Logos & Rhema Part 1

Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. John 14:23 NKJV.

In the Bible there are two Greek words that are translated into the English word, “word”. They are Rhema and Logos.

Here’s some examples.

• Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. Luke 1:38
• And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”So he went out and wept bitterly. Matthew 26:75
• If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. John 15:7

In these verses the English word “word” is from the Greek word Rhema. (Strong’s Number 4487).

Here’s some examples of the second word.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1 NKJV.

You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. John 15:3 NKJV.

In these verses the English word “word” is from the Greek word Logos. (Strong’s Number 3056).

We understand the word Rhema to be the quickened word, or the specific word or the revealed word of the Lord for a given situation. We understand the word Logos, to be the whole sayings of God, or the whole truth or doctrine about a thing. We read all of God’s word – Logos, but God quickens to us, or reveals to us, or speaks to us through a passage or a verse or even one word of God’s word, the Bible, a Rhema. Some have said that the Logos is the written word and the Rhema is the spoken word.

Now here’s something interesting. The word Logos, (as translated from the English word “word”), appears 330 times in the New Testament, and the word Rhema (as translated from the English word “word”), appears 70 times in the New Testament. Which means Logos appears 82% of the times, and Rhema is 18%. That is interesting.

The message from that is this; when the Bible speaks more of one thing than another, then it is more important. The Bible speaks most about what is most important, and least about what is least important.

As a great person once said, major on the majors and minor on the minors. Don’t get caught up in discussions and arguments that are just not important enough to be right about.

• Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit … and not according to Christ. Colossians 2:8
• … But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. 1 Timothy 4:6-7
• But shun profane and idle babblings … 2 Timothy 2:16

At times in my Christian Walk I have been desperate for God to answer a prayer, and I asked Him to do it exactly this way! I mean I wanted God to do exactly this or that, and I was specific. And it is good to be specific in prayer. But I was seeking the answer to my prayer rather than seeking the prayer Answerer. I was seeking God’s hand, rather than His face.

Years ago, in a church I was pastoring, I remember we came to a very difficult situation. I was young, and didn’t know what to do, except to pray. So I called the church to four days of prayer and fasting. We had prayer meetings for the adults, men, ladies, youth and children. We prayed; we really prayed. We also had an all-night prayer meeting where we prayed all night, with folk coming and going from the alter to pray, and even the kids were there sleeping while parents took turns to pray for an hour or two, sleep, then pray some more.

I do remember we did pray specifically for the need to be met the way we thought it should be, but more so I do remember we just came before the Lord! We sought His face. We came to Him. We just came before Him in humility, crying out to God for God. We were desperate for the need to be removed, but I remember we were just desperate for God!

For sure we wanted the need to be gone, but I remember just wanting more of God Himself.

• When You said, “Seek My face,” My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.” Psalm 27;8
• If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 28:8

• Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8

Ah yes. Logos is 82%, Rhema is 18%. It is right to seek God for the Rhema, the word for the occasion, the revelation about the specifics, the hand of God to be released, or His activity. But more so, it’s more important to seek the face of God, to seek Him, who He is, His identity.

Seek His face first and most, seek His hand also, secondarily.

Prayer is important, but I wonder when was the last time you or I spent our quiet time or just some significant time, (I mean hours as we do in prayer and intercession) not seeking God for something, but just seeking God, for who He is! Seeking His face. Immersed in Him, the Logos. Not concerned with the hand of God – there’s a time for that.

Ah yes. My Bible tells me Jesus is the Word. The Logos. And He simply says; Come to Me! (Matthew 11:28, John 7:37).

Rhema’s will come for sure, but they come from the Logos.

Seek God’s face; and let Him move His hand when He sees the time is right.