Heb. 4:12: For the word of God is living & active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul & of spirit, of joints & of marrow, & discerning the thoughts & intentions of the heart
Intro: Thomas Chalmers: “The best way to overcome the world is not with morality or self-discipline. Christians overcome the world by seeing the beauty & excellence of Christ. They overcome the world by seeing something more attractive than the world: Christ.”
There are many beautiful descriptions that the Word of God gives of the Word of God. I saw a graphic made by a man named Josh Barzon that listed many. Like a diamond, we will look at all these angles:
May the beauty of God’s Word entice you to enjoy God in His Word in 2026!
1. The Word Of God Is A Sword
a. As a sword, the Word of God searches our hearts: Heb. 4:12-13: For the word of God is living & active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul & of spirit, of joints & of marrow, & discerning the thoughts & intentions of the heart. 13 & no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked & exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
b. As a sword, the Word of God is our weapon in battle: Eph. 6:13-17: Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, & having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, & having put on the breastplate of righteousness, &, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; & take the helmet of salvation, & the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God . . . . [Jesus used the sword like no other! He is the best sword fighter ever!]
c. Jesus, the Word of God in the flesh, is like a sword: 1) Jesus searches our hearts: Rev. 2:23: all the churches will know that I am He who searches mind & heart . . . .
2) Jesus is our greatest weapon: Rev. 12:11: they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb
3) Jesus is coming back with a sword to conquer all His & our enemies: Rev. 19:11-15: Then I saw heaven opened, & behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful & True, & in righteousness He judges & makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, & on His head are many diadems, & He has a name written that no one knows but Himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, & the name by which He is called is The Word of God. & the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white & pure, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, & He will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.
2. The Word Of God Is A Hammer
Jer. 23:29: Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, & like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
- Paul House: God’s word, in contrast to that of the false prophets, would burn the straw of falsehood. Like a hammer, God’s word shatters the sinful heart.
- Richard Owen Roberts: The Word is described in the Word as a hammer. The Word is described in the Word as a fire. The Word is described in the Word as a sword. Is it not reasonable that if I have preached the Word there will be people who are hammered – who like the hard rock are smashed to pieces? Is it not reasonable to suppose that if I have preached the Word there will be those who will feel pierced by the sword of the Spirit? Is it not reasonable to suppose that there are those who have been cold & without passion who are set on fire for Jesus Christ if I have preached the Word! Is it sensible to think that I have preached the Word & nobody has been smashed; nobody has been pierced; nobody has been ignited? I would think it much safer to suppose that when nothing of that sort happens, you haven’t preached the Word. [Help us!]
Jesus breaks hard hearts like a hammer (His heart never needed breaking over sin!):
- Lk. 22:60-62: Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are talking about." & immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. & the Lord turned & looked at Peter. & Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, "Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times." & he went out & wept bitterly.
3. The Word Of God Is A Fire
Jer. 20:9: If I say, "I will not mention Him, or speak any more in His name," there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, & I am weary with holding it in, & I cannot.
- Paul House (Jer. 23:9): God’s word, in contrast to that of the false prophets, would burn the straw of falsehood.
- Paul House (Jer. 20:9): God does not allow Jeremiah to cease preaching. When Jeremiah decides not to preach, he apparently feels intense (& possibly bodily) pain, as if the words are trying to burst forth. He cannot stop proclaiming Gods’ words [Jesus spoke the Word like no other]
Jesus is like a fire: His eyes are like a flame of fire (Rev. 1:14): 1) Jesus knows/sees everything;
2) Jesus is coming to judge in righteousness & truth: Rev. 19:12-13: He judges & makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire; [penetrating omniscience, righteous judgment, & purifying holiness]
- He knows motives, thoughts, desires & will judge: Heb. 12:29: our God is a consuming fire.
May the beauty of God’s Word entice you to enjoy God in His Word in 2026!
4. The Word Of God Is A Mirror
Jas. 1:21-25: Therefore put away all filthiness & rampant wickedness & receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, & not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word & not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself & goes away & at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, & perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
Jesus is like a mirror: Jesus came to tell us the truth about ourselves! He came to show us our sin! The sermon on the mount: GOSPEL!
5. The Word Of God Is A Lamp And A Light
Ps. 119:105: Your word is a lamp to my feet & a light to my path.
God’s Word is the truth! Jesus is the truth (John 14:6)! God’s Word shows us our sin & our need for a Savior! God’s Word show us how we ought to live & shows us that we’ve failed! God’s Word brings us salvation & then shows us how to live after we are saved!
Jesus is our lamp & light: Jesus shows us our sin! Jesus is our light Who brings us out of the darkness of sin, death, & hell! Jesus saves us! Jesus shows us how to live!
- Jn. 8:12: I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
- Jn. 12:46: I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness
- Rev. 21:23: the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, & its lamp is the Lamb.
6. The Word Of God Is Seed
Matt. 13:23: As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word & understands it. He indeed bears fruit & yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, & in another thirty.
Jesus is the seed: Jesus is the supreme Sower, Seed, & Soil simultaneously! He is God’s Word come in the flesh!
May the beauty of God’s Word entice you to enjoy God in His Word in 2026!
7. The Word Of God Is Water
Eph. 5:25-27: Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church & gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy & without blemish.
Peter T. O’Brien: Christ gave Himself to the church to make her holy by cleansing her. This cleansing was effected by a spiritual washing brought about through Christ’s gracious word in the Gospel. His love for the church is the model for husbands in its purpose & goal, as well as in its self-sacrifice. In light of Christ’s complete giving of Himself to make the church holy & cleanse her, husbands should be utterly committed to the total well-being, especially the spiritual welfare, of their wives.
Rain & Snow: Isa. 55:10-11: For as the rain & the snow come down from heaven & do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth & sprout, giving seed to the sower & bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, & shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
Jesus is like water: He alone makes us clean from our sins! Jesus will accomplish all His will!
8. The Word Of God Is Milk
1 Pet. 2:2-3: Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual [logikon] milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation – if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
- This pure spiritual milk is God’s Word: 1 Pet. 1:23-25: since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living & abiding word of God; for "All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, & the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever." & this word is the good news that was preached to you.
Jesus is like milk: V. 3: if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good;
It’s through Jesus & your relationship with Him that you are nourished & grow up strong & mature in Him!
9. The Word Of God Is Bread
Matt. 4:4: But he answered, "It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
Jesus is the Bread of Life: Jn. 6:51: I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. & the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh
May the beauty of God’s Word entice you to enjoy God in His Word in 2026!
10. The Word Of God Is Meat Or Solid Food
Heb. 5:14: But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
Peter T. O’Brien: Adults are prepared for solid food, which will signify that they are skilled “in the word of righteousness”, & may also refer to instruction about the high-priestly office of Christ . . . .
Jesus is our meat & solid food: Jn. 6:53-56: So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man & drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh & drinks my blood has eternal life, & I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, & my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh & drinks my blood abides in me, & I in him.
- Jn. 6:35: Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, & whoever believes in me shall never thirst."
11. The Word Of God Is Sweeter Than Honey
- Ps. 19:7-10: The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, & righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey & drippings of the honeycomb.
- Ps. 119:103: How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
There’s always more to see: 1) Matthew’s use of Malachi 5:2: a. When N. T. authors change or add to O. T. Scripture, they have the authority to do so because they are inspired by the Holy Spirit. b. Kevin Vanhoozer: what people often refer to as the spiritual sense . . . is actually the eschatological fullness of the literal-historical sense . . . the literal meaning of Scripture is the meaning of the letter, viewed as human-divine authorial discourse, when read in canonical context with an eschatological frame of reference . . . [what Matthew does is] thicken, extend, or deepen the literal meaning.
2) The Magi’s gifts: Rev. 21:23-26: the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, & its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, & the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, & its gates will never be shut by day – & there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory & the honor of the nations.
Jesus is our honey: Jesus is the sweetness to our souls! Jesus is our joy! Jesus is our Ps. 73:25!
12. The Word Of God Is More Precious Than Gold
- Ps. 19:10: More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold
- Ps. 119:72: The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold & silver pieces.
- Ps. 119:127: Therefore I love your commandments above gold, above fine gold.
Jesus is our treasure: Samuel Rutherford: O if I could invite and persuade thousands, & ten thousand times ten thousands of Adam's sons, to flock about my Lord Jesus, & to come & take their fill of [His] love! O pity forevermore that there should be such an one as Christ Jesus, so boundless, so bottomless, & so incomparable in infinite excellency & sweetness, & so few take Him! Oh! Oh! You poor, dry and dead souls, why will you not come hither with your empty souls to this huge, & fair, & deep & sweet well of life, & fill your empty vessels? O that Christ should be so large in sweetness & worth, & we so narrow, so pinched, so ebb, & so void of all happiness! And yet men will not take Him!
Charles Wesley: Jesus, my all in all Thou art, My rest in toil, my ease in pain,
The medicine of my broken heart, In war my peace, in loss my gain,
My smile beneath the tyrant’s frown, In shame my glory & my crown.
In want my plentiful supply, In weakness my almighty power,
In bonds my perfect liberty, My light in Satan’s darkest hour,
My help & stay whene’er I call, My life in death, my heaven, my all.
Samuel Rutherford: O my Lord Jesus Christ, if I could be in heaven without thee, it would be a hell; & if I could be in hell, & have thee still, it would be a heaven to me, for thou art all the heaven I want . . . Heaven & Christ are the same thing.
Charles Spurgeon: There will be little else we shall want of heaven besides Jesus Christ. He will be our bread, our food, our beauty, & our glorious dress. The atmosphere of heaven will be Christ; everything in heaven will be Christ-like: yes, Christ is the heaven of His people.
Christ Jesus Is The Word Of God Incarnation
He’s A Searching Sword And Battles Temptation
He’s A Hammer And Fire – Crushing Heat Conflagration
He’s A Mirror To Show Us Our Sin Separation
He’s A Lamp To Point Us To Truth Liberation
He’s Seed, Sower, Soil – Our All – The Summation
He’s Milk So We Grow And Mature The Foundation
He’s Water To Cleanse And Make Pure Celebration
He’s Meat So We’re Nourished – Our Cure For Starvation
He’s The Bread Of Life – Our Food For Salvation
Sweeter Than Honey – Our Preoccupation
More Precious Than Gold – Our Praise Adoration
He Bore All God’s Wrath – Our Full Propitiation
He Died And Then Rose For Our Justification
By Faith Alone He Saves From Damnation
Through The Word He’s At Work For Our Sanctification
And Leads Us To Heaven For Glorification
So Praise God The Word Who’s Our All Combination!
May the beauty of God’s Word entice you to enjoy God in His Word in 2026!
Bible Reading Plans
God And The Gospel
To learn more about the great and true Triune God, the God-Man, Jesus Christ, His cross, and His glorious Gospel message and everlasting Kingship, please watch American Gospel: Christ Alone. You can watch the full documentary here and here for free!
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