II Peter 1:15-16a
"Moreover I will endeavor that you may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance. (remember, Peter too is writing to the Jews of his day more than to us Gentiles. Now watch this, this is the verse that I had on my mind.) For we have not followed cunningly devised fables,…"
And we know that is exactly what the scoffers call this Book? We read again just awhile back, where someone was ridiculing the Bible as nothing more than a bunch of campfire stories concocted while the Israelites were in antiquity and they brought all these things to mind as they were sitting around their ancient campfires. But Peter says, "no, these are not cunningly devised fables."
II Peter 1:16b-17
"…when we made known to you the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye witnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father, honour and glory, (now he is speaking of the Transfiguration.) when there came such a voice to him from the excellent Glory, This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
Now remember, that was on the Mount of Transfiguration when Peter, James and John were met with Moses and Elijah. And God spoke from Heaven. Alright now verse 18. Peter says, "This voice which came from Heaven, we heard!" Proof positive that God is real. He is the Living God as we saw earlier.
II Peter 1:18-19
"And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. (The Mount of Transfiguration. Now verse 19) We have also a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto you do well that you take heed, as unto a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your own hearts:"
In other words, Peter is speaking of a Spiritual enlightening, that we can grasp these things. We can believe them and we don’t have to doubt them because we understand that God has proven Himself over and over by fulfilling prophetic statements and more. The more is that He is still speaking to us through His Son, the day star which has dawned in our heart. But to whom does this apply, is the question or the mystery. Now verse 20.
II Peter 1:20
"Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation,"
In other words, we don’t just take one little tidbit here and pull it out and do whatever we want with it. We have to compare Scripture with Scripture. We have to use the whole to see the part. In order to understand the parts or pieces and the layers as an onion. Yehovah means the ever revealing one or progressive revelation of who “I am.” (found in Exodus 3:14) He does this by speaking to us through His Son much like he did with Peter (Matthew 16:16, John 11:27).
II Peter 1:21
"For the prophecy (the Word of God,) came not in old time by the will of man: (they didn’t sit around a campfire and concoct these things.) but holy (or set apart) men of God spake as they were moved (or inspired) by the Holy Ghost."
That’s how our Book came together. This is not cunningly devised fables. It is the Word of God and consequently God expects us to believe it. Alright now then we're going to take us back, we used the verse some time ago. We're going to bring you back to Romans chapter 4. We are going to look at Abraham for just a second, because we're not losing sight of what we’ve been looking at in Hebrews 3 and we will again in Hebrews 4. How that Israel at Kadesh-Barnea, with the full opportunity of entering into the land of Canaan, a rest of sorts, as they didn’t have to work, and they didn’t have to fight. All they had to do was take it by what? Faith! Again by passing through the waters, might be good to point this out that they passed through waters twice and the spiritual meaning is? Believe it and move in and take it. But, they couldn’t do it. Alright now, Abraham is just the opposite. Now verse 1 of chapter 4 of Romans.
Romans 4:1-2
"What shall we say then that Abraham our Father, as pertaining to the flesh, (that is the Father of the Jewish race) has found? For if Abraham were justified by works, (see that is what all religion demands. Religion will always give you a set of works) he has whereof to glory; but not before God."
If that was possible, he could get to Heaven and say, "Look God, what I did, how I deserve to be here." But he’ll never be able to do that before God. Now verse 3.
Romans 4:3a
"For what say the scripture? (What does the Word of God say? The Word of God says) Abraham believed God,…"
It doesn’t say that Abraham went out and sacrificed. Doesn’t say that Abraham went out and did this or that or some other thing. All Abraham did was took God at His Word, plus nothing! He believed God, he trusted Him. Now then reading on:
Romans 4:3b
"…and it was counted unto him for righteousness."
God declared him righteous because he could believe. Now, it is no different today. The moment a sinner believes, God accounts him as righteous. But, at the same time God empowers him to live righteously. That’s where we get the ability and the power to live a saints life. You can’t do it in the flesh. It is impossible and none of us can. But God empowers us and if we draw on that power, then it is possible to depart from these things that the Bible calls iniquity and we, like Abraham, can walk as people of trust. Verse 4.
Romans 4:4a
"Now to him that works is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt."
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