Is It God or Is It Memorex?

“Is it live or is it Memorex?”   For those of us old enough to remember, these are very familiar words from a series of Memorex commercials shown in the 70s and 80s. (To refresh your memory, you can watch one on youtube…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bkt8Dwzl6Sg)  In these commercials, famous singers from the day would shatter crystal wine glasses with their voice alone.  The question would then be asked “was it live or was it Memorex?”.  Memorex claimed that you couldn’t tell the difference between a live voice and one recorded on their audio tape.  They said that the recordings stored on their tapes would be more accurate and they would last for a longer period of time than their competitors.

Memorex isn’t the only one that is in the business of recording words…. Our Lord recorded His Words and then went far beyond what Memorex attempted to do. What Memorex claimed, Our God perfected… The Lord recorded His Word that will exist unchanged for an eternity!   He did this for us, that we might know His mind and see Him more clearly…    

THE SCRIPTURE:

For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants.

(Psalms 119:89-91  kjv)

THE STUDY:

Why should we take time to read, study and meditate on God’s Word?   We have this question answered for us in the preceding verses.

Please notice in vs 89 we have a clear declaration of the permanence of God’s Word.  This truth is brought out to us in two phrases…  “for ever” and “settled”.   

Let’s look at the last phrase first.   To be “settled” means “to have a firm foundation placed under something so that it cannot be moved, shaken, or altered”.  In other words, the Lord has completed His Word and it will not change.  He has settled on it. 

For example, if we have a big decision to make we may take some time to decide the best course to take.   Once we have made our decision, we say, we have”settled the issue.”   In other words, we have decided on it, and have put it to rest in our minds.  Our conclusion will not change. 

Likewise, the Lord, who dwells in heaven, has “settled on” His Word.  He has proclaimed it through the Godly men of old… He has decided on it…. it is now settled and it will not change.

Praise God, we can trust in His never changing Word!   When times get tough and we feel like there is no hope left for us, turn to God’s Word knowing that He, and His Word, never fails. 

Now let’s look at our first phrase. “Forever” simply means “without end”.  Have you ever spent anytime at the ocean side?  When you look out over the ocean you can see no end to it.  It seems to continue on forever.   Scientists, as they look into the heavens, tell us that they cannot see the limits to the vast area we call outer space.  These examples of “seeing no end”, show us the definition of the Hebrew word for “forever”.  This word is defined as “seeing the vanishing point”.  

The Lord has established His Word and we cannot see an end to it… we can be assured that no matter how long time exists, the Word will exist and be relevant to our lives… there is no limit to His Word or the keeping of it.  Yes dear friend, because of these truths even our eternal existence can be entrusted to our Lord and His Word.

Vs 90-91 give us an earthly example of the permanence of His Word… the physical creation we see all around us.  The Lord created the earth… it continues to exist. All of His living and nonliving creation continues on.  This pictures for us the continuity of His Word.   Because God decrees that His creation will proceed… it does.  No if, ands, or buts about it. 

Every morning, as we awaken from our sleep, and see nature all around us, it should remind us that, just as His creation exists for another day… so to does His faithful Word.  He is so good to us supplying us with a wonderful world to live on, with a never-failing revelation from Him to live by!   .

Finally, please notice the reason why the earth continues to exist….it’s because the Lord has ordained (decreed or said) that it would.  How powerful is God’s Word!  He simply speaks and it is done.  He spoke the world into existence (Genesis 1:), likewise He calmed the sea during a massive windstorm, simply using His Word (Mark 4:39-41), His Word even raised a dead man to life (John 11:43-44).  This same powerful word is the Bible…. it is one in the same.  

THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION:

We have the gracious privilege of being able to hold, read and most importantly, rely upon this Word for our eternal salvation and instructions for our day to day walk of life.   

Have you received the salvation from your sins that the Lord so graciously gives?  If not, please begin to read more about His salvation in His Word.  Great places to start would be  Romans 3:19-31 and  John 3:10-21, in both these passages our Lord makes the necessity of salvation very clear to us, as well as the way of salvation which is through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

And for those of us who are saved, let’s not take His Word for granted.   Everyday, let’s appreciate His Word, read, study, and meditate on it, so that we can be “equipped fully unto all good works” ( 2 Tim 3:14-17)  

May the Lord bless your study of His Word.

Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”