What other scriptures stress the importance of preserving God's word? Setting the Scene: Jeremiah 36:2 “Take a scroll and write on it all the words I have spoken to you about Israel, Judah, and all the other nations from the day I first spoke to you—from the days of Josiah until today.” God commands Jeremiah to record His words so they will not be lost. That single verse opens a window into a much larger biblical theme: the Lord Himself safeguards His revelation and calls His people to do the same. Why Preservation Matters • If God’s words are life, light, and truth, then losing or altering them would rob every generation of that life. • Scripture ties our obedience and blessing directly to retaining the exact words God has spoken. • Throughout history, faithful believers have copied, guarded, and proclaimed the text so that we can hold it in our hands today. Old Testament Witnesses • Exodus 24:4 — “And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD.” • Deuteronomy 17:18-19 — Each king must “write for himself a copy of this instruction… It shall remain with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life.” • Deuteronomy 31:24-26 — The completed Law is placed beside the ark “that it may remain there as a witness.” • Psalm 12:6-7 — “The words of the LORD are flawless… You, O LORD, will keep them; You will guard us from this generation forever.” • Psalm 119:89 — “Your word, O LORD, is everlasting; it is firmly fixed in the heavens.” • Proverbs 30:5-6 — “Every word of God is flawless… Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and prove you a liar.” • Isaiah 40:8 — “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.” New Testament Witnesses • Matthew 5:18 — “Not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” • Matthew 24:35 — “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.” • John 10:35 — “The Scripture cannot be broken.” • 2 Timothy 3:16-17 — “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” • 1 Peter 1:24-25 — “The word of the Lord stands forever. And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.” • Revelation 22:18-19 — A solemn warning not to add to or take away from “the words of prophecy in this book.” Threading the Theme Together • God speaks, then immediately orders His words to be written (Jeremiah 36:2; Exodus 24:4). • He binds leaders and nations to those written words (Deuteronomy 17; Deuteronomy 31). • He pledges personal custody over every syllable (Psalm 12; Isaiah 40). • Jesus affirms that the smallest letter is indestructible (Matthew 5:18) and equates the endurance of His words with the permanence of creation (Matthew 24:35). • The apostles ground teaching and correction in preserved Scripture (2 Timothy 3; 1 Peter 1). • The Bible closes with a final command to guard the text unchanged (Revelation 22). How God Preserves His Word Today • Providence over scribes, translators, and manuscripts through the centuries. • The global church—believers entrusted as “stewards of God’s mysteries” (1 Corinthians 4:1) who copy, teach, and live the Word. • The Holy Spirit who inspired the text also illuminates and safeguards it in every generation. Personal Takeaways • Treasure: Handle Scripture as the priceless, exact voice of God. • Transmit: Pass it on intact—whether teaching children, leading studies, or sharing the gospel. • Trust: Rest in the Lord’s promise that His Word will stand forever, unchanged and undefeatable. |
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