Ancient Truths

In order to navigate this world effectively as servants of Christ, we need to have a working knowledge of the wisdom of God. In Proverbs 3, we can read:
13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding;
14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies, And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand, In her left hand riches and honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace.

How to we acquire and develop this wisdom?  We know that it comes from an exposure to and a absorption of Scripture.  We fill our minds with the knowledge of God, and the Spirit of God teaches us how to incorporate that knowledge and apply it to the decisions we make and the way we conduct ourselves.  We need God's wisdom in order to put to death the desires of the flesh, which are being tantalized by the influences of our culture.  His wisdom, which comes from His Word, enables us to walk in His light.

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The 119th Psalm offers a beautiful exposition about the authority and beauty of God's Word.  We
read, beginning in verse 10:
10 With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!
11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You!
12 Blessed are You, O Lord! Teach me Your statutes!

Sometimes you just don't know what you'll find when you go through that old closet or cabinet.  And, you might even find something that spurs a memory or that you have been missing for a long, long time.

Well, in New Zealand recently, leaders at an Anglican church there found quite a treasure.  According to a piece on the Christian Headlines website...

Officials at an Anglican church in New Zealand were shocked to discover they had been housing a 400-year-old Bible in a cabinet – and they still don’t know how it got there.

The congregation, St Peter's Church in Palmerston North, was founded in the early 1900s. The 1616 King James edition Bible was discovered in a cupboard in 2012 wrapped in a towel, and was pulled out again this month ahead of National Bible Day on July 15, according to the New Zealand website Stuff.co.nz.

Amy Houben of the church is quoted as saying, "I feel quite sorry for this old girl in a way,” adding, “They were made to be read and held. They weren't made to be locked in a glass coffin.”

Nevertheless, the Bible has a new cover and it is now on display in a cabinet.

It does appear to be unclear how that old 1616 Bible got there - one theory mentioned in the article is that someone who came to New Zealand from Great Britain brought it there. Nevertheless, it is a rare artifact - the article says, "Supposedly, only 30 copies of the print run of the 1616 Bible still exist."

There are some principles related to the Bible that you can take away from this story.  For one thing, the ancient words of Scripture still ring true today.  Even though we see attempts to redefine its meaning in order to somehow make it more relevant, we recognize that God's Words are timeless. We also consider that Jesus, the Word made flesh, is the same - yesterday, today, and forever; so we have to be careful that we are not either changing the meaning or picking and choosing what to believe.  

We know that there are treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden in the Scriptures - so we don't lock them away, never to be found, but God desires that we bring them out through careful study and meditation, seeking His wisdom and considering how it may apply to us.  There are incredible discoveries just waiting for us, but they will be kept from us if our Bibles are hidden away or displayed on the coffee table or a shelf.

Rather than lock God's Word away, He wants us to lock those truths in our consciousness.  Rather than hide the Bible on a shelf, He wants us to hide the Word in our hearts.   The Word of God is living and active, fresh and applicable for our lives and the times in which we live.