Daniel Hyde

As Paul goes on to tell Timothy in that famous passage in 2 Timothy 3, 16 to 17, that these words of the tabernacle are breathed out by God, profitable words.

for teaching, doctrine, reproof, correction, for training in righteousness, that we might be thoroughly equipped to serve God in every good work.

One Reformation catechism, the Westminster Larger Catechism, tells us that as we think about the Word and we think about receiving it as the Word of God and reading the tabernacle story as the Word of God, it tells us that the Holy Scriptures are to be read with a high and reverent esteem of them, with a firm persuasion that they are the Word of God.

So receive them, read them as the Word of the Lord himself.

Secondly, we're to read the word and read this tabernacle narrative devotionally.

What do I mean by that?

It's easy for us to read the word and search out for some key theological proof texts for our favorite doctrine to use against our friend or use against our foe.

Some theological proof text.

Or it's also just as tempting for us to read the word and to try to find some principle for successful Christian living.

But above all, the scriptures are to be read with a spirit of devotion, meaning that we are to read them so that we might worship the triune God because of them and through them.

Devotion, worship, service.

If you have your Bibles, you can turn with me to Psalm 119.

You see there in Psalm 119, which is the great psalm that extols the word of God, that shows us how the knowledge of the Lord's word leads us to worship, to serve him.

We read, for example, in Psalm 119, verse number seven, "'I will praise you with an upright heart.'"

But notice when.

I will praise you with an upright heart when I learn your righteous rules.

We read the word.

We hear it read.

We hear it preached.

We meditate upon it that we might praise him and worship him.