July 4, 2026 - What Does Scripture Teach Us?
- brooks16055
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Romans 15:4-6 NIV
[4] For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. [5] May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, [6] so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Scripture supports scripture. In the time of Paul this New Testament scripture states that everything that was written in the past being the Old Testament scripture was written to teach us. We can now look back and say that everything that was written in the Old and New Testaments were written to teach us. I never thought about the Scriptures teaching endurance, but boy do they ever. The endurance of Noah to build an arch on dry land. Enduring being criticized and ridiculed for the 50-100 years that it would have taken to build it and then endure riding on that arch for over a year. The endurance of Abraham packing up and going off into the unknown at God's command. The endurance of Jacob working for Laban for 14 years to be able to marry Rebecca and another 6 for a portion of the flock. The endurance of Joseph being imprisoned for 13 years and separated from his father and brother Benjamine for 22 years. The endurance of the Israelites to be enslaved in Egypt for 430 years and wandering in the desert for another 40. Then there is the Babylonian captivity for 70 years. Just to name a few.
Then we can look at the New Testament. The Israelites endured 400 years of silence from God before Jesus came. Then Jesus endured so much suffering and pain on the cross. And the early church endured persecution and ridicule.
Paul says that "through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope." We have the endurance taught in the Old Testament but we also have the hope that is taught in the Old and New Testament. We know how every one of the stories of the Old Testament turned out. How God was always faithful and brough them through in His timing. That he worked all things out for the good of His people who were called according to His purpose. We know that Jesus' suffering, death and resurrection is the ultimate source of hope. He endured and He was victorious. Just as the Apostles and those in the early church endured and were victorious and we will meet them one day in eternity. Where we will all worship the Lord Jesus Christ together. What great hope that gives.
So, while we are here, we can learn from the endurance of God's people that there is hope in the God who is faithful and loving and willing to die for us. The hope that we too will be raised from the dead to live together as one body "so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."
When we are feeling separated from God. When He is silent. When we are suffering pain and torment. When we feel like we are in exile in a foreign land. When it feels like we are not accomplishing anything or getting anywhere even though we know God has directed us in a particular direction. When it feels like it never will end. Look to the Scriptures. Even if we live a lifetime in exile and never hear God's voice before we die that does not mean that He is not there. He has proven Himself to be faithful and shown His love and grace through Jesus. That is where we can find our hope. There is nothing we will endure on this earth the can compare to the glorious joy and hope we will experience in eternity. There is no amount of time that we will endure on this earth that will be more than a blink of an eye in light of eternity. Eternity with the lover of our souls. Our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ and the entire body of Christ. ALL the people coming together in purpose and worship working in unity with perfect harmony. Imagine that song imagine what God will do!
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