Timeless Messages in the Word
The Rt. Rev. Peter M. Buss Jr.
I
n the New Church, we are tremendously blessed to have three revelations to
which we can turn for guidance: the Old Testament, the New Testament, and
the Heavenly Doctrines.
Those who have spent time exploring the Word know that each of the three
revelations available to us has a character, or style of teaching. We know that
the Old Testament was written the way it was because of the people to whom
it was addressed. The same is true of the New Testament and the Heavenly
Doctrines. Yet by means of all these revelations, the Lord has provided insight
into truths that will always be “true” – in all cultures and throughout all time.
We can hear the Psalmist declare concerning the Lord’s commandments
and judgments: “More to be desired are they than gold . . . , [for] by them Your
servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward.” (Psalm 19:10,
11) We can add to that what the Lord said while in the world: “The words that
I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63) Yet how literal should
we be? What level of interpretation is appropriate and necessary? When do
we cross the line in terms of explaining away something that is stated, because
the culture in which it was delivered appears so foreign to the world we live
in now?
The goal of this presentation is to explore the dynamic of using the
revelations we have been given, with all their time-bound imagery, to access
those timeless messages. The Word itself gives us ample guidance into how
to approach it, so that we discover the Lord’s intended meaning – for us
personally, and for the church as a whole.
Revelations Given in Time
To begin, I draw your attention to three pivotal Scriptural stories that give us
greater insight into the challenge at hand – one for each of the revelations we
have at our disposal.
1. The Second Set. The first is the way in which Moses received the Ten
Commandments on Mt. Sinai – the specific tablets of stone. We know
that the first set of tablets, written with the finger of God, was shattered
by Moses when he descended and discovered the Israelites worshiping a
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