WORD

Words. We use thousands every day - some casual and virtually meaningless, some formal and thought-packed, all expressing some idea. But this Word is special and unique. In his song ‘The final Word’, Michael Card says:

‘We use so very many clumsy words
The noise of what we often say is not worth being heard
When of the Father’s wisdom wanted to communicate His love
He spoke it in one final, perfect Word’.

One final, perfect Word. Previously, God had spoken through prophets, Heb. 1.1-2, His speech being audible. Now, there was a Word made flesh, John 1.14, a visual Word! Prophets could fail in word, as with Moses’ unusually harsh words at Meribah, Num. 20. 10. John the Baptist, the last of the prophets, was a voice, John 1. 23, but every voice needs a word. What a word John had,’Behold, the Lamb ofGod ... aManwho ranks higher than I, for He was before me’, John 1. 29-30 NKJV!

Our Lord was always the Word - the Eternal Word, just like the eternal God, for the Word was God. Verse 1 could be rendered ‘In the beginning, the Word was’ or ‘In the beginning the Word was existing’, Kenneth Wuest. But, in this ‘phase’, to whom was the Word spoken? The answer is in the phrase ‘the Word was with God’, v. 1. What wondrous fellowship between divine persons. The Word expresses the thoughts, the glories and the character of Godhead to the Father, Heb. 1. 3. A glorious relationship!

But He will also express the thoughts of God to all of humanity. And so we have the Incarnate Word, ‘the Word was made flesh’, v. 14 - a great mystery, God as man, 1 Tim. 3. 16, so that man could know and live with God! It is in theface of Christ that we see the glory of God, 2 Cor. 4. 6 - the glory of His majesty, Isa. 2.10; the glory of His grace, Eph. 1. 6; the glory of His power, 2 Thess. 1. 9; and the glory of His inheritance, Eph. 1. 18. Bask in the glorious revelation of God!

‘Thou art the Everlasting Word,
The Father’s only Son,
God manifestly seen and heard,
And heaven’s beloved One’. [Josiah Conder]