Word of God Part Two
KJV
King James Bible Study Correspondence Course
An Outreach of Highway Evangelistic Ministries
5311 Windridge lane ~ Lockhart, Florida 32810 ~ USA
© Copyright kjbscc 2004 Lesson 11B The Word of GOD 07/22/2005 10:50 AM
The Bible is not the word of Peter, the word of James, the word of John, the word of Isaiah, the word of Jeremiah, the word of David, or the word of Moses. The Bible is the word of God. God chose holy men, such as David, Moses, Samuel, Peter, Matthew, and Luke. But He chose these men to record the very words of God. The Bible is not a book of religious writings by super-spiritual men. The Bible is God's word. In 2 Timothy 3:16-17 we read. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good •works.
Notice again that God did not inspire these holy men. God inspired the scriptures. These holy men simply recorded God's inspired scriptures. Now, many of these men suffered bitterly because of the truths which they taught. Numbers of them were martyred. But in no instance did they recede from his claims or teachings, for they knew, one and all, that they had declared and proclaimed to the world the very words of God.
An example of several of these people is found in Hebrews, chapter 11. In verses 32-39 we find: And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise.
These people were so certain in the depths of their heart that they had the very words of God they were willing to lose property, possessions, future, family, friends, health and even their lives, in order to live according to the truths that God had given them.
An excellent example is found in Jeremiah 38:1-2, 5-6: Then Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son of Malchiah, heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken unto all the people, saying. Thus saith the LORD, He that remaineth in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live; for he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live. Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand: for the king is not he that can do any thing against you. Then took they
3
Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.
You say, "Why would a man allow himself to be thrust into a dungeon, to be let down into a pit full of mire, slime, and filth?" I'll tell you why! Because he knew of a certainty that he had God's words. These men stated, most of them directly, that the message they wrote had been received from God. They knew they had received it that they might pass it on to the people as the word of God. You find again and again and again these men stating, "Thus saith the Lord, thus saith the Lord, this is the word of the Lord, God said."
I realize that many religious people have claimed to be speaking as the mouthpiece of God, but the Old Testament scriptures were jointly compiled and the New Testament scriptures were jointly compiled and preserved in a book. That text of 66 books stands without one proven error or contradiction. It stands conclusively, evidently, as God's perfect and holy word. Listen to what the Bible says in Proverbs 30:5: Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. In Psalms 138:2 we read: I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
That is the place that God Almighty gives to His words - a magnified place, an exalted place, higher than His very name. What place will you give them in your life?
The Bible says in Psalms 19:7-10, The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
God has stated very clearly that all scripture is given by His inspiration. He has stated in no uncertain terms that He has magnified His word. If God's name cannot be trusted, God's person cannot be trusted. God cannot be depended upon if He is not truthful. If you don't have a word you can trust, you don't have a God you can trust. If you don't have a word that is true, you don't have a God that is true. God is true. God's word is true. God is perfect.
4. If the Bible was written so long ago, how do we know that we have it just as it was when it was written?
God's word is perfect. God can be trusted and His word can be trusted. You say, "Which words?" EVERY word of God is pure. Now, beloved, there are those who will tell you that when God's word was originally written it was perfect, true, and without error. But, then, they will tell you that over time as men copied God's word from page to page and as men translated God's word from language to language that it was IMPOSSIBLE that those men could have kept error from creeping into the Bible. Now let me ask you
4
something: when God first gave His word to men, what kind of men did He give it to? You say, "Holy men." All right, according to the Bible, what are holy men? They were sinners who were absolutely nothing apart from the grace of God. And God did not inspire those holy men. God inspired His words and gave His words to those men and those men recorded His words.
Paul was disobedient (Romans 7). David was an adulterer (2 Samuel 11). Peter was a liar (Luke 22:56-62). Elijah was a coward (1 Kings 19). Could you trust these men to invent a Holy Bible? No. Why then must we hear all this fuss about imperfect scribes and translators? The Bible was (originally) and is (today) God's word, not man's. Now let me ask you something: If God originally got His word into the hands of men, if God originally had His perfect word put into human writing, do you think that God is capable of preserving that word, of keeping that word pure, of keeping that word right, of keeping that word free from error unto this present time? Do you believe that God is capable of doing that? I am not asking you if God did it; I only want to know if you believe God is CAPABLE of keeping His pure and perfect word pure and perfect, from the time it was originally written, until this day.
Do you believe God is capable of doing that? I think we would all have to agree that He certainly is able. The Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew 24:35, Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. God said His words would not pass away. God knows what He gave to men to record in the original manuscripts. He has not forgotten. God knows exactly what He said.
So, let me ask you something else: Do you believe that a God who seeks to reveal Himself to mankind and who has chosen to reveal Himself to mankind by written words wants all men in all generations to know Him?
I think we would all have to agree that God does not favor or choose one generation for salvation or enlightenment over another. God gave His words originally in a pure and perfect fashion to a certain generation of men (be it Moses' generation, David's generation, Isaiah's generation, Matthew, Mark and Luke's generation, or the apostle Paul's generation). He gave to that generation His word so that they could know Him through that revelation.
In Deuteronomy 30:11-14, we are told that God wants man to know Him. Man knows God through His word. Therefore, God has not limited His word to a place in heaven where man could not get it. He has not placed His word across the sea where man cannot find it. For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say. Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? But THE WORD IS VERY NIGH UNTO THEE, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.
5
Jehovah has placed His words in the hands of men. Now, do you believe that God originally used men to record His inspired words?
Yes, you believe that, because the Bible says it. Do you believe that men may know God through His written word? Yes, you believe it, for the Bible says it.
Do you believe God knows today what He originally spoke to each and every one of the Bible writers? Yes, we believe it; we know it, because the Bible says it.
Do you believe that God has preserved to THIS day for men in THIS generation who wish to know Him His pure, perfect, just and righteous words - each and every word, in perfection? You say, "I would if the Bible said it. I would believe it if the scripture said so."
5. Does it claim to be God's word?
All right, look at Psalms 12:6-7: The WORDS of the LORD are pure WORDS, (no admixture of error) as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. THOU shall keep THEM, 0 LORD, (Who kept God's word? Not translators, not scribes and scholars, not good, godly men that made errors and mistakes) THOU, God, Thou shall keep THEM, (what? the words of the Lord) 0 LORD, THOU shalt PRESERVE THEM
(Who preserved God's word? Not good men, not godly men, not scholarly men, not erring, sinning, transgressing, mistake-making men - God Himself has preserved His words) from this generation for EVER. Read it again. Believe it! Now, I ask you again, do you believe that the God who originally inspired His pure and perfect word and gave it to man has preserved that pure and perfect word to this generation so that men in our day may have God's pure and perfect word in their hands? YES, you believe it because the Bible says it. The Bible says it!
My friends, I tell you, on the authority of the God of heaven, I have in my hands the pure and perfect words of the Lord. I do not care anything about scribes, scholars, translators, committee members, typists or copyists. I know God. I believe God. The God that I know and the God that I believe told me He inspired His word. He told me that He gave His word to man. He told me that He kept His pure and perfect word.
This Holy Bible says: Ye must be born again. (John 3:7)This divine revelation declares, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house.
(Acts 16:31) The inerrant scripture says: Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. He was buried and the third day He rose again according to the scriptures.
(1 Corinthians 15:3) This preserved Bible says. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved; for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
(Romans 10:9-10)
King James Bible Study Correspondence Course
An Outreach of Highway Evangelistic Ministries
5311 Windridge lane ~ Lockhart, Florida 32810 ~ USA
© Copyright kjbscc 2004 Lesson 11B The Word of GOD 07/22/2005 10:50 AM
The Bible is not the word of Peter, the word of James, the word of John, the word of Isaiah, the word of Jeremiah, the word of David, or the word of Moses. The Bible is the word of God. God chose holy men, such as David, Moses, Samuel, Peter, Matthew, and Luke. But He chose these men to record the very words of God. The Bible is not a book of religious writings by super-spiritual men. The Bible is God's word. In 2 Timothy 3:16-17 we read. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good •works.
Notice again that God did not inspire these holy men. God inspired the scriptures. These holy men simply recorded God's inspired scriptures. Now, many of these men suffered bitterly because of the truths which they taught. Numbers of them were martyred. But in no instance did they recede from his claims or teachings, for they knew, one and all, that they had declared and proclaimed to the world the very words of God.
An example of several of these people is found in Hebrews, chapter 11. In verses 32-39 we find: And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise.
These people were so certain in the depths of their heart that they had the very words of God they were willing to lose property, possessions, future, family, friends, health and even their lives, in order to live according to the truths that God had given them.
An excellent example is found in Jeremiah 38:1-2, 5-6: Then Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son of Malchiah, heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken unto all the people, saying. Thus saith the LORD, He that remaineth in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live; for he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live. Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand: for the king is not he that can do any thing against you. Then took they
3
Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.
You say, "Why would a man allow himself to be thrust into a dungeon, to be let down into a pit full of mire, slime, and filth?" I'll tell you why! Because he knew of a certainty that he had God's words. These men stated, most of them directly, that the message they wrote had been received from God. They knew they had received it that they might pass it on to the people as the word of God. You find again and again and again these men stating, "Thus saith the Lord, thus saith the Lord, this is the word of the Lord, God said."
I realize that many religious people have claimed to be speaking as the mouthpiece of God, but the Old Testament scriptures were jointly compiled and the New Testament scriptures were jointly compiled and preserved in a book. That text of 66 books stands without one proven error or contradiction. It stands conclusively, evidently, as God's perfect and holy word. Listen to what the Bible says in Proverbs 30:5: Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. In Psalms 138:2 we read: I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
That is the place that God Almighty gives to His words - a magnified place, an exalted place, higher than His very name. What place will you give them in your life?
The Bible says in Psalms 19:7-10, The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
God has stated very clearly that all scripture is given by His inspiration. He has stated in no uncertain terms that He has magnified His word. If God's name cannot be trusted, God's person cannot be trusted. God cannot be depended upon if He is not truthful. If you don't have a word you can trust, you don't have a God you can trust. If you don't have a word that is true, you don't have a God that is true. God is true. God's word is true. God is perfect.
4. If the Bible was written so long ago, how do we know that we have it just as it was when it was written?
God's word is perfect. God can be trusted and His word can be trusted. You say, "Which words?" EVERY word of God is pure. Now, beloved, there are those who will tell you that when God's word was originally written it was perfect, true, and without error. But, then, they will tell you that over time as men copied God's word from page to page and as men translated God's word from language to language that it was IMPOSSIBLE that those men could have kept error from creeping into the Bible. Now let me ask you
4
something: when God first gave His word to men, what kind of men did He give it to? You say, "Holy men." All right, according to the Bible, what are holy men? They were sinners who were absolutely nothing apart from the grace of God. And God did not inspire those holy men. God inspired His words and gave His words to those men and those men recorded His words.
Paul was disobedient (Romans 7). David was an adulterer (2 Samuel 11). Peter was a liar (Luke 22:56-62). Elijah was a coward (1 Kings 19). Could you trust these men to invent a Holy Bible? No. Why then must we hear all this fuss about imperfect scribes and translators? The Bible was (originally) and is (today) God's word, not man's. Now let me ask you something: If God originally got His word into the hands of men, if God originally had His perfect word put into human writing, do you think that God is capable of preserving that word, of keeping that word pure, of keeping that word right, of keeping that word free from error unto this present time? Do you believe that God is capable of doing that? I am not asking you if God did it; I only want to know if you believe God is CAPABLE of keeping His pure and perfect word pure and perfect, from the time it was originally written, until this day.
Do you believe God is capable of doing that? I think we would all have to agree that He certainly is able. The Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew 24:35, Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. God said His words would not pass away. God knows what He gave to men to record in the original manuscripts. He has not forgotten. God knows exactly what He said.
So, let me ask you something else: Do you believe that a God who seeks to reveal Himself to mankind and who has chosen to reveal Himself to mankind by written words wants all men in all generations to know Him?
I think we would all have to agree that God does not favor or choose one generation for salvation or enlightenment over another. God gave His words originally in a pure and perfect fashion to a certain generation of men (be it Moses' generation, David's generation, Isaiah's generation, Matthew, Mark and Luke's generation, or the apostle Paul's generation). He gave to that generation His word so that they could know Him through that revelation.
In Deuteronomy 30:11-14, we are told that God wants man to know Him. Man knows God through His word. Therefore, God has not limited His word to a place in heaven where man could not get it. He has not placed His word across the sea where man cannot find it. For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say. Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? But THE WORD IS VERY NIGH UNTO THEE, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.
5
Jehovah has placed His words in the hands of men. Now, do you believe that God originally used men to record His inspired words?
Yes, you believe that, because the Bible says it. Do you believe that men may know God through His written word? Yes, you believe it, for the Bible says it.
Do you believe God knows today what He originally spoke to each and every one of the Bible writers? Yes, we believe it; we know it, because the Bible says it.
Do you believe that God has preserved to THIS day for men in THIS generation who wish to know Him His pure, perfect, just and righteous words - each and every word, in perfection? You say, "I would if the Bible said it. I would believe it if the scripture said so."
5. Does it claim to be God's word?
All right, look at Psalms 12:6-7: The WORDS of the LORD are pure WORDS, (no admixture of error) as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. THOU shall keep THEM, 0 LORD, (Who kept God's word? Not translators, not scribes and scholars, not good, godly men that made errors and mistakes) THOU, God, Thou shall keep THEM, (what? the words of the Lord) 0 LORD, THOU shalt PRESERVE THEM
(Who preserved God's word? Not good men, not godly men, not scholarly men, not erring, sinning, transgressing, mistake-making men - God Himself has preserved His words) from this generation for EVER. Read it again. Believe it! Now, I ask you again, do you believe that the God who originally inspired His pure and perfect word and gave it to man has preserved that pure and perfect word to this generation so that men in our day may have God's pure and perfect word in their hands? YES, you believe it because the Bible says it. The Bible says it!
My friends, I tell you, on the authority of the God of heaven, I have in my hands the pure and perfect words of the Lord. I do not care anything about scribes, scholars, translators, committee members, typists or copyists. I know God. I believe God. The God that I know and the God that I believe told me He inspired His word. He told me that He gave His word to man. He told me that He kept His pure and perfect word.
This Holy Bible says: Ye must be born again. (John 3:7)This divine revelation declares, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house.
(Acts 16:31) The inerrant scripture says: Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. He was buried and the third day He rose again according to the scriptures.
(1 Corinthians 15:3) This preserved Bible says. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved; for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
(Romans 10:9-10)