Scripture to Read: 2 Peter 1:20–21
We finish today with 2 Peter 1:20–21. God had Peter lay a solid foundation that His Word is absolutely His Word and not something that mankind came up with on his own. God had Peter write in 2 Peter 1:20 that NONE of the prophecies about Christ came from the prophet's own made-up interpretation. Even though people use the excuse that man’s interpretation is flawed, God says that it is NOT man’s own interpretation. Since the prophecies about Christ are not man’s interpretation, the prophecies had to come from some other source, and they did. In 2 Peter 1:21, God tells us that the prophecies about Christ originated through the prophets as they were guided/moved by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the prophets were used by the Holy Spirit to speak and write God’s Word. The awesome news is that God’s Word has been protected so that we can trust that what we have is His authoritative Word. As mentioned earlier this week, we know that there are almost 24,000 manuscripts to compare from to make sure that what we have in the New Testament is the authoritative Word of God. For the Old Testament, there are not as many manuscripts. But we also know that when a manuscript began to get worn and had to be copied, there was a rigorous set of rules that MUST be followed to make sure the next manuscript was exactly like the original. God has protected His Word over the centuries. God’s Word has not changed; therefore, we must live according to it daily.
Challenge & Application
· What do we know about God’s Word, and why can we trust that what we have today is the same as the original writings?
· How are you helping doubters know that God’s Word is just the same as when it was first written?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!