God’s word is living and powerful and sharper than a two edged sword. – Hebrews 4:12
As the above verse from the book of Hebrews tells us, the Word of God is alive and powerful. Not was alive and powerful once, but it is still alive and powerful today. We need to continually praise and thank the Lord for His Word, which blesses us and benefits us in so many ways:
The Word of God tells us about the nature and character of God – how mighty and awesome He is.
The Word of God tells us how the Heavens and the Earth got here – by God’s spoken Word.
The Word of God tells us what we need to do to be saved – to enter into a covenant relationship with Him.
The Word of God tells us how we should walk out our daily lives – to be more like Yeshua every day.
The Word of God tells us how we can we healed, delivered and empowered – by the Holy Spirit.
The Word of God tells us how to be healthy and prosperous – by following the Maker’s instructions.
The Word of God tells us that we should share it with others – through evangelism and hands-on ministry.
The Word of God tells us what to expect in the days ahead – through the promises of God, the teachings of Yeshua and the prophecies written down by the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Hosea, and John.
There is no other book like the Bible. The greatest of literary masterpieces do not come close to it. No other book has the supernatural power to heal the sick and raise the dead. No other book can give a human being eternal life. No other book can with 100% accuracy tell us things to come. We can safely stand on the Word of God. Even when the things we see happening around us seem to oppose the Word of God, we should not allow fear or doubt to enter our hearts or minds. If God said it, He will bring it to pass. The promises for the natural branches, the Jews, and for the grafted in branches, the Gentiles are incredible and they will become reality.
For Israel, the Lord has promised that one day we will live in peace in the Land that God promised to Abraham. Well, some of us are back, but the peace is yet to become a reality. That peace will come when the Prince of Peace returns to planet Earth to rule upon the Throne of David in Jerusalem. Israel will then be the head and not the tail that she seems to be in the eyes of most of the world today. As we talk with many Israelis who live in the midst of hopelessness and despair for this nation’s future, we always try to encourage them with the hope that is in our hearts. Hope that will become a reality when Messiah returns. I have seen their faces change as they allow the hope to enter their hearts as well. If they don’t actually say it, I am sure in their hearts they are thinking “O God, let it be so”.
And for the Church, there is the promise that one day there will be a spotless bride, prepared to be literally swept off her feet by her Bridegroom. A ‘One New Man’ bride consisting of Born Again Jews and former Gentiles who have had our robes washed by the Blood, the Spirit, and the Word. A bride ready and entitled to the awesome inheritance promised to those who are ‘Israel’, natural and grafted-in.
Both of the above seem like a dream, which still appears to be a long way off in the future. But God has promised us that one day it will become a reality. And if we look at some of the other things that God promised will take place along the way, we will see they have indeed come to pass, just as He said they would. We can also see that the yet unfulfilled promises can not be too far away. All of the promises, in some way, concern Israel. If we want to know where we are and how we are doing, we just need to keep our eyes on Israel.
Not just our eyes, but also our hearts and our prayers. If God said it – He will do it. However, He has called us to be His fellow-workers. We have a part to play. What an incredible privilege to be invited to participate and work alongside the Creator of the universe as He unfolds the final stages of His eternal plan for the redemption of mankind through His earthly agents, natural Israel and the grafted-in Christian Church.
Brothers and sisters, now is the time, as never before, to know the Word of God. To know it we need to read it and remember it. We need to stand on the Word of God for our own life and for the lives of others, and to boldly declare the Word of God. Speak it out – pray it out. It is comforting and it is creative. It is still ALIVE and it is still POWERFUL and it will never fail.
This article originally appeared on Out of Zion, March 4, 2016.