"God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son..." (Hebrews 1:1-2a). Before the last days God spoke through the prophets. Now in the last days God has spoken through the Son. The last days are identified in the book of Acts. In Acts 2 the Spirit descends on the twelve and a large crowd gathered. Peter explained that hearing the twelve speak in languages that they didn't know was what the prophet Joel had written about. Peter declared that signaled the last days (Acts 2:1-21).
The final communication from God to humanity came through Jesus. In writing to the church in Galatia, the Spirit through Paul said, "I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called who by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!" (Galatians 1:6-9) Strong words! The gospel had been given in the first century and anyone changing it is to be accursed. The Spirit said twice anyone who changes the gospel is to be accursed.
Speaking to His apostles, Jesus said, "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak, and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you" (John 16:13-15).
The words of Scripture came from the Father through the Son while He was in the flesh, and then they came through the Spirit to the apostles and the other recognized writers of the New Testament.
We would know very little about God if He did not reveal Himself to us. "But just as it is written, things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him. For to us God has revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of a man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words" (I Corinthians 2:9-13).
Man did not make up what is revealed in the Scriptures. God gave to us what He knew we needed.
"But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God" (II Peter 1:20-21). According to Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words published 1996, page 492, says that the word propheteia carries the meaning of "speaking forth the mind and counsel of God." Vine goes on to say, "Prophecy is not necessarily, nor even primarily, fore-telling. It is the declaration of that which cannot be known by natural means." Therefore, the Bible is that which God has revealed so that we can know what He wants us to know about Him, where we came from, where we are going, what God has done to help us, and what God expects of us.
As I explore in future blogs where God has drawn lines, I will use the Scriptures as my standard and guide.
Blessings,
Ed W.