COMPREHENDING THE WORD OF GOD

Isaiah spoke of a time when the Word of God would not be understood. It was a time of cursing. His words sound like they have come from a contemporary newspaper. "And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: and the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned. Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men" (Isaiah 29:11-13).

Underscore this fact in your mind: when God's Word is not comprehended by those claiming identity with Him, their heart has been removed from Him. The church must labor to avoid this happening to its constituents. No effort can be spared in the endeavor to help people comprehend the Word of God! The Sunday School plays a valuable role in making this happen.

The remarkable degree of Scriptural illiteracy that exists in our day is inexcusable. This is a time of spiritual famine--like the one prophesied by Amos. "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: and they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it. In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst" (Amos 8:11-13). How tragic that such a condition could exist! And why did it happen? Simply because God's people did not take an interest in God's Word--so He took it away. He did not remove the Scriptures themselves, but the proper delineation of them. We can avoid this judgment by seeing to it that people have a proper understanding and appreciation of the Word of God.