Let us turn to that portion that
we just read in 2 Peter 1. And I want, with the Lord's help
this morning, to direct your thoughts and to your attention
upon the words that we find here at the beginning of verse 19.
2 Peter 1, verse 19, we have also a more sure word of prophecy. Our theme then is that sure word
of prophecy. Of course we must take account
of the context, the immediate context in which this word is
set. We see it from verse 16 following,
We have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known
unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, says
Peter. but were eyewitnesses of his
majesty, for he received from God the Father honour and glory
when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory. Speaking of the transfiguration,
this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. And this voice
which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the
Holy Mount. And then he continues at verse
19, We have also a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye
do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in
a dark place, until the day dawn and the day star arise in your
hearts. Knowing this first, that no prophecy
of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy
came not in old time by the will of man, But holy men of God spake
as they were moved, as they were born and carried along by the
Holy Ghost. How important when we come to
any part of Holy Scripture that we see it in its immediate context,
but also of course we have to understand and interpret any
part in the light of the whole of the Scriptures, the general
context, or what the old writers used to call the analogy of faith. There can be no contradiction
anywhere in the word of God. It is truly that word that is
a sure word of prophecy. First of all then, to consider
the significance of the word prophecy. When we think of the
ministry of the prophets, we won't on occasions to imagine
that they were men who were able to foretell future events. There is that aspect of course
to the prophetic scriptures. There are many things recorded
in the Old Testament the words of the prophets of Israel and
they speak of those things that were fulfilled in the fullness
of the time when God sent his only begotten son into the world.
The Lord himself said to the Jews concerning those Old Testament
scriptures, search the scriptures. And he says, these are they that
testify of me. There is that aspect to the prophetic
word that it is a foretelling of events that were yet to come
to pass. But the basic ministry of the
prophets is not so much foretelling, but foretelling. They were those
who were telling forth the words of God. And how many times we
see it there in the Old Testament. The prophets would prefix so
much of what they had to say with that declaration, thus saith
the Lord. They were not speaking their
own words. They were God's ambassadors. They were declaring His truth. And so here we see it at the
end of this 21st verse. They were those only men of God,
says Peter, who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. And the verb that we have here,
the verb to move, it's a very strong verb, literally it means
to bear, to carry along. even to drive. The word is used
in Acts chapter 27 and verses 15 and 17, where we read of Paul's
experience when he was making that journey to Rome, and there
was a great storm in the Mediterranean, that storm Urocladon, and The
experienced mariners were unable to control the ship and they
had to commit the vessel to the elements, to the winds and to
the waves. And we read of how they let the
ship drive. It's the same words as we have
here, rendered moot. And we're told that they were
driven along. They had no control at all, those
mariners. But the vessel was being borne
and carried wherever the winds and the waves would take it.
And this is what we discover with regards to the inspiration
of those holy men, those prophets. They were borne along by the
Spirit of God. It's not their own words. that
they're speaking clearly the words of God. And we can think
then of the word of Paul when he writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy
3.16, all scripture, he says, is given by inspiration of God. And the expression given by inspiration
of God is the rendering of a single word in the original. And the
word that is rendered by that phrase is a compound word, yes. And literally it says, all scripture
is God's breath, given by inspiration of God. All scripture is the
very breathing, of God. Now, when we speak there are
words that we have to aspirate. We make sounds by breathing. And the scriptures, it's the
breathings of God, it's the word of God. It's not the words of
men, it's not that men were inspired in such a fashion that God comes
to them and in their minds they are inspired, but then they express
themselves in their own way, with their own words? No, it's
more than that. The very words are inspired works. We speak then of the Scripture
as that that is verbally inspired. Referring to the original autographs,
the Hebrew of the Old Testament, the Greek of the New Testament.
Oh, I trust that we recognize the importance of that right
high doctrine of Holy Scripture. Here then we have that that is
spoken of as a sure word. We have also, says Peter, a more
sure word of prophecy. Now, you will see in the context
how he is making a contrast. He speaks previously of his own
experience together with James and John, now that they were
there in the Holy Mount, they were there in the Mount of Transfiguration. And they saw the Lord Jesus transfigured,
they saw through the veil of his humanity, they saw beyond
the state of his humiliation, they saw something of the glories
that belonged to him as the eternal Son of God. And they heard that
voice that came from the excellent glory, that voice that came from
heaven. This is my beloved Son in whom
I am well pleased." And yet, what does Peter go on to say
in the words of our text? He speaks of that that is a more
sure word of prophecy. It's not that he is in any way
seeking to downplay what his own experience was, what he heard.
What he heard was truly the voice of God. God spoke directly. But here, you see, he's addressing
these believers that we read of in the opening verses. "...to them to obtain like precious
faith, As he says in the first epistle, that those who are scattered
abroad on every hand, they didn't hear the voice from heaven. But
he says that such of a more sure word. We're not those who are
to be looking then for any vision. We are to be satisfied with what
God has given us here in Holy Scripture. This is what Peter
is saying. But then, on the other hand,
it's not enough for us to have just a bare letter of the Word
of God. We need to know what it is for
that Word to be so graciously applied. We need that ministry
of the Holy Spirit. Remember what we read concerning
the ministry of the Lord Jesus after His resurrection from the
dead, when He appears to those disciples who are gathered together
in the upper room on that first the resurrection day. And in
Luke chapter 24, there at the end of that chapter, we're told
how He opened their understanding. He opened their understanding
that they might understand the Scriptures. He refers them to
those things that are written in the Scriptures. But it's not
enough, as I said, to have the written word. The Spirit must
come, the One who gave the Word must come and open our understandings. There in verse 44 of Luke 24,
He says unto those gathered together, These are the words which I spake
unto you while I was with you, that all things must be fulfilled
which were written in the Lord of Moses, and in the Prophets,
and in the Psalms concerning them. So he speaks of the Scriptures
and then opened their understanding that they might understand the
Scriptures. Or was he not the same also in
the experience of Lydia, whose heart the Lord opened? The Lord
opens her heart that she attends unto the things that are being
spoken by Paul there in Philippi. But there must be that illuminating
of the understanding, that opening of the heart that we might be
those who are receiving this Word of God, this sure Word of
God. Well, it's not enough to be mere
hearers of the Word. It's good that we come under
the sound of the Word, it's good that we attend ourselves to the
reading of the Word. But now, James reminds us of
the importance of something more than being hearers of God's words. There, at the end of the opening
chapter of his epistle, he says, If any be a hearer of the word
and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face
in a glass. For he beholdeth himself, and
goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man
he was. But, who so looketh into the
perfect law of liberty and continuous therein, he being not a forgetful
hearer, but a doer of the work, this man is blessed in his deeds."
Now he compares God's words to a glass, to a mirror, and of
course to use the mirror how the light is necessary. There's
no light, the mirror itself is useless. And so when it comes
to the Word of God, how we need that light that comes by that
gracious ministry of the Holy Spirit. What does it say here
in verse 19? Whereunto ye do well that ye
take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place. How
the light of the Spirit has to come and shine in that dark place,
the darkness of our poor, sin-benighted mind. How the Spirit must come
into those hearts that by nature are decked in trespasses and
sins, that we might receive this word, this sure word of prophecy. For it is, as we read here, a
more sure word. Notice, therefore, the significance
of this expression. Why is it sure? Because this
word is the promise of God. As I said, the men of God in
the Old Testament, those prophets, they were declaring God's words. They were forthcoming those promises. those exceeding great and precious
promises that are spoken of here at verse 4. Look at the language
that is used. What does Peter say, verse 3,
according as his divine power hath given unto us all things
that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him
that hath called us to glory and virtue, whereby are given
unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might
be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption
that is in the world through lust. The promise of God. It's not just the prophetic word
of God, but that word is the promise of God. And God is the
one who performs all his promises. He is not a man that he should
lie nor the son of man that he should repent, says Moses. As
he said it, shall he not do it? Nor as he spoke of it, shall
he not make it goods? Now time and again we see God
reminding us of the veracity of His Word. How He has exalted
His Word above all His Name. I have spoken it, He says. I
will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it. I will also do it. of all these promises of God. They are Yah and they are Amen
in the Lord Jesus Christ. That one who has come as the
great prophet of God to declare God's Word. They're all Yah,
they're all Amen. There's nothing unsure, there's
nothing uncertain. No ifs or buts or possibilities
or probabilities. They're all confirmed. and confirmed
by the oath of God as Paul reminds those Hebrews writing there in
chapter 6 of that epistle when God gave promise to Abraham because
he could swear by no greater he swore by himself, that's how
God confirmed it He gave his word, he gave his promise but
he confirmed with an oath and he swore by himself And if his
word fails, God himself fails. In that sense you see, he has
exalted his word above all his name. All this is that great
promise of God, that sure word. Now it has been sealed, and as
you know it's sealed by the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. He
has come as that one who is the mediator, of the New Testament. And so, as the mediator, the
testator himself must die. There in Hebrews 9.16 where a
testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of
the testator. For a testament is a force after
men are dead. Otherwise it is of no strength
at all while the testator liveth, but Christ has died. And last
Lord's Day we were thinking of the significance of his burial.
There is the confirmation of the reality of his death. He was crucified. He was dead. He was buried. And the third
day he rose again from the dead. It was a real death that he died. And by thus dying, why, he has
sealed the covenants, the testament, with his precious blood. All
these sure words of prophecy, how it centers in the great promise
of God. that promise that is really the
New Testament Scriptures. It's that new covenant that is
revealed with the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ as He executes
that great work that the Father had committed into His hands. And so what do we have? We have
even the very presence of God. God comes And God comes to us,
he comes in and by his words. It's not just the inscripturated
word, it's the incarnate word. The word was made flesh, says
John, and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory, the glory
as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace. and truth. And see again the
context here, what does he say? In verse 16, we have not followed
cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the power
and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses
of his majesty. All these apostles, they were
eyewitnesses as we said last week, they were eyewitnesses
of the truth of his resurrection from the dead. It was for 40
days that he showed himself to them by those infallible proofs,
the reality of the resurrection, but they were with him throughout
all the years of his earthly ministry. And they were eyewitnesses
of the majesty that was demonstrated by him. Or they ministered God's Word in seeking
to make known, he said, We make known unto you the power and
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." Now this word, coming, the coming,
you might be familiar with the particular word that's used.
It's transliterated into our English as the word perusia,
the perusia. And the word means the appearance,
the revelation, the coming. the presence, the presence of
the Lord Jesus Christ. We have it again here in chapter
3. There, verses 3 and 4, he says,
knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers,
walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise
of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep,
all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation."
It's a word that is often used in the New Testament, repeatedly
used in the New Testament, in reference to the second coming
of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Parousia, is appearing again. And that's how we have it there
in chapter 3, verse 4. These scoffers, I say, where
is the promise of His coming? He said He was going to come
again. Or will He ever come again? Will there ever be the fulfillment
of that promise of His return? It's a word that I said is so
often used by the apostles here in the New Testament. Paul, for
example, uses it several times writing in the epistles to the
Thessalonians. He uses it there in 1 Thessalonians,
in chapters 2, 3, 4, and 5. In each of those chapters
he makes some reference to the second coming of the Lord Jesus,
and he uses it again in 2 Thessalonians 2, verses 1 and 8. He's speaking of Christ's coming,
His return. But Peter also speaks of that
coming again of the Lord Jesus Christ. Look at what he says
here in chapter 3, verse 10. He says, "...the day of the Lord
will come." The day of the Lord will appear.
It's the same words. "...as a thief in the night,
in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise,
The elements shall melt away with fervent heat. The earth
also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then
that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons
ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and
hasting unto the coming of the day of the Lord? The parousia,
when the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, The element
shall melt with fervent heat. These men, you see, they keep
speaking of that second coming, the appearance of the Lord Jesus
again in that opening chapter of his first epistle. Verse 7,
Peter says, "...the trial of your faith being much more precious
than the gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire,
might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing."
The same word really, the perusia, the coming, the revelation of
Jesus Christ. And then again, verse 13, He
says, wherefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober,
and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you
at the revelation, the appearance, the coming of Jesus Christ. It might be translated by a variety
of English words, but it's really the same word. It's the Lord
coming, it's the Lord appearing. And here, coming back to the
end of the opening chapter, coming back to the words of our text
and the context in which we have these words, concerning the more
sure word of prophecy, what he is speaking of previously there
at verse 16 is the first coming of the Lord Jesus. His first
appearance. We have not followed cunningly
devised tables when we made known unto you the power and coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his glory."
All the reality of it. That's what Peter is emphasizing.
His first coming was real. And be assured, his second coming
will be as real as his first coming. He came the first time
and He will come again in power and great glory. And how these
apostles were so faithful in bearing their testimony to the
truth of His appearing in the fullness of the time. All remember
the language that John uses as he's answering those who deny
that Christ was a real person. The opening words of his first
general epistle. that which was from the beginning,
he says, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes,
which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the
word of life for the life was manifested and we have seen it
and declare unto you that eternal life which was with the father
and was manifested unto us all are so convinced of the reality
of these things the Lord has come And the Lord is to come
again the second time without sin unto salvation. But is there not also this truth,
and this is our comfort, the Lord comes. He comes even in
this day of grace. Does He not come to us in His
Word? Isn't that what we should desire
when we come under the sound of the Word of God, when we're
hearing the Scriptures read and expounded? that the Lord would
come by His Spirit in His Word. As we've already intimated, there
is a connection between the Scriptures, the inscripturated Word, and
the Word made flesh, the incarnate Word. As Joseph Hart says, the
Scriptures and the Lord. They are one tremendous name,
the written and incarnate Word. In all things are the same. Or
are we those, friends, who desire that, that we might know that
spiritual and that experimental coming of the Lord even to us? The Lord has promised it. Or
we have that sure word of prophecy, the promise of the Lord Jesus
Christ, which is Yahi and Amen. Look at what he says to his own
there in John 14, 19, I will not leave you comfortless, he
says. I will come unto you. That's
the promise of the Lord Jesus. He comes to his disciples. Again there in John 14, 21, he
says, I will manifest myself to him. What do we know of these
things? The Lord to come and to make Himself known, to reveal
Himself to us. Well, we need that sure word
that we read of in our text. We have also a more sure word
of prophecy. Yes, we emphasize the objective
truth of the Scriptures. That's the context here. As we've
already said, Peter had heard God's voice. He had seen a remarkable sight,
the transfiguration of the Lord Jesus Christ. But we are not
to desire voices and visions. We are to be satisfied with the
Word of God. We have also a more sure word
of prophecy. But how we should desire that
that sure word is brought home and applied. Applied to our hearts
by the Holy Spirit. That the Spirit might come and
reveal to us and reveal in us the Lord Jesus Christ. What do
we know of these things? Do we know anything of that real
religion? It's one thing to have our heads filled with the great
doctrines of the Word of God. But we want more than that head
knowledge, we want to know and feel something of that gracious
presence of the Lord, that He might be as real to us as He
was to those apostles who were with Him during all the days
of His earthly ministry here upon the earth. All we need is
that application, that powerful application by the Spirit. And so, Finally this morning
to say something with regards to the power. And we have it
here back in verse 16. Peter says, We made known unto
you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Or when we think of that first
appearance of Christ here upon the earth, how mean it was what
remarkable humility we see in it remember how it's spoken of
in the familiar language of Isaiah 53 there at verse 2 he shall grow
up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of a dry ground,
he has no form nor comeliness. When we shall see him, there
is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected
of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and we
hid, as it were, our faces from him. He was despised, and we
esteemed him not. That was his first coming and
yet, strangely, Peter says, there was a glory in that coming. Although, his glory was veiled
from there. Peter and James and John were
privileged to witness a remarkable sight. He says, we made known
unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. were
eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the
Father honour and glory when there came such a voice to him
from the excellent glory. This is my beloved Son in whom
I am well pleased. And this voice which came from
heaven we heard when we were with him in the Holy Mount."
Oh, it's the Transfiguration. And there, you see, they were
reminded, those three, of that power that belonged unto
Him, the glory that belonged unto Him. Now, the words don't
appear here, as Peter is recounting the voice from heaven, this is
my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. But if we turn
to Matthew's account, there was something else that was also
said. There in Matthew 17.5, God concluded by saying three
words, Hear ye Him. This is my beloved Son in whom
I am well pleased. Hear ye Him. Oh, it's that sure word you said.
It's that ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. Didn't they see
something of the glory of his ministry, those disciples? Were
they not those who sat at his feet, who heard his preaching?
We have the record there in Matthew 5, 6 and 7 of the sermon that
he preached, the Sermon on the Mount. And what do we read when
we come to the end of that sermon? the impression that was made
upon those who were present when Jesus has ended these sayings.
Why? The people were astonished at
his doctrine. That's what it says. They were
astonished at his doctrine, astonished at his teaching, for he taught
them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. Now, what was the authority that
belonged to the Lord Jesus Christ? Well, there was authority, of
course, because of who He is. He is the Eternal Son of God. He is God. He is very God of
very God, but this is Christ in the state of His humiliation.
There was an authority there by the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
There was an unction of the Spirit upon Him. God giveth not the
Spirit by measure unto Him. He was the Anointed One. Oh,
it's His authority as the Christ. Why they said in John 7, 46,
never man spake like this man. Oh, isn't the Lord Jesus Christ
the greatest of all the prophets? That was the promise that was
given even in the days of Moses, the language that we have there
in Deuteronomy chapter 18. Moses says at verse 15, "...the
Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst
of thee of thy brethren, like unto me, unto him." ye shall
hearken. And God says, hear ye him concerning
the Lord Jesus, and then God speaks through Moses. Verse 18,
I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren like
unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak
unto them all that I shall command him. Though he doesn't come to
speak his own words, he comes as God's servant. He comes to
speak the words that the Father had given to him in the eternal
covenant. He comes with that gracious anointing
of the Spirit of God upon him. He speaks all the words of God. This is his authority. And what
powerful words they were that he spake. Oh never, never a man
spake like this man. Remember Paul writing there at
the beginning of his epistle to the Hebrews. God, he says,
who at sundry times and in diverse manner spake in time past unto
the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken
unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things,
by whom also he made the world, who being the brightness of his
glory, and the express image of his person. or that ministry, that ministry
that he exercised. And out of that ministry, those
words that he spoke were all confirmed and ratified by the
miracles that he performed. That's the significance of the
miracles. They are quite secondary, as
we know, to his prophetic ministry. They are a confirmation of the
words. The prime thing is the words.
and the mighty deeds, the miraculous acts, these are but a confirmation
that He is God's sent servant. And other people, those who were
present, acknowledge that. Look at the language again that
we find in the Gospel, the opening chapter of Mark's Gospel. There in Mark chapter 1, Verse 22, They were astonished
at his doctrine, or his teaching, for he taught them as one that
had authority, and not as the scribes. And there was in their
synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, saying,
Let us alone. What have we to do with thee,
thou Jesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to destroy us?
I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked
him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when
the unclean spirit had torn him and cried with a loud voice,
he came out of him. And they were all amazed, insomuch
that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? What
new doctrine is this? What new teaching is this? For
with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirit, and
they do obey. Those see the significance of
the miracle. It's because of his teaching,
it's because of the doctrines of things that he is proclaiming.
That's the beginning of his ministry. That's right at the outset, as
we see it here in Mark chapter 1. And then when we come to the
end of his ministry. What is the end? Why is his resurrection
from the dead? And what a miracle is this? He's
declared to be the son of God. with power according to the spirit
of holiness by the resurrection from the dead. Oh, here is that one you say
who is confirmed at the outset and at the conclusion of his
ministry declared to be the son of God with power. And what does God say then? and
Peter reminds us of it, this is my beloved son. We heard that voice from the
excellent glory, this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased
and this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were
with him in the holy mount. What authority, what power and still Christ demonstrates
His power in the Gospel. Oh, the sure word of prophecy,
it's that that we're attending to, even today. It's not the
words of a man, it's the word of God. And where the word of
a king is, there is power. What is the promise that was
given to Him in the Eternal Covenant? Thy people shall be willing in
the day of thy power. Or do we desire that when we
come under the sound of God's Word it might be for us the day
of His power? That the gospel might come to
us not in word alone, but in power, and in the Holy Ghost,
and in much assurance. Look at what he reminds these
believers back in verse 3. He says, according to his divine
power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life
and godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to
glory and virtue." Oh, it's all according to his divine power. This effectual call, that's what
he's speaking of to these believers. They'd known something of that
power of God in the gospel, the sure word of prophecy. Where unto, he says, ye do vow
that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place,
until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts. These apostles, you see, they
were witnesses. They were not ashamed. Peter
says it, I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Why? It is the power of God unto salvation. To everyone that believeth in
the Jew first and also to the Greek, for therein, he says,
is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith. For the
just shall live by faith. This was the message. All that message was to be proclaimed. They would preach the word of
God. But now there was something more
that was required than the mere multitude of works. Paul says
the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. Or this is surely what we should
desire to know, the exceeding greatness, he says to the Ephesians,
the exceeding greatness of his power to Oswald, who believed
It's the work of God, you see, making the Christian. Only he
who made the world can make the Christian. How does God do it?
He does it sovereignly. But God is pleased to make use
of his words, the reading of it, the preaching of it. Oh,
it's that sure word. that sure word of prophecy, the
thing that we attend to as we come into this chapel, Lord's
Day by Lord's Day. We have also, he says, a more
sure word of prophecy. Whereunto ye do well that ye
take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until
the day dawn, and the day star arrives in your hearts, all for
that rising of the day start. It might be a small beginning,
but it's that that marks the dawning of the day, followed
by the sun of righteousness arising with healing in his wings, so
that the Lord might come then and arise and shine upon us and
grant to us that gracious application of His words, even this day as
He comes into our very souls. We have also a more sure word
of prophecy. Amen. And the tune is Sinflavian, two
hundred and twenty-one.