· Bibliology ·

Lecture Six:  Revelation and the Word of God

TH330 Systematic Theology I · Moody Bible Institute · Dr. Richard M. Weber

I. “The Word of God” as Jesus Christ

rev. 19:13 …”the name by which he is called is the Word of God.”

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  … The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us…”  (John 1:1, 14)

II. “The Word of God” as Divine Speech

biblical accounts of God speaking and that cause things to happen.

Ps 33:6, Gen 1:24, Heb 1:3. Gen 1:3. 

A. God’s Decrees

“A decree of God is a word of God that causes something to happen.”  (Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, 47)

“And God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.”  (Gen 1:3)

“And God said, ‘Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds:  livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.’  And it was so.”  (Gen 1:24)

“By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.”  (Ps 33:6)

Heb 1:3.  Christ is “sustaining all things by his powerful word.”

B. God’s Words of Personal Address

“And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.’”  (Gen 2:16-17)

“And God spoke all these words:  ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.  You shall have no other gods before me…”  (Ex 20:1ff)

“And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matt 3:17)

God spoke people received those words as authoritative.

C. God’s Words as Speech Through Human Lips

There were people that God spoke through…Joshua, moses etc.

“I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.  If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.”  (Deut 18:18-19)

“Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, ‘Now, I have put my words in your mouth.”  (cf. Jer 1:9; cf. 1:7; Ex 4:12; Num 22:38; 1 Sam 15:3, 18, 23; 1 Kings 20:36; 2 Chron 20:20; 25:15-16; Isa 30:12-14; Jer 6:10-12; 36:29-31).

D. God’s Written Word:  The Bible

1. God’s Own Writing

“When the Lord finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the Testimony, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.”  (Ex 31:18)

“The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.”es.”  (Ex 32:16; cf. 34:1, 28)

2. God’s Words Written By Moses

“So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel.  Then Moses commanded them:  ‘At the end of every seven years, … when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God at the place he will choose, you shall read this law before them in their hearing.  Assemble the people – men, women and children, and the aliens living in your towns – so they can listen and learn to fear the Lord your God and follow carefully all the words of this law.  Their children, who do not know this law, must hear it and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”  (Deut 31:9-13)

3. God’s Words Written By Others

a. Joshua

“And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God.”  (Josh 24:26).

b. Isaiah

“Go now, write it on a tablet for them, inscribe it on a scroll, that for the days to come it may be an everlasting witness.”  (Isa 30:8)

c. Jeremiah

“Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you.”  (Jer 30:2; cf. 36:2-4, 27-31; 51:60)

d. Jesus’ Disciples

“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”  (John 14:26; cf. John 16:12-13)

e. Paul

“…[W]hat I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.”  (1 Cor 14:37)

f. Peter

“I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.”  (2 Peter 3:2)

Conclusion

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.”  (Ps 1:1-2.)

“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.  Then you will be prosperous and successful.”  (Josh 1:8)

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  (2 Tim 3:16-17)