The bread of life

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When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments. - 2 Tim 4:13


Recently there is this movie by the name 'Book of Eli' showing in the cinema. Some of the brothers and sisters watched it a few Saturdays ago. Basically the story is set in a post-apocalyptic world. The main protaganist, Eli, was carrying the only copy of the bible left in the world. I will leave you to watch the movie to find out how he got the copy, but what struck me in that movie is that he read the bible every night. And towards the end of the movie, we find out that he basically had it all memorised - from Genesis to Revelation!

It struck upon me that that is a world that the word of God was not readily available, and people literally kill in order to get Eli's bible. Sound incredible... but it reminded me of a podcast from RZIM sometime back. It was a short recap from John Bechtel about a trip he had to China. He met a woman, a believer who for umpteen forty plus years survived without a bible. And she basically asked John Bechtel for a copy of the bible. And when she got it, she was so overwhelmed. That is one podcast I'll never forget.

Think about some google ads that display in some Christian websites. I have seen one ministry which is formed for the purpose of smuggling bibles into places where bibles are not allowed for sales...

And we see bibles stocked up on shelves in bookstores, even in Times, MPH and Popular.

Paul, in one of his last letters known to us as 2 Timothy, wrote and requested that Timothy bring his parchments to Rome. He was imprisoned in the cells of Rome at that time, and probably suffered from the cold and wet environment there with only candles as his light source, which also means that his eyesight might have suffered as well. But he asked Timothy to bring the scrolls, which possibly contain the scriptures. A learned man who gave us 1/3 of the New Testament had asked that the scripture be brought to him.

Now take a look at another chapter in the bible:

Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, "I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the LORD." He gave it to Shaphan, who read it. Then Shaphan the secretary went to the king and reported to him: "Your officials have paid out the money that was in the temple of the LORD and have entrusted it to the workers and supervisors at the temple." Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.

When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes. He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king's attendant: "Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD's anger that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us." - 1 Kings 22:8-13


What do we notice here? They found the book of the Law! Makes people wonder: if they had read it all these while, why would they have 'found' it? And they had missed the word of God for so many years, under the rule of so many kings! And they have to wait till the reign of Josiah that they 'found' the book... A little sad, isn't it?

The Word of God is precious. It comes from the the mouth of God. It is our mana! And here in Singapore, we are so fortunate to be able to have a copy at hand so readily. My plead and hope is that people will stop taking the bible and word of God for granted. It may not rot away, not a word or a dot will fade away when the world comes to an end, but it doesn't mean you will have it on hand when push comes to shove and you need and want it. Believers in restricted countries yearn for it... we should yearn for it with even more eagerness, cos we have the word of God which comes from the very mouth of God who created the cosmo.

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