Daily Devotions
2 Peter
"We have the prophetic word confirmed"
Text: 2 Peter 1:19
THE PROPHETIC SCRIPTURE
Much of the Holy Scripture contains prophetic material. Thus, great care must be taken to understand the prophetic teachings. However, it is not impossible to understand prophecy. Thankfully, the prophetic word is a confirmed one.
“And so we have the prophetic word confirmed,
which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place,
until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.”
2 Peter 1:19
1. “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed”
a) What is that prophetic word confirmed?
b) In the light of this context, it is actually a reference to the Lord Jesus.
2. Many prophecies were written about the Messiah
a) One in particular may be highlighted.
b) The Messiah was described as God’s begotten Son (Psalm 2:7).
c) Peter declared that God confirmed that Jesus was His beloved Son:
i) At His Baptism (Matthew 3:17; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22)
ii) At His transfiguration (Matthew 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35)
d) Peter declared that this prophetic word was confirmed by God!
i) The word “confirmed” means “established”.
ii) The prophecy concerning Christ was “very certain”.
3. “Which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place”
a) Appropriate response is:
i) Good
ii) Necessary
iii) Wise
b) The readers would indeed be doing well.
i) If they received well the word given to them.
ii) If they “take heed” to what had been taught to them. Much depends on how the word of God was received.
c) “Light that shines in a dark place”
i) Peter may well have in mind Isaiah’s prophecy (Isaiah 9:2).
ii) That prophetic word was fulfilled when Jesus went to Galilee
(Matthew 4:12-16).
iii) Jesus was that Light.
iv) His word brought light to a dark place.
(Galilee was described as a dark place.)
v) The word “dark” here has nuances of that which is “filthy”.
4. “Until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts”
Peter used a beautiful illustration.
a) The first light of dawn appears.
b) It dispels the darkness.
5. “And the morning star rises in your hearts”
a) In the night there are stars.
b) Then there is the morning star.
c) Jesus described Himself as “The Bright and Morning Star” (Revelation 22:16).
d) The light of the Lord and His word must shine brightly in our hearts.