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...
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation” and the new marriage book “So, You Want
to Be Married” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ;
www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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