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Saturday, April 21, 2012

How valuable is the Bible to you?

Psalm 19:10-11 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. 11Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward.


The Amplified Value of God's Word
The two verses in today's blog deal with the desireability of God's Word.  Let me ask you this question: How valuable is the Bible to you?  In the passage above we see the Psalmist using a feature in Jewish Hebrew Poetry where you take an idea, and continue to build and amplify that idea until you take that idea to its highest and greatest limit.

Like sticking a microphone up to a speaker, the value of God's word is amplified many times over.  If we were to take the above text and translate it from the original language in which it was written, this is what we would see with regards to the value of the scriptures:

"They are to be desire more than gold
even more than gold, how about the finest gold
even greater than that, the sweetest honey
even more than the sweetest honey, the fresh honey from the comb itself
indeed of even greater value to your servant (than anything else) is in how the (scriptures) give warning
with the greatest reward being achieved by obeying them."

O.k, maybe that translation may seem quite wordy to our English ears, but for the Psalmist who was writing under Divine inspiration, there was no question as to the value of the scriptures. 

Why the scriptures are of such great value
When you take the first phrase: "They are to be more desired than gold" and the last phrase "with the greatest reward being achieved by obeying them", you come to understand the point of the passage.  Nothing is greater in value than the scriptures and the Christ to whom they point.  As Jesus Himself demonstrated, the scriptures' chief focal point is Himself. (Luke 24:44)

You and I need the valuable scriptures to live a life that values Christ
2 Timothy 3:16-17 states: "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work."  Truly the scriptures that are more precious than gold and honey accomplish in you and me the thorough equipping needed to live the Godly life.  In this passage, like Psalm 19, we see the true value of the scriptures as stated by that word in 2 Timothy 3:16 - "profitable":

1. For teaching - which tells you what is right
2. For reproof - which tells you when your not right
3. For correction - which tells you how to get right
4. For training - which tells you how to stay right

It is by the golden Honey of God's Word (Psalm 19:10-11) I gain the amplified blessing of valuing and treasuring the scriptures.  According to 2 Timothy 3:17, when you apply yourself to the scriptures, you will be thoroughly equipped for every good work.  By valuing the scriptures, you end up valuing Jesus Christ.  When you value Jesus Christ, you value doing what He says - which is the chief mark of your love for Him. (John 14:15, 21-23)