That which was from the beginning

THAT which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life (1 John 1:1, KJV)

What a revelation of the Word from the Apostle John! He states that the Word of life was from the beginning, and they had heard, seen, looked upon, and handled with their hands. They had a physical experience of God Himself. Let me quickly point out a mystery in this verse, and it will be sufficient for today’s devotional.

First, John says the Word of life was from the beginning. He is stating here what he said in John 1:1-2. Please note what he did not say. John did not write here that the scriptures were from the beginning. It is the Word that was from the beginning. His usage of the word “Word” here does not mean words. He is referring to a Person, a Divine Being, God Himself, the Word! It will be hard but we have to switch our minds and catch the reality of this revelation because we often try to understand God from our human perspective, from words. Please note that the term “Word” here is not the same as words or scriptures!

The scriptures are simply a natural, physical avenue of expression or communication of the Word to us, meaning, God expressing Himself for us to perceive! I hope you are ready for what I am about to write….do you know God does not want you to be a moving embodiment of scriptures in your head but the Word? He wants you, the person, to be an expression of the Word because the Word, in essence, is not words or scriptures. It is a person! The Word has been engrafted in your spirit, became one with you so that you can be the Word of God in the flesh to the world today. This is not just obeying scriptures but being doers of the Word, that is, living expressions of the Word!

MEDITATE

What is the relationship between the Word of God and the scriptures, as noted above?

APPLY THE WORD

The Apostles heard, saw, looked upon, and touched Jesus. They had a physical experience of Him. Do you know the Word of God can bring you to a better and fully experience of God? And He wants you to be a vessel of expression of the Word, just as the scriptures are a physical expression of that same Word! The real essence of the Word is not words or scriptures. It is a Person! You, as a person, are the best physical expression of the Word, better than written words! There is such glory the Lord has called us into. Do not stop, keep pressing on, receiving that Word and responding to it until the fullness of the glory!