The One Year® Chronological Bible, NKJV (Tyndale, 2013), May 7
Creation declares God's glory, while the Bible tells His Story.
No man can miss God's glory. Both day and night communicate continuously the glory and majesty of God to every man in every tongue and language. The psalmist ascribes a voice to all of creation-"Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world" (Ps. 19:2-4). Creation speaks of God's power and deity, yet it does not communicate His redemption.
God's glory, as marvelous as it is, does not save men from their sin. They must know His Story. Every man has access, then, to the exhibit of God's glory, but not every man knows His story.
Only the Bible tells God's Story. The psalmist uses six common names by which God's Word is known and captures the results of hearing His Story.
- Without His Story, man's heart remains dead; it has to be revived, "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul" (19:7a). His story converts the soul by revealing the way of salvation and man's ruined condition.
- Without His Story men are clueless, "The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple" as it instructs man regarding life, sin, and salvation (19:7b).
- Without His Story men are without hope. The "statutes" uplift the heart by giving man hope that he may know his Creator (19:8a).
- Without His Story men remain blind to their need. The "commandment" illumines the eyes that man may understand spiritual reality (19:8b).
- Without His Story men remain unforgiven. The "fear of the LORD" promises and provides forgiveness by God's powerful redeeming love (19:9a).
- Without His Story men wander in confusion. The "judgments of the LORD" provide an anchor of truth in a sea of ideas that crash upon each generation like waves (19:9b)
Only those who learn and embrace His story come to know Him. While creation reveals His glory, only His story brings men to redemption. To know His Story is the greatest treasure of all.
Every person should have access to His story; sadly, many don't. Several thousand people groups of other languages, representing millions of people, don't have His Story in their language. How should those who have and know His Story respond? First, we should be filled with gratitude and awe that we have His Story in our own language. Second, we should pray for and give to missionaries to go and translate His Story into these languages, for everyone should have the privilege of hearing His Story in his or her heart language. Third, we should learn and live out His Story; it's not enough to have it in print―we should live it out in life.
To know God and His Story is the greatest treasure of all.
Questions from today's chronological Bible reading (Psalm 12; Psalm 13; Psalm 14; Psalm 15; Psalm 16; Psalm 17; Psalm 19; Psalm 20; Psalm 21):
Review Deuteronomy 17:14-20. Scripture played a huge role in David's life. What do the psalms in today's reading reveal about David's view of Scripture?
David reflects on the attributes of the righteous person throughout the psalms that he writes. Make a list of the attributes that he highlights from the psalms in today's reading.