Generally, in the Word, writing signifies making something permanent or serious.
If knowing what’s right were the same as doing what’s right, we would all be thin, healthy, hard-working, law-abiding, faithful to our spouses and free of addiction, and the idea of a New Year’s resolution would not exist. Unfortunately, it’s all too easy to know what’s right, say what’s right, even believe what’s right and still do what’s wrong. If we don’t internalize it, make it a part of us, commit to it it doesn’t mean anything. That is essentially what “writing” means in the Bible – when something was written down, that meant it was permanent, taken to heart, impressed or inscribed on someone’s life – much more meaningful than what was simply said. Such a meaning is still reflected in modern language. If we’re serious about what we’re saying, we might tell someone to “write it down.” Things that are sure might be “written in stone,” harking back to ancient times. Police still want written confessions, and those in love still treasure hand-written notes. All that, of course, is in an age where everyone’s literate and writing is mostly electronic. Writing had far more significance in Biblical times, when few could write and writing materials were clumsy and expensive. For something to be written was significant.
