“And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of His mercy and His truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren” (Genesis 24:27).

This verse contains the heart-warming prayer of Abraham’s servant when he realized God had led him to the home of Isaac’s future bride. It also contains the first mention in the Bible of the word “truth.” Illustrating the principle of first mention, it is significant that the truth of which it speaks is the truth of God. Scientists and educators today profess to be searching for truth, and many religions and philosophies profess to have the truth, but all true truth is of God! To look for it anywhere else is to be “ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (II Timothy 3:7).

Similarly, the first mention of “truth” in the New Testament is Matthew 14:33: “Then they that were in the ship came and worshiped Him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.” Truth is found in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. “When He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13).

The holy Scriptures are made up of truth. “Sanctify them through thy truth,” prayed the Lord Jesus, “thy Word is truth” (John 17:17). “Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth” (Psalm 119:142).

On the other hand, everything that is false (that is, contrary to the triune God and/or His inerrant Word) must have its ultimate source in the enemy of truth, Satan, “which deceiveth the whole world” (Revelation 12:9), “for he is a liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44).

The Lord’s “mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations” (Psalm 100:5), but “all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8). HMM