Jesus and the Bible
1. Jesus loved the Bible.
“O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day” (Psalms 119:97). After our Lord was born, there was a great length of silence until He was twelve years of age. And when He finally appears, He appears in the Temple, astounding the learned doctors of law. “And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers” (Luke 2:46,47). An observation of this famous event puts a smile in my heart, for the Bible says that Jesus was hearing and asking the doctors questions, but the Bible quickly reveals they were “astonished at his understanding and answers.” We should not be surprised that He who was the Living Word should know the Book He authored, even in His incarnate state at such an early age.
2. Jesus magnified the Bible.
“I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name” (Psalms 138:2). God desires reality in people’s hearts! In one of the insightful discourses while Christ was here on the earth, He shows us His grief over the rejection of the written Word of God: “He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Mark 7:6,7). We see our Lord’s angst a little later in the passage when He says to the Pharisees and scribes, “Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition…” (Mark 7:13a). Our Lord magnifies the Bible not only above His name, but even more so above man’s tradition and interpretation of the Word. He did not want the Word watered down, filtered and failing at the hands of man’s defilement.
3. The Bible is all about Jesus.
Jesus said, “Search the scriptures…they are they which testify of me”
(John 5:39). After our Lord’s resurrection from the grave He schooled the disciples on the road to Emmaus: “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27). From cover to cover you will find Jesus in the Bible.
In Genesis He is the Seed of the Woman.
In Exodus He is the Passover Lamb.
In Leviticus He is Our High Priest.
In Numbers He is the Cloud and the Fire.
In Deuteronomy He is the Prophet like Moses.
In Joshua He is the Captain of our Salvation.
In Judges He is the Judge and Lawgiver.
In Ruth He is the Kinsman Redeemer.
In I and II Samuel He is the Prophet of the Lord.
In I and II Kings and I and II Chronicles He is the Reigning King.
In Ezra He is the Faithful Scribe.
In Nehemiah He is the Rebuilder of the Broken Walls.
In Esther He is the Preserver of His People.
In Job He is the Dayspring from on High.
In the Psalms He is the Lord Who is our Shepherd.
In Proverbs and Ecclesiastes He is the Wisdom of God.
In the Song of Solomon He is the Lover & Bridegroom.
In Isaiah He is the Prince of Peace.
In Jeremiah and Lamentations He is the Weeping Prophet.
In Ezekiel He is the Wheel Turning.
In Daniel He is the Fourth Man in the fiery furnace.
In Hosea He is the Faithful Bridegroom.
In Joel He is the Baptizer with the Holy Spirit.
In Amos He is the Burden Bearer.
In Obadiah He is the Mighty Savior.
In Jonah He is the Forgiving God, Who Rose from the Dead on the Third Day.
In Micah He is the Messenger with Beautiful Feet.
In Nahum He is the Avenger of God's Elect.
In Habakkuk He is the Great Evangelist, Crying for Revival.
In Zephaniah He is the Restorer of God's Lost Heritage.
In Haggai He is the Cleansing Fountain.
In Zechariah He is the Pierced Son.
In Malachi He is the Son of Righteousness.
In Matthew He is the Messiah.
In Mark He is the Wonder Worker.
In Luke He is the Son of Man.
In John He is the Son of God.
In Acts He is the Ascended Lord.
In Romans He is the Justifier.
In I and II Corinthians He is the Gifts of the Spirit.
In Galatians He is the One Who Sets Us Free.
In Ephesians He is the Christ of Riches, Who Accepts Us in the Beloved.
In Philippians He is the God Who Meets Our Every Need.
In Colossians He is the Fullness of the Godhead, Who Is My Life.
In I and II Thessalonians He is the Soon Coming King.
In I and II Timothy He is the Mediator Between God and Man.
In Titus He is the Faithful Pastor.
In Philemon He is the Friend, Closer than a Brother.
In Hebrews He is the Priest and the Lamb Whose Blood Washes Away My Sins.
In James He is the Great Physician.
In I and II Peter He is the Chief Shepherd.
In I, II, and III John He is Everlasting Love.
In Jude He is the Lord Coming with Ten Thousand of His Saints.
In the Revelation He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords!
- Pastor Pope -