God Speaks through His Word

Psalm 19:7-11

7 The law of the LORD is perfect,

reviving the soul.

The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,

making wise the simple.

8 The precepts of the LORD are right,

giving joy to the heart.

The commands of the LORD are radiant,

giving light to the eyes.

9 The fear of the LORD is pure,

enduring forever.

The ordinances of the LORD are sure

and altogether righteous.

10 They are more precious than gold,

than much pure gold;

they are sweeter than honey,

than honey from the comb.

11 By them is your servant warned;

in keeping them there is great reward.

We have been looking at the different ways God speaks. He speaks both through His world and through His Word. As God speaks through His Word, He makes clear His character and nature, mankind's character and nature, and how man can be reconciled to God through God's Son, Jesus Christ. This Word provides warning for disobedience and promises reward for obedience, with the greatest reward being God Himself. The last time we met we considered how God speaks through His creation. Tonight, we will consider how God speaks through His Word, the Bible.

Paul tells us that God is the divine author of the all the Scriptures – 2 Tim. 3:16 - ¹⁶Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness.. Scripture is God's revelation of Himself and His plan of redemption, which He accomplishes through Jesus Christ – Luke 24:25-27 says: ²⁵And he said unto them, O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶Behooved it not the Christ to suffer these things, and to enter into his glory? ²⁷And beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. Let's look together at how God speaks through His Word.

I – God Speaks to Reveal His Character and Nature (vv. 7-9)

God's special revelation of Himself in His Word is an incredible picture of His grace. We could not know God if He did not take the initiative to reveal Himself. God has taken the initiative, and He has done so through His Word.

David uses several words to refer to God's Word – law, testimony, precepts, commandment, fear, and rules. With each reference to God's Word, David lists an accompanying characteristic – perfect, sure, right, pure, clean, enduring, true, and righteous. Finally, David lists effects of God's Word. It revives, makes wise, brings rejoicing, enlightens.

It is important to remember that God's Word is His revelation of Himself to us. As such, we do not worship the Bible, but rather the One who gave it. The reason the Bible is perfect, sure, right, pure, clean, enduring, and righteous is because God is.

God’s revelation reveals, reflects, and is consistent with His character and nature. The reason you and I can become revived, wise, joyful, and enlightened by God's Word is because it points us to the One who can accomplish those things in us. God does not give you life, wisdom, and joy as gifts outside of Himself. He gives you Himself, and you find all those things in Him.

It is the Word of God that points us to the God of the Word, who then completely satisfies our soul with Himself.

When you read God's Word, do you marvel simply at the content of the book, or at the one to whom it points? As you read the Word this week, ask yourself, "What does this passage tell/show me about the character and nature of God?" Also, "How does God want to use this passage of Scripture to revive me, make me wise, give me joy, and/or enlighten my Spirit?"

God's ultimate goal is to glorify Himself by making us more like Him. As John Piper puts it, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."

II – God Speaks to Show that Our Desire Should Be for Him (vv. 10-11)

The Word of God should never be considered apart from the God of the Word. God did not reveal Himself in His Word so that we might treat the book as our greatest treasure. Instead, He gave us His book so we would know how to regard and worship Him as our greatest treasure – in Spirit and in truth.

The reason God's Word is more desirable than gold and sweeter than honey is because through it God leads you to Himself, the One who is preeminently desirable and who alone is worthy of your adoration. A growing love for the Word of God should naturally lead you toward a growing love for the God of the Word.

This does not mean the Word of God itself is not valuable. It is valuable, as a great gift from a great God. It not only tells you about God and what He is like, but it tells you about yourself and what you are like. It warns you when you stray from God's standard – holiness. It reminds you that obedience to God's Word brings reward.

The Word of God is the means by which the Spirit of God confronts a lost man with his sin and draws him to a restored relationship with God, through Christ (Romans 10). The Word of God is also the means by which the Spirit of God sanctifies believers (John 17:17), calling you and me to walk in greater obedience. But again, in all of this work, the Word of God directs your desire to the God of the Word.

Can you say with the Psalmist, "My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times" (Ps. 119:20)? Or again, "Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them" (v. 129)? Ask God to give you a love for His Word and strength to obey it so that through it God might cultivate a greater love in your heart for Him.

Conclusion:

As we have seen, God speaks through His Word, revealing His character and nature. Through His Word, He also shows that our desire should be for Him. The Word of God shows the lost man, however, that we do not live up to the demands of God's holy nature and that our desire is not for Him.

It brings the lost person face to face with their need to be reconciled to the one and only Holy God. It shows how that can take place only by repentance and faith in Christ Jesus, the Son of God. The Word of God also points the believer to the God of the Word, bringing about an ever-deepening love for the God who loved him or her first.