1 Cor. 2:6-16, Word Pictures of the Bible (3)

3.     The Bible as guidance for life.  Give me understanding and I shall live (119:144).

a.     Legal pictures, Psalm 119:1-6.

                        i.            The Bible as law, 119:1.  Torah speaks of direction or instruction.  It is not used here as of the Law of Moses but of the Law of the LORD.  The Bible reveals God’s law to us.  E.g. Thou shalt love the LORD your God with all your heart … (Deut. 6:5).  For by grace are you saved … (Eph. 2:8-9).

                     ii.            The Bible as testimonies, 119:2.  The root word is witness.  The law of the LORD just principles; it is lifestyle.  The law is to be visible in life, bearing witness to our God.  E.g. Love one another as I have loved you (Jn. 13:34-35).  Forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you (Eph. 4:32).

                  iii.            The Bible as precepts, 119:4.  The Bible contains mandates for life, rules that are to be followed in specific situations.  E.g. If your enemy is hungry, feed him (Rom. 12:20; Prov. 25:21-22).  Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities (Rom. 13:1).

                   iv.            The Bible as statutes, 119:5.  Statutes are laws decreed by a governing authority and tell us what is our obligation in that situation.  E.g. the regulations for the sacrificial system fit this term (Lev. 6:22).

                      v.            The Bible as commandments, 119:6.  We could say there is the Law of the LORD and there are many commandments. 

It is not critical to make strong distinctions between these terms.  They are often used side-by-side without stating which are testimonies or precepts, etc. (cf. Gen. 26:5).  Rather they show various sides of God’s Word in it’s legal use.  The Bible tells us what the Creator expects of Man and that for which he will be held accountable.

b.     Pathway pictures.

                        i.            The Bible as His ways, 119:3.  This refers to a well-worn pathway.  It can be used of a journey and thus also refers to a manner or custom.

                     ii.            The Bible as Your ways, 119:15.  This is a different term, almost always used figuratively of the way of life and death or of obedience and sin. 

The idea here is that the Bible is like a map.  In Proverbs the simple man doesn’t even bother to bring a map while the wayward man is one who had gone off the map. 

c.     Light pictures (119:105).

                        i.            The Bible as a lamp.  This refers to the lamp or torch which caused things in darkness to glisten and become visible.

                     ii.            The Bible as a light.  This speaks of the essence of what the lamp emits.  God created light before He created the lights.

The wicked are dark in their understanding (Eph. 4:18), their hearts (Rom. 1:21) and their ways (Prov. 4:19).  For the one who fears Him God will turn darkness into light (Ps. 18:28).  He does this by the work of the Holy Spirit who turns on the light, meaning He brings to light the Word of God in the life of the believer (1 Cor. 2:6-16).