Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.
–Habakkuk 2:2–

Sometimes I’ve met Christians who don’t understand writing at all. I mean, they don’t understand why writing is valuable. These same Christians read the Bible though, which was produced through writing. Why should Christians make YouTube videos? I heard one guy say, “I don’t want to have a YouTube ministry,” and he said it in a down-putting tone. He might as well have said, “I don’t want to have a theological writing ministry,” like the Old Testament prophets, the New Testament apostles, and every theologian and leader in church history. To me, YouTube is just a high-tech form of writing. The Bible refers to writing being useful for historical memorials. Exodus 17:14: “The Lord said to Moses, ‘Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it.'” This is the first time writing is mentioned in the Bible. The book of Psalms, which is a Biblical hymnal, shows that writing is useful for songs and poems, which are forms of emotional expression. Writing can be used for communication and correspondence–as a substitute in your physical absence. 2 John 12: “I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face.”

But most often, in the Bible, and for theologians (whether academic or folk), writing is used for theology, spiritual teachings, or actual prophecy. Exodus 24:4: “Moses then wrote down everything the Lord had said.” Exodus 24:12: “The Lord said to Moses, ‘Come up to Me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.’” God was so committed to writing down spiritual laws, that He made a second draft of the Ten Commandments. Exodus 34:1: “The Lord said to Moses, ‘Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.'” Joshua 24:26: “Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God.” Isaiah 8:16: “Bind up this testimony of warning and seal up God’s instruction among my disciples.” Isaiah 30:8: “Go now, write it on a tablet for them, inscribe it on a scroll, that for the days to come it may be an everlasting witness.” Jeremiah 30:2: “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Write in a book all the words I have spoken to you.'” Again, the Lord was so serious about writing down prophecy, that he had a prophet make a second draft. Jeremiah 36:28: “Take another scroll and write on it all the words that were on the first scroll, which Jehoiakim king of Judah burned up.” Habakkuk 2:2: “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.” The Gospel of Luke was written as a historical memorial. Acts 1:1: “In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach.” While the apostle Paul, as an evangelist, traveled around preaching in the streets and in churches, his ministry largely consisted of writing theological letters to pastors. 2 Timothy 4:13: “When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.” Along with Paul, and the other writers of the New Testament, the apostolic fathers, the church fathers, and all of the theologians down through church history have decided to turn to writing as the primary way of communicating. While there are special times and places for actual physical speaking, it has always been understood that so much more can be communicated through the written word. So with Luther, and the Puritans, and Wesley; with Finney, and Seymour, and Wigglesworth; with Gee, and Wimber, and Ravenhill, and Wilkerson, so I continue this tradition of theological writing through WordPress and YouTube. The question now is, “If the Lord has laid things on your heart, do you got somethin’ to say?”