SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/15/2020 8:47 AM
My Worship Time Focus: PT-2 “The Permanence
of Scripture”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Matthew 5:18
Message of the
verse: “18
Indeed, I assure you that, while
Heaven and earth last, the Law will not lose a single dot or comma until
its purpose is complete.”
As we begin let us look at the
phrase “not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law” stating that
“The smallest letter” translates the word iota,
which is the smallest letter of the Greek alphabet. MacArthur writes “T o Jesus’ Jewish hearers
it would have represented the yodh,
the smallest letter of the Hebrew alphabet, which looks something like an
apostrophe. A ‘stroke’ (keraia)
literally means ‘little horn’ and refers to the small marks that help
distinguish one Hebrew letter from another.
It was a small extension of a letter similar to a serif in modern
typefaces.
“In other words, not only will the
smallest letter not be erased, but even the smallest part of a letter will not
be erased ‘from the law.’ Not even the
tiniest, seemingly most insignificant, part of God’s Word will be removed or
modified ‘until all is accomplished.’
While we were looking at Matthew
5:17 we learned that Jesus brought to completion all the judicial and
ceremonial law and certain parts of the moral law, such as Sabbath
observance. However God’s basic moral law
was centered in the Ten Commandments and this is still every bit as valid today
as when God gave it to Moses at Mt. Sinai.
It was during our Lord’s ministry on earth, His death, resurrection, and
also His ascension that Jesus fulfilled many of the prophecies of the Old
Testament. I can’t help but think of the
last part of the 9th chapter of the book of Daniel to think of most
of that prophecy that Jesus fulfilled.
There certainly are others that come to mind like the prophecies found
in Isaiah 53 and 53 along with Psalm 22.
The prophecy of the coming of the Holy Spirit would be fulfilled later
on as we get to Acts chapter 2. However
there are other prophecies that come from both the Old and New Testament that
are yet to be fulfilled, and I certainly can think of one that is near and dear
to my heart and should be near and dear to all believer’s hearts, and that would
be the Rapture of the Church. There are
also man prophecies found in the 24th chapter of Matthew along with
Revelation chapters 6-22 that are to be fulfilled, as these all relate to the
end times. As we think about all these
to be fulfilled we can be sure that without smallest exception that every
commandment, every prophecy, every figure and symbol and type would be
accomplished.
There is no other statement that is
made by our Lord that clearly states His absolute contention that Scripture is
verbally inerrant, totally without error in the original form in which God gave
it. That is, Scripture is God’s very own
Word not only down to every single written word, but to every letter and also
the smallest part of every letter. As
you think about God and the attributes that He has can you not wonder why this
is true, for God is perfect and can never make a mistake and so that means His
Word is perfect down to the smallest little part of a letter.
MacArthur writes “Fulfill’ in verse
17 has the idea of completion, of filling up.
Accomplished (from ginomai)
has the similar meaning of becoming or taking place. Arthur Pink comments, ‘Everything in the Law
must be fulfilled [or accomplished]: not only its prefigurations and
prophecies, but its precepts and penalty: fulfilled, first, personally and
vicariously, by and upon the Surety; fulfilled, a second and evangelically, in
and by His people; and fulfilled, third, in the doom of the wicked, who shall
experience its awful curse forever and ever.
Instead of Christ’s being opposed to the law of God, He came here to
magnify it and render it honourable…And rather than His teachings being
subversive thereof, they confirmed and enforced it.’” Pinks comments came from his book “An
Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount.”
Jesus Christ, while on earth
referred to the Old Testament some sixty-four times, and always as
authoritative truth. When Jesus was
defending His messiahship and divinity before the unbelieving Jewish leaders in
the temple he stated “The Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35).
Message
of the verse: In looking at what
Jesus has to say about God’s Law and how all will be fulfilled I can’t help but
think of the greatness of God, and how all of these things were figured out
even before that world was created, and I certainly look forward to those
prophecies that have not yet been fulfilled to be fulfilled. I think about being transformed into the
clouds to meet my Lord in the air, I think of the horrors of the Tribulation
Period, yet with many, many people coming to know the Lord, I think of
returning to earth with my Lord as described in Revelation chapter nineteen,
and then working for my Lord during the 1000 year kingdom that will happen in
fulfillment to Old Testament prophecies.
I also think of the time right before the earth along with all the
universe will be destroyed that there will be a judgment for the loss when all
those who have not accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord will be
judged and then sent into hell for eternity, and then I think of being a part
of the New Jerusalem and living for eternity with my Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Trust that
all that I read and study from the Word of God will be used by me to reach
others for the cause of Christ. That God
will continue to use the Spiritual Diaries to go around the world.
7/15/2020 9:29
AM
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