The Wonders of Scripture!

There are many wonders in this world.
The heavens declare the glory of God.
The oceans display His power.
The mountains proclaim His majesty.
The intricate design of the smallest living creature reveals His wisdom.
Yet among all the wonders God has given to mankind, there is one treasure that surpasses them all: the written Word of God.

The Bible is not merely an ancient book. It is not merely a collection of religious writings, human opinions, moral teachings, or inspiring stories. It is the Word of the living God! Through its pages, the infinite God speaks to finite man. The Creator makes Himself known to His creatures. The Holy One reveals His holiness. The Judge reveals His righteousness. The Savior reveals His mercy. And Jesus is revealed as the One in whom all the promises of God find their "Yes" (2 Corinthians 1:20).

What a wonder!

The Wonder of Its Divine Author

The first wonder of Scripture is its Author.

Human beings wrote the words of Scripture, but behind these human instruments stood the sovereign God. "All Scripture is God-breathed" (2 Timothy 3:16).

Kings, prophets, shepherds, fishermen, priests, apostles, and scholars were used by God across many centuries. They lived in different generations, came from different backgrounds, and wrote in different circumstances. Yet through them all, God gave one harmonious revelation of Himself and His redemptive purposes.

Peter declared that "men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21).

The Bible therefore comes to us with divine authority.
When Scripture speaks, God speaks.
When Scripture commands, God commands.
When Scripture warns, God warns.
When Scripture promises, God promises.

When Scripture reveals the way of salvation, it is God Himself declaring the only way in which sinners may be reconciled to Him.

How then should we approach such a Book? Not casually. Not skeptically. Not as though we were sitting in judgment upon it.

We come humbly.
We listen reverently.
We believe obediently.

The Wonder of Its Message

The Bible has one great message running throughout its pages: the glory of God in the salvation of sinners through Jesus.

From Genesis to Revelation, the Scriptures unfold God's eternal purpose of redemption.

In Genesis, we see the entrance of sin and the promise of the coming Redeemer.

Throughout the Old Testament, we see sacrifices, priesthood, covenants, promises, prophecies, types, shadows, and ceremonies--all pointing forward to Jesus.

Then, in the fullness of time, the promised Savior appears.
The eternal Son becomes flesh.
He lives the righteous life sinners could never live.
He dies the substitutionary death sinners deserved.
He rises triumphantly from the grave.
He ascends into glory.

And the New Testament proclaims the good news of what He has accomplished.

Then the book of Revelation lifts our eyes to the consummation of all things, when the Lamb who was slain reigns in glory and His redeemed people dwell with Him forever.

What a magnificent unity!
One Book.
One divine Author.
One unfolding plan.
One Savior.
One way of salvation.
One glorious purpose: the glory of God.

The Wonder of Its Truth

Everything around us changes.
Human philosophies change.
Scientific theories change.
Political opinions change.
Cultural values change.
Human promises fail.
But the Word of God stands forever!

"The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of our God stands forever" (Isaiah 40:8).

The Bible does not need to be updated to accommodate the changing opinions of mankind. Truth does not become obsolete because sinners reject it.

God's Word remains true when the world applauds it, and when the world despises it.
It remains true when men believe it, and when men mock it.
It remains true when it is preached from pulpits, and when it is forbidden by governments.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but Jesus declared, "My Words will never pass away" (Matthew 24:35).

What security this gives the believer!

We do not build our eternal hope upon the shifting sands of human wisdom. We build upon the unchanging Word of God.

The Wonder of Its Power

The Bible is not merely true--it is powerful.

God uses His Word to accomplish His purposes in human hearts.

"The Word of God is living and active" (Hebrews 4:12).

It searches us.
It exposes us.
It convicts us.
It rebukes us.
It comforts us.
It corrects us.
It instructs us.
It sanctifies us.

It reveals our sin, and directs us to our Savior.

What other book can pierce the innermost recesses of the human heart?

We may successfully hide our sins from other people. We may even deceive ourselves. But when the Word of God shines its light upon us, our excuses are stripped away.

Scripture tells us what we would never discover about ourselves by human wisdom alone:
It tells us that we are sinners.
It tells us that we are spiritually dead apart from God's grace.
It tells us that we cannot save ourselves.
And then it points us to Jesus.
The same Word that wounds, also heals.
The same Word that condemns our self-righteousness, reveals the righteousness of Christ.
The same Word that exposes our poverty, reveals the riches of divine grace.

The Wonder of Its Wisdom

The Bible gives wisdom that the world cannot provide.

"For the LORD gives wisdom, and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding" (Proverbs 2:6).

Human learning may teach us how to build cities, split atoms, navigate oceans, and explore distant galaxies. But it cannot tell a sinner how to be reconciled to God.

Human wisdom may teach us how to gain the world.
Scripture teaches us how not to lose our soul.

Human philosophy asks, "What is truth?"
The Word of God declares Truth to us.

Human religion invents countless paths to God.
Scripture declares one Savior, and one way of salvation.
"Salvation is found in no one else" (Acts 4:12).

The Bible does not merely make us more educated.
It makes us wise unto salvation.
It teaches us how to live.
It teaches us how to die.
And most wonderfully, it teaches us how to live forever with God.

The Wonder of Its Comfort

What a treasure the Bible becomes, when the believer walks through dark valleys!
When friends fail, Scripture remains.
When earthly possessions disappear, Scripture remains.
When the body becomes old and frail, Scripture remains.
When death approaches, Scripture remains.

The promises of God become an anchor for the soul.
"Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and Your servant loves them" (Psalm 119:140).

The Bible does not promise that God's children will never suffer. It gives something infinitely better: the assurance that God will never abandon them in their suffering.

It tells us that our heavenly Father is sovereign over every circumstance.
It tells us that Jesus is always with His people.
It tells us that the Holy Spirit dwells within them.
It tells us that nothing can separate us from the love of God.
And it tells us that suffering is temporary, while glory is eternal.
What comfort can compare with this?

The Wonder of Its Sanctifying Power

God's Word not only tells us what to believe. It transforms the lives of those whom God has saved.

Jesus prayed to the Father, "Sanctify them by the truth; Your Word is truth" (John 17:17).

The believer does not merely need to read Scripture.
He needs Scripture to work upon him.
The Word confronts our pride.
It exposes our selfishness.
It corrects our wandering.
It restrains our tongue.
It purifies our desires.
It teaches us humility.
It strengthens our faith.
It produces obedience.

It continually turns our eyes away from ourselves, and toward Jesus.

The Christian life is therefore not sustained by human strength or religious enthusiasm. We need the continual ministry of the Word through the power of the Holy Spirit.

The more clearly we see God in Scripture, the smaller we become in our own eyes.
And that is a blessed thing.
For the purpose of Scripture is not to make us admire ourselves.
It is to make us admire God.

The Wonder of Its Sufficiency

The Bible is sufficient for everything God has commanded His people to believe and do.

Scripture says that it is "useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Notice the purpose: thoroughly equipped.

We do not need human traditions to complete God's revelation.

We do not need a special interpreter standing between the believer and the Word of God.

We do not need some secret key that makes Scripture authoritative.

God has spoken.

His Word is sufficient.

The Holy Spirit who inspired Scripture, is able to illuminate the minds of God's people as they read it.

This does not mean that every passage is equally easy to understand, nor does it mean that teachers and pastors are unnecessary. God has given teachers to His church. But no human teacher possesses the authority to become the master of Scripture.
The preacher must submit to the Word.
The church must submit to the Word.
Every human opinion must be tested by the Word.
Scripture stands above us all.

The Wonder of Its Christ-Centeredness

Above all, Scripture is wonderful because it reveals Jesus.

Jesus Himself said of the Scriptures, "These are the Scriptures that testify about Me" (John 5:39).

What a statement!

When we read Scripture properly, we should continually find ourselves looking toward Him.
He is the promised Seed.
He is the Passover Lamb.
He is the true Bread of Life.
He is the suffering Servant.
He is the great High Priest.
He is the perfect sacrifice.
He is the righteous King.
He is the risen Lord.
He is the Savior of sinners.
He is the Lamb upon the throne!

The Bible is therefore not merely a book that tells us how to live a better life. It is the revelation of the glory of Jesus.

And the more we see Jesus, the more we love Him.

The Wonder of Its Eternal Value

One day every earthly book will become irrelevant to us.
Our bank statements will not matter.
Our diplomas will not matter.
Our accomplishments will not matter.
Our earthly possessions will not matter.

But the Word of God will have prepared us for eternity.
It tells us where we came from.
It tells us why we are here.
It tells us what is wrong with the human race.
It tells us what God has done to save sinners.
It tells us where history is going.
And it tells us what awaits those who belong to Jesus!

The Bible is therefore more precious than gold, more necessary than food, and more valuable than all the treasures of this passing world.

"How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" (Psalm 119:103).

What a tragedy that we can possess such a treasure and neglect it!

What a tragedy when Christians spend hours consuming the words of men, but scarcely open the Word of God.

What a tragedy when the Bible sits unopened, while the believer searches everywhere else for wisdom, comfort, direction, and hope.

God has spoken.

His Word is before us.

Why would we starve our souls?

Let Us Treasure the Word

Christian, cherish your Bible.
Read it.
Study it.
Meditate upon it.
Believe it.
Obey it.
Pray over it.
Teach it to your children.
Speak it to the suffering.
Proclaim it to the lost.
Stand upon it when the world shakes.
Return to it when your heart wanders.
Cling to it when darkness falls.

For the Bible is not merely ink upon paper.

It is the Word of the living God.

And when you open its pages, you are standing upon holy ground.

Here God reveals Himself.
Here He exposes our sin.
Here He proclaims His grace.
Here He unfolds His eternal purposes.
Here He displays the glory of Jesus.
Here He tells the sinner how he may be saved.
Here He teaches the saint how to live.
Here He promises eternal glory.

And here, until the day we see Jesus face to face, our heavenly Father has graciously given us everything we need to know concerning the faith once entrusted to God's people.

What a wonder Scripture is!

It is . . .
  light in the darkness,
  a sword against the enemy,
  bread for the hungry soul,
  water for the thirsty,
  a mirror for the heart,
  a guide for the pilgrim,
  a refuge for the afflicted,
  a comfort for the dying,
  and a divine revelation of the Savior!

And when the long pilgrimage is finally over, when faith becomes sight and the redeemed stand in the presence of Jesus, we will understand more fully what an unspeakable gift God has given us in His Word.

Until then, let us open it with reverence.
Let us read it with humility.
Let us believe it with confidence.
Let us obey it with gladness.

And above all, let us behold in its sacred pages the glory of the One of whom all Scripture speaks: Jesus!

"Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" (Psalm 119:105).
(The above article was AI generated.)