No Expiration Date

“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever” (Isaiah 40:8).

When I was a bachelor many years ago I reached into the refrigerator to pour myself some milk. When I did, it came out in clumps. It had spoiled and when I checked the expiration date, it was well beyond being fresh. What an awful experience. I believe that I threw out more food than I ever ate but its reassuring that the Word of God never expires. It was just as relevant a thousand years ago as it is today and will be for all eternity. Peter wrote that “the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you” (1 Pet 1:25). As the Psalmist wrote, “Your word, LORD, is eternal” (Psalm 119:89).

When I looked back at some of my college textbooks, I went to the psychology books and looked at just how outdated some of the teachings were. Even some of the biology books had writings that were not correct with what we know to be true today. How unlike the Bible. The Word of God will not ever change with the times. It is never out of date. It is always truth and just like 2 + 2 will always be four, so also will the living Word of God be true. This book we call the Bible has power to change even though changing times has no power over it. What was true in Noah’s day is still true today. In our ever changing world, it’s comforting to know that what we read it in will not change with the times. It has always been true and always will be true, no matter what changes occur in the culture. Jesus declared that “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (Matt 24:35). I concur that, “Long ago I learned from your statutes that you established them to last forever” (Psalm 119:152) and “All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal” (Psalm 119:60). Indeed, “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill” (Num 23:19)? Who can argue with perfection?