Deu 27:8 And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly.

The first thing that Israel was commanded to do on the day they crossed over the Jordan to the Promised Land was to set up large stones and inscribed on them the Law of God (verse 2-3).

And the command to the inscribers who inscribed the words onto the stones was: “And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly” (verse 8).

The word “plainly” means “to make plain, distinct, to make clear” (BDB Hebrew Dictionary). It means the words must be clear, in plain language that is easy to read and understand at once.

The main reason for the setting up of the great stones with the law written on them was so that the people could read and know the law of God themselves. Therefore, the inscription must be “plain”. The readers should have no trouble reading the writing and understand its meaning. To write it in such a way that the readers have trouble trying to figure out what a word is or its meaning would defeat its purpose of giving the Law to them.

One preacher said: “The main things are the plain things and the plain things are the main things.” What does it mean? It means that the things that are important for our salvation and godliness are always written in plain language so that we have no trouble understanding them. God who wants all men to be saved would not write the plan of salvation in apocalyptic language that men have problem trying to understand what they must do to be saved. No, but He will use plain and simple sentences that are easy to understand.

For example, when our Lord gave the great commission to go into the world and preach the gospel, He said it in plain sentence how men can be saved: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16). That statement is plain and easy to understand: Believe + Baptised = Saved. Only a mind that has been corrupted by false teachings will see it differently. One needs help to misunderstand that verse.

A thing that is as important as our souls’ salvation will be written in plain statement. On the day of Pentecost, after Peter preached the sermon about the Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ, the multitude asked this question: “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” And Peter replied: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). How did the multitude respond to Peter’s statement? That day, three thousand souls were baptised and had their sins washed away. They understood fully Peter’s statement; it was plain and easy to understand.

Our Lord Jesus was the Word that was made flesh and dwelled among men (John 1:14). John wrote: “In him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4). The result of the Word coming to men was that "Light has come into the world" (John 3:19). We are not left to our own imaginations to figure out what we must do to be saved. That would be leaving us in darkness. But the Word brought light into the world. It means the Word brought revelation to all men and opened their eyes to understand the will of God. In all, the main teachings are taught "very plainly" by the Word.

The Word of God is so clearly and accurately recorded that men might see for themselves what the Lord had spoken. God’s words are always plain and easy to understand. Let us use it as God meant us to use it, not as a book, but as the Book; not as a book written by men, but by God (2 Timothy 3:16). With such a Book before us, let us walk in all the commandments of God.

Jimmy Lau

Psa 119:97  Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.