bible-explosions
"And Abraham apportioned to [Melchizedek] one tenth of all his booty. His name means 'king of justice'; he was also king of Salem, that is, 'king of peace.' " —Hebrews 7:2
The writer of Hebrews found a wealth of meaning in Genesis 14:17-20. The Holy Spirit showed this writer the supreme significance of Melchizedek's name, of the place where he was king, and of Abram's tithe to Melchizedek. The Spirit even revealed the importance of what was not mentioned in Genesis 14, that is, Melchizedek's ancestry. The Holy Spirit caused Genesis 14 to explode for the writer of Hebrews.
The Lord wants to give you amazing revelations (see Jer 33:3). These revelations will transform your life by giving you new insight into God's plan of salvation. To receive these revelations, all you have to do is obey God. He may tell you just to pray quietly. Like Daniel, you may be called to plead "in earnest prayer, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes" (Dn 9:3). You may need to walk and talk with Jesus for seven miles (Lk 24:13, 32), or spend an evening searching the Scriptures (see Lk 24:45).
The Spirit will teach you the meaning of the Bible in a life-changing way. Pray for this to happen. Read the Bible daily. Obey the Lord. Soon the Bible will "jump off the page" and your heart will burn as the Lord opens the Scriptures to you.
Prayer: Father, may Your word penetrate, divide, and judge me (Heb 4:12).
Promise: Jesus "said to the man, 'Stretch out your hand.' The man did so and his hand was perfectly restored." —Mk 3:5
Praise: St. Ambrose wrote that St. Agnes "went to the place of execution more cheerfully than others go to their wedding."
Reference: (To grow in love of His word, read it daily. For encouragement, order our tape series on Biblical Counseling on audio AV 13A-1, AV 13A-3, AV 13B-1 or video starting with V-13A.)
Rescript: †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, June 17, 2008
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