Part XCVIII on Galatians Study

Galatians 4:18
"But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you."
In other words, when Paul was in their physical presence they could evidently hold everything pretty much together. But as soon as he left, then in would come the false teachers like hungry wolves, and they would just simply tear these little congregations apart. There could be said here of the other side, the evil world and its influence on and in the church, governments, society, mental and physical health and a host of other areas to many to list. All of which all people groups are subjects of but ignore or deny their existence of. Now verse 19, and here is one of our very favorite portions of scripture. We've always said if you're ever put on the spot to have a devotional for your Sunday School or one of your men or woman’s group, then here's the best one you could use. Oh this is a dandy, and it's so easy to present.


Galatians 3:19
"My little children of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you."
In other words, Paul is saying? "Just like the mother's birth pains of bringing forth that beautiful innocent baby," And Peter says, until the day star is formed in your heart, we'll look at this first. Paul felt these pagans and Hebrews who also had been transformed and had made a regularly burping process into the eternal things as a result of his Gospel. 
And Paul was thrilled by that, but now they were in trouble. They were listening to false teachers and he says-


Galatians 4:20
"I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; (or raise my voice and get your attention so that you hear what I'm saying) for I stand in doubt of you." Why? Because they were falling for this stuff. But before we move on with Paul lets look at Peter a moment in this regard.

2Peter 1:19-21
“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 by the Holy Ghost.”

II Peter 1:19a
"We have also a more sure.…" Now what does that tell us? Do we have to have exhilarating experiences like the transfiguration to believe? No. We can take all this by faith, we don’t have to have sight. We don’t have to have experiences. We take it by faith. And that’s why we think in this Age of Grace we have so little of the supernatural, if any, because now God has given us the sure, tried and proven Word of God and He expects us to believe it. And that’s why it’s going to be so awful for people of unbelief because all He’s expected the human race to do is to believe what He’s said - and when they refused to believe, it’s almost a slap in the face, as it were, and telling Him, "But I don’t believe it."

All right, now look at this next verse - even as great as that transfiguration experience was, Peter can yet say, again by inspiration, never forget this. 


II Peter 1:19
"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:" Well now Who’s the Day Star? The Lord Jesus Christ. And how does He arise in our hearts? By faith! We take it all by faith and He becomes real to us. He’s with us moment by moment.

Now, once in a while things will happen to families and we can appreciate when they begin to wonder, "Where is God’s grace?" when just one horrible thing after another can happen. And that’s a human reaction. But on the other hand, we have to come right back and claim the promises of God that are sure - that, in spite of whatever may happen, He’s aware of us. He knows. And He’s with us and He’ll never leave us nor forsake us. All right, and so He is already in our walk of faith; He is the Day Star that has already arisen in our hearts. Especially in those who have accepted His terms and conditions as revealed in the Lord Last Supper. Because it held the mystery hidden from view of all that was called and everlasting covenant under the Old Testament economy. Now verse 20. Here is that which is more sure than even the proof of His transfiguration.


II Peter 1:20
"Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation." Or a better translation would be, of "human origin." We can look at this Book and it is more of a manifestation of Who God is and what He has done and what He is to us, than the transfiguration was to Peter, James and John. Now we know that’s a strong statement. But listen, this Book is so refined. It is so intricately put together that we never have to doubt it. And it just proves itself precept upon precept. And even though the scoffers may scream and ridicule it, yet, we who see the intricacy of it, we know it is the Life giving Word of God. And we know it’s true. And we know that everything it says is going to happen IS going to happen.

We don’t have to have any doubt whatsoever. And so we like to make that comparison. Yes, Peter, James and John saw Christ transfigured. They saw His Glory with their physical eyes. But we’ve got something that’s even more sure and that is the Living Word of God itself. Now that’s exhilarating! Isn’t it? All right, let’s go on. Looking at the first part of that verse again.

II Peter 1:20a
"Knowing this first, (and above everything) that no prophecy.…" Now the word ‘prophecy’ here in the New Testament, usually does not mean telling the future, it means speaking forth, proclaiming the Truth, this Gospel. That’s why in I Corinthians 14, the greatest gift was prophecy, the giving of the gift to speak forth the Word of God before it was printed. Now, you all remember, we're always emphasizing, there were about eighteen years from the time that Paul began his ministry among the Gentiles until he writes his first Epistle. So, for eighteen years, what did the early believers depend on? Gifted men who could speak forth the Living Word of God, in Spirit and in Truth and that’s why it was the primary gift. And then verse 21 is the answer.