I first read The Hobbit when I was twelve years old and in 6th Grade. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, and I dove head first into the world of Middle Earth.
A very cool element of that world is its swords (or “letter openers”), which often held significance and influence in the story. (I was going to name a few, but there are so many!)
The story of Christians includes a sword as well: the Word of God, the Bible. It is included in the “armour of God” described by Paul in Ephesians 6.
But this incredible collection of God’s messages to us is a bit like a hobbit trying use William Wallace’s sword. How do we wield it without making a mess or being ineffective?
The Power of the Word
In North America, we live in a time when the Bible is available everywhere, from Walmart to the internet. If you want seventeen different bindings and text sizes in for the same Bible translation, you can do it twelve different ways. (I almost don’t want to know if my attempt at hyperbole is more fact than fiction.)
I have a standing rule when it comes to Bibles: If I am buying a new one, I need to find a new home for an old one. Give it to a family member, a friend, a ministry associate to give to someone in need. If my Bible count goes up, I have to at least make it even by sharing what someone might not otherwise receive.
The value of Scripture cannot be emphasized enough to those who have it available to them in such abundance. Paul told Timothy about the power of Scripture:
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing people what is wrong in their lives, for correcting faults, and for teaching how to live right. Using the Scriptures, the person who serves God will be capable, having all that is needed to do every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NCV)
When Jesus was in the wilderness, following His baptism, Satan came and tempted Him there. Jesus answered with a quote from the book of Deuteronomy, where Moses explained God’s provision when Israel was in its own wilderness:
He humbled you by letting you go hungry; then he gave you manna to eat, which you and your ancestors had not known, so that you might learn that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. (Deuteronomy 8:3, CSB)
It was not possible for Jews to have a wide-margin, leather bound, red-letter edition of Scripture, or an app with reading plans and devotionals. Still, the same Jesus who taught us to pray for “our daily bread” understood the power of God’s Word, and knew how to use it.
In the opening chapters of Revelation, Jesus is described as having “a double-edged sword” in His mouth, and He promised to “use it “fight against” those who did not repent (Revelation 1:10; 2:12; 2:16).
The “Word” of God
What about you and me? How do we use the Word of God? When describing the Armor of God, Paul told us to take the Sword of the Spirit:
Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens … Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:11-12, 17, NIV)
This is typically where a preacher/teacher will remind you to read your Bible. It is not just a book, it is only God’s Words, it is a tool to assist you in living the Christian life.
This, of course, is true. But “the word of God” in this verse is not the Bible. At least, not like we tend to think about it.
There are many people in this world who know and are able to quote Scripture. In the wilderness after His baptism, Jesus was tempted by the Devil with the Old Testament as the foundation for his words. The Bible, in and of itself, is not the sword spoken of by Paul.
“Word” in this sentence is the Greek rhema, and it appears 70 times in the original language of the New Testament. When we consider the Scripture, we typically consider the logos word of God. John used logos to describe Jesus as the One who was in the beginning with and being God, Who became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1,14).
Watchman Nee was a Chinese minister in the middle 1900’s, and he explained the difference between the logos and rhema:
We are not saying that the written Word of God is of no use, but that logos—the Word of God recorded in the Bible—is of no use to us by itself. …Both logos and rhema are the Word of God, but the former is God’s Word objectively recorded in the Bible, while the latter is the word of God spoken to us at a specific occasion.
Rhema is used, not only to describe a “spoken” word, as most would categorize it, but also as a directive, a prophecy, in relation to Jesus and the Gospel, as a confirmation of faith, having the power of Creation, and cleansing the Church.
The “Spirit” component of the sword is more than the inspiration behind the writing of the words on paper (see 1 Timothy 3:16), but also which words are needed at the time.
W.E. Vine created a resource to help us understand the use of the original languages of the Bible. When explaining the rhema he wrote:
The significance of rhema (as distinct from logos) is exemplified in the injunction to take “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” Eph. 6:17; here the reference is not to the whole Bible as such, but to the individual scripture which the Spirit brings to our remembrance for use in time of need, a prerequisite being the regular storing of the mind with Scripture.
Familiar with Your Weapon
In the years between finishing elementary school and starting middle school, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were new and extremely popular. I used to play in our hedged-in backyard and, of course, train with whatever I could get my hands on.
Thankfully I did not have any swords or nunchucks floating around the yard. But I did find an old broomstick (back when they were made of real wood). I used to twirl it around my arms and body to whack my invisible attackers like I was a full blown ninja. (I know many of you did, too.)
Was I really becoming a “trained” ninja? No; I would have needed a master and a lot more hard work for that. But I did become familiar with the “weapon” in my hands. It was not ninja-level skill, but for many years I was dangerous with a broomstick.
Did you catch Vine’s reminder at the end of the quote? We need to be filling our mind with the Scripture so that the Spirit can bring those words back to remembrance.
Think of it as becoming familiar with your weapon. Your hand gets used the to feel of it. You learn the difference between various offensive and defensive moves. A sense of its versatility is built as it becomes an extension of who you are and what you do, not just a tool to use once in a while. As we build that familiarity, we deposit Scripture into our being.
The Spirit cannot always turn to John 3:16 or Genesis 1:1, Scriptures which most can recite easily, for every situation in our lives. Depending on the day, it could feel like trying to pay your mortgage using the money saved between your couch cushions; it simply is not enough. Or, it could be like trying to access a book on an e-reader, where I know the title and can see the cover, but unless it is in my account, I cannot access its contents.
Thus the logos should be valued and read often so it can be transformed into the rhema by the Spirit who knows what is best in our time of need. It is up to us to deposit the Scriptures – regularly (reading often) and widely (from Genesis to Revelation) – in our minds and hearts.
Reading the Bible is a good thing, but it can seem like a daunting task. Take it one slice at a time. Do not create a systematic, judgmental trap for yourself. Get started; get back to it; do not let any discouragement keep you from it.
Take a Minute
Most of the world has easy access to the Bible, but we are still very far from making it a daily part of our lives. If we are waiting for inspiration, we should take a good look at the world we live in, and the days we struggle through. It is time to grab hold of the sword God has given to us.
Do you have a system for adding the Bible to your life on a regular basis?
If the Holy Spirit was looking in your heart for Scripture to bring out and help you through a difficult situation, how much would He have to work with?
Photo by Tim Wildsmith on Unsplash
Chris MacKinnon 