Ⅳ
If we take every part of the law—all the commandments, ordinances, statutes, precepts, and judgments—as the word breathed out by the God whom we love, we will have the law as God’s living word; the Spirit is the reality of whatever God is (John 16:13; 1 John 5:6); hence, as the Spirit, Christ is the reality of the law (John 6:63; Eph. 6:17-18; 1 Cor. 15:45b; Psa. 119:9 and footnote 91):
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As God’s living word, the law functions to minister the living God to His seekers—vv. 2, 88.
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As God’s living word, the law functions to dispense God Himself as life and light into those who love the law—vv. 25, 50, 107, 116, 130, 154.
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As God’s living word, the law functions to restore man’s soul and make man’s heart joyous—19:7-8.
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As God’s living word, the law functions to bring salvation—119:41, 170.
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As God’s living word, the law functions to strengthen (v. 28), comfort (v. 76), and nourish us (v. 103).
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As God’s living word, the law functions to uphold us, keep us safe, and cause us to hope—vv. 116-117, 49.
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As God’s living word, the law causes us to enjoy God as our portion—v. 57.
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As God’s living word, the law causes us to enjoy God’s countenance (v. 58) and the shining of His face (v. 135).
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As God’s living word, the law causes us to enjoy God as our hiding place and shield (v. 114) and also enjoy God’s help and well-dealing (vv. 175, 65).
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As God’s living word, the law functions to make us wise and give us understanding—vv. 98-99.
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As God’s living word, the law functions to give us proper discernment and knowledge—v. 66.
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As God’s living word, the law functions to keep us from sinning and from every evil way—vv. 11, 101.
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As God’s living word, the law keeps us from stumbling (v. 165), establishes our footsteps, and causes us to overcome iniquity—v. 133.
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If we love God, humble ourselves, and regard the law as His living word through which we contact Him and abide in Him, the law will become a channel through which the divine life and substance are conveyed to us for our supply and nourishment; being infused with God’s substance through the law as God’s word, we will become one with God in life, nature, and expression and will spontaneously live a life that expresses God and corresponds to His law—Rom. 8:4; Phil. 1:21a.
Morning Nourishment
Psa. 119:88 Enliven me according to Your lovingkindness, and I will keep the testimony of Your mouth.57-58 Jehovah is my portion; I have promised to keep Your words. I entreated Your favor with my whole heart; be gracious to me according to Your word.
The law is not only a list of divine commandments; it is the living word of God which infuses God’s substance into those who lovingly seek Him. If we consider the Ten Commandments only as laws and then try to keep them, we are not proper in our approach to the law….On the contrary, we should be those who love God and seek Him, In this matter, we should be like Paul in Philippians 3, one who was pursuing Christ out of love and even running after Him. Out of love for the Lord, we should pursue Him, contact Him, and abide in His presence, dwelling together with Him. If we do this, day by day we shall be infused with God. Then automatically we shall walk according to God’s law. We shall keep the requirements of the law, not by our own efforts, but with what has been infused into us of the Lord through our contact with Him. Once we have been thoroughly infused with God’s substance, He Himself from within us will keep His own law....We should not regard the law simply as His commandments, but as the word of God and the testimony of God, which not only express Him but also infuse His substance into those who seek Him in love. (Life-study of Exodus, pp. 607-608)
Today’s Reading
In Psalms 119 and 19 we see at least twenty-six functions of God’s law as His living word to those who lovingly seek Him….The Word of God gives us light. It also gives life (119:25, 50, 107, 154). if you read Psalm 119 carefully, you will notice that the word enliven is used a number of times. The Hebrew word rendered “enliven” like the Greek word, means to give life. The Word of God gives us light; then it enlivens us, quickens us, gives us life. Therefore, we live by the living Word; that is, we live by God Himself.Another function of the Word of God is to restore man’s soul and rejoice man’s heart (Psa. 19:7-8). We need to be not only enlivened by the Word, but also restored by it, especially when we are depressed, suppressed, or oppressed. After working all day at your job, you may be under the oppression of Satan and may be in need of restoration. On your way home from work, take time to read, pray, and sing the Word. You will find that the Word will restore your soul and cause your heart to rejoice.
As the Word of God nourishes us, it upholds us. The Word holds us up. It also keeps us safe and causes us to hope (119:116-117, 49). When we experience the function of the living Word, we shall not be without hope. Rather, we shall be hopeful in all things. In Philippians 1:20 Paul could speak of his earnest expectation and hope.
The Word of God also causes us to enjoy God as our portion (Psa. 119:57). If we would enjoy Christ as our portion in the Word, we should not only study the Word, but receive the Word in a living way by praying, singing, psalming, and thanking.
Through the Word we enjoy God’s countenance (v. 58) and the shining of His face (v. 135). While the children of Israel were in fear and trembling at the foot of Mount Sinai, Moses was on the mountaintop enjoying the shining of the Lord’s countenance. Our situation should be that of Moses on the mountaintop, not that of the children of Israel at the foot of the mountain. We should be on the mountaintop under the shining of the face of God.
The Word of God also keeps us from stumbling (v. 165), establishes our footsteps, and causes us to overcome iniquity (v. 133). No iniquity will have dominion over us. Instead, we shall conquer all evil things, for the Word of God will make us conquerors, overcomers. (Life-study of Exodus, pp. 686-688)
Further Reading: Life-study of Exodus, msgs. 52, 56-60; Life-study of the Psalms, msg. 40