The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Ezra 7:6,
"This Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given."
I note in the above verse that "the Law of Moses" was something God had given Israel. Why is it called "the Law of Moses" instead of simply "the Law of God"? Since God gave it, why not just reference it in that way?
Very often God uses intermediaries in communicating to mankind. Those intermediaries include prophets, priests, kings, apostles and many others. He has even used animals! (See Numbers 22:28.) When he gave his law to Israel, he did so through Moses.
The Lord provided Moses with the ten commands on tablets of stone. However, what became known as "the Law of Moses" comprises the first five books of our Bibles and was written down by Moses, hence, "the Law of Moses". This is what is referenced in our verse above.
The Scriptures, our Bibles, comprises a library of books that are different and unique to any and all other literature mankind possesses. All of it, all sixty-six books, have dual authorship: divine and human. God determined what was to be written and it was cast in human literary form - the form the human writer employed in his day. That human writer was considered a prophet in all instances since what was written was the communication of God himself to man through human agency.
Peter speaks of this in 2 Peter 1:20-21, "Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
Consequently, this literature is very unique and different from all other writings. It impacts like no other literature when we read it and understand it the way God intended. For those who approach the Scriptures (and we all can!) in sincerity, as God has purposed, it does things in our lives nothing else does. "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12.
The Scriptures bring about spiritual transformation in a way no other literature can, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
"This Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given."
I note in the above verse that "the Law of Moses" was something God had given Israel. Why is it called "the Law of Moses" instead of simply "the Law of God"? Since God gave it, why not just reference it in that way?
Very often God uses intermediaries in communicating to mankind. Those intermediaries include prophets, priests, kings, apostles and many others. He has even used animals! (See Numbers 22:28.) When he gave his law to Israel, he did so through Moses.
The Lord provided Moses with the ten commands on tablets of stone. However, what became known as "the Law of Moses" comprises the first five books of our Bibles and was written down by Moses, hence, "the Law of Moses". This is what is referenced in our verse above.
The Scriptures, our Bibles, comprises a library of books that are different and unique to any and all other literature mankind possesses. All of it, all sixty-six books, have dual authorship: divine and human. God determined what was to be written and it was cast in human literary form - the form the human writer employed in his day. That human writer was considered a prophet in all instances since what was written was the communication of God himself to man through human agency.
Peter speaks of this in 2 Peter 1:20-21, "Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
Consequently, this literature is very unique and different from all other writings. It impacts like no other literature when we read it and understand it the way God intended. For those who approach the Scriptures (and we all can!) in sincerity, as God has purposed, it does things in our lives nothing else does. "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12.
The Scriptures bring about spiritual transformation in a way no other literature can, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
We all only have a limited amount of time in this life. We all have only so many minutes available to us. I cannot think of anything nearly as important and productive in our lives than to immerse ourselves in the Scriptures!
Crack that thing open and get reading!!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
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