From Me to You: June 2024

THE WORD OF GOD

There is absolutely nothing in the world more important than the Word of God. It is important simply because it is the Word of God and thereby proclaims the way of life and living. It is,above all, the blueprint for eternity.

It is Israel who gave the Bible to the world. Every part of it, as far as we know, was written by the prophets of old or the apostles of the New Testament. They were all Jewish, with the possibleexception of Luke. Some claim that Luke was a Gentile. Perhaps he was, but it is my personal thought that Luke was Jewish. Nevertheless, through the men of God spanning a time frame of approximately 1,600 years, the Bible was ultimately given to the human race.

MOSES

Moses, the great lawgiver, was the first writer of the Bible, writing the Pentateuch—the first five books of the Bible. It is also believed that Moses may very well have collaborated with Job in writing the book that bears Job’s name. If, in fact, that is the case, then the book of Job would be the oldest book on the face of the earth, and it was probably written while Moses was at the backside of the desert. No doubt, Genesis was written at that time as well.

The canon of Scripture was closed out approximately 1,600 years later by John the Beloved. He wrote the book of Revelation while incarcerated as a prisoner on the isle of Patmos.

THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH

As well, and even more important, the Jewish people served, one might say, as the womb of the Messiah. I speak of the Lord Jesus Christ who was born of the Virgin Mary and was the Son of the living God. He was God manifest in the flesh (Isa. 7:14). All of this means that Jesus Christ was very God and very man. He wasn’t half man and half God but rather fully God and fully man. During His incarnation, He never ceased to be God; still, He laid aside the expression of His deity while never losing possession of His deity.

He came but for one purpose and that was to go to the cross. There He would offer Himself as a sacrifice for sin, making it possible for sinful man to be saved and come into the very presence of God.

THE JEWISH PEOPLE

The Jewish people were raised up for the very purpose of bringing the Son of God into the world. Unfortunately, they did not recognize Him when He came, or, if they did, they refused to admit it and demanded that He be crucified as an imposter. For that act, they have suffered untold agony for nearly 2,000 years and have been scattered all over the world. 

However, in 1948, in fulfillment of Bible prophecy, the nation of Israel was reborn in the ancient homeland. The ultimate conclusion will be their full restoration, which will take place at the second coming. 

ALL JEWS

Then, all Jews in the world will accept Christ as their Savior and their Lord, realizing that the one whom they crucified was, in reality, their Messiah. Willingly, gloriously, and gladly they will accept Him, and do so without reservation. This is yet to come, but most assuredly it shall come.

The formation of Israel as a state was and is a harbinger of this coming event. Truly, as it has been stated, Israel is God’s prophetic time clock. In other words, one can look at Israel and pretty much tell the time that the great prophecies of Daniel and others are to be fulfilled. In fact, the world is on the very eve of their fulfillment, even though it really doesn’t know or understand such. 

THE EXPOSITOR’S STUDY BIBLE

This is what makes The Expositor’s Study Bible so important. It helps one to understand the Bible. I fully believe that this Bible is the Bible chosen by the Holy Spirit for the twenty-firstcentury. So I thank those of you who are making it possible for hundreds of thousands of these Bibles to be given all over the world.

Thank you. And I’ll say it again—thank you so very much.

In the Master’s service, yours, 
Jimmy Swaggart