Can you trust His Word? 

Yes, you can!

 

Over the past couple of years, I have become a more serious student of God’s Word than ever before and something that I have begun to find of utmost importance in studying the Bible, is the need for understanding not only the context of a verse or passage, but also the culture of the time of its writing and the correct meaning of the words used.

 

If you take the time to listen to conversations around you on a daily basis, you will notice the differences in the usage of words used today as opposed to how they were used in years gone by.

 

I am often confused by words or phrases I hear from the younger generation and frequently have to ask what they mean.

 

This only highlights the fact that words and their usage change over time. Not only do some words drop out of use altogether, but new words come into being and also, words that we use commonly take on new definitions or lose their old definitions.

 

A word or phrase that meant one thing a few years ago may now mean something entirely different. And because of this, it often impacts how we understand older English writings without our even realizing it.

 

And our KJV Bible is no exception.

 

I think we often read our Bibles with our modern mindset, forgetting the culture and time it was written in. I know that many translators have tried to ‘modernize’ the Bible to make it easier to understand, but I don’t think it’s necessary if we take time to dig a little further and compare scripture with scripture. Not only can we use other passages to help in our interpretation of scripture, but we have so many resources at our fingertips, written by studied and learned theologians who have spent years of their lives looking into meanings of words and defining them for us for our understanding.

 

You don’t have to read very far in your Bible to come across a word that seems like it doesn’t fit or make sense, but once you understand the true meaning, the culture and the context, you have your ‘a ha’ moment.

 

This was the case for me many years ago when I came across this verse.

 

Romans 4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.

 

At the time, I had never noticed this verse before and interestingly enough, it is the only time in the Bible that the word “staggered” is mentioned.

 

Here, it is talking about the promise of God to give Abraham and Sarah a son in their old age, and to make of him the 'father of many nations'. (Genesis 26:4)

 

This verse in Romans tells us that in spite of the overwhelming odds that seemed to be stacked against them (the barrenness of Sarah and their age barrier), Abraham believed what God had told him. It tells us that he ‘staggered not’. From the time God made the promise to Abraham, to the time it was fulfilled, was 25 years!

 

Abraham could have doubted the possibility of a promised child, and he could easily have convinced himself that the dream was impossible, but the Bible says, he ‘staggered not’. For 25 long years!

 

Now, this is where correct interpretation of the word comes in. This particular word, stagger, comes from the Greek word 'diakrino', which in this context, has the meaning to hesitate, to doubt, to waver.

 

We often use this word as 'to work or move unsteadily' or to 'arrange events so they don't happen at the same time’, and the core definition remains the same. But used as a figure of speech, however, it has a totally different connotation than it once did.

 

The way we often use it today is when we are taken off guard. Shocked or surprised. Now, I know that when Abraham was told that his wife would have a son, he would have been 'staggered'! But that is not the meaning here.

 

When we read our Bibles, we often think of our modern definitions of words, and it lends itself to incorrect interpretation of scripture.

 

So, what does the word ‘stagger’ mean in this particular verse? Does it mean that Abraham was shocked? Or did God’s promise cause him to lose his footing or stumble?

 

The answer is that at the time of writing, this word was frequently used as a figure of speech for doubting or wavering in one’s commitment.

 

The word here has the meaning of not moved, not doubting, not hesitating. Abraham was not discouraged and was fully assured that what God said He would do, He would do!

 

Some translations change the phrase to “he doubted not” or “he did not waver”.

 

Whatever your view is on translations of the Bible, they all seem to agree on the fact that Abraham did not falter in his trust in God’s promise.

 

Take a look at verse 21 “And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform”. That sounds to me like Abraham had no doubts that God could and would perform His promise. It didn't matter that it was impossible and to the human mind and comprehension, absolutely crazy and unfathomable. God is a worker of miracles! He was then, and he is now!

 

In James 1:6 it says, “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”

 

The word we see translated wavering, is the same Greek word for stagger. Not doubting.

 

In verse 8 of James 1, we read that a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.

 

Those who place their complete trust in the Lord and his promises are single-minded in what God has told them. They stand firm and they hold tightly to God’s promises.

 

Abraham took this position of faith. He didn’t move, budge or waver. He saw the promise of God as something to hold on to and something that would come to fruition in God’s perfect timing. And because of this stance, he received the son God had promised, and it was put to his account as righteousness.

 

Read the verses again.

 

Romans 4:20-22 KJV - He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore, it was imputed to him for righteousness.

 

God put these verses in the Bible for us. He put it them there so we could see the fruit of not 'staggering' at his promises.

 

And notice that not only was he fully persuaded and convinced that God would do what he said he would do, but he was strong in the faith, and he gave glory to God. I read it as Abraham was giving glory to God ‘before’ the promise was fulfilled. In anticipation of what God would do. He didn’t wait until the promise was fulfilled to give God the glory, he gloried in the waiting.

 

Can you picture Abraham, on a clear night, laying out in the field, staring up at the stars, trying to count them, one by one, claiming them as a sign of God’s fulfilled promise yet to come and worshipping and praising God in anticipation. He knew God would come through. He knew he could count on God’s faithfulness. He knew that God’s Word would never fail. It was absolutely trustworthy. If he could trust God’s character, then he could trust God’s Word.

 

So many times, we as Christians, stagger at the promises of God through unbelief. We pray prayers that we don't really believe God will answer. We don't have faith that God can do what we are asking. God sees our hearts and He knows what is behind the words we pray, and only He knows the faith behind the prayer.

 

Abraham laid hold to the promise of God, he grabbed onto it with both hands. He “staggered not”.

 

Oh, that we would have the faith of Abraham! He believed ‘hope against hope’ (Romans 4:18) and was ‘not weak in the faith’ (Romans 4:19) being ‘fully persuaded’ (Romans 4:21) that he served a promise-keeping God!

 

And not only is it recorded in scripture, the faith of Abraham, but his wife Sarah is made mention of in the beautiful ‘faith chapter’ for her faith also.

 

Hebrews 11:11,12 KJV - Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

 

So, today, if you are struggling to understand God’s ways and timing, if you’re finding it difficult to believe the promises of God and claim them for your own, take heart in knowing that so many have gone before you who have reaped the rewards of their faithfulness and their unwavering trust in God.

 

God is the same God. Yesterday, today, forever. What he’s done before, he can do again!

 

Don’t doubt. Don’t waver. Don’t falter.

 

Stay faithful. Stand firm. Trust his Word.

 

 

Trust His Word! Trust His Word!

All God's promises are true. Trust His Word!

When your pathway disappears, when your joy gives way to tears,

When you're plagued with doubts and fears, Trust His Word!