Aug. 09, 2026

                                      “WATCH OUT”

                    “GROUNDED ON THE WORD OF GOD”

                                    2 PETER 1:19-21

In the Sermon on the Mount our Lord warned that there would be counterfeits who would invade the church with their false doctrines. (Matthew 7:13-29). 

Paul gave a similar warning to the elders of Ephesus (Acts 28:28-35), and he gave further warnings when he wrote his epistles (Romans 16:17-20, 2 Cor. 11:1-15, Gal. 1:19, Phil. 3:17-21, Col. 2, 2 Tim. 4, 2 Tim. 3-4). 

Even John, the great apostle of love, warned about anti-christian teachers who would seek to destroy the church. (1 John 2:18-29, 4:1-6)

The “more sure word of prophecy" Peter mentioned in verse 19 is the Old Testament.

"The Proof” Grounded on the Word of God! 2 Peter 1:19-21

2 Peter 1:19-21 “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 20knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”

1.  Confirmation- vs.19 “so we have the prophetic word confirmed”

Then Peter made this striking statement: “We have also a more sure word of prophecy… “

The Word of God! It's even more reliable than what we ourselves experienced!” We are told in the Old Testament:

Psalm 19:7 “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.”

Psalm 93:5 “Your testimonies are very sure; Holiness adorns Your house, O Lord, forever.”

Psalm 117:7 “The works of His hands are verity and justice; All His precepts are sure.”

Psalm 119:128 “Therefore all Your precepts concerning all things I consider to be right; I hate every false way.”

Micah 5:2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”

The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem of Judah, His birth is recorded in that very place:

Matthew 2:1 “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem”

Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”

Matthew and Luke declare that Mary was a virgin when Jesus was conceived and born: Matthew 1:20-25, Luke 1:26-31.

Daniel 9:25 “Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times.”

Seven details concerning the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot were predicted:

Zechariah 11:12-13 “Then I said to them, “If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain.” So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver. 13And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord for the potter.”

In Matthew 27:3-10 , you will find that every one of these things actually did happen during these crucial final hours of Christs life-exactly as predicted.

Isaiah 53:7 “He was oppressed and He was afflicted,Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.”

Isaiah 50:6 “I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.”

Matthew 26:67 “Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands.”

Isaiah 53:12 “Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.”

Matthew 27:38 “Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.”

Psalm 22:18 “They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.”

John 19:23-24 “Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece. 24They said therefore among themselves “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be,” that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: “They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.” Therefore the soldiers did these things.”

Psalm 22- The entire psalm is a preview of what happened to Christ on the Cross.

It is a sure word!

2.  Illumination-  2 Peter 1:19 

2 Peter 1:19 “…as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts”

It’s a shining word!

vs.19 The word translated "dark" in this passage may mean dry or dirty.

God is light and His Word is light:

Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path." 

Matthew 4:16 “The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death
Light has dawned.”

Luke 1:78 “Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us.”

Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

But how can Old Testament prophecies, written by men of another

culture several thousands of years ago be relevant today?

1. They had much to say about the end of the world and the return of Jesus Christ.

2. The Old Testament Scriptures shine through darkness because they tell exactly how God views us and our contemporaries.

Peter's writings tell us that we are to take heed to the prophets

"until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts." 

I believe Peter said "in your hearts" because he had in mind the transformation of life that takes place when the prophetic Scriptures are read and believed.

3.  Inspiration- 2 Peter 1:20-21

2 Peter 2:20-21 “knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”

vs.21 "moved by the Holy Spirit”

The Greek term translated “moved" is sometimes used to portray a ship in full sail moving briskly over the water.

What can the skeptics say in view of these facts? 

No wonder Peter declared with confidence, “We have also a more Sure word of prophecy.”

Romans 15:4 “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”

2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for [c]instruction in righteousness.”

Men die, but the Word lives . Experiences fade , but the Word remains.