“And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.” 2 Kings 22:8.
Many years ago, a country singer recorded a song that was often used on radio programs such as the Grand Ole Opry and others. The lyrics went something like this: “Dust on the Bible, dust on God’s Holy Word; words of all the prophets and the sayings of our Lord. Of all the other books you’l find, there is none salvation whole; get the dust off the Bible and redeem your poor soul.”
Nothing has changed. Herein is the condemnation, Jesus taught us, that light has come into the world, but men loved darkness rather than light. Many families have a private library of books of fiction and nonfiction writers on topics of interest to them, yet they remain ignorant of the words of light and of life. There is no logic to this. It is just the reality of sin dominating the lives of both saved and lost sinners.
Some time ago, this writer was preaching on this topic. The statement was made that some people might be surprised if they open their Bible: a WWII Savings Bond might fall out. A dear lady in our church got to thinking about several Bibles she possessed that once belonged to departed relatives. She went home and began thumbing through them. In one of them a WWII Savings Bond fell out. She brought it to church to show to me. We had a good laugh. It was the first time I had seen one of those in over 60 years.
Everyone should understand that God did not give him the Bible as a repository of valuable papers or of vital statistics of family members. It was given for the vital well-being of all who possess it, and possessing a copy carries with it an awesome responsibility for which account will definitely be given when each one stands before Jesus.
I picked up a book to read a few months ago. In the initial pages there was a page entitled “Introduction” then in parenthesis were the words (to be read). That is the purpose of the 66 books of the Holy Bible. Everyone should read them, even preachers and Sunday school teachers. Exposing the mind to the Holy, infallible Word gives the Holy Spirit something to work with in aiding our spiritual growth toward maturity. I believe no one should remain ignorant of the Word of his Creator Whom he is soon destined to meet.
FOR THOUGHT: Do you own a copy of the Bible? Are you fully aware that one day, sooner than you think, you must give an account of your knowledge of its content? Starting right now, will you give some time to reading the Bible each day?
DYING, THOU SHALT SURELY DIE
The phrase, “Dying, thou shalt surely die” is a literal translation of the Hebrew words denoting the penalty for eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in Genesis 2:17. The serpent capitalized on the words, assuring Mother Eve that she would not immediately fall down dead from eating of the forbidden fruit. Additionally, on the tree was good food to be had and knowledge to be gained. Of course, he purposely did not reveal that unlike God, she would not be able to choose the good and shun the evil. What subtlety was in his lies!
So, having sin incorporated into the basic makeup of the species, it is universally, by heredity, appointed unto men once to die. Hebrews 9:27. Is there anyone who could successfully argue against this consistent process? Every hospital testifies that men get sick and die. Every cemetery shouts that it is appointed unto men once to die. Every undertaking establishment says that it is appointed unto men once to die. Old age, and the loss of mental acumen bears witness that it is appointed unto men once to die, so death reigns on planet Earth without respect for persons. The Bible is plain in declaring that the last enemy of mankind to be destroyed will be death. 1 Cor. 15:26.
But GOOD NEWS! For those who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, death has indeed been destroyed as the common enemy. Jesus soundly defeated it on the cross long, long ago. He not only defeated it, He made it to lay down at our feet and patiently wait for the nod of God to become our transport from the terrestrial to the celestial.
Consequently, there is no fear of the grim reaper in the eternally young heart of the redeemed. Neither is it waited upon with dread. Conversely, the Father of Spirits is fellowshipped in increasing intensity in the full realization that should the Lord Jesus not appear bodily in His glorious second coming, the hideous monster of death will become a limousine to carry us over into the higher dimension in style to the shout of throngs of awaiting saints, constituting the grandest welcoming committee imaginable. Moreover, in their midst is the blessed Son of God by whose Word, Work, and Authority we enter that heavenly home.
But until then, sin continues to raise its ugly head, and we do what we would not. Thus does the reality of its penalty exercise itself in all of us: “Dying, thou shalt surely die.”
FOR THOUGHT: How important it is to understand the triune composition of every person. It is the spirit of a person that is initially saved by faith in Christ Jesus. The mind is saved by being renewed through the Word. But the body will not experience salvation until the rapture and resurrection. Until then, it must die, but death is often a natural process.