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Writer's pictureCarolyn Hurst

Thus Says the LORD

Updated: Jun 29, 2023

When a word or phrase is repeated over and over in the Bible, we should sit up and take notice. The writers of the Bible use some form of the expression, “The Lord says,” over three thousand times! Watch for it.

What the LORD says, always comes about. Always.


God said to Abram, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years. But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with many possessions." (Genesis 15:13,14) Note Abram hadn't been renamed to Abraham yet.


We know the account of Joseph being sold into slavery to Egypt and after time becoming Pharaoh's advisor. Jacob's family escapes the famine by going to Egypt. There they grow numerous and become slaves of the Egyptians. God raises up Moses to deliver His people out of bondage.

Hundreds of years after telling Abram what will happen to his descendants God speaks to Moses at the burning bush.

The LORD said, "I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings. So I have come down to deliver them..." (Exodus 3:7,8a)


"I will grant this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be that when you go, you will not go empty-handed. ... Thus you will plunder the Egyptians." (Exodus 3:21, 22b)


God said so. Did it happen? It did.


... for they had requested from the Egyptians articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; ... Thus they plundered the Egyptians. (Exodus 12:35b,36b)


At the end of four hundred and thirty years, to the very day, all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. (Exodus 12:41)


Moses says "Thus says the LORD" over and over to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh would not listen.


Thus says the LORD. And it is so.


One of the most surprising and disturbing examples of God saying something and it is so is found with King David. We are well aware of David's great sin with Bathsheba. King David had her husband, Uriah the Hittite, killed. The prophet Nathan goes and rebukes David in 2 Samuel 12. There is a price to pay for David "doing evil in His sight." Nathan begins with "Thus says the LORD God of Israel" (verse 7) and continues to give David the consequences of his sin. A disgusting consequence is in verse 11 and 12.


"Thus says the LORD, 'Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. Indeed you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and under the sun.'"


God said so. Did it happen? It did.


Absalom was David's son. He had rebelled against King David and tried to usurp the throne. Absalom returns to Jerusalem when King David isn't there and he is advised to sleep with King David's concubines. This would signify to all of Israel Absalom's assumption of royal power.


Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Go in to your father's concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself odious to your father. The hands of all who are with you will also be strengthened." So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. (2 Samuel 16:21,22)


Don't ever say the Bible is boring!

Thus says the LORD. And it is so.


We see over and over in the biblical accounts "Thus says the LORD" or a similar variation. And in every instance things happen just as God said they would. Every single time. Our God, the one we worship and give glory to, keeps His word. He accomplishes what He says He will do and what He purposes to happen is going to happen. We can take that to the bank.


That truth sinks in to our very being and it brings us great comfort. It is comforting to us because God has told us in His word that:


He loves us. (John 3:16) We can believe it.

He has forgiven us. (Psalm 86:5; 1 John 1:9) We can believe it.

He hears our prayers. (1 John 5:14) We can believe it.

He will never leave us or forsake us. (Deuteronomy 31:6) We can believe it.

He will comfort us. (2 Corinthians 1:3) We can believe it.

We cannot be separated from Him. (Romans 8:38-39) We can believe it.

He will do what is good for us. (Romans 8:28) We can believe it.

He is coming again. (Revelation 22:12) We can believe it.

We will be with Him forever. (1 Thessalonians 4:17) We can believe it.


Our God is a God of His word. "Thus says the LORD,..." Over 3000 times.

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