We don’t often see the importance of words.
In fact, I would assume that if you are reading this then you have probably never thought through the historicity of words. What is more, you probably go about your day without the slightest attention given to how powerful words truly are. I know that I often do this.
See, to most of us, words are just, well, words. We communicate to others with them. We use them everyday. We listen to them being spoken back to us. We read them in books, magazines, or in online print like this publication before you. However, we fail everyday to understand the gravity, the importance, and the monumental reflection of eternity when we speak.
The Bible has a lot to say about the word words. In fact, it has more to say about it then you could ever imagine, well, at least right now. The concept of words, or speaking, dates back to the beginning of all history, and it does not begin with man. Absolutely not! It begins with our holy, righteous, and eternal God. The purpose of this study is not intended to be a history lesson, but to understand a theme in Scripture, I believe, we must always begin with God himself. This means we must look at Scripture itself. The Bible is God’s revelatory words to us. He has spoken to us in and through Scripture, and as Christians who hold a high view of Scripture then we must hold an authoritative, inherent, and infallible view of it.
To that end, let us begin our study of words in Scripture where all good thematic studies should begin – Genesis, chapter 1.
I love the Genesis account of Creation. It gives me such a courageous feeling about God’s existence. I don’t have to wonder about how we got here. I don’t have to battle with doubt. I don’t have to wonder about objective morality, pluralism, or scientific objectivism. I read Scripture, God’s authoritative Word, and I feel firm, objective, and full of meaning.
It is an amazing truth to understand that God spoke all of creation into existence.
Genesis 1 – God said, “Let there be light.” Boom! And there was light.
Genesis 1 – God said, “Let us make man in our image.” Boom! And there was man made in the image of God.
Hebrews 11:3 – By faith we understand the universe was created by the word of God. Boom! God spoke. And there was the universe. As simple and powerful as that.
Before man ever grazed this beautiful earth, God existed in relationship with himself (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) communicating through words. Before man ever came into existence, God spoke and things started to exist. God spoke and then things existed. My friends, words do not just reflect man’s relationship with one another. On the contrary, words reflect first and foremost God’s relationship with himself and his powerful and mighty work in creating the entire scope of the universe through a single, albeit powerful, kingly WORD.
What a marvelous truth!
The second thing I want you to be aware of in this stage of the game is the pre-fall nature of words.
Before sin entered into the world through the disobedience of Adam and Eve, words still existed. Adam and Eve communicated to God directly through words, and he spoke directly back to them using words. There was no hindrance in their relationship. Everything was perfect.
What is more, there was no barrier, hindrance, or sin nature in Adam and Eve’s words to one another. Can you imagine being able to go back in history to the Garden of Eden before the fall and be able to listen to Adam and Eve’s conversations? It must have the most beautiful conversation that has ever existed. It must have been the most holy and pure conversation in the entire existence of human conversation. This was a conversation that was flawless. There were no sarcasms. There were no words bombs. There were no hurtful emails, text messages, or facebook messages. There were no fights.
It was pure, and it was good.
Their words reflected God to the very core of who he is. No sin. No hate. No arguing. No dislike. No lying. No cheating. No manipulation. No sarcasm.
Only holiness. Only purity. Only goodness. Oh what beautiful conversation that must have been!
What a beautiful picture of how things are supposed to be. Our use of words should reflect a mighty and powerful God who created with words. Our use of words should reflect Adam and Eve before the fall. Their words had dominion over the animals, naming them with words. Also, there words were used to bless God and bless each other. It was holy and righteous conversation to the very core. Today, as James says, we use our words to bless God and to curse others (James 3:9).
My brothers and sisters, this should not be! Let us reflect the Garden of Eden in our words to one another.
