The Oracles of God

The bible mentions the "oracles of God," in both the old and new testaments. In the book of Acts chapter 7, as Stephen was being questioned and tried, he spoke about the oracles of God to those who were trying him.

Acts 7:38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:

From Strong's Concordance, taken from the very verse above, the word "oracles," is defined as:

Orig: neuter of 3052; an utterance (of God)

Every mention of "oracles," within the scriptures brings the definition and purpose of the word to life.

2 Timothy 3, speaks directly to the entirety of God's instruction written for our understanding. Each mention of the word "oracles," goes into the study of God's word for doctrine, correction, reproof, for instruction in righteousness, that we may be thoroughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Tim 3:17).

The word, "Oracles," overall meaning covers each of these aspects:

; a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause:--act, advice, affair, answer, X any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, + chronicles, commandment, X commune(-ication), + concern(-ing), + confer, counsel, + dearth, decree, deed, X disease, due, duty, effect, + eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-)ness, + glory, + harm, hurt, + iniquity, + judgment, language, + lying, manner, matter, message, (no) thing, oracle, X ought, X parts, + pertaining, + please, portion, + power, promise, provision, purpose, question, rate, reason, report, request, X (as hast) said, sake, saying, sentence, + sign, + so, some (uncleanness), somewhat to say, + song, speech, X spoken, talk, task, + that, X there done, thing (concerning), thought, + thus, tidings, what(-soever), + wherewith, which,word, work.

When we are reading even one bible verse, we are reading, (and hopefully hearing,) the oracles of God.

The word, "Dabar," covers not only the word, "oracles," but goes into the very word spoken by God and each mention, and is used in different forms 1438 times throughout the bible.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon:

ּdâbâr

1) speech, word, speaking, thing

1a) speech

1b) saying, utterance

1c) word, words

1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner

Part of Speech: noun masculine

Relation: from H1696

Usage:

This word is used 1438 times:

In the same chapter of Acts where Stephen spoke of the oracles of God, he scolded the Pharisees saying that they rejected the true messiah along with the recorded and preserved words of Moses.

This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear. This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us: To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt, Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. Acts 7:37-39

Stephen not only called the oracles "instruction," but he called them the "lively oracles." (The living word.)

There is nothing that God says that is not living. When God speaks, what He says happens. When God tells a man to speak His word, it is as living as His own words. When God sent Moses to Egypt to free the Hebrew people, everything that God told Moses to speak happened just as God said it would.

When God instructed Moses to write the words that HE spoke, Moses did so, and those words are still living. Jesus said that "heaven and earth will pass away but His word will never pass away."(Matthew 24:35.)

When God tells men to write His words, those words are as alive today as they were the day that God uttered them. Every word that God has ever spoken, will happen, have happened, and are/or are currently happening.

And the LORD said unto Moses, Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel. Exodus 34:27

In the old testament, every mention of the oracles of God are referencing the most holy place within the temple. 2 Samuel 16, goes into inquiring God in the Holy of Holies.

And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about, against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of the oracle: and he made chambers round about: 1 Kings 6:5

And the oracle he prepared in the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of the LORD. And the oracle in the forepart was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and he overlaid it with pure gold; and so covered the altar which was of cedar. So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold: and he made a partition by the chains of gold before the oracle; and he overlaid it with gold. And the whole house he overlaid with gold, until he had finished all the house: also the whole altar that was by the oracle he overlaid with gold. And within the oracle he made two cherubim of olive tree, each ten cubits high. 1 Kings 6:19-23

In 2 Samuel, the reference made to the oracle of God, is in regards to inquiring God.

And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counseled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom. 2 Samuel 16:23

Even before the natural temple was built, Moses inquired of God, revealing that the physical temple was a "copy," or image of the true Holy of Holies.

The father-in-law of Moses ask him, "what is this thing that you do that all these people come to you."

Moses responded:

And when Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even? And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God: Exodus 18:14-15

The only true and righteous judgment comes from God, and Moses understood that he must inquire of God before making any judgments.

And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. Hebrews 9:22

It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. Hebrews 9:23

Hebrews ch. 9 speaks of the natural sacrifices, that could not take away sin. Jesus is the true sacrificial Lamb. The patterns within the scriptures and the temple here on earth reflected the heavenly things themselves.

The natural pattern of heavenly things.

Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. Hebrews 8:5-6

Even though the original temple had appointed natural priests, the true High Priest is, and has always been Jesus.

The Holy days are also shadows of heavenly things.

Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. Colossians 2:16-17

Seeing that all of the things written before by holy men moved by God.

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 2 Peter 1:20-21

Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:19-22

God has been speaking since the beginning. Everything that God has spoken came from the Holy or Holies and are the oracles of God. We are to live on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

Every Holy day, every observation, every measurement, and every description of the building of the temples, the offerings, and even the candlesticks have a sure purposes and is written for our instruction.

The oracles of God are still at work, Peter said:

If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:11

The Bible gives us so much information about itself, and tells us about the importance of our seeking the Lord through study and prayer. Seeing that every word is living, we should not neglect one jot of tittle.

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.John 6:63 (And they are written.)