The Bible is more than an ancient book. It is the living, breathing Word of God ~ it has spiritual substance and operates beyond our natural senses. It contains the awesome power to bring transformation, healing and countless blessings to our lives.
We must read, study and meditate upon this precious book by the help of the Holy Spirit to unlock its many benefits.
In order to understand some of these mighty benefits within the Bible let us examine the twelve symbols of the Word of God found in Scripture and discover their purpose for our spiritual development:
- A Fire ~ To Refine
“Does not my word burn like fire? says the Lord.
- Jeremiah 23:29 (a) NLT
Reading and prayerfully meditating upon the scriptures exposes us to an aspect of God we were designed to share ~ His holiness, divinity and sacredness. This unique and awesome quality amplifies our human need and desire of Him. Anything dark, unholy or impure within flees before His bright, holy and sacred presence. His Words are like fire, convicting us of things not belonging to Him. His revealing holiness longs to draw us to His heart and so the Word of God allows us to surrender to this refining process towards oneness with Him. As fire has various degrees of heat to alter and refine hard substances, so God’s flawless word changes hard-heartedness or obstinance as a result of sin, evil or disobedience.
May this fresh awareness bring a dynamic understanding of God’s word today. May the baptism of Holy Spirit’s fire welcome your refining. May you yield to the loving conviction of His Words ushering in a new way of thinking and doing. Expect to receive a spiritual and physical upgrade in the process.
- A Hammer ~ To Convict
“Does not my word burn like fire? says the Lord. Is it not like a mighty hammer that smashes a rock to pieces?” ~ Jeremiah 23:29 NLT
Comparing the effect of a wooden hammer and an iron hammer, so is the difference between the justice system of man and God. A court judge would strike his wooden gavel to call for attention or to punctuate rulings and proclamations. But God’s loving word contrasts in its effect being like a sledge hammer that smashes all resistance and the cause of injustices and sin. Its power is absolute.
Without the conviction of the Word of God, our consciences can become seared or rock-hard, unreceptive and resistant to His counsel. We can even become religious depending on our own prideful righteousness. We can also be overly-aware of our sin yet not be able to step into the light until we suffer the painful consequence of it.
Conviction is fully effective once we accept the intense force of His love. The Father mourns over His children yet like a good Father, He allows and uses burning consequence to convict and bring us back to His arms.
As you soak in His words, your awareness of how much you need God will purify and soften your heart. He will not reject you if you come honestly and humbly, requesting His person and ways to radically alter and change your character. The effect of the iron hammer of His word will transform you instead offend you.
3: A Mirror to reflect
”For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror.” ~ James 1:23 NLT
You might look a certain way to yourself but when we stand in front of a mirror, the honest truth is revealed. The Word of God is like this truth-mirror that not only reveals the real person of the heart but points us to the truth of the God-image we are to emulate.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth ~ we cannot hide from Him. Our carnal natures want to be concealed because of the shame of sin but God’s Word brings light and truth.
Expect to find the truth about God compared to the truth of yourself in the Word. The enemy wants to keep you in the dark of condemnation but just like the moon is a reflection of the sun, may His faith in your purity shine forth and reflect the nature of the Son.
4: Seed to multiply
“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” ~ 1 Peter 1:23 KJV
God created every living thing to have seed bearing ability – the potential to multiply and increase. The Word of God is only a book, a dead seed kernel until a relationship with the Holy Spirit brings illumination to our eyes like bright sunshine to the warm soil in which seeds grow.
Furthermore, the living water of His love and closeness brings us into blissful union with the Creator. The rain of His presence saturates our dry souls as we open our lives to abide in Him. The seed will inevitably germinate bearing the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, and so on.
Surrender to Him to continue this cycle of harvest and plenty to bring eternal wealth for His kingdom and glory.
5: A Laver to cleanse
“…that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word… ~Ephesians 5:23 NKJV
In the Old Testament rituals of cleansing in the tabernacle, the huge bronze laver is a symbol of how the Word of God is both a mirror (conviction) and a means of cleansing (purification). Conviction and repentance is part of the purifying of our souls and bodies.
In the New Covenant, God shows Himself to be a wonderful provider through Jesus’ sacrifice. He granted us constant access to His presence to lead us into conviction and purification. If we choose to remain soiled by the world’s effects, it will eventually consume us. Therefore as we choose to be baptized as a public confession of forsaking selfishness, we can also daily choose to be bathed in God’s Word to refresh and cleanse us like a warm shower or bath.
6: A Lamp to guide
Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.
Psalm 119:105 NKJV
On the journey of life, we may have the map which is the Word of God but we need to be guided to have illumination of our path. The Word of God does not only show us how to live but also when and what to do within a given day or a situation. It is possible to never stumble with the Lamp of the Word guiding us.
7: Rain and Snow to refresh
For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:10-11 NKJV
Sometimes we are burdened by a certain assignment in our obedience to God. We can get physically and emotionally drained in our vision to accomplish a certain task. That is when we are invited into delving the refreshing of rain and snow of the Word of God. The Word of God replenishes our wisdom and our energy so we may walk in the prosperity His word has been assigned us to. God’s word cannot fail so we will never be disappointed within our trust of who He is and what He said He would do.
8: A Sword to cut
“”And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; Ephesians 4:12 NKJV
“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” ~ Hebrews 4:12 NKJV
In our obedience to God’s Word, we still have to consider our motives and intentions. Jesus taught that a small amount of leaven can inflate a whole batch of flour. For instance, we can be proudly obedient in false humility and yet grieve the Spirit of God as He draws near to humble hearts. The sharp and accurate Word of God assists us to question our thoughts and bring us back to humble thankfulness avoiding dead works and striving from human effort.
The Spirit saturated in the Word helps us to discern selfish motives and harmful intentions and we can request Him to cut these away from our conduct and decision-making processes. The wisdom of the Word is the sharpest instrument to purge us from our fleshly human nature. It cuts away or separates the flesh from the Spirit including all the unnecessary and superfluous burdens that distract us from walking freely and boldly with God.
9: A Bow for revenge
Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.
Habakkuk 3:9 KJV
10: Gold to enrich
“The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul.
The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living.
Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever.
The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair.
They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold.
They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.”
Psalm 19:7-10 NJKV
11: Power to create faith and eternal life
Faith
So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.
Romans 10:17 NLT
Eternal Life
For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.
1 Peter 1:23 NLT
12: Food to nourish
Milk for babies
as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby
1 Peter 2:2 NKJV
Bread for the hungry
But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ “
Mathew 4:4 NKJV
Honey for desert
More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Psalm 19:10 NKJV
