Today’s Chef Special: “WRITE”

Deuteronomy 17:18, “And when he sits on his royal throne, he shall WRITE for himself a copy of this law in a book, out of what is before the Levitical priests.” (MSG)

(Heb. kathab) Strong’s #3789

This verb literally means ‘to engrave or inscribe.’

Many different types of writing are mentioned in the Old Testament: Stone tablets were inscribed on by God Himself (Exodus 34:1, “The Lord said to Moses, Cut two TABLES OF STONE like the first, and I WILL WRITE UPON THESE TABLES THE WORDS THAT WERE ON THE FIRST TABLES, which you broke.” AMPC); Scrolls were written (Jeremiah 36:2, “Take a SCROLL [of parchment] for a book and WRITE on it all the words I have spoken to you against Israel and Judah and all the nations from the day I spoke to you in the days of [King] Josiah until this day.” AMPC); Stone and Wood monuments often had writing carved on their surfaces (Joshua 8:32, “And there, in the presence of the Israelites, [Joshua] WROTE ON THE STONES a copy of the law of Moses.” (AMPC); Ezekiel 37:20, “Then hold out the PIECES OF WOOD you have INSCRIBED, so the people can see them.” NLT); even Metals and Gemstones were engraved (Exodus 28:11, “With the work of a STONE ENGRAVER, like the ENGRAVINGS of a SIGNET, you shall ENGRAVE the two STONES according to the names of the sons of Israel. You shall have them set in SOCKETS OR ROSETTES OF GOLD.” (AMPC); Exodus 39:30, “And they made the plate of the holy CROWN of PURE GOLD and WROTE upon it an INSCRIPTION, like the ENGRAVINGS of a SIGNET, holy to the lord.” AMPC).

Since writing was a way to preserve the memory of historical events (Esther 6:2, “And it was found WRITTEN there how Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s attendants who guarded the door, who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.; Esther 10:2, “AND ALL THE ACTS OF HIS POWER AND OF HIS MIGHT, AND THE FULL ACCOUNT OF THE GREATNESS OF MORDECAI TO WHICH THE KING ADVANCED HIM, ARE THEY NOT WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE KINGS OF MEDIA AND PERSIA?” AMPC) and to give authority to human speech (2 Samuel 11:14-15, “In the morning David WROTE A LETTER TO JOAB AND SENT IT WITH URIAH. And he WROTE IN THE LETTER, PUT URIAH IN THE FRONT LINE OF THE HEAVIEST FIGHTING AND WITHDRAW FROM HIM, THAT HE MAY BE STRUCK DOWN AND DIE.” AMPC), writing also suggests permanence.

Thus, the fact that Moses was commanded to write down God’s words implies that those words are unalterable and fixed (Exodus 17:14, “And the Lord said to Moses, WRITE THIS FOR A MEMORIAL IN THE BOOK AND REHEARSE IT IN THE EARS OF JOSHUA, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under the heavens.” (AMPC); Exodus 34:27, “And the Lord said to Moses, WRITE THESE WORDS, FOR AFTER THE PURPOSE AND CHARACTER OF THESE WORDS I HAVE MADE A COVENANT WITH YOU AND WITH ISRAEL.” AMPC).

The writing of Moses and the prophets were to be lasting reminders of God’s revelation to both Israel’s kings (Deuteronomy 17:18, “THE OFFICIAL COPY OF GOD’S LAWSwill be kept by the priests of the Levi tribe. So, as soon as anyone becomes KING, he must go to the priests and WRITE OUT A COPY OF THESE LAWS WHILE THEY WATCH.” CEV) and all of God’s people throughout the centuries.

MAIN INGREDIENT: Don’t Just READ the WRITTEN Word of God, Share It, Apply It, and Live It!

Deuteronomy 6:9, “And you shall WRITE them upon the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (AMPC)

Deuteronomy 27:8, “And you shall WRITE upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly.” (AMPC)

Numbers 17:3, “And you shall WRITE Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi [his great-grandfather]. For there shall be one rod for the head of each father’s house.” (AMPC)

Judges 5:14, “Out of Ephraim they came down whose root is in Amalek, after you, Benjamin, with your kinsmen. Out of Machir came down commanders and lawgivers, and out of Zebulun those who handle the pen or stylus of the WRITER.” (AMPC)

Psalm 45:1, “My heart overflows with a goodly theme; I address my psalm to a King. My tongue is like the pen of a ready WRITER.” (AMPC)

Proverbs 3:3, “Let not mercy and kindness [shutting out all hatred and selfishness] and truth [shutting out all deliberate hypocrisy or falsehood] forsake you; bind them about your neck, WRITE them upon the tablet of your heart.” (AMPC)

Ecclesiastes 12:10, “The Preacher sought acceptable words, even to WRITE down rightly words of truth or correct sentiment.” (AMPC)

Isaiah 59:21, “As for Me, this is My covenant or league with them, says the Lord: My Spirit, Who is upon you [and Who WRITES the law of God inwardly on the heart], and My words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouths of your [true, spiritual] children, or out of the mouths of your children’s children, says the Lord, from henceforth and forever.” (AMPC)

Jeremiah 30:2, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: WRITE all the words that I have spoken to you in a book.” (AMPC)

Habakkuk 2:2, “And the Lord answered me and said, WRITE the vision and engrave it so plainly upon tablets that everyone who passes may [be able to] read [it easily and quickly] as he hastens by.” (AMPC)

John 19:21, “Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, Do not WRITE, The King of the Jews, but, He said, I am King of the Jews.” (AMPC)

Romans 10:5, “For Moses WRITES that the man who [can] practice the righteousness (perfect conformity to God’s will) which is based on the Law [with all its intricate demands] shall live by it.” (AMPC)

1 Corinthians 4:14, “I do not WRITE this to shame you, but to warn and counsel you as my beloved children.” (AMPC)

2 Corinthians 1:13, “For we WRITE you nothing else but simply what you can read and understand [there is no double meaning to what we say], and I hope that you will become thoroughly acquainted [with divine things] and know and understand [them] accurately and well to the end,” (AMPC)

Galatians 1:20, “Now [note carefully what I am telling you, for it is the truth], I WRITE this as if I were standing before the bar of God; I do not lie.” (AMPC)

1 Thessalonians 4:9, “But concerning brotherly love [for all other Christians], you have no need to have anyone WRITE you, for you yourselves have been [personally] taught by God to love one another.” (AMPC)

2 Thessalonians 3:17, “I, Paul, WRITE you this final greeting with my own hand. This is the mark and sign [that it is not a forgery] in every letter of mine. It is the way I WRITE [my handwriting and signature].” (AMPC)

Philemon 1:21, “I WRITE to you [perfectly] confident of your obedient compliance, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.” (AMPC)

1 John 2:1, “My little children, I WRITE you these things so that you may not violate God’s law and sin. But if anyone should sin, we have an Advocate (One Who will intercede for us) with the Father—[it is] Jesus Christ [the all] righteous [upright, just, Who conforms to the Father’s will in every purpose, thought, and action].” (AMPC)

2 John 1:12, “I have many things to WRITE to you, but I prefer not to do so with paper and ink; I hope to come to see you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.” (AMPC)

Jude 1:1, “Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ (the Messiah), and brother of James, [WRITES this letter] to those who are called (chosen), dearly loved by God the Father and separated (set apart) and kept for Jesus Christ:” (AMPC)

Revelation 1:11, “Saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last. WRITE promptly what you see (your vision) in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia—to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.” (AMPC)

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Love, Chef Shermaine