Focusing On God’s Holy Scripture

Joshua 1:8 NASB
“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will achieve success.”

This was God’s instruction to Joshua, just prior to Joshua and the accompanying Hebrew people, entering into the “Promised Land”.
Were there lessons to be learned from how the 12 tribes of Israel responded to this instruction? Yes, there were indeed, and some of the ramifications of these lessons, are identified below.

And much later, when Jesus begins His ministry, what does He say about this Law? Jesus says that He did not come to do away with the Law, but rather to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). That statement alone, due to these aforementioned ramifications, is going to put Jesus at odds with the Pharisees, scribes and Sadducees. And the reasoning behind WHY Jesus was at odds with them, is very telling.

We recall that when Jesus was tempted by Satan, by WHAT SATAN SAID, Jesus responded to Satan’s attempts to detract Him, (I call these detractions “off ramps”) from the work that God the Father had given Jesus to accomplish, by quoting “It is written . . .“, to each temptation (Matthew 4:1-11), one cannot help but see the utter necessity Jesus placed on focusing solely, ON WHAT GOD HAS SAID, that is recorded within God’s Holy Scripture, and that this reliance on WHAT GOD HAS SAID, as recorded in God’s Holy Scriptures, is necessary, in order to understand Scripture and to be obedient to God’s commandments.

And when the Sadducees attempted to trap Jesus with their questions (WHAT THEY SAID), Jesus responded with His statement as recorded in Matthew 22:29 NASB “But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, since you do not understand the Scriptures nor the power of God.“

The Pharisees and some of the scribes were likewise admonished by Jesus in Mark 7:8 NASB when Jesus responded to their questions (WHAT THEY SAID) by saying: “Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.”

What God has said in the Holy Scriptures is equated to the commandment of God, while what man has said is equated to the tradition of men.

Holy Scripture and the tradition of men are not one and the same thing. In fact, God tells us the difference between His thoughts and our thoughts very clearly in His Holy Word via Isaiah 55:8-9.

And more specifically, not only are they not the same, they are definitely not of equal value. According to Jesus, following God’s commandments produces the successful conclusion of God’s intent, while following man’s commandments produces man’s intent.

And note that Jesus accused the Pharisees and some of the scribes of “holding to” the tradition of men. That would be where the tradition of men takes precedence over the commandment of God, actually nullifying God’s intent (Mark 7:13).

And these “traditions of men” are taught as doctrines (Mark 7:7), or commandments of men.

I’d like you to notice the reversals that these few verses of Scripture indicate, which are all attributable to not understanding Scripture, nor the power of God.

God’s commandments are replaced by man’s commandments.
God’s commandments are nullified.
Man’s commandments are taught as doctrine.
God’s doctrines are nullified.

Do you honestly think that Satan’s tactics have changed since he tempted Jesus? Jesus didn’t bite then, but many still do.

What happens when you place tradition on equal footing with Holy Scripture? What happens when you place alternative experimental experiences on equal footing with Holy Scripture?

Are you wondering if this still happens today? Yes, it definitely does and for the sake of brevity, I shall name but two of the bigger examples. Think “Roman Catholicism“, think “The New Apostolic Reformation“.

Worthy is the Lamb! Blessings!