| Christian Life and Doctrine | February 1971 |
The Power of the Word of God
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” —Isaiah 55:8-11
THE words of fallen men often fail of their intended purpose, but never the words of God. Speaking through the Prophet Isaiah, the Lord said, “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.”—Isa. 46:9,10
To us the Word of God which reveals his plans and purposes toward his human creation is the Bible; and we have the assurance that the Bible is God’s complete revelation to us in so far as we need his guide lines. Paul wrote to Timothy, “Stand by the truths you have learned and are assured of. Remember from whom you learned them; remember that from early childhood you have been familiar with the sacred writings which have power to make you wise and lead you to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every inspired scripture has its use for teaching the truth and refuting error, or for reformation of manners and discipline in right living, so that the man who belongs to God may be efficient and equipped for good work of every kind.”—II Tim. 3:14-17, New English Bible
Turning back to the first chapter of the Bible, we find examples of the accomplishments of the Word of God: “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” (Gen. 1:3) “And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters: … and it was so.” (Gen. 1:6) “And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.” (vs. 9) “And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.” (vs. 11) “And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.” (vss. 14,15) “And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.”—vs. 24
Man was the crowning feature of God’s earthly creation: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish [fill] the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”—vss. 27,28
How meaningful is the expression “it was so” which appears in connection with God’s command with respect to the various aspects of the work of preparing the earth to be man’s everlasting home. We do not know, nor could we understand concerning all the agencies the great Creator employed in the accomplishment of his purposes with respect to this work. All we know is that it was accomplished to the satisfaction of God and in keeping with his Word. And just as at that time his Word did not return unto him void, but accomplished his good purposes, so it has been in connection with every aspect of his plan, and continues to be, even to the working out of his holy purposes in the lives of those who are dedicated to the doing of his will.
Human Failure
But this has not yet been so with mankind in general. Because of disobedience man became imperfect, and selfish, and even those things which he was commissioned to do by his Creator have come far short of being accomplished in keeping with the Creator’s will. Man was commissioned to multiply and fill the earth, and while billions of his offspring have been born into the world, they have all been sinful and dying, and if man had been left to his own devices, the human race might well have become extinct.
But God, through his love, provided a Redeemer for man, even his own beloved Son, and all will eventually have a full opportunity to believe on the Son, and those who do will not perish. (John 3:16) Thus the purpose of God concerning his human creatures will be carried out; his Word will not return unto him void—not because of man’s wisdom, but by the wisdom and power of God.
Man was also commanded to “subdue” the earth—meaning, evidently, to bring it under his control so that it would provide food and clothing for the increasing population. Through the centuries some progress was made along this line, but coming into “the time of the end” in which we are now living, and into the industrial age, man is awakening to the stark fact that through the misuse of the earth’s resources the air, water, and land are becoming so rapidly polluted that man’s very existence on the earth is threatened. We can rest assured, however, that although man is failing in his efforts to subdue the earth, the Lord’s Word with respect to this will not return unto him void; that in his own time and way the earth will be subdued, for he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited.
God’s Plan
God knew from the beginning that man would fail with respect to his part in filling and subduing the earth, so he began to put his own plan into operation, and he has revealed this plan to his servants here on earth through the many promises and prophecies we find set forth in his written Word. To Abraham God said, “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee: and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”—Gen. 12:1-3
Abraham was a man of great faith in God and in his promises, and he obeyed his Creator. Paul wrote concerning him, “By faith Abraham, when he was called of God to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”—Heb. 11:8-10
Abraham obeyed God even to the extent of showing his willingness to offer his beloved son Isaac in sacrifice. It was then that God confirmed his promise to him by his oath. We quote: “By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.”—Gen. 22:16-18
A Faith Seed
When we read these wonderful promises of God concerning his purpose to bless all the families of the earth through the “Seed” of Abraham, it is important to keep in mind that there are two aspects of the seed. There is the seed that does the blessing according to the divine purpose, and then there is the seed which is blessed. The Scriptures reveal that both these seeds are made up, not only of the natural seed of Abraham, but of Gentiles as well. Also that none, not even the natural descendants of Abraham, will continue to be his seed except upon the conditions of faith and obedience.
Paul wrote concerning this, saying, “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.”—Rom. 4:16-18
The faith and obedience of Abraham serve as a wonderful example to all the Lord’s people, and in keeping with the Scriptures, a reminder that if we wish to enjoy the Lord’s blessing, and to inherit the promises made to us, we also must through faith be obedient to the Lord and to the conditions he attaches to the promises. When God said, “Let there be light, and there was light,” he brought into action all those creative forces necessary to accomplish his will. And now he is working through the hearts and minds of his people who, by responding to his directives, become the instruments by which his plan of redemption and recovery for the human race is being carried out.
The Apostle Paul identifies the blesser seed of Abraham in Galatians 3:8,16,27-29. Verse 8 reads, “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the Gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.” Verse 16 reads, “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” And then, in verses 26-29 Paul explains further: “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and hears according to the promise.”
Joint-Heirs with Christ
There is no misunderstanding Paul’s identification of the blesser seed of Abraham, that seed through which all the families of the earth are to be blessed. Primarily it is Jesus, and therefore how appropriate it was that when Jesus was born the angel should refer to him as “a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10) Throughout the age millions have thrilled over this proclamation of the angel, yet few indeed have realized that the work of saving and blessing the world could not begin until those who are baptized into Christ, and thus “put on Christ,” are all gathered out from the world and united with Jesus as his “bride,” and exalted to heavenly glory with him. Few indeed have realized that these also “are heirs according to the promise” made to Abraham.
And just as Jesus became the Redeemer and Savior of the world of mankind through faith in his Father’s plan, and obedience to that plan, so we become joint-heirs with him through our faith and obedience. We are immersed, or buried, into his sacrificial death. This whole company are shown in symbol on Mount Zion with the “Lamb.” They are identified as the children of God by the fact that the Lamb’s Father’s name is in their foreheads. Identifying these further, the statement is recorded, “These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.”—Rev. 14:1,4
“These are they which follow the lamb” the Revelator wrote. There is no other way to reach Mount Zion, and there to be with the Lamb, except to follow him, to walk as he walked, and that is in the way of sacrifice. Psalm 40:7,8 states prophetically of Jesus, the Lamb, “Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.” The “volume of the book” is the Old Testament, the Word of God as it had been provided at the time of our Lord’s first advent, and in this prophecy we find Jesus declaring his dedication to doing the things which this “Book” had foretold for his guidance.
Guided by the Word
Yes, Jesus was guided by the Word of God—that Word which is destined to accomplish the good pleasure of the Creator, the Word which will not return unto him void. The words which Jesus spoke were not his own, but the Father’s, and the works which he did were the Father’s works. These led him in the way of sacrifice, a sacrifice which was not completed until on the cross he said, “It is finished.” And, all those who ultimately share his heavenly home and glory will be the ones who have faithfully followed him.
Sanctified by the Word
In his prayer in the Upper Room the night before he was crucified Jesus said of his followers, “I have given them Thy word.” And again, “Sanctify them by thy truth, thy word is truth. As thou has sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” (John 17:14,17-19) Sanctification means a setting apart to the holy will and purpose of the Heavenly Father, and here Jesus indicates that this is accomplished through the power of the Word of God.
And what is the ultimate purpose of this in the divine plan? In this prayer in the Upper Room Jesus also said, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” (John 17:20,21) What an intimate and precious oneness is being accomplished by the power of the Word and prayer, between the Lamb and those who follow him!
This is a oneness which will become a reality in the full sense only when the true followers of the Master have been united with him in glory. Throughout the age the professed followers of the Master have, generally speaking, been shamefully divided, and in no small way this has been the result of failing to give proper attention and obedience to the sanctifying power of God’s Word. Opinions, philosophies, human traditions, and differences in interpretation of scripture have divided the Lord’s people; but the greater the reverence for the Word of God, and obedience to its precepts, the sweeter and richer has been the unity among the brethren. And “how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.”—Ps. 133:1-3
In Jesus’ prayer he indicated that one of the results of the unity which will eventually come about among the Lord’s elect people of the Gospel will be that the world may believe. (John 17:21) John 3:16 reads, “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” As Jesus shows in his prayer, the world will become believers in him as a result of the oneness brought about between Jesus and his followers through the sanctifying power of the Word of truth.
This, of course, will not be in the present Gospel Age, but in the Millennial Age, when Christ and his followers, brought forth from death in the first resurrection, will be instruments of the Creator in the enlightenment and blessing of all the families of the earth. That will also be the world’s judgment day; that day in which the “books” of divine revelation will be opened for the enlightenment and guidance of those who then become believers. (Rev. 20:12) And just as God’s Word for the present age will not return unto him void, but ultimately will accomplish his grand design for the Lamb and his followers, so it will be true of his will and Word for that future kingdom period, when a knowledge of the Lord will be caused to fill the whole earth as the waters cover the sea.—Isa. 11:9
The Power of the Word
God’s Word is powerful in the hearts and lives of those who with humble submission yield to its influence. It is our spiritual food; it is a cleansing power in our lives; it is the light of life; it is the armor of righteousness which protects us from our enemies—the world, the flesh, and the Devil—enabling us to fight the good fight of faith. Hebrews 4:12 reads, “For the word of God is alive and active. It cuts more keenly than any two-edged sword, piercing as far as the place where life and spirit, joints and marrow, divide. It sifts the purposes and thoughts of the heart.”—New English Bible
The searching and revealing power of the Word of God in our lives depends upon our wholehearted surrender to its influences. We can resist its power through a selfish determination to have our own way, and to cling to our own interpretation of what the Word of God really means, especially as it applies to our individual relationship to God. On the other hand, if humbly we seek the Lord’s guidance, and pray that he cleanse us from all opposition to the purifying and directing power of the Word, it will surely accomplish the divine purpose in us.
God’s Word may fail to make us suitable “for the inheritance of the saints in light,” but if it does it will be our fault, not a failure of the Word of God; for in the carrying out of his purposes God does not coerce his people, but seeks, and ultimately exalts, only those who humbly submit to his will. Peter wrote, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, and he will exalt you in due time.”—I Pet. 5:6
New Heavens and New Earth
Just as God is selecting and preparing his people of the Gospel Age for their high position in the spiritual rulership phase of the messianic kingdom, so it was through the power of his Word that he directed and prepared the Ancient Worthy class to be the human representatives of this heavenly rulership. These two aspects of the kingdom are symbolized as the “new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”—II Pet. 3:13
In Isaiah 51:16 we read that the instrument God has used and continues to use in the lives of those who will participate in these two phases of the kingdom is his Word. We quote, “I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.” Just as the literal heavens and earth were brought into being through agencies which responded to the Word of God, so it is with respect to “the new heavens and new earth.”
True, the Bible as we know it today—the written Word of God—was not possessed in ancient times. Prior to the giving of the Law, God’s Word was relayed to his servants largely through the instrumentality of angels. With the writings of Moses, and later the other prophets, this method gradually changed. The main point is that the Lord accomplished that feature of the divine plan for that period through the power of his Word, based upon the obedience of those to whom it was directed. Thus, by his Word, he laid the foundations of the new earth, and is still planting the heavens. And we can be sure that these purposes of God’s Word will not return unto him void.
In this prophecy the Lord says that he would put his words in the mouths of his people. Other scriptures indicate clearly that his Word must also reach the heart in order to be effective in the life of the consecrated servants of God, but we think that in this instance we have an indication that the Lord wants us to participate in communicating his Word, that its power in our lives is dependent upon how faithful we are in proclaiming it to others. The Scriptures make it abundantly clear that this is the Lord’s will for his people. We are to be faithful in holding forth the Word of life.
It is also through his Word that God says to the Zion class, “Thou art my people.” This function of the Word is referred to in the New Testament as the “witness” of the Spirit. Paul wrote, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together.”—Rom. 8:16,17
This assurance of divine sonship is a necessary encouragement to give us strength to continue following the Lamb in his pathway of suffering. But how glorious the end will be if we continue on faithfully! It will mean being glorified together with him, and this will assure us a share with him in that great promised work of blessing all the families of the earth. When that work is fully accomplished, then all the willing and obedient will know that God’s Word did not return unto him void.
Yes, the people will know then that the Word of God, made sure by the mighty power of the Creator, did not need the carnal weapons of man in order to accomplish the divine purpose of blessing all nations. May we even now lay hold upon this great truth and put our trust more fully in the Word of God, that Word which has never failed, nor can fail. If at any time through the years of our pilgrimage our expectations may fail, let us remember that in such an event they were not based upon the Word of God, for he is always faithful; and may we, with increasing faith and hope, rejoice in the glorious fact that God’s Word does not return unto him void, that in his own due time and way he will accomplish that which he pleases, and that his Word will prosper in the things whereto he sends it.