By Danzil Monk
Copyright©All Rights Reserved
ISAIAH 55:10-11
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returns not thither, but waters the earth, and makes 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 where I sent it.
FOR AS THE RAIN……………………………………………SO SHALL MY WORD
It is important to understand that whenever you find the word “AS” used in conjunction with the words “SO SHALL” you are usually dealing with TYPOLOGY.
“THE RAIN”
Rain is water, and water is a life sustainer. All life on Earth is composed in part of water, and no species of life on Earth can live without it. It is a very significant ingredient necessary for the reproduction and sustaining of all life on Earth, Thus “AS” the Rain…..SO....the WORD”.
God’s Word is life giving and life sustaining as well.
Jesus is identified as “THE WORD” {Gr. Logos} of God, (St. John 1:1-2), and therefore the Creator of all things. (Ver.3).
The Apostle Paul tells us that all things are sustained or held together by Him, (Colossians 1:17).
In Psalms 33:6 we see that the heavens were made by the word of God,
(See also Hebrews 1:2 and 11:3).
The word is the source of all life. This is what we are told by Jesus himself in Revelation 3:14.
Cults attempt to use this verse to prove that Jesus was not God but only a created being, completely ignoring the Greek.
“THESE THINGS SAITH THE AMEN, THE FAITHFUL AND TRUE WITNESS THE BEGINNING
{arche= source} of the creation of God”
“COMETH DOWN FROM HEAVEN”
Just as the Rain comes down from Heaven so also the word came down from haven to Moses in Sinai (Exodus 19:9). And the LORD said unto Moses, lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee,..
Jesus the living Word said “I CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN” (St. John 6:33,38).
(1 Corinthians 15:47)…. the second man is the Lord from heaven.
“THE EARTH”
According to the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, known as the synoptic gospels, the “earth” or ground is a type of the human heart. The parable of the sower in Matt. 13:3-8:
And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. (See also Mk. 4:4,15, Lk.8: 8,12.).
As the Rain Water the Earth to perpetuate natural life, even so the Word of God, Waters the heart of Man to perpetuate Spiritual life.
The Word: It’s Course and Effect
The Word enters through the eyes and ears, travels through the brain and enters into the heart.
And as Jesus said in his parable of the Sower, if the Heart is not stony or full of thorns, if the Heart is right, it will bring forth fruit. It will cause Spiritual life and growth.
As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby: (1Peter 2:2)
Whether the heart into which the Word is sown is good or bad depends on the individual. But no heart can be good unless God opens it.
“there was a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshiped God, WHOS HEART THE LORD OPENED” (Acts 16:14)
“MAKETH IT TO BRING FORTH AND BUD”
This speaks of the New Birth and Spiritual Maturity. To “bring forth” is to birth.
We read in Isaiah 66:8 “WHO HATH HEARD SUCH A THING? WHO HATH SEEN SUCH THINGS? SHALL THE EARTH BE MADE TO BRING FORTH IN ONE DAY OR A NATION BE BORN AT ONCE? FOR SOON AS ZION TRAVILED, SHE BROUGHT FORTH CHILDREN”.
Again we read in Isaiah 66:9 “SHALL I CAUSE TO BRING FORTH, AND SHUT THE WOMB? SAITH THY GOD”.
In the New Testament we read in the gospel according to Luke: “AND SHE BROUGHT FORTH HER FIRST BORN SON…” (Luke. 2:7), and in Matthew 1:18 “NOW THE BIRTH OF JESUS WAS ON THIS WISE..”
To “BUD” undoubtedly speaks of maturity or spiritual growth.
Peter says that we are to “DESIRE THE SINCER MILK OF THE WORD THAT WE MAY GROW THEREBY” (1 Peter 2:2).
The spiritual growth of the believer is God’s primary concern for the body of Christ. His concern is so great that he has made provisions for it. We are told by Paul in Ephesians 4:8, 11-13, that when he (JESUS) ascended on high, HE LEAD CAPTIVITY CAPTIVE AND HE GAVE GIFTS UNTO MEN…. AND HE GAVE SOME APOSTLES, AND SOME PROPHETS, AND SOME EVANGELISTS AND SOME PASTORS AND TEACHERS; FOR THE PERFECTING {Gr. KATARTISMOS, Complete furnishing} OF THE SAINTS, FOR THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY, FOR THE EDIFYING OF THE BODY OF CHRIST: TILL WE ALL COME….. UNTO A PRFECT MAN, UNTO THE MEASURE {Gr. Metron, limited portion or degree},
(we will not be perfected until we receive our glorified bodies), OF THE STATURE OF THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST”.
The primary purpose of God’s word is to provide instruction for, (Tim 3:16-17; Ps.119:9,11,105,130) the spiritual edification of the believers. This will lead to spiritual maturity, (Rom. 8:29, 12:1-2; Eph.4:24; Col.3:10; Heb.6:1-2), and then a determination to work for and witness of Jesus Christ in the believer. (Phil.3:12-14; 1 John 2:3-6; Acts 1:8).
The Prophet’s use of the word “BUD” in our text engulfs all of these things; spiritual maturity, holiness, and the desire and the ability to work and witness for Jesus. In other words, when he said “BUD” (and I DON’T MEAN THE BEER) he said it all!
“THAT IT MAY GIVE”
The total purpose of God’s word is to give. To give life, understanding, ability, direction, hope, wisdom and more.
LIFE…. Jesus said in John 10:27-28. “MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE, AND I KNOW THEM, AND THEY FOLLOW ME: AND I GIVE UNTO THEMETERNAL LIFE; AND THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH, NEITHER SHALL ANY MAN PLUCK THEM OUT OF MY HAND”
UNDERSTANDING…..David said in psalms 119:98-100. “THOU THROUGH THY COMMANDMENTS HAST MADE ME WISER THEM MINE ENEMIES: FOR THEY ARE EVER WITH ME. I HAVE MORE UNDERSTANDING THEN ALL MY TEACHERS: FOR THY TESTAMONIES ARE MY MEDITATION. I UNDERSTAND MORE THAN THE ANCIENTS, BECAUSE I KEEP THY PRECEPTS”.
ABILITY……IN the gospel according to Luke, Jesus said, “BEHOLD, I GIVE UNTO YOU POWER to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you: (Luke 10:19. See also Phil. 4:13) Therefore in our text this phrase “THAT IT MAY GIVE” speaks of provisions.
“SEED TO THE SOWER
”The seed is the Word as we saw in our first lesson. The Sower as we saw is twofold, referring to our Loud Jesus himself and to human agents. Namely: The Apostle, Prophet, Pastor, and Teacher, Evangelist and even Laypeople.
Although Laypeople are usually less skillful in the area of sowing due to a lack of understanding; if they are properly yielded to the Spirit, even they can be used mightily of God to sow the seed of God’s word in the hearts of men. (See John 4:39)
Once we have been born again and have grown to a place of reasonable maturity, God then begins to inform us of the calling or ministry into which we are to function for the benefit of the entire body of Christ and the world.
The Apostle Paul refers to this in his epistle to the church of Corinth. (Chap.12: 4-11).
He also refers to this in his Epistle to the church of Ephesus. (Chapter 4:11-13).
It is at this stage of our lives that the potential of our effectiveness as sowers of God’s word begins to be realized. God’s word is the Seed and his Spirit functions both as the supplier of knowledge and understanding of God’s word as well as the fertilizer of the heart ofpeople.
However, I must be clear in stating that not all are called to preach and teach. There are other ministries that must be fulfilled that are equally important to the harmonic fulfillment of the ministry from the holistic perspective: Paul beautifully explains this in 1 Corinthians 12 verses 14 thru 22.
“For the body is not one member, but many.
If the foot shall say, because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
And if the ear shall say, because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
And if they were all one member, where were the body?
But now are they many members, yet but one body.
And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you”.
We must remember that God is no respecter of persons. (Romans 2:11) and He is the giver of the gifts, the Lord over the administrations, and the God who decides how we operate.
(1 Corin.12: 46).
Each gift has its own specific value, each administration its own responsibility, each operation its own purpose, but “It is the same God which worketh all in all”, (12:6), for “Every man to profit withal”. (12:7).
All of this comes about as a result of God giving SEED TO THE SOWER.
“BREAD TO THE EATER”
Bread is the word of God, the spoken word (Rahma), the written word and Jesus who is the living Word (Logos).
The Eaters are all who hear and receive the word of God whether minister or laypeople, saint or sinner.
“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth”
What we have discussed so far clearly demonstrates this statement.
“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.”
God's word will either benefit you, to bring you form sin to salvation and then to spiritual maturity, or it will judge and condemn you if you refuse and rebel against it.
This is the testimony to God’s sovereignty. He is still supreme over all and His word will not fail. Whatever He purposes to do He will succeed and His word is the means through which He accomplishes His goals.
He has given us His written word to guide our lives. We must yield to His wisdom and respect and obey His word if we want to survive spiritually and inherit eternity.
Your comments and suggestions are welcome.
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