To day I will take a peek into why the Bible as we have it is a Book for the Ages, Why the Word Endures forever as Promised. And has become my habit I will again draw from the well of GODS Grace and Love revealed by the pen and writing of Pastor Hoekstra. And I again will make use of the ESV translation as found in my E-Sword program.
"The Message of the Law: Be Loving"
"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus said to him, " 'You shall love the LORD your GOD with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and Great Commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 22:36-40)
"In His response to the question, Jesus supplies another summary of the Message from the law of God: be loving. "Love the LORD your GOD . . . Love your neighbor." Jesus then revealed that "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." Every command in the Law of GOD is related to one of these two commandments.
"Love the LORD your GOD." The primary demand of Law is an all-out Love Relationship with the LORD GOD Almighty. GOD is to be loved " with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." From the depths of our being, Love is to be flowing out toward the LORD. In every expression of our personality, Love is to be poured out toward GOD. In every thought that occurs in our minds, Love for GOD is to be the motivation and the content. Any aspect of life that does not indicate a comprehensive, unrestricted Love toward GOD is in violation of His Law.
"Love your neighbor." The secondary demand of GOD's Law is an unselfish love toward every other person. We are to love others as ourselves. Some have wrongly used this phrase to urge people to obey an imaginary third commandment: "We need to learn to love ourselves"?! No, Jesus said there are only two commandments here. This second one is a call to give others the consideration and care that we all have given to ourselves all of our lives. Jesus later intensified this second command by saying, "A New Commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you" (John 13:34).
Our Bible has been called many things from it's conception, The Scriptures, The Law, A Sacred Thing, The Most Holy Book and a host of others. Here are but a few selected writings of interest Deuteronomy 6:4-12, Psalm 19:2-11, and Psalm 119.
The Book of the Ages, The Word that Endures:
Lamedh.
Psalm 119:89-96 "Forever, O LORD, Your word is firmly fixed in the heavens. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You have established the earth, and it stands fast. By Your appointment they stand this day, for all things are Your servants. If Your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have given me life. I am Yours; save me, for I have sought Your precepts. The wicked lie in wait to destroy me, but I consider Your testimonies. I have seen a limit to all perfection, but Your commandment is exceedingly broad."
Qoph.
Psalm 119:145-152 "With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O LORD! I will keep Your statutes. I call to You; save me, that I may observe Your testimonies. I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in Your words. My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on Your promises. Hear my voice according to Your steadfast Love; O LORD, according to Your justice give me life. They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose; they are far from Your Law. But You are near, O LORD, and all Your commandments are true. Long have I known from Your testimonies that You have founded them forever."
Isaiah 40:3-8 "A voice cries: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our GOD. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the Glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken." A voice says, "Cry!" And I said, "What shall I cry?" All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our GOD will stand forever."
Matthew 5:14-19, 20 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father Who is in heaven. "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill (complete to over flowing what has been Promised in) them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 24:32-35 "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that He is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away."
1Peter 1:22-25 "Having purified your souls by your obedience to the Truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of GOD; for "All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the Word of the LORD remains forever." And this word is the good news that was preached (proclaimed) to you."
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