Biblical Imagery
By Jerry Batson, Th.D.
Special to The Alabama Baptist
Jeremiah 23:29 combines two common images for God’s word: fire and hammer. It says, “‘Is not my word like a fire?’ says the Lord, ‘and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?’” Theology 101 considered the first of these images several weeks ago. This week the focus is on the second of these images: a hammer.
Whatever hammer blows resounded from the carpenter shop in Nazareth could not hold a candle to the resounding hammering of divine truth as Christ spoke. Such was the impact of His words that even His enemies had to acknowledge, “No man ever spoke like this man” (John 7:46). His words still carry a hammer-like power as they have been extended through the four Gospels.
Uncompromising truth
How then is the whole Bible as God’s word like a hammer? A hammer is a strong image for the Bible. Having been tempered in the fire the head of a hammer possesses uncommon strength. As God reminded Jeremiah, a hammer “breaks the rock in pieces.” A hammer can crack a rock as well as drive a spike or nail. It can tear down what is old or useless.
That which makes the Bible strong like a hammer is its uncompromising and pure truth. Divine truth is powerful. It crushes all pretenses to truth that might be espoused by human reasoning or resisted by stubborn unbelief. Sinners do not so much as break divine commandments as does divine truth break hardened sinners.
God’s word is hammer-like in that it is not only mighty to condemn but also mighty in building up. The good news of redeeming love has been breaking through hardened hearts for centuries by driving saving truth deep into the hearts of repentant sinners.
Thus the Bible as a hammer is not only an instrument of destruction but also one of construction. Divine truth is indeed God’s master tool for building a life that is meaningful now and endures for eternity. God’s word is His power for building us up here, as well as securing us in His presence forever.
Must be put to use
We do well to note that a hammer is a means to an end. To be effective it must be taken from the toolbox and put to use. The Bible simply displayed on a table or shelf cannot do its hammering work. It must be taken in hand, opened, read and put into practice. Such is our challenge in the course of this New Year.
EDITOR’S NOTE – Jerry Batson is a retired Alabama Baptist pastor who also has served as associate dean of Beeson Divinity School at Samford University and professor of several schools of religion during his career.
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