The Sweetness of Connecting Scripture with Scripture!!

If, for example, you want to understand the following passage or share it with someone, how can you personally understand it well, or explain it well to another person? Please take a moment to meditate on the following passage of Scripture.

Jeremiah 10:23 “O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.”

Some people may try to understand or explain this passage through worldly learning. Others may try to understand it through their own life experiences. Still others may use various beautiful and moving illustrations, words of wisdom, or similar things to explain it.

However, when we try to understand or share a passage of Scripture, I do not think we should try to understand it, believe it, or explain it to others through human thoughts or worldly illustrations. This is because leaven may easily be mixed in (Luke 16:5-12, 1 Corinthians 5:6-7). When we approach the Word of God, we must cast away our own thoughts, experiences, judgments, knowledge, worldly philosophy, learning, and illustrations (Philippians 3:7-8). Instead, as Scripture is matched with Scripture, we must rightly receive the understanding of God’s will as Scripture connects with Scripture, and we must receive an accurate understanding of the purpose and meaning of the Word. This is because when the Spirit of truth, who comes in the name of Jesus, comes, He will never speak of Himself, but only what He hears. In other words, He will speak only the words of Jesus and will glorify Jesus alone (John 16:13-15).

The passage above tells us simply and clearly that “the course of our life is not directed by ourselves, but by God.” Yet although this is a simple and clear word, it becomes even clearer as it connects with other passages of Scripture.

For example, Proverbs 20:24 says,

“Man’s goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?”

Proverbs 16:9 “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.”

When this passage is matched together with passages such as these, the Word more clearly proves to us that we cannot know our own way, and that the One who directs our steps is God alone. Therefore, we must cast away the proud thought that we can do things by ourselves, as well as the loneliness of thinking that we are alone. Instead, we must humbly entrust everything to God, who guides our way, and depend on Him.

Psalm 37:5-6 “5Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 6And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.”

Then, to what way does God desire to lead us, and why does He lead us?

John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

As this passage says, God leads our way to Jesus. This is because no one can come to the Father except through Jesus. Our salvation is possible only through Jesus. This is also the reason why, when we pray, we must pray to Jesus in the name of Jesus. Now God receives glory not directly through us, but through Jesus.

John 14:13-14  “13And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”

God leads us to Jesus and teaches us to walk in the way of life according to the words of Jesus. The purpose and reason for all this is the glory of God’s name.

Psalm 23:3 “He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

Ezekiel 36:21-23 “21But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went. 22Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went....”

Ezekiel 20:9, 14, 22 “9But I wrought for my name’s sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt....”

As we can see from the passages above, God leads our way so that, through us, the glory, honor, and holiness of the name of God, that is, the name of Jesus, may be revealed. To summarize again:

Because our way is not in ourselves but in God, we must have the faith to entrust all our ways to God. Then God leads us to Jesus, enables us to come to God through Jesus, and in the end causes the name of Jesus to receive glory and honor through us.

In one sense, truth may seem simple. Yet even the things we already know, or the things we can easily understand, must be accurately understood and believed in light of how each passage connects with the others. Thus, the path we walk must become a complete path of faith that gives glory to the name of Jesus.

When we “taste and see” the sweetness of the Word, as Psalm 34:8 says, other things no longer attract our eyes or satisfy our ears. When you read or hear the words of the Bible, do not focus on worldly illustrations or human thoughts and teachings. Instead, look at how Scripture connects with Scripture. As Isaiah 34:16 says, none of the words of Scripture is without its mate. The sweetness of one passage connecting to another passage!! Truly, that sweetness is sweeter than any honey in this world.

Psalm 19:8-9 “8The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. 10More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.”

Amen!