Word of God

What is the Word of God?

ῥῆμα - rhema

Matthew 4:4

Matthew is painting a picture in his gospel that God’s word is not just something we read occasionally but instead something our lives are to be based around. In the Old Testament God would speak (rhema) to His people like the prophets. There would be times where God would have a period of silence and they referred to it as famine.

God’s Word is Nourishment

But where do we find this nourishment if the rhema of God is His physically spoken words and He rarely does that now?

If people in the Old Testament referred to periods of silence as famine, then are we in famine now?

John 1:1-2

דָּבָר

“In the Old Testament God’s word is His powerful self expression in creation, revelation, and salvation. This makes the personification of this word appropriate for a John to apply it to God’s full self disclosure which is the person of His own Son.” Jack Hester

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 40

The grass withers, the flowers fade,

but the word of our God remains forever.”

God’s Word is Eternal

A Greek-English Lexicon λόγος

λόγος

Logos is what is translated word here but what John is meaning is Jesus because later in verse 14 of John 1 he says that the word (logos) became flesh. So what is the logos that John is talking about here? The Greek’s developed what we know now as philosophy. Greek Philosophers concluded that there were 4 essences that everything consisted of: earth, air, fire, and water. Then they concluded that there had to be a fifth essence or a quintessence which is what they called the logos. John is saying that Jesus is the quintessence because if he had simply written in the beginning was Jesus, and Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God; his Greek readers would have concluded that Jesus was a lesser god instead of God Himself. So John is telling his readers that the quintessence is real but it is not just a concept it is a person, and that person is Jesus.

God’s Word is a Sword

Hebrews 4:12–13 CSB

For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. No creature is hidden from him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.

When we think of a sword we think of a long blade. That is not what the writer of Hebrews has in mind. What he has in mind is more of a dagger or in all reality a scalpel. God’s word is not for slaughtering people from a distance but instead correcting and helping up close and personal.

Center For Bible Engagement

If God’s Word is all these things why do we still not read it?

1. Intimidation

God’s word can be intimidating for a new believer. However the best way to go about this from a personal devotion standpoint is start small. Reading your bible requires the same approach to eating an elephant; one bite at a time. Ask questions when you read:

Who wrote this?

It is important to know who wrote the book of the bible you are reading in order to establish context.

What did this mean to the original audience?

Just as it is important to take into consideration who wrote the book is who they wrote it to. Remember that scripture cannot mean to you what it did not mean to the original audience.

What genre?

The bible is made up of 66 books, 2 Testaments (Old and New), approximately 40 authors, and 6 genres. Knowing the style of writing is important to know when reading because you would not read Psalms or Proverbs the same way you would read the book of Isaiah and you would not read the book of Revelation the same way you would read the gospels.

Original Languages and Historical Timeline

These are for more experienced readers of the bible and are not absolutely necessary for you to understand scripture but can deepen your understanding of God’s word.

2. Laziness

People often phrase this as not having time, not developing the habit, etc. But the first step to recovery is admitting so it is best to just be real with yourself because if you are not then no one is going to do it for you. There are numerous reasons people give for not reading the bible but outside of intimidation, laziness covers basically everything else. Basically we have too many other things that we would rather do than spend time in God’s word.

How do we start?

Get in the word today

Do not wait until tomorrow begin today by spending 5 minutes in the word.

Begin a regular routine

By no means do you have to spend time in the word in the mornings but I believe there is plenty of evidence supporting the significance of spending time in the word and doing it first thing. This does not even have to be the only time or the main time you spend time in the word but getting your day started in God’s word has an infinite amount of benefits.

Make Time

You are not just going to find time to spend in God’s word you have to make time. Start small, you can do what I heard JD Greear mentioned as his rule of 45. He takes 45 minutes to start his day 15 minutes in the word, 15 minutes in prayer, and 15 minutes of a devotional or memorizing scripture, listening to a podcast, etc.