• False Gospels
• Jesus Christ's Return
• Life after Death
• Repentance
• Resurrection
• The Gospel
• The Kingdom of God

sermon: Don't Meddle and Always Be Ready to Answer

Mark Schindler
Given 23-Mar-19; Sermon #1479A; 43 minutes

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In the beginning of the month of February The Berean cited an article that had been written in 1999, entitled, “A Matter of Honor.” As you all know, The Berean is a short commentary that cites from larger works that had been previously presented as a sermon, Bible study, article, etc.

Many, if not most, of the 145,000 who receive The Berean from around the world are not familiar with this. When you add that to the reality that many of those we reach are only able to look through the filter of the carnal mind, The Berean can easily be taken out of context by them, or seen as just another place on the Internet for bloggers to express their view of a “perfect world.”

This particular Berean cited the article, “A Matter of Honor,” but it was only a short part from the very end of that article based on the scripture I Peter 2:17 that mostly addressed honoring civil authorities. It caused an explosion of responses because it spoke to the point of honoring those authority figures deemed least worthy of honor. So, it became a focused laser of ignition to the carnal mind, as will see in a minute.

I want to read one of the paragraphs that set off this firestorm February 7.

Peter, having already written that we should honor all people, knew some them would resist honoring Nero, the heathen emperor hated by the Romans themselves. He had mercilessly tortured and killed hundreds of Christians in cruel and demeaning ways. It is very difficult to expect Nero to be honored by someone whose mother was crucified and used as a human candle in one of his garden parties.

The Berean continues:

The pattern we have seen all along surfaces again, here: Nero was king, and a king was to be honored, for he represents the office given to him by God. Whether the king is honorable or not, he is king. And God says that we should honor him as such. If we are resisting the power that he has, we are resisting God’s ordinance. Paul even says that civil authorities are ministers or servants of God (for the sake of law and order).

At times in American history, even the office of the president has been dishonored. The president’s reputation might be sullied by political or sexual scandal, but if Paul was writing today, he would still say, “Honor the president.” No matter how besmirched his name may become, God’s people should resist the pressure to dishonor him, or his office.

The article continues:

That is a tough order! Many of the early Christians, no doubt, despised Nero’s reckless godless behavior. Some had personal reasons to hate him. The commands from our King, though, remain the same—forgive those who trespass against you; love your enemies; bless those who hate you; and pray for those who spitefully use you, and persecute you.” Honor the king.

Immediately, the letter barrage began. As they used to say in the old western movies, “Them there became fighting words.”

We received condemnatory comments from all over the political spectrum. Here are a few examples we have received:

I lived through the days of Ronald Reagan and the Iran Contra issues, as well as Bill Clinton and the Lewinski fiasco. I still hold both in high esteem. However, I do not recall in my lifetime anyone seemingly so unfit as the man who presently occupies the seat of executive power in the USA. True, we are to honor our political leaders, yet when on the road to the selection of one who appears so morally and constitutionally unqualified to lead our country, I must vehemently oppose his run for a second term. I think it is past time for the Christian community to stop playing politics with our faith. And when it appears that an error in judgment has been made, disciples of Jesus must repent and seek wisdom from God to make a better choice.

And then, there was this one:

To compare President Trump to Nero—God forbid! Obviously, we know your political viewpoint, which should not be part of the comments on Bible verses! Politics and religion should not be bedfellows—the reason I cancelled my subscription to your service. There are a number of sites that provide a daily verse.

And then, the last one I will read, which I cannot finish because of the expletives regarding President Obama, said:

There’s nothing wrong with President Trump, but all is wrong with Democrats, perverted liberals, socialists, communists, gays, lesbos, transgenders, transvestites, and baby killers. You probably belong to a democratic or liberal party, and are using the figure of President Trump to entice hate. Why didn’t you compare your comments with that ***…please do not use politics to compare our president to your comments and Bibles.

Of course, we spent days answering letters, explaining the apolitical position of a member of the Body of Christ that must be maintained apart from this world, in line with the teachings of Jesus Christ, and our citizenship in heaven. But this, of course, more often than not, only leads to more inflammatory letters condemning us for not doing our “Christian duty” to step into the arena of war against whatever that person deemed in line with his version of Jesus Christ.

So then, let us start in I Peter 2:17 (the incendiary verse) within the context of verses 9 through 24 for a clearer perspective that surrounds verse 17, and the necessary clarity of what God expects from those in the Body of Christ while this world shredded by division.

I Peter 2:9-24 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good.

For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men—as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh, for this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.

For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: "Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth;" who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.

I Peter 2:17 simply tells us something we all know is right in line with what our Lord and Master Jesus Christ did, and expects us to do faithfully following His father’s will. As we are to physically live in the world, but not be part of it in submission and honor to all men, we must look beyond the man himself to our Sovereign God and His plans and purposes as He stands behind this part of His work.

Before going on in this sermon, I think it would be very good to remind ourselves emphatically of exactly what is expected of us at this time. So, please turn with me to that passage I know many of you have been spending a good deal of time of the past few days leading up to Passover: John 17, Christ’s prayer to the Father the night before He died.

John 17:9-12 "I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.”

A number of the comments received said that Judas was member of a political party who was trying to force Christ’s hand when he betrayed Him. I do not know how true that is, but it is out there and something to think about.

John 17:13-26 “But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."

Jesus Christ declared that the very same loving affection with which the Father loved Him is in us. And He Himself is in us. Do we really believe this? If we do believe this, how can we possibly stay involved in the affairs of this world that is enmity against God? Especially in the way we may think about them from the human “under the sun” perspective, rather than with our mind’s eye focused “above the sun,” looking into the work of the Father and Jesus Christ as They are bringing mankind to repentance, salvation, and into the truth in the order that They have determined. Applying the principles found in Matthew 5 in Christ’s Sermon on the Mount of things dwelling in the mind are as good as done in the hand, how deeply are we involved in this world, pushing out the affectionate love of the Father and Jesus Christ?

Have we subconsciously allowed remarks like I began with to ruminate in our minds? And if they are there, how is it affecting our relationship with each other, and Jesus Christ dwelling in us?

You will probably see a redundant theme in this sermon from the sermonette I gave last week, and probably from most everything I have given over the past few months, and maybe over the last few years, because one of the most dangerous problems that we in God’s church face today is getting caught up in the overwhelmingly futile efforts of this world’s enmity against God. The commentaries each week are to warn us of these types of things, so we can clearly see that we are living in a time when we are witnessing God exposing the sins of the nation before our eyes from top to bottom. Almost everything we see these days is an explosion of the curses that God brings down on a sinful people as listed in Deuteronomy 28. We are watching those prophetic words come to fruition on a nation and a world sick with sin from top to bottom, from right to left. We cannot allow ourselves to be caught up in this dark madness. Rather, we must be the purifying salts and burning light of the Father’s love with Jesus Christ living in us.

Turn to Matthew 5.

Matthew 5:13-16 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

I ask you to apply these verses personally to yourselves, since you are those whom God has chosen for the Father’s love and Jesus Christ to live in. Think of these words in terms of our responsibility (in this world apart from God) in which we are only sojourners and ambassadors for the Kingdom of God.

Consider this also in the context of our accountability before God’s throne right now. We have to know in faith that our citizenship is in the Kingdom of God, and not here. Therefore, what we do with the love of the truth of God’s Word in careful submission to His will, carries with it eternal consequences.

Turn to I Peter 4.

I Peter 4:15-16 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.

In the New King James Version, there is a single Greek word that is translated “busybody in other people’s matters”. However, if you chase down the word in Strong’s Concordance it simply means, “a meddler.” The ESV translates verse 15 in this way: “But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a meddler.” The Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament comments: “someone who meddles in things that do not concern him.”

I think we should consider this word exactly that way (with our responsibilities with the love of the Father and Jesus Christ dwelling in us), and be very careful not to meddle in those things that God has clearly determined are under His sovereign authority.

With this in mind, we will turn to a number of scriptures. And as we do ask yourself, “Is it possible we could be meddling in God’s work that does not concern us, pushing out Christ from our lives?”

Romans 13:1-5 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake.

Turn to Daniel 2.

Daniel 2:20-21 Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.”

Turn over to Daniel 4. Though our target verse is 35, it is important for us to read the context of 28-37 to give us an understanding that even Gentile kings can come to understand Who really holds the reins of power, righteous truth, and judgment.

Daniel 4:28-37 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon. The king spoke, saying, "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?" While the word was still in the king's mouth, a voice fell from heaven: "King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you! And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses."

That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws. And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, "What have You done?" At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.

Turn to Proverbs 21. I am trying to reinforce just how important this is.

Proverbs 21:1-2 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the hearts.

Proverbs 16:1-3 The preparations of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD. All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirits. Commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established.

Proverbs 16:9 A man's heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.

Proverbs 16:25 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.

Satan would like nothing better than to have God’s own precious people get caught up in the evil doing and meddling in the affairs of this world against the Father’s will during this watershed period of time preceding the return of Jesus Christ.

With all this as the framework for our personal application of Matthew 5:13-16, please consider that salt is a preservative, and purifying agent. Light represents truth shining in the dark. We are the salt of the earth, and part of the light shining in the dark, as the loving affection of the Father and Jesus Christ dwell in us. Jesus Christ is both the purifying salt, and the light. But how can He remain in us if we become contaminated by meddling in the affairs of men, allowing the purity of Jesus Christ to be trampled underfoot?

You may consider the next set of verses a bit of a stretch in applying it to the cost of allowing participation in the politics of this world to remain in our minds, but I do not think it is in light of I Peter 4:17 where it says that “Judgment is now on the household of God.”

Turn to Hebrews 10.

Hebrews 10:19-32 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The LORD will judge His people." It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings.

We are living in a time perhaps unlike any other. We are being overwhelmingly bombarded from so many different directions with things that could allow us to contaminate our minds, and drive out the purity and light of holiness that dwells within us through the affection and love of the Father and Jesus Christ. So, what are we to do to maintain the holy purity and illumination of Christ in us? The most obvious of all is: Keep our focus where it belongs—above the sun—upon what the Father and Son are doing.

A dear friend of mine told me a while ago, “With all that is going on, I must keep telling myself over and over throughout the day, ‘My citizenship is in the Kingdom of Heaven.’” This is such a reality! We must tell ourselves that! We do not get involved with the politics of this world.

Please turn to Colossians 3 because it is a roadmap for us to follow in faith at this time.

Colossians 3:1-11 (NET) Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth, for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ (who is your life) appears, then you too will be revealed in glory with him. So put to death whatever in your nature belongs to the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, shameful passion, evil desire, and greed which is idolatry.

Because of these things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience. You also lived your lives in this way at one time, when you used to live among them. But now, put off all such things as anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with its practices and have been clothed with the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created it. Here there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and in all.

Peace and harmony can only exist in God’s church if the peace of Christ and the complete rule of God is the focus of our attention!

Colossians 3:12-17 (NET) Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others. And to all these virtues add love, which is the perfect bond. Let the peace of Christ be in control in your heart (for you were in fact called as one body to this peace), and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and exhorting one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, all with grace in your hearts to God. And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

We can draw some principles of action.

1. We must always be keeping our focus on Jesus Christ and the real seat of power as we seek to settle our minds on what God is doing, and how He is handling all that is going on in this His creation.

Why did Jesus Christ request of His Father (John 17:15-16) that we are to be in the world but not part of it? Very simple! It is in the “shoulder” verses of 14 and 17. “I have given them Your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world just as I am not of the world. . .. Sanctify them by your truth. Your word is truth.”

We are in the middle of the process of sanctification. It is giving us the opportunity to carefully consider how we will be able to apply the truth of God in similar circumstances when we actually have the power to do something about it! We can see in the millennial scriptures in Zechariah 4:6-19 that there will be some who will resist coming up to keep the holy days. There will be problems with immigration, this complaint, or that complaint. Therefore, right now, we are in the process of learning how to deal with situations that can only be dealt with properly according to the truth of God’s Word.

God has actually given us a precious gift to watch and consider the different issues that men face while we seek truth and God’s will through Jesus Christ to determine how we might address these situations when we actually have the power to deal with them as God would.

I strongly suggest before Passover that you look up the sermon that Richard T. Ritenbaugh gave in 2007, “David and the Gibeonites.” Although this sermon deals with a very poor judgment that King David made towards the end of his life, it is a fine example for us regarding how we see Christ and the truth that is in Him in how we make decisions based on His truth. Richard does a a really good job of setting that up.

2. Here is another important principle we can glean from Colossians 3 is that we were once part of this madness. But now, by the grace of God, we have the privilege to do all in the name of the Lord with thanksgiving. This should cause us to greatly desire to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

Turn to Daniel 9.

Daniel 9:2-9 In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the LORD through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. And I prayed to the LORD my God, and made confession, and said, "O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments.

Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land. O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against You. "O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him.”

Daniel 9:17-23 “Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord's sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate. O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name."

Now while I was speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God, yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, "O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand. At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision.”

We have a wonderful example of what we are to be doing. Mindful of our own sins, we continue to seek God’s will according to His prophetic Word, His mercy, and His forgiveness for all.

3. By the purifying salt and light of Jesus Christ dwelling in us, let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly, teaching and exhorting one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with all grace in our hearts. And whatever we do, in word and deed, we do it all in the name of our Lord Jesus; giving thanks to God the Father through Him; bearing witness to a world that is separated from God, we cannot be part of it. But by following the example of Christ, we patiently wait with thanksgiving in the face of a world that wants us to be sucked back into its death spiral.

And brethren, it really is a death spiral with judgment now on the household of God.

Our responsibility is now to always be ready for the hope that dwells in us.

Let us close now with these scriptures from I Peter 3.

I Peter 3:8-18 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For, "He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil."

And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. "And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled." But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For, Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit.

Always be ready to give an answer in truth with the affectionate love of the Father and Jesus Christ who dwells in you.

MS/rwu/drm

The Bereans "received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:10-11). This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God.