How I Approach Bible Study
Last Updated:
02/12/2008 00:43
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Lord, I
ask you to guide me through your Word so that I understand your
plans and your design, not my own, for my future. In
understanding what you foretold in your Word would come to pass,
I give all my pre-conceived notions to you and submit to what
your Word says in all things. I believe you can lead me to all
Truth better than men and desire the Truth above all else. I
thank you for your promises to not be left in the dark and for
the peace that passes all understanding in the security I know
in you built upon fulfilled promises giving greater hope in you.
First we must acknowledge that Christ is the center of all prophecy.
Revelation 19:10
We must also look at scripture literally and use the
Bible to interpret symbology and parables. We are inundated our whole lives with
Satan's propaganda leading us away from truth. Many times we subconsciously
accept things without proving them to be so according to scripture.
Acts 17:11 So for that reason, I started
these Bible
studies. Given the clarity that has emerged about the end-times from these
studies, I feel it would be contrary to God's desire for me as a watchman to
keep them to myself.
Precepts -
Isaiah 28:9-13 lays out the idea
that understanding of God's Word is done building precept upon precept,
line upon line, here a little there a little. Furthermore, it was done
this way so "that
they might go, and fall backward, and be broken,
and snared, and taken." Understanding Bible prophecy requires
building first on basic precepts to have a strong foundation from
which the rest of the understanding is built.
Discerning Bible Prophecy
The difference between the
milk and
meat of the Word is discernment of both good and evil.
Regarding Bible prophecy and our daily lives, understanding the Word
of God and His position on good and evil shed light in the darkness
and especially in these end times we see the importance of
discerning good from evil.
Ephesians 5:11-21
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness,
but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of
those things which are done of them in secret. But all things
that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever
doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou
that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall
give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as
fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are
evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but
understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not
drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the
Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one
to another in the fear of God.
The goal of this website is to point out in the Word of God, what
His plans are according to His own words in context and in
relationship to everything else in scripture. It is obviously not
complete, but it is my humble attempt to make understanding Bible
prophecy a little easier and sharing how I approach the Word of God
in taking Him at His Word. I'm not always right and God has not
blessed me as a prophet, but has led me to a greater understanding of His
prophets and what they wrote through the Holy Spirit, describing the
times in which we live.
1 John 4:1-6
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but
prove the spirits, whether they are
of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know
ye the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come
in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that confesseth not Jesus is not of
God: and this is the spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it
cometh; and now it is in the world already. Ye are of God, my little
children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you than
he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they as of
the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God
heareth us; he who is not of God heareth us not.
By this we know the spirit of truth, and the
spirit of error.
Proverbs 15:28
The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth
of the wicked poureth out evil things.
Are We Better-Equipped to Understand
Bible Prophecy in Modern Times?
Many people
quote 1st century Bible scholars in interpreting
Bible prophecy as if the first believers had any greater
understanding of how future prophecy would be fulfilled than we
do today. But is that the case? Can we be limiting our
understanding of what the Bible says about the future by
building our foundation upon those created at a time when Bible
prophecy was sealed from understanding?
Daniel
12:1-10
And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince
which standeth for the children of thy people: and
there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was
since there was a nation even to that same time:
and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every
one that shall be found written in the book. And many
of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting
contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the
brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to
righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. But
thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book,
even to the time of the end: many shall run to and
fro, and knowledge shall be increased. Then I
Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one
on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that
side of the bank of the river. And one said to the man
clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river,
How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? And I
heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of
the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand
unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it
shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall
have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people,
all these things shall be finished. And I heard, but
I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the
end of these things? And he said, Go thy way,
Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time
of the end. Many shall be purified, and made
white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none
of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall
understand.
This clearly shows an Old
Testament prophet confused by the prophecy he was given because
understanding of that prophecy was sealed until the time of the end.
So did the early church have any greater understanding than we do
today of what would come to pass? I do not believe that is possible
because of the clarity of Bible prophecy interpreting itself.
Daniel 9:24-27
Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon
thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make
an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to
bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision
and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and
understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to
restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall
be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall
be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after
threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for
himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall
destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be
with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are
determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for
one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause
the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the
overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate,
even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured
upon the desolate.
70 weeks of years were determined
upon Israel and Jerusalem, of which only 69 were
previously fulfilled historically. This passage is central to the
understanding of timing of the end and if you read through the
Biblical and historic explanations in the
HIStory, Our Future Bible studies,
you can see how Israel's history is central to understanding God's
timing of end-time events as prophesied in scripture. My focus on
the passage above is not the timing aspect presented in those
studies however, but simply pointing out that Israel is
God's timepiece for prophetic events. How so? It begins
with the first scripture quoted above at the time
Michael the archangel "stands up."
Matthew 24:14-22
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the
world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end
come. When ye therefore shall see the abomination
of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in
the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him
understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the
mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to
take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the
field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that
are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But
pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the
sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation,
such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time,
no, nor ever shall be. And except those days
should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but
for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
Notice "the end" that follows
verse 14 is the beginning of the 3½ year
great
tribulation most Christians have heard about. In addition,
Yeshua points us to the Old Testament prophet Daniel regarding the
abomination of desolation which begins the great tribulation. This
is the same revealing of the man of sin of Bible prophecy which is
to precede the day of Christ.
2
Thessalonians 2:1-4
Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not
soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by
word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at
hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall
not come, except there come a falling away first, and
that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who
opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or
that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of
God, shewing himself that he is God.
The point of all this is to show
how the existence of Israel and the temple is central to the
fulfillment of Bible prophecy. However, before 1948 there was no
Israel in existence in the land nor the prospect of a temple in
which the man of sin could stop the daily sacrifice. So how
could Bible scholars before 1948 have any grounding reference to
understand when the end would really come? They couldn't. Bible
prophecy as written could not be fulfilled until just a generation
ago. Since that time we have been steadily progressing to "the end,"
which is almost upon us.
Truly the prophecies were sealed
until the time of the end and only now, having seen Israel come back
to the land as prophesied in
Ezekiel 36,37, are
we beginning to really understand what was written so long
ago regarding our future. Truly the scholars of old could understand
the grace of God through Yeshua's sacrifice and the importance of
obedience to God's Word to conform to the image of Christ as well as
the salvation through Christ alone, but could they truly understand
Bible prophecy from a time before Israel? I do not believe so, they
saw through a glass darkly as do we all, but God promised that we
would not be in darkness regarding the coming of the end.
1
Thessalonians 5:1-6
But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that
I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day
of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they
shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon
them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not
escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that
that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the
children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of
the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do
others; but let us watch and be sober.
Luke 21:34-36
And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be
overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this
life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare
shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole
earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray
always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all
these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the
Son of man.
There are many aspects of Bible
prophecy that have been misunderstood over the centuries and indeed
the subject of Bible prophecy is often left alone by the majority of
the church because soothsayers have been predicting the end of the
world for centuries with no fulfillment to date. This is why it is
important to realize that they were speaking from the flesh and
personal interpretation of the Bible rather than relying on God's
Word saying what He meant. Israel didn't exist and so Bible prophecy
could not be fulfilled. The Bible interprets itself and all we need
is the guidance of the Holy Spirit that wrote the Bible through the
prophets.
2
Peter 1:19-21
We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well
that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place,
until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your
hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the
scripture is of any private interpretation. For the
prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but
holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Isaiah 28:9-13
Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to
understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the
milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon
precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line;
here a little, and there a little: For with stammering lips
and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he
said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest;
and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. But the
word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept
upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and
there a little; that they might go, and fall backward,
and be broken, and snared, and taken.
How many people have
been stumbling over scripture because they don't take into account
the fullness of it? All scripture will agree 100% with the rest of
it, so we can be led into false doctrine by taking snippets of
scripture out of context with the whole. At the same time,
understanding is "precept upon precept,"
"line upon line," "here
a little and there a little." This means that to understand
the big picture, we must examine the context of the whole council of
God to arrive at the Truth. We must take each foundational precept
and define it according to scripture only building upon what is
clearly defined. We must put the various lines of scripture together
and compare and we must do so from throughout scripture. Then the
Bible will interpret itself and we only need read and believe,
conforming our beliefs to those written therein.
With the Holy Spirit guiding our
study of His Word we don't need to look to scholars of old for
interpretation, we need look no further than the Holy Spirit within
us as Christians and the Word that hasn't changed on the whims of
men,
trusting the source. In this way we will understand Bible
prophecy more than past generations because we are in the end-times
and understanding was only sealed until this time so that we who
believe God's Word would not be in darkness regarding the coming
day of the Lord and our gathering to meet Him in the air. Let us
come before the throne and ask that the Holy Spirit guide us through
His Word to reveal the Truth, not our desires or imaginings. Let us
search the scriptures daily to see what things are so.
Acts 17:11 And
most of all, let the bride of Christ come together in Spirit and
Truth with the foundation of God's Word alone, breaking through the
denominational divisions to instead trust God's Word and its own
interpretation of itself.
Why Study Bible Prophecy? BrittGillette.com (September
23, 2007)
- Is
Bible
prophecy really important? And if so, how important? And
aren’t people who expend more than a passing moment examining bible
prophecy simply uneducated crackpots and lunatics yearning for
the destruction
of the world? These are just a few of the questions
bombarding today’s Christians when it comes to the study of bible
prophecy. That bible prophecy is irrelevant to the Gospel or a mere
playground for the mentally unstable is a message we constantly receive
from the media, pop culture, and many so-called church leaders. It’s
unfortunate, because this false image of bible prophecy has succeeded in
turning many Christians away from the Gospel. Although recent history is
marked by an untold number of date setters and false prophets claiming
to speak for God, this is no reason to ignore bible prophecy. Such
people were never true Christians, but rather enemies of God in
disguise. So instead of relying on the words of ministers, priests,
journalists, and other humans, let’s examine the primary source. Here’s
what the bible says about prophecy, including every verse of God’s Holy
Word:
“All
Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true
and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us
out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God’s way of preparing
us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to
do.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17
(NLT)
The word “all” includes bible
prophecy, and that’s good, considering more than 25% of the bible is
fulfilled or yet to be fulfilled prophecy. Why is so much of the bible
dedicated to prophecy? There are many reasons, but in the end, there is
only one purpose: to direct the attention of the human race to Jesus
Christ.“For the
essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus.”
Revelation 19:10 (NLT)
Previously fulfilled prophecies lend
unprecedented credibility to the bible’s claim to be the Word of God,
and
the Messianic prophecies
fulfilled by the birth, ministry, crucifixion, resurrection, and
ascension of Jesus of Nazareth authenticate his claim to be the one true
Christ. In essence, bible prophecy is the most powerful witness to the
divinity of Christ. So don’t listen to those who claim that bible
prophecy distracts us from the true Christian mission. Quite to the
contrary, all bible prophecy points to Jesus Christ Himself. more...
Here is an excerpt from Del Kralman's Beth Dorshe Emeth
Ministries further making this point. Recognize and Avoid Deceivers
by Del Kralman
(Beth Dorshe Emeth Ministries: 4430
South 158th; Tukwila, WA 98188)
Matthew 24:4,5
And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no
man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and
shall deceive many.1 Thessalonians
5:1-3
But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need
that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the
Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and
safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman
with child; and they shall not escape.
Remember how Peter expressed the danger of listening to the deceivers of
the end times, with the possibility that it may have an adverse effect on the
saints when he said:2 Peter 3:17
Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know
these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of
the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. It is so very important to recognize the deceivers.
Truly the only way
to know who the deceivers are, is to be so familiar with the Truth that the
deception stands out like a mountain on a clear day. The only way to
effectively deceive someone is to make the deception look so real and good
that they can't tell the difference. Even more, it must look so good that
people will accept it instead of the Truth and prefer it over the Truth.
Satan is the greatest deceiver of all and that is exactly the approach he
uses."Secular Humanism," which humanizes God and deifies man; and the "New Age
Movement," which takes the Hindu approach and deifies everything, has become
popular in the western world as an acceptable course to finding the "true
power within" to help men reach their maximum potential. Because it is 'the
great lie,' presented in such a desirable way, most of the world has fallen
under it's spell. They have been deceived and drawn away from God Almighty.
It has even crept into the teachings of many teachers and preachers in
churches today, which indicates the craftiness of Satan in using these
influences to deceive the very elect, if possible. This brings into focus
the great urgency to call people back to God before its too late!
A word about approach to prophecy in the end-times taken from
Israel as an example of many of the same attitudes of the world
prevalent today as prophesied leading to the return of Christ. The
following is spoken to Israel, but is connected to the end as well
as it is a Truth. The Bible endures forever and is the foundation
for all Truth. Each of us are eternal beings, our choice in who we
serve, a God of love, joy, peace, and patience or a fallen angel of
hate, hopelessness, restless, selfishness and pride.
Galatians 5:19-26 As concerning
prophets, and the apostasy, God's Word...
Jeremiah 23
Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my
pasture! saith the LORD. Therefore thus saith the LORD God of
Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have
scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited
them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings,
saith the LORD. And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of
all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them
again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.
And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and
they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be
lacking, saith the LORD. Behold, the days come, saith the LORD,
that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King
shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice
in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall
dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called,
THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Therefore, behold, the days come,
saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth,
which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of
Egypt; But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the
seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from
all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in
their own land. Mine heart within me is broken because of the
prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like
a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the LORD, and because
of the words of his holiness. For the land is full of
adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth; the
pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course
is evil, and their force is not right. For both prophet and
priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their
wickedness, saith the LORD. Wherefore their way shall be unto
them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on,
and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year
of their visitation, saith the LORD. And I have seen folly in
the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my
people Israel to err. I have seen also in the prophets of
Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in
lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none
doth return from his wickedness; they are all of them unto me as
Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah. Therefore thus
saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will
feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall:
for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth
into all the land. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not
unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make
you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of
the mouth of the LORD. They say still unto them that despise me,
The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every
one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil
shall come upon you. For who hath stood in the counsel of the
LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his
word, and heard it? Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone
forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall
grievously upon the head of the wicked. The anger of the LORD
shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have
performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall
consider it perfectly. I have not sent these prophets, yet they
ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they
had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my
words, then they should have turned them from their evil way,
and from the evil of their doings. Am I a God at hand, saith the
LORD, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret
places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill
heaven and earth? saith the LORD. I have heard what the prophets
said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I
have dreamed. How long shall this be in the heart of the
prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the
deceit of their own heart; Which think to cause my people to
forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his
neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal. The
prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that
hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the
chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD. Is not my word like as a
fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock
in pieces? Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith
the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.
Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use
their tongues, and say, He saith. Behold, I am against them that
prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and
cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness;
yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall
not profit this people at all, saith the LORD. And when this
people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying,
What is the burden of the LORD? thou shalt then say unto them,
What burden? I will even forsake you, saith the LORD. And as for
the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that shall say, The
burden of the LORD, I will even punish that man and his house.
Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbour, and every one to
his brother, What hath the LORD answered? and, What hath the
LORD spoken? And the burden of the LORD shall ye mention no
more: for every man's word shall be his burden; for ye have
perverted the words of the living God, of the LORD of hosts our
God. Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, What hath the LORD
answered thee? and, What hath the LORD spoken? But since ye say,
The burden of the LORD; therefore thus saith the LORD; Because
ye say this word, The burden of the LORD, and I have sent unto
you, saying, Ye shall not say, The burden of the LORD;
Therefore, behold, I, even I, will utterly forget you, and I
will forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers,
and cast you out of my presence: And I will bring an everlasting
reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be
forgotten. This underlies the foundational understanding that God's Word,
the Bible, is the absolute center of our understanding and upon
which all else is built to open our minds to reality and out of our
vain imaginings and desires. To understand Truth is to believe God's
Word and fulfilled prophecy is what builds our faith and strengthens
our understanding in Truth and reality. The Bible and history are
intimately intertwined and the Bible gives the overall picture of
the relationship between humanity and their Creator, Yeshua. The
whole Bible is written of Him and the testimony of Yeshua is the
spirit of prophecy.
Revelation 19:10My study of Bible prophecy has led me to a greater
understanding of Christ through the testimony of the prophets of the
Bible and proof God is who He says He is. The Bible was written by prophets
led by the Holy Spirit and it is a completed collection of books
telling history and the future.
Moreover these books, just as they are, reveal the future according to
the interpretation of the Bible itself. I've learned more details
about the future to come from the Bible than any man giving a
prophecy and unlike men, it is 100% accurate in all things. I used
to listen to modern prophets and then I started actually
reading my
Bible and watching the news and
the whole end-time scenario was laid
out before me with reasons why and everything. I have very few
questions about the future now because of this and have complete
peace and great hope for the future without needing modern prophets
or wealth and prosperity. God has provided for all our needs and if what I've learned is
accurate, that
probably won't last this year anyways.
I'm very wary of people who claim to be prophets also because of the
blatant and constant warning in scripture regarding deceptions of
the end-times. Once the Bible revealed we are
IN the end-times, I began to
discern a lot more than before, knowing Truth from fiction.
2 Timothy 4:1-5
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord
Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his
appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in
season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long
suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they
will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall
they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they
shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned
unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure
afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of
thy ministry.1 Timothy 4
Now
the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the
latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to
seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in
hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which
God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which
believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good,
and nothing to be refused, if it be received with
thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and
prayer. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these
things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ,
nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine,
whereunto thou hast attained. But refuse profane and old
wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For
bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable
unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and
of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying and
worthy of all acceptation. For therefore we both labour and
suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the
Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. These
things command and teach. Let no man despise thy youth; but be
thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in
charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come,
give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by
prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that
thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and
unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou
shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
So my take on prophets is that there are at least 40 of them and
they already wrote their books as led by the Holy Spirit and those
books are good for all doctrine, reproof and correction of men's
perceptions of the future. All those books that were necessary were
combined into the Bible available just about anywhere freedom is. When I realized that
thought is the voice of the spirit realm, it made me realize all
the more that I needed to guard what I allowed in my thought life
with what the Bible said. And if it reveals so much detail, why do I
need prophecies when it is all unfolding before the church and many
don't see? What I've been called to do is be a watchman for
Christ and the Bible is all I need to do that. I think if more
people read their Bibles (really study it), they would find their
faith built up beyond destruction by the petty lies of the enemy
when standing with the absolute Truth of God's own Word to us all. The Truth is the most valuable asset we have
today and that is
the gift of God to us all. When we allow the Bible to interpret itself and
take the whole council of God into account when determining
doctrine,
Isaiah 28:9-13, then I believe the
bride of Christ can
come to be of one mind regarding things. This is being made easier
with time due to prophecy being fulfilled today.
In that light, we as Christians need to take the Word that lights
our path and point people to it as this year progresses because we
have the potential of several earth-shaking events of Bible prophecy
happening that the world will find hard to dismiss from the pages of
scripture as coincidence. (Dividing Israel,
Destruction of Damascus,
Magog Invasion)
Clarifications about the Word of God
Do you trust the validity
of the Bible as the inerrant Word of God, the Holy Bible? I believe that you can and
here is why. I also believe it is
evident through the precision with which His Word is coming to pass as seen in
the
HIStory,
Our Future: Pearls for the Bride Bible studies. Also, Kent Hovind has been faithful enough
to track and answer common "contradictions in the Bible" that are brought up by
some. If you doubt the Bible because of "errors," then you need to
read this.
Watch Kent
Hovind speak on some perceived "errors" here.
The King James Version (KJV)
is the only version I use for in-depth study of Bible prophecy. Why? For starters, the NIV actually
leaves out whole verses and many new translations have
contradictions built in. Also, here is
Acts 8:37 in the KJV,
and
here it isn't in the NIV. What does it say? "And
Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.
And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son
of God." Why would this verse be left out along with over 200 verses missing in the
NIV and other modern translation Bibles? Listen to the link above to see Kent Hovind address these issues
too. God promised He would preserve His Word, and preserve He did. I prefer to
get the most solid version of the Word so that my foundation is as
solid in Truth as it can be. That's just my personal choice in
trying to understand God's designs.
Does this mean you can't be saved if you like the NIV version?
NO!!! But if you also love the Word of God, don't you want a Bible
that doesn't add or remove from it? These aren't just some different
translations, but whole passages removed!
Revelation 22:19,20
And
if any man shall take away from the words of the
book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out
of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and
from the things which are written in this book. He which
testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly.
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
The NIV has been a big tool for those who cast doubt on the Word
of God and lest we forget, that is exactly how Satan tempted Eve in
the garden of Eden saying, "Hath God said?" If we are going to study
the details of Bible prophecy that lays out the future in such
precision, we had better use the most precise version we can get if
we want the most precise declaration of God's plans. We must also
request the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
John 14:26,27
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the
Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and
bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said
unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto
you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your
heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Why is the language of the King James Version used? They didn't really talk
like that, but there are comprehension reasons for using thee, thou, and ye.
Read
The Language of the King James Bible. I would also recommend the fascinating
and faith-building videos from Kent Hovind free online
right now!
Not Left Behind
By Rev. Bill
Lee-Warner Excerpt:
5 cardinal rules of hermeneutics (Bible
Study methods):
- Scripture should be read in its normal, natural and
customary sense. This of course allows for figures of speech.
- All Scripture should be read in context. This means
that the interpretation of Scripture should be looked at in the light of the
verses and book in which the passage is found.
- Always compare Scripture with Scripture. In other
words, Scripture is its own best commentary. All the passages touching on a
particular matter need to be harmonized before truth is found.
- Scripture never contradicts Scripture. We have not
found truth until we find the common denominator that makes all the passages
fit together.
- The recognition of near/far applications of
prophetic literature. Barton Payne says, "Biblical prophecy may leap from
one prominent peak in predictive topography to another, without notice of
the valley between which may involve no inconsiderable lapse in chronology."
(J. Barton Payne, Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy, p. 137)
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