Revelations from the Word

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The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life

by Jean-Louis Coraboeuf

"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words [rhema] that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life [zoe]. But there are some of you who do not believe. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him" (John 6:63-64).

Jesus said, "The words [rhema] I have spoken to you are Spirit and Life"; however, He added, "There are some of you who do not believe". We accept some of the rhema words of Christ, for they are those which produce faith by the work of the Holy Spirit (Romans 10:17), but we know few of the rhema words of the Old Testament. However there are these rhema words there, which were fulfilled by Jesus during his earthly ministry which allow us to receive life zoe now.

Rhema is the 'spoken' word, 'pronounced'. The Greek name rhema comes from the verb rheo meaning 'to announce, 'to pronounce'. This Greek verb refers solely to God’s words pronounced by the mouths of the prophets of the Old Testament (Moses is a prophet according to Deuteronomy 18:18):

• "Then what was said [rheo] by the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled…" (Matthew 2:17),

• "John is he who was spoken of [rheo] through the prophet Isaiah..." (Matthew 3:3),

• "You have heard that it was said [rheo] to the people long ago..." (Matthew 5:21),

• "Have you not read what God said [rheo] to you…" (Matthew 22:31,

• "… spoken of [rheo] through the prophet Daniel…" (Matthew 24:15),

• "To Rebekah... she was told [rheo]…" (Romans 9:12).

The rhema then is the word 'spoken' by Jesus, but also by God the Father through His messengers (the prophets and the angels):

• "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word [rhema] that comes from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4),

• "Then Peter remembered the word [rhema] that Jesus had spoken…" (Matthew 26:75),

• "Mary answered: May it be to me as you have said [rhema]" (Luke1:38),

• "The word [rhema] of God came to John in the desert" (Luke 3:2),

• "But because you say so [rhema] I will let down the nets" (Luke 5:5),

• "Then they remembered His words [rhema]" (Luke 24:8).

Thus, on the cross, Jesus fulfilled the words of Isaiah 53:5, "But he was pierced for our transgressions… and by his wounds we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5). They become a rhema word for us. It is the same for Isaiah 61:1, "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me… to preach good news…". "In that day their burden will be lifted from your shoulders, their yolk from your neck" this rhema word from Isaiah 10:27 has been fulfilled by Jesus on the cross and it is why we can come under the yolk of Jesus (Matthew11:28). "How the oppressor has come to an end! How his fury has ended! The Lord has broken the rod of the wicked the sceptre of the rulers" (Isaiah 14:4-5), for all those who are born into the Kingdom of God this rhema word is fulfilled. "When you ascended on high, you led captives in your train…", this rhema word of Psalm 68:18 is a reality for us. We are saved from eternal death, but we are also able to now live the healing of our body and our soul, to be free of the burdens and the yolks of Satan, to escape the oppression and the captivity of the devil, to enter abundant life zoe promised by Jesus (John 10:10).