The Word

 

The Word

^{2 Timothy 3:16 “}All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:¹⁷ That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

     Second Timothy was written about 65 AD.  The first gospel of Mark was written at the same time.  Many other writings of Paul fall around this same time.  Did he know he was penning the sacred writings of Christianity?  Back up one verse:

^{2 Timothy 3:15 “}And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

^{2 Timothy 1:5 “}When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.”

     The picture here is Timothy had a Jewish mother and grandmother who taught him the holy scriptures.  What scriptures did they have?  The Old Testament.  Somewhere in that Testament, they found evidences of Jesus as savior and taught little Timothy such.  Hence, the scripture Paul is referring to is what we call the Old Testament.

      How necessary it is that we dive into the Old Testament!  With help of the Holy Spirit, the writings would convince us that Jesus was the Messiah.  Moreover, even without the New Testament aid, we would understand Him as Savior also.  Timothy did.

      Imagine a house with its treasures stored in the basement.  Having not room enough on the main floor to display them all at once, pictures and items are brought up periodically.  So is the Old Testament.  Its stories fill the basement in boxes.  They are labelled then categorized.  Neatly arranged, access is easy.  However, knowing the system takes some learning.

     “What box to look in?”  Familiarization is key.  Suddenly we find ourselves with a flashlight getting snuggly with contents.  And that is not bad.

     Following our marriage in 1990, my wife and I dedicated our time to reading before bed.  I remember times awake in West Germany, reading while Anne would occasionally fall asleep on my shoulder.  Good memories.  Also, a good foundation.  I think we made it into first or second Chronicles before we stopped.  That gave us a terrific springboard to our faith.  Genesis made the cross make sense.  Israel’s history told of Jesus ancestral descent.  He didn’t just pop out on the scene.  Prophecies foretold His coming.

     Timothy knew these scriptures thanks to his grandma and mother.  With help of the Holy Spirit, the veil was lifted and he beheld the savior.  He was prepared to accept Jesus as the One when He appeared to him so to say.  That is the power of the Old Testament.  It is our foundation in which we build upon.

     God commands us to know Him.  Before and after the cross, our God is the same.  He deserves investigation.  The history of Man from Adam to Abraham.  The call of a nation from Abraham to Joseph.  His delivering power in Egypt.  A forming of a people with Moses and a giving of the law to refine His requirements.  God’s interaction with faithful and faithless Israel as they struggled with oppression.  Kings, conquering, and defeat.

     In these scriptures, Timothy found hope.  What he needed for perfection and every good work, the Word supplied.  Jesus, as revealed in the New Testament, is icing on the cake.  But just as icing without cake makes no sense, Jesus is spread over a historical account. Please be encouraged today to eat the whole disregarding none.  Paul said, “all scripture…”