken the time to stop for a moment and realize that we have before us the very “words of God”? Yes, God used men to write them, but they are words from “the Holy Ghost” Himself. Do we understand even slightly the gravity of the scriptures and their power to persuade men into a relationship with God? And the fact that God used “holy men” to write them should make us all desire to be in His “holy” separated people. This “sure word of prophecy” is available to us and is all we need to continue growing in our relationship with God. May this “sure word” keep us advancing in fellowship with God for all of our days.

Next time we will start a new chapter and see what Peter has to say about false prophets, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
 
Until tomorrow...there is more...
 
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