#13

                                                             THE BIBLE

                                                    “THE WORD OF GOD”

   The Bible is an ancient collection of writings, comprised of 66 separate books, written over approximately 1,600 years, by at least 40 distinct authors. The Old Testament contains 39 books written from around 1500 t0 500 BC. The New Testament contains 27 books written around 40 to 90 AD. The Old Testament was written mainly in Hebrew, with some Aramaic, while the original New Testament was written in common Greek.

   The King James Bible – Published in 1611 this was England’s authorized version of the Bible translated from the original Hebrew and Greek languages into English at the request of King James I of England.

   The King James Bible translators – In 1604, fifty-four of England’s foremost Bible scholars and linguists were summoned to begin a seven year project that would culminate into the Bible that God has given to the English speaking people in the world.

   The King James Bible Comparison to the Original Manuscripts – The King James Bible translation effort was based on the use of earlier works of the Bible including the Tyndale, Mathew, Coverdale, Great, and Geneva Bibles. Also, because many of the translators were skilled in both Hebrew and Greek, they could also refer to the Masoretic text (Hebrew Old Testament) and the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures) during their work. Tracing all of these works and manuscripts back to their original beginnings would lead us to the original Hebrew and Greek manuscripts of the Old and New Testaments.

   The King James 1611 Bible is living proof that the beauty and accuracy of God’s Holy Word has been safeguarded over the centuries, just as God promised, in order that the English speaking world may be able to understand who God is and what Jesus Christ has done for the world.

                                                   I.  DIVINELY INSPIRED

A. (Jeremiah 36:2) “Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day”.  

B. (Acts 1:16) “Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus”.

C. (II Timothy 3:16) “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”.

D. (II Peter 1:21) “For the prophecy came not in old times by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost”.

E. (Revelation 1:11) “I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, and what thou seest, write in a book, and send it to the seven churches in Asia…”

F. (Revelation 1:19) “Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter..”

G. (Jeremiah 1:9) “Then the Lord put forth His hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth”.

H. (Ezekiel 3:17) “Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore here the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me”.

I. (I Thessalonians 2:13) “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God..”.

                                              II. WISDOM AND DIRECTION

A. (Psalms 19:8) “The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the soul”.

B. (Psalms 119:105) “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path”.

C. (Job 28:28) “And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding”.

D. (Proverbs 4:7) “Wisdom is the principle thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting, get understanding”.

E. (James 3:17) “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated (request earnestly), full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy”.

                                            III. WRITTEN WITH PURPOSE

A. Saving Power – (Romans 1:16) “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek”.

B. Help To Grow – (I Peter 2:2) “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby”.

B. Increases Faith – (Romans 10:17) “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”.

C. A Defensive Weapon – (Ephesians 6:17) “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”.

D. A Probing Instrument – (Hebrews 4:12) “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”.

E. To verify Jesus As The Christ – (John 20:31) “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name”.

F. To Give Hope To Christians – (Romans 15:4) “For whatsoever things were written afore time were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope”.

G. To Give Assurance – (I John 5:13) “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God: that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God”.

                                               IV. SACRED AND ETERNAL

A. Do Not Add Or Subtract From The Bible – (Revelation 22:18-19) “For I testify to every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 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”. We can, however, divide the Word of God – (II Timothy 2:15).

B. The Bible Is Forever – (Psalms 119:89) “Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven”.

C. (Mathew 24:35) “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away”.

God bless