July 19, 2025 - 2 Peter 1:16-21 - "The Sure Word of Prophecy"

2 Peter 1:16-21

"For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 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."

In this rich and profound portion of Scripture, the apostle Peter directs our attention to the unshakable foundation of the believer’s faith—not in cunningly devised fables, but in the sovereignly revealed glory of Christ and the sure Word of prophecy. Speaking as an eyewitness to Christ’s majesty on the mount of transfiguration, Peter affirms the certainty and sufficiency of divine revelation, rooted in God’s eternal purpose and fulfilled in His Beloved Son. This passage highlights the truth that salvation rests not on human speculation or experience, but on God’s infallible Word and His sovereign work of illumination. The same God Who gave the Scriptures by His Spirit is the One Who opens the hearts of His elect to behold Christ in them. The prophetic Word points us to the risen and reigning LORD, in Whom all grace and truth abide.

"For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty." Peter and the other apostles were eyewitnesses of the glory of the LORD Jesus Christ from the time that He revealed Himself unto them, and separated them out to Himself. We are not left to speculation, or the perversions of evil men who deny Him His honor as the sovereign LORD.

"For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Not even the LORD Jesus sought His own glory, but that of His Father, Whose word testified on the mount of transfiguration that the LORD Jesus was His Beloved Son, in Whom IS all His satisfaction. The glorious truth is that since the Father is well-pleased with HIM, He is therefore well-pleased with those that the LORD Jesus came to save, loved with an everlasting love in Him (Ephesians 1:3-6).

"And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount." Men and women today like to speak of special revelation, hearing the voice of God, and writing their experiences in books and novels that are popular with their followers.  However, in reading and listening to them, it’s all about the experience, and not about the Person and work of the LORD Jesus.  Peter declares His testimony to be from heaven, and the voice to be all about the LORD Jesus alone.

"We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark  place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 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."  More certain for Peter, and for us who are the LORD’S, to which we do well to continue to hear and follow, is the prophecy [declaration] of the LORD Jesus that we have in the revealed, written, inspired Word of God. This word is not an index of subjects, but ONE revelation, ONE united message, transcribed by ‘holy men,’ [sanctified by the Spirit], whose ONE subject is the LORD Jesus Christ. 

The revelation of Christ, through the inspired Word, is described as the Day Star (Sun of Righteousness) shining in the heart.  All is dark and obscure in our hearts because of sin until/unless the Spirit grants life to believe, and turn from sinful self-pleasing and self-righteousness to the only Righteousness that God the Father accepts, that which the LORD Jesus earned and established, and the Father imputed to the spiritual account of every one of His elect ones, once for all. 

No scripture is of any private interpretation. It is the Spirit Who reveals Christ as the Word, and the One Satisfaction of God for His people. Any other interpretation that is less than giving Christ ALL the glory is false.