tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91092610051263126852024-03-24T00:11:39.563-07:00Biblical Authority MinistriesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109261005126312685.post-76245737711595886742023-10-09T05:50:00.005-07:002023-10-09T05:52:35.434-07:00Circular Reasoning<p> </p><div style="border-bottom: solid #4F81BD 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent1; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0in 0in 4pt;">
<p class="MsoTitle"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Circular Reasoning: Vicious and Virtuous</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">B. Hodge, Biblical Authority Ministries, October 9, 2023</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I received a question that I’ve heard many times because there are quite
a few people who don’t realize the intricacies of circular reasoning. I hope
this helps clarify, God bless.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">Here was the original correspondence: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt;">Sent:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt;">
Thursday, October 5, 2023 12:06 PM<br />
<b>Subject:</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://answersingenesis.org/store/product/confound-critics/">Confound
the Critics</a></i></b> by B. Hodge</span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;">Good
day Mr. Hodge--</span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;">I
have recently completed reading and studying from your book. First--I must
thank you and your co-authors for your time and efforts in this writing. Second--I
find this book to be VERY helpful and resourceful.</span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;">I for
one strongly agree with the Creation concept as God presents in the book of
Genesis.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;">I was
baptized 4 years ago and have learn a lot since. It does baffle me to now see
what I so badly missed for so very long. (I am 67 years young today:):):)</span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;">In
all of the reading of your book I only have one question--Or maybe one ask--Rebuttal
to a comment I have heard from a couple of Evolutionist Theory friends--</span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;">"Circular
Reasoning-- Or Circular logic<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;">They
are claiming that we are using the Bible to prove our Biblical point of
creation theory.</span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;">As I
see this somewhat accurate I am left without a concrete response to offer them. </span><span style="font-size: 9pt;">Can
you educate me on how to respond to this?</span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;">Again--Thank
you and your entire team for your many hours of service to God and his word.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;">Y'all
are amazing--Keep up the GREAT work of the Lord.</span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;">With
great respect,</span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">God Bless,</span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;">JB</span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Response:</span></b> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Thank
you for reaching out. This is a common claim by atheists back at
presuppositional apologists regarding the existence of God and the truthfulness
of His revealed Word. However, the atheist has failed to realize there are two
forms of circular reasoning. The first is an arbitrary form (often called <i>vicious</i>
circular reasoning). The second is non-arbitrary (called <i>absolute</i>
circular reasoning or <i>virtuous </i>circular reasoning). The arbitrary form
is fallacious.</span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In
logic, circular reasoning is unique because it is<i> valid</i>. It only becomes
fallacious if it is not<i> sound</i>, which is due to the arbitrariness. For
instance, if someone asks me where I live and I say, “With my wife”. They
respond, “Okay then, where does your wife live?” and I say, “With me”. Again,
they respond, “Well where do the two of you live?” I respond, “With our
kids”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Well, where do your kids live?”
“They live with us”.</span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This is
circular; but notice an interesting fact here—everything that I said was <i>true</i>.
But it was arbitrary (not sound) because we never really got anywhere. This
would be an example of a vicious circular argument.</span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">However,
consider my dream the other night. I could tell someone all about it. But if
they respond, prove it logically; I have no choice but to appeal to myself
about my dream as the authority. I must start with myself to tell anyone about
the dream; thus, I am appealing to myself, which is circular. The difference is
that I am the only one in a position to know my dream (outside of God of
course).<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
So, although this was circular, it is non-arbitrary and virtuous.</span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It works
the same way with God. If God is God, He can only reveal Himself by final and
absolute authority—a <i>virtuous</i> circle. This is because God is the
absolute authority on all matters—including the existence of Himself as well as
the existence of logic, knowledge, truth, love, revelation, and so on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For more on the two types of circular
reasoning please see:</span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://answersingenesis.org/apologetics/circular-reasoning/">https://answersingenesis.org/apologetics/circular-reasoning/</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://biblicalscienceinstitute.com/apologetics/bahnsen-on-circular-reasoning/">https://biblicalscienceinstitute.com/apologetics/bahnsen-on-circular-reasoning/</a></span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Even so,
I can’t help but deal with the elephant in the room though. The evolutionary
mindset (which comes out of naturalism and materialism) has no basis for the
existence of <i>logic</i>, if their worldview is true. In fact, <i>truth</i>
can’t exist in a materialistic and naturalistic worldview either since truth,
logic, and <i>knowledge</i> are not material. So, for the evolutionary atheist
to acknowledge logic, they must give up their professed worldview to do so.
Hence, they are borrowing from a biblical worldview when they admit logic
exists.</span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I pray
this helps, God bless,</span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">B. Hodge<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Consider Pharaoh or Nebuchadnezzar’s dream where God knew them and how to interpret
them (Genesis 40-41 and Daniel 2 and 4). <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109261005126312685.post-86549392053897220742023-07-27T08:12:00.001-07:002023-07-27T08:12:46.464-07:00Date Setters Vs Date Teasers<p> </p><div style="border-bottom: solid #4F81BD 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent1; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0in 0in 4.0pt 0in;">
<p class="MsoTitle"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Date Setters</i> Vs. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Date Teasers</i>—Equally Guilty? </b></span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">B. Hodge, Biblical Authority Ministries, July 27, 2023<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">“In My Father’s house are many
mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for
you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you
to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:2-3 NKJV)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">Now when He had spoken these
things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of
their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up,
behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee,
why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from
you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
(Acts 1:9-11 NKJV)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When I was speaking at a church, the pastoral staff and few
others took me out to lunch. We chatted about all sort of things. One thing
that came up was the issue of Jesus’ return. I really wasn’t interested in the discussion
because I knew their eschatological position was different from my own.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> So was it worth a debate over lunch? </i>Probably
not. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There is a time to sit and listen and a time to speak. This time
I wanted to sit and listen to what they had to say so I could better understand
their position. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Meanwhile, a teen in the church was sitting with us—diagonally
across from me. I asked her what she liked to do. She said she liked basketball
and was going to focus on that. I asked how she was doing in school; she said she
really wasn’t worried about school or getting good grades because she said it
was pointless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She continued to say that
since Jesus is coming back “probably later this year or early next year”, that there
was no reason for her to exert herself in her studies. So she was just going to
play some basketball until Jesus comes. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When she said this, I was shocked, but what came next
shocked me even more. Nearly the entire table of 12 people or so started giving
her an “amen” and joined in the chorus with things like, “Jesus is coming back
any minute now”, “I really doubt we will make it to next year—the time is ripe”,
and “that’s right girl, Jesus will be coming back shortly”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There was so much affirmation for her and each other’s testimonies
that I was really taken back. This brings me to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Date Setters</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Date Teasers</i>.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<h1>Date Setters<o:p></o:p></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The sad thing about many Christians—especially in more
recent times (1800 to the present) is that far too many people have tried to
guess a precise date for the return of Christ. These are called <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Date
Setters</i></b> and so far every date in history that has been selected by a Date
Setter has been wrong. This means they made false predictions. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But some people just keep trying! Usually when a failed
predictor’s date comes and goes—if they are still alive—they make an excuse and
then adjust their date to something else in the future (e.g., William Miller, Jehovah’s
Witnesses, or Harold Camping).<a href="file:///C:/Documents/Documents/Documents/BAM/Date%20Setters%20V%20Teasers.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Some of these Date Setters try to work out some sort of
calculation with some wild interpretations from Scripture or odd theological
positions to arrive at their date (e.g., Clarence Larkin predicted AD 2000 in
his book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dispensational Truth</i> in
1918).<a href="file:///C:/Documents/Documents/Documents/BAM/Date%20Setters%20V%20Teasers.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Others say that the Holy Spirit spoke to them like the prophets or apostles of
old. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When their date failed to come to pass, it should have been
obvious that the Holy Spirit was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not </i>their
source! Was it demonic, did they simply deceive themselves, or was it something
else? That too is a great question. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Date Setters are abundant and they can be found giving false
dates for millennia now (see the lists in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Reference
3</i> for example.<a href="file:///C:/Documents/Documents/Documents/BAM/Date%20Setters%20V%20Teasers.docx#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> )<o:p></o:p></p>
<h1>Date Teasers<o:p></o:p></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When someone toys around with the timing of Jesus’ return
without putting a specific date on it, they are called <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Date Teasers</b>. Due to the bad name Date Setters get because of their
consistently failed claims, Date Teasers try to be a bit more coy. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Instead of putting a precise date, they sometimes use <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">vague terms</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">indefinite time referents </i>like Christ’s return “is imminent”, “very
soon to take place” or “in my day”<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.</i>
But when you look at what they are claiming, they still have a prediction that
is bound in a specific range.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So although Date Teasers are unwilling to make commitments
on specific dates, they are still<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>giving
a date range. Essentially, they too have made a prediction about the timing of
the return of Christ. For some reason, Date Teasers seem to think this is a
much better position—but is it? <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The reality is that date teasing is no better than the date
setting. They have both made a definite prediction about the return of Christ
where one names a specific date and the other a date range. The main difference
is that you usually won’t have your name listed on these long lists of failed
predictors and get called out by name as a false prophet. <o:p></o:p></p>
<h1>Conclusion<o:p></o:p></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Yes, I was shocked at the response from that young teen and
those at the table with her. And just so you know, this was about 10 years ago.
So these predictions didn’t come to fruition. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The truth of the matter is that both Date Setters and Date
Teasers are equally guilty. They have both given false predictions and they both
have consequences. And sadly, this young lady was on a trajectory to ruin her
school opportunity because of date teasing into which she also bought. I prayed
for her of course. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For those who disbelieve in Christ’s return altogether—they
have also made their wager too and when Christ does return, their false
predictions will be made complete. In those instances, they will have eternal
consequences for their rebellion against God if they do not repent. But Date
Setters and Teasers need a wakeup call as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When will Jesus return? The answer is simply that Jesus will
come back when Jesus comes back. We should be doing the Lord’s business until
He comes. <o:p></o:p></p>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Documents/Documents/Documents/BAM/Date%20Setters%20V%20Teasers.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> Tim
Chaffey, Are You Ready for the End of the World?, Answers in Genesis, December
20, 2012, <a href="https://answersingenesis.org/christianity/are-you-ready-for-the-end-of-the-world/">https://answersingenesis.org/christianity/are-you-ready-for-the-end-of-the-world/</a>;
Editors, Changed Dates: Failed Predictions, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Facts
About Jehovah’s Witnesses</i>, January, 2019, <a href="https://jwfacts.com/watchtower/1800s.php">https://jwfacts.com/watchtower/1800s.php</a>.
<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Documents/Documents/Documents/BAM/Date%20Setters%20V%20Teasers.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Clarence Larkin, Dispensational Truth, Rev. Clarence Larkin Est. Publishers, Philadelphia,
PA, 1918, p. 16. <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Documents/Documents/Documents/BAM/Date%20Setters%20V%20Teasers.docx#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> With
caveats, see for instance: <a href="https://www.bible.ca/pre-date-setters.htm">https://www.bible.ca/pre-date-setters.htm</a>
and (although I’m not a fan of Wikipedia) see: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dates_predicted_for_apocalyptic_events">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dates_predicted_for_apocalyptic_events</a>.
<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109261005126312685.post-27349100231885006152022-10-13T09:05:00.003-07:002022-10-13T09:06:18.621-07:00TrinityQuestion<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Trinity—Three <i>People</i> make one God? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">B. Hodge, Biblical Authority Ministries, October 13, 2022</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Question:</b>
Regarding the
Trinity, is that the belief where 3 people make one? So is God made only to be
three people? <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Answer:</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There is
one God, the Creator of all things including time, the universe—including space
and the physical—as well as the heavenly and the spiritual. This one God is 3 <i>persons</i>,
not 3 <i>people</i>. This echoes the same teaching from the time of the
apostles forward as defended in early Christian creeds. Excerpts from the
Athanasian Creed help clarify:</span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For the Father is one person, the Son is
another, and the Spirit is still another. But the deity of the Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit is one, equal in glory, coeternal in majesty. What the Father is,
the Son is, and so is the Holy Spirit. Uncreated is the Father; uncreated is
the Son; uncreated is the Spirit. The Father is infinite; the Son is infinite;
the Holy Spirit is infinite….</span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Thus the Father is God; the Son is God; the
Holy Spirit is God: And yet there are not three gods, but one God. Thus the
Father is Lord; the Son is Lord; the Holy Spirit is Lord: And yet there are not
three lords, but one Lord….</span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Father was neither made nor created nor
begotten; the Son was neither made nor created, but was alone begotten of the
Father; the Spirit was neither made nor created, but is proceeding from the
Father and the Son. Thus there is one Father, not three fathers; one Son, not
three sons; one Holy Spirit, not three spirits. And in this Trinity, no one is
before or after, greater or less than the other; but all three persons are in
themselves, coeternal and coequal; and so we must worship the Trinity in unity
and the one God in three persons.</span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Here is
an article and chart that maybe helpful to understand this derivation
biblically:</span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://answersingenesis.org/who-is-god/the-trinity/god-is-triune/"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">God is Triune</span></a> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Though
no analogy is perfect, many church fathers used an equilateral triangle to help
explain the conceptual nature of God. Where the triangle is God and each point
on the triangle is likened to the three persons of the one true God, distinct,
yet identical; and yet the lines making up each point are also the lines
proceeding from each triangular point to make up the lines for the other two
triangular points.</span> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzIZNe1-ssoSFoMaR4_J3OL0OhwbbcAocEE683KnAdiNMlURIUC-RUHPkSJZ7fvHKoJeGzOOLviHQITeXGrs79g8aCpMZ_1cwyx0V8Cbff-3n01ZC1HTnc_pYN8WQg9J7I7lxDAg_EXzDqnWtoaLMG5ZF-qTrHovPJ1H6dW_DMssAt9ua99h6hfKa/s236/Triune.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="236" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzIZNe1-ssoSFoMaR4_J3OL0OhwbbcAocEE683KnAdiNMlURIUC-RUHPkSJZ7fvHKoJeGzOOLviHQITeXGrs79g8aCpMZ_1cwyx0V8Cbff-3n01ZC1HTnc_pYN8WQg9J7I7lxDAg_EXzDqnWtoaLMG5ZF-qTrHovPJ1H6dW_DMssAt9ua99h6hfKa/s1600/Triune.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There is
no contradiction in this by the way. Some mistakenly see <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">three persons and one God</i> and misconstrue this to claim that it is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">three Gods = one God</i> but this is not the
case but a straw man fallacy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At any
rate, I hope this helps. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">B. Hodge <o:p></o:p></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109261005126312685.post-84556647948364000782022-08-08T09:00:00.015-07:002023-05-02T08:44:19.152-07:00Timeline<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif""><span style="font-size: x-large;">Timeline Of History, In Brief</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;">B. Hodge, Biblical </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.3333px;">Authority</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> Ministries, August 8, 2022</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">This timeline is abased on the work of Archbishop James Ussher as well as other historical sources. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">4004
B.C. Creation</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Day 1 Heavens, Earth, Water,
Light</span> </li></ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Day 2 Expanse/Firmament</span> </li></ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Day 3 Dry Land and Plants</span> </li></ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Day 4 Sun, Moon and Stars</span> </li></ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Day 5 Flying (Winged) and Sea
Creatures</span> </li></ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Day 6 Land Animals and Man</span> </li></ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Day 7 God rests and sanctifies
that day [as a model for us (Exodus 20:11)]</span> </li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">4004
Adam and Eve in the Garden</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">~Day 10<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Fall with the Serpent and Adam and Eve eating (Per Ussher)</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">~Day 10 Death and suffering enter the
creation, clothing the need for a Savior, the first sacrifice (Per Ussher)</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Cain
kills Abel because he mimicked the first sacrifice (fat portions) and Cain only
brought first fruits. Cain banished to the land of wandering (Nod) and takes
his wife (his sister)</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">3874
Seth is born and other sons and daughters</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> Musical
instruments invented (Genesis 4:21)</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> Bronze
and iron working begins (Genesis 4:22)</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">3017<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Enoch is taken to heaven without death.</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">2948
Noah was born</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> Over
2000 years of history: Lineage from Adam to Noah:
Adam-Seth-Enosh-Cainan-Mahalalel-Jared-Enoch-Methuselah-Lamech-Noah FLOOD –
Shem to Jacob (Israel)</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5U4GFr0pYFM3tFZdV8dFapjj23tgFP53RC2Sgbjq5Aj4SjbiBLC_iIBtMewpWDHFS_GxP5OMBVji9_4EI5bqd8_hfeqOuyahW-NL5W9tOwISfKc1lbBuT-p0XmFcLRetyn3pmzzJbQSCFW1yyeu2joKXhy6uud4qgp7S7rsWiSa1keEmlWIVJFlkL/s500/Ancestors.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="500" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5U4GFr0pYFM3tFZdV8dFapjj23tgFP53RC2Sgbjq5Aj4SjbiBLC_iIBtMewpWDHFS_GxP5OMBVji9_4EI5bqd8_hfeqOuyahW-NL5W9tOwISfKc1lbBuT-p0XmFcLRetyn3pmzzJbQSCFW1yyeu2joKXhy6uud4qgp7S7rsWiSa1keEmlWIVJFlkL/s320/Ancestors.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">2448
Japheth is born – Noah’s first son when he is 500 years old which is 100 years
before the Flood</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">2446
Shem is born to Noah</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Ham is born</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">2349
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Flood <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Animals on</i> – Noah and his family 8 in all get on the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Ark</st1:state></st1:place></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwN3uTx0RPcfVbLZ6c4P1oZZ7qjHMWvW5tL2jYEDTugE7qq2FoUGOpz9UpGtwDs2SrLWds0zcES8bgCLB36Y7EPVsPB1OveyAQRf1yV7KPozoT3Mb1ZemyRWn4S3i61uZpWEJL5l_b9x12DQrK3rEEDcNzAl67LtQOJnFXsingvgWuTkpjfOBV9m1G/s480/Ark.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="480" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwN3uTx0RPcfVbLZ6c4P1oZZ7qjHMWvW5tL2jYEDTugE7qq2FoUGOpz9UpGtwDs2SrLWds0zcES8bgCLB36Y7EPVsPB1OveyAQRf1yV7KPozoT3Mb1ZemyRWn4S3i61uZpWEJL5l_b9x12DQrK3rEEDcNzAl67LtQOJnFXsingvgWuTkpjfOBV9m1G/s320/Ark.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">2348
End of the Flood, Animals came off and begin filling the earth</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Noah’s
family living in tents</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">2242
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Tower</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">Babel</st1:placename></st1:place> incident where languages were
confused because people refused to heed God’s command to fill the earth<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">2234
Nimrod founds the first post-Babel, Babylonian Empire (Per Ussher)</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">2188
Mizraim founds of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Egypt</st1:country-region></st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">2089
Javan founds of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Greece</st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Germany, Scytha, China, India,
and other civilizations began forming as well – people migrating around
the world<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span> </li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Ice Age</span></i></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> had been triggered
by the Flood and peaking about 500 years after the Flood then going back down</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1998 Noah dies</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1996
Abraham is born to Terah</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1922
Call of Abraham</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">The
first recorded war [Genesis 14:1-2 And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel
king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal
king of nations </span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">that
they made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of
Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).] Abraham
was forced to get involved to save </span><st1:place style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">Lot</st1:place><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> who was
captured. Abraham won the war (Genesis 14:14-17). Although Nimrod’s exploits
pre-dated this but not specifically denoted</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1896
Isaac is born to Abraham</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1846 Shem, Noah son dies</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1836
Jacob (renamed <st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region>) was
born to Isaac and his twin Esau (<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Edom</st1:place></st1:country-region>)</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">12 sons
of Jacob (<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region>)</span></b><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1. Reuben (Leah)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">2. Simeon (Leah)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">3. Levi (Leah)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">4. Judah (Leah)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">5. Issachar (Leah)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">6. Zebulun (Leah)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: FR;">7. Joseph
(Rachel)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: FR;">8. Benjamin
(Rachel)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: FR;">9. Dan (Rachel’s
Maidservant Bilhah)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: FR;">10. Naphtali (Rachel’s
Maidservant Bilhah)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: FR;">11. Gad (Leah’s
Maidservant Zilpah)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: FR;">12. Asher (Leah’s
Maidservant Zilpah)</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1707
Joseph in Egypt sold as a slave and then rises to power and Jacob and Joseph’s
brothers come to seek help from Egypt, where</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> the </span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Israelites were in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Egypt</st1:place></st1:country-region> for 7 years of famine</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1635
Joseph dies book of Genesis comes to an end</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Between 1635 and 1571 Ussher places Job; Bodie Hodge leaves this open but also leaves open the time of the Judges based on internal clues in the book of Job itself (see Bodie Hodge Tower of Babel, Master Books, Green Forest AK appendix pp. 253-263.)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1571
Moses Born</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1491
The 10 Plagues of Egypt with Moses and Aaron leading the cause of God to free
the enslaved Israelites – the first Passover</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1491
Parting of the <st1:place w:st="on">Red Sea</st1:place> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The 10 Commandments</i> at Mt Sinai</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">40 years of wandering in the desert</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1452
Israelites, led by Joshua, enter the Promised Land</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Inheritance in the Promised Land as follows: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Reuben
(Leah)</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">2. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Simeon
(Leah)</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">3. Levi (Leah) <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Spiritual Inheritance</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">4. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Judah
(Leah)</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">5. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Issachar
(Leah)</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">6. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Zebulun
(Leah)</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">7. Joseph (Rachel) <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Split</i></st1:place></st1:city><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> into two inheritances </i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">8. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Benjamin
(Rachel)</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">9. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dan
(Rachel’s Maidservant Bilhah)</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">10. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Naphtali
(Rachel’s Maidservant Bilhah)</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">11. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Gad
(Leah’s Maidservant Zilpah)</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">12. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Asher
(Leah’s Maidservant Zilpah)</b></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Because of the Levites receiving a spiritual
inheritance as priests one of Joseph’s sons received an inheritance in place of
Levi while the other son retained the place of Joseph:</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">13.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">
Ephraim</b> (son of Joseph)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">14. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Manasseh
</b>(son of Joseph)</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1451
<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Jericho</st1:place></st1:city> falls</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">~1413
(death of Joshua) to ~1100, the Judges were:</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 480;">
<tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 0.45in;" valign="top" width="65">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 5.5in;" valign="top" width="792">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">The
Lord God is the Ultimate Judge <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 0.45in;" valign="top" width="65">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">2<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 5.5in;" valign="top" width="792">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Moses
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(Note: Moses and Joshua were really the
first judges)</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 0.45in;" valign="top" width="65">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">3<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 5.5in;" valign="top" width="792">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Joshua
[as Moses successor]<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> (Note: Moses and
Joshua were really the first judges)</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 0.45in;" valign="top" width="65">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">4<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 5.5in;" valign="top" width="792">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Othniel
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 0.45in;" valign="top" width="65">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">5<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 5.5in;" valign="top" width="792">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Ehud
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 0.45in;" valign="top" width="65">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">6<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 5.5in;" valign="top" width="792">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Shamgar
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 0.45in;" valign="top" width="65">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">7<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 5.5in;" valign="top" width="792">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Deborah
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 0.45in;" valign="top" width="65">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">8<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 5.5in;" valign="top" width="792">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Barak
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 8;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 0.45in;" valign="top" width="65">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">9<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 5.5in;" valign="top" width="792">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Gideon
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 9;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 0.45in;" valign="top" width="65">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">10<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 5.5in;" valign="top" width="792">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Abimelech
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 10;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 0.45in;" valign="top" width="65">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">11<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 5.5in;" valign="top" width="792">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Tola
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 11;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 0.45in;" valign="top" width="65">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">12<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 5.5in;" valign="top" width="792">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Jair
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 12;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 0.45in;" valign="top" width="65">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">13<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 5.5in;" valign="top" width="792">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Jephthah
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 13;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 0.45in;" valign="top" width="65">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">14<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 5.5in;" valign="top" width="792">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Ibzan
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 14;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 0.45in;" valign="top" width="65">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">15<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 5.5in;" valign="top" width="792">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Elon
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 15;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 0.45in;" valign="top" width="65">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: FR;">16<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 5.5in;" valign="top" width="792">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: FR;">Abdon <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 16;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 0.45in;" valign="top" width="65">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: FR;">17<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 5.5in;" valign="top" width="792">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: FR;">Samson <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 17;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 0.45in;" valign="top" width="65">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: FR;">18<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 5.5in;" valign="top" width="792">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: FR;">Eli <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 18;">
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: FR;">19<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 5.5in;" valign="top" width="792">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: FR;">Samuel <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 19; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">20<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 5.5in;" valign="top" width="792">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Joel
and Abijah, These sons of Samuel did evil and so the Israelites rejected them<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> and</i> subsequently God as their king
and asked for a human king and God granted them Saul <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1095
Saul becomes King</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">David kills goliath</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1048
David becomes King, many psalms were written</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1015
Solomon becomes King and builds the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Temple</st1:placetype>
of <st1:placename w:st="on">God</st1:placename></st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">975
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region> is divided into two
nations, North and South: <st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region>
and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Judah</st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Kings
of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 480;">
<tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 26.8pt;" valign="top" width="54">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 302.6pt;" valign="top" width="605">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Jeroboam
I<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">2<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 302.6pt;" valign="top" width="605">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Nadab<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 26.8pt;" valign="top" width="54">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">3<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 302.6pt;" valign="top" width="605">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Baasha<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 26.8pt;" valign="top" width="54">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">4<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 302.6pt;" valign="top" width="605">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Elah<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">5<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 302.6pt;" valign="top" width="605">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Zimri<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 26.8pt;" valign="top" width="54">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">6<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 302.6pt;" valign="top" width="605">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Omri<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 26.8pt;" valign="top" width="54">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">7<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 302.6pt;" valign="top" width="605">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Ahab<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 26.8pt;" valign="top" width="54">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">8<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 302.6pt;" valign="top" width="605">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Ahaziah<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 8;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 26.8pt;" valign="top" width="54">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">9<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 302.6pt;" valign="top" width="605">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Jehoram
(Variant: Joram)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 9;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 26.8pt;" valign="top" width="54">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">10<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 302.6pt;" valign="top" width="605">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Jehu<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 10;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 26.8pt;" valign="top" width="54">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">11<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 302.6pt;" valign="top" width="605">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Jehoahaz
(Variant: Joahaz)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 11;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 26.8pt;" valign="top" width="54">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">12<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 302.6pt;" valign="top" width="605">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Jehoash
(Variant: Joash)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 12;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 26.8pt;" valign="top" width="54">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">13<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 302.6pt;" valign="top" width="605">
<p class="MsoNormal"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Jeroboam</span></st1:city><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> <st1:state w:st="on">Il</st1:state></span></st1:place><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 13;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 26.8pt;" valign="top" width="54">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">14<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 302.6pt;" valign="top" width="605">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Zechariah<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 14;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 26.8pt;" valign="top" width="54">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">15<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 302.6pt;" valign="top" width="605">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Shallum<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 15;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 26.8pt;" valign="top" width="54">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">16<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 302.6pt;" valign="top" width="605">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Menahem<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 16;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 26.8pt;" valign="top" width="54">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">17<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 302.6pt;" valign="top" width="605">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Pekahiah<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 17;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 26.8pt;" valign="top" width="54">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">18<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 302.6pt;" valign="top" width="605">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Pekah<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 18; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 26.8pt;" valign="top" width="54">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">19<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 302.6pt;" valign="top" width="605">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Hoshea
(Variant: Hosea), Sargon II’s Assyrian Empire conquers them<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Kings
of </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Judah</st1:place></st1:country-region><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 480;">
<tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 30.6pt;" valign="top" width="61">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 4.15in;" valign="top" width="598">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Rehoboam,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 30.6pt;" valign="top" width="61">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">2<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 4.15in;" valign="top" width="598">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Abijah
(Variants: Abia and Abijam)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 30.6pt;" valign="top" width="61">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">3<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 4.15in;" valign="top" width="598">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Asa<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 30.6pt;" valign="top" width="61">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">4<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 4.15in;" valign="top" width="598">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Jehoshaphat<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 30.6pt;" valign="top" width="61">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">5<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 4.15in;" valign="top" width="598">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Jehoram
(Variant: Joram)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 30.6pt;" valign="top" width="61">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">6<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 4.15in;" valign="top" width="598">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Ahaziah<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 30.6pt;" valign="top" width="61">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">7<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 4.15in;" valign="top" width="598">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Athaliah<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 30.6pt;" valign="top" width="61">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">8<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 4.15in;" valign="top" width="598">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Joash
(Variant: Jehoash)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 8;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 30.6pt;" valign="top" width="61">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">9<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 4.15in;" valign="top" width="598">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Amaziah<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 9;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 30.6pt;" valign="top" width="61">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">10<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 4.15in;" valign="top" width="598">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Uzziah
(or Azariah)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 10;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 30.6pt;" valign="top" width="61">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">11<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 4.15in;" valign="top" width="598">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Jotham<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 11;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 30.6pt;" valign="top" width="61">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">12<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 4.15in;" valign="top" width="598">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Ahaz<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 12;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 30.6pt;" valign="top" width="61">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">13<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 4.15in;" valign="top" width="598">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Hezekiah<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 13;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 30.6pt;" valign="top" width="61">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">14<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 4.15in;" valign="top" width="598">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Manasseh<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 14;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 30.6pt;" valign="top" width="61">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">15<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 4.15in;" valign="top" width="598">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Amon<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 15;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 30.6pt;" valign="top" width="61">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">16<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 4.15in;" valign="top" width="598">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Josiah
(Variant: Josias)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 16;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 30.6pt;" valign="top" width="61">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">17<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 4.15in;" valign="top" width="598">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Jehoahaz
(Variant: Joahaz)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 17;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 30.6pt;" valign="top" width="61">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">18<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 4.15in;" valign="top" width="598">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Jehoiakim<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 18;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 30.6pt;" valign="top" width="61">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">19<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 4.15in;" valign="top" width="598">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Jehoiachin
(Variants: Jeconiah and Jechoniah)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 19; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 30.6pt;" valign="top" width="61">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">20<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 4.15in;" valign="top" width="598">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Zedekiah,
Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylonian Empire conquers them <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">~889
Elijah and the fiery chariot and dealing with the false prophets of Baal</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">808
Jonah was swallowed by a great fish because he refused to go to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nineveh</st1:place></st1:city></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">776
The first Olympics were held</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">~759
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>– ~698 Isaiah, prophecies about a virgin
birth</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">748
<st1:city w:st="on">Rome</st1:city> is founded by <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Romulus</st1:city></st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">721
Captivity for the Northern Kingdom <st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region>
to <st1:place w:st="on">Assyria</st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">~629
– ~588 Jeremiah, thrown into a well</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">607
Captivity for the Southern Kingdom to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Babylon</st1:city></st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">~607
– ~534 Daniel and also Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">538
God writes on the wall and Belshazzar, king of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Babylon</st1:place></st1:city> dies, ending the Babylonian
Empire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Darius, the Mede takes over and
appoints Daniel to second in command. Daniel is thrown into the lion’s den as
well.</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">510
Esther saves the Israelites</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">467–
~442 Nehemiah and Ezra – Permission to resettle and rebuild the Jewish religion
and State, Nehemiah is permitted to rebuilt the wall at <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Jerusalem</st1:place></st1:city></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">447
The Parthenon is built in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Greece</st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">397
Last Prophet until Christ: Malachi</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">400
years of silence from God, e.g., no prophets, thus no Scripture</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Solon taught Socrates who taught Plato who taught
Aristotle who taught Alexander the Great</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">356
Alexander the Great is born</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">348
Plato died</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">341
Epicurus is born and founds the first major evolutionary philosophy. Paul later
argues against this when debating with the Epicureans (Acts 17:18)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">331
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Greece</st1:country-region></st1:place>
through Alexander the Great conquers most of the known world, Greek is a common
language – the New Testament is written in Greek as a result<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">323
Alexander the Great died</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> in Babylon</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">263
<st1:city w:st="on">Rome</st1:city> and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Carthage</st1:city></st1:place>
begin fighting, the First Punic War</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">218
the Second Punic War between <st1:city w:st="on">Rome</st1:city> and <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Carthage</st1:place></st1:city></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">166-161
the Israelites fight against the Greeks, who had conquered them and finally
make a truce with <st1:city w:st="on">Rome</st1:city> against <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Greece</st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">149-146
Third Punic War, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Carthage</st1:place></st1:city>
was demolished</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">146
Roman Empire conquers the whole of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Greece</st1:country-region></st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">88
Anna, the prophetess’s husband died and she remained at the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Temple</st1:place></st1:city> in prayer and fasting waiting for 84
years until she saw Christ presented at the Temple</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">55
Julius Caesar invades <st1:country-region w:st="on">England</st1:country-region>
– Latin begins to become a dominant language in <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">48
Julius Caesar keeps the power given to him from the Senate of Roman as becomes
the first unofficial emperor of Rome (hence the name Caesar, Tsar, Kaisar, and
so on given as a title for many kings to follow from Rome to Russia)</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">44<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Julius Caesar was murdered on the Ides of
March (March 15), Augustus Caesar takes power over <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Rome</st1:city></st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">40
Herod the Great is set up as king under Caesar over the Israelites</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">19
Herod begins expanding the <st1:city w:st="on">Temple</st1:city> in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Jerusalem</st1:place></st1:city></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">5
B.C. John the Baptist is born</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">4
B.C. Mary is visited by Gabriel, Jesus is born; Magi visit, Mary Joseph and
Jesus flee to <st1:country-region w:st="on">Egypt</st1:country-region> to
escape Herod’s wrath against little boys in and around <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Bethlehem</st1:city></st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">4-3 B.C. Herod the Great gets sick and dies and his son Herod Antipas takes over
and rules Galilee throughout the duration of Jesus’ earthly life, under the
Roman authorities of course until 39 A.D.</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">----------BC (Before
Christ) to AD (Anno Domini, meaning: in the day of our Lord in Latin) ---</span></b><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">9
A.D. Jesus as a young boy in the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Temple</st1:place></st1:city></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">~26
A.D. John baptizes Jesus</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">~27
Satan tempts Jesus 3 times and Jesus countered with the Word of God 3 times</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">~30
Jesus turns water into wine at a wedding reception at <st1:place w:st="on">Cana</st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Jesus
begins his ministry; heals and raises people from the dead</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">33
Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">33
Last Supper</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">33
Betrayed in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Jerusalem</st1:place></st1:city>
by Judas</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">33
Crucifixion of Christ</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">33
Resurrection of Christ</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">33
Apostles begin preaching Christ</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 14pt;">Apostles</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 9pt;">1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Simon Peter<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 9pt;">2. Andrew (Peter’s brother)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 9pt;">3. James the <i>son</i> of Zebedee<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 9pt;">4. John <i>son</i> of Zebedee and brother of
James<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 9pt;">5. Philip <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 9pt;">6. Bartholomew<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 9pt;">7. Thomas <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 9pt;">8. Matthew the tax collector<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 9pt;">9. James the <i>son</i> of Alphaeus<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 9pt;">10. Lebbaeus Thaddaeus<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 9pt;">11. Simon the Canaanite<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 9pt;">12. <s>Judas Iscariot</s>, who forfeited his
right as an Apostle<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 9pt;">13.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Matthias (Acts 1:20-26) Replaced Judas<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 9pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 9pt;">14.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Paul (2 Corinthians 11:5, 2 Corinthians 12:11, etc.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 9pt;">15.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Barnabas (Acts 14:14)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 9pt;">16.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>James the brother of Jesus (Galatians 1:19)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 9pt;">17.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jesus is THE Apostle (Hebrews 3:1)</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">33
The martyrdom of Stephen</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">35
Call of Paul on the <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Damascus Road</st1:address></st1:street></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Paul’s missionary journeys begin—Paul’s
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">very first</i> missionary journey
often goes neglected to Arabia (Galatians 1:17 and much of the book of Galatians
outlines the distinctions between the descendants of Sarah and Hagar).
Many Arabs are the descendants of Ishmael, the son of Abraham with Hagar. Then Paul goes to Jerusalem and then to Syria and Cilicia (Galatians 1:18-21) </span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">60
St. Andrew was crucified on and X shaped cross, hence the Saltire cross of Andrew</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">66-70
Jewish revolt against <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Rome</st1:place></st1:city></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">67
Peter and Paul executed, Paul beheaded and Peter crucified upside down, hence the
Petrine cross)</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">New Testament is completed in the
First Century, to cap the authoritative 66 Books of the Bible (i.e., the canon).
They were written or affirmed by the authority of the Apostles as imposed
on the church</span> </li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">70
Destruction of the <st1:city w:st="on">Temple</st1:city> and <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Jerusalem</st1:place></st1:city></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Church
fathers Clement (who learned from Paul), Ignatius and Polycarp (who learned
from John) and other continue to preach and spread the good news of Jesus
Christ</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">~108
Ignatius, disciple of John, was killed by beasts in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Rome</st1:place></st1:city> at the Coliseum. He was Bishop of Antioch</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">155
Polycarp died. He was also a disciple of John and was a bishop of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Smyrna</st1:place></st1:city> and was stabbed
and burnt at the stake</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">155
Justin Martyr famous church leader</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">70-300
Roman oppression against Christians, but Christianity continues to spread</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">306
<st1:city w:st="on">Constantine</st1:city> become the first Christian Emperor
and moves the capital from <st1:city w:st="on">Rome</st1:city> to Constantinople
(<st1:city w:st="on">Byzantium</st1:city>); Harsh Christian persecution ends in
the <st1:place w:st="on">Roman Empire</st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">325
Council of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nicaea</st1:place></st1:city>
and affirms the biblical view of the trinity, the Nicene Creed came out of this
council</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">350
Angles (from South Denmark), Jutes (from Jutland or northern <st1:country-region w:st="on">Denmark</st1:country-region>) and Saxons (from <st1:country-region w:st="on">Germany</st1:country-region> just below <st1:country-region w:st="on">Denmark</st1:country-region>)
together known as Anglo-Saxons began their conquest into <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Britain</st1:place></st1:country-region> but are
fought back by the Romans at first</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">354
Augustine – famous church leader and Bishop (minister/pastor) of Hippo was born</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">395
The <st1:place w:st="on">Roman Empire</st1:place> splits into two East and
West. The Eastern Empire remains as the <st1:place w:st="on">Byzantine Empire</st1:place>
until 1453. The <st1:place w:st="on">Western Empire</st1:place> or the remnant
of the Romans Empire falls in 476 to Germanic peoples (Visigoths)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">
Next few hundred years, German peoples continued to settle in the Western
portions of <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">404
Jerome translates the Bible into Latin</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">410
Romans leave <st1:place w:st="on">British Isles</st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">~450-550
Anglo-Saxons settle much of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Britain</st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">451 Oriental Church Split</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">570
Muhammad is born and founds Islam and later begins to conquer larges stretches
of the <st1:place w:st="on">Middle East</st1:place> and bring them under Islam by force, destroys </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">Bibles</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">613-614
<st1:city w:st="on">Damascus</st1:city>, <st1:city w:st="on">Antioch</st1:city>,
and <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Jerusalem</st1:place></st1:city>
conquered by Islamic forces</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">711
Moorish Islamic forces invade <st1:country-region w:st="on">Spain</st1:country-region>
and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Portugal</st1:place></st1:country-region>
and conquer them</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">732
Charles Martel defeats Islamic forces as they try to invade the whole of <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">793
Vikings begin their raid throughout <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place>
(for the next few centuries)</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">843
(846 and 849) Islamic forces invade <st1:country-region w:st="on">Italy</st1:country-region>
but fail to take to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Rome</st1:city></st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">874 Iceland first Settled by Ingolfur Arnarson</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">902
Muslims conquer <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sicily</st1:place></st1:state></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">916
Greek and German forces stop the spread of Islamic forces in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Italy</st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">920
Islamic Forces cross the Pyrenees mountains to invade <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">France</st1:country-region></st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">939
For the next couple hundred years Islamic forces and Christian forces go back
and forth in various places throughout southern Europe from <st1:country-region w:st="on">France</st1:country-region> and Span to <st1:country-region w:st="on">Italy</st1:country-region>
and <st1:state w:st="on">Sicily</st1:state> and the <st1:place w:st="on">Middle
East</st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">~1021 Viking settle in North America</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1054
For centuries, there has been a growing split in the churches in the East and
West over the filoque clause. In 1054, they officially part ways Orthodox in the East and Roman in the
West…with many others in between!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1066
William the Conqueror (of <st1:state w:st="on">Normandy</st1:state> (Northern
France) defeats <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">England</st1:country-region></st1:place>.
The English language begins mixing from a German-based language to a French
(and therefore a Latin-based language)</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1071
Islamic Forces begin conquering the <st1:place w:st="on">Byzantine Empire</st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1097
The First Crusade was to remove Islamic forces from Europe and free the <st1:place w:st="on">Holy Land</st1:place>. Fighting between Islam and Christianity for
the <st1:place w:st="on">Holy Land</st1:place> and other areas at their borders
goes back and forth until 1396</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1206
Genghis Khan conquers a huge portion of Asia and <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place>
for the Mongolian Empire the empire lasts until 1370, but peaked in size around
1279</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1255
Thomas Aquinas famous Christian philosopher</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1337
– 1453 The Hundred Years War over the French throne between competing houses
from <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">England</st1:place></st1:country-region>
and France, who both claimed the royal title. The French house of <st1:place w:st="on">Valois</st1:place> finally wins</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1348
– 1351 Bubonic (Black) plague wipes out 1/3 of <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place>’s
population</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1382
John Wycliffe translates the Bible from Latin into English</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1440
Johannes Gutenburg invents the printing press, the Bible is the first book
printed <i>en mass</i></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1451
Christopher Columbus is born</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1457
Bartolomeu Dias, a Portuguese sailor was born and later in life was the first
European to map a course sailing south around <st1:place w:st="on">Africa</st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1492
The last of Islamic forces are removed from <st1:country-region w:st="on">Spain</st1:country-region>;
<st1:city w:st="on">Columbus</st1:city> rediscovers <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region> and popularizes the “new
world” to Europeans</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Age
of Discovery begins with <st1:country-region w:st="on">Spain</st1:country-region>,
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Portugal</st1:place></st1:country-region>,
England, Netherlands, France and others colonizing and mapping out the coastlines of various
parts of the world</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1509
John Calvin, a French theologian was born. He is best-known for his
commentaries on the Bible and the development of a system of theology known as
Calvinism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though, he was instrumental
in the reformation</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1516
Erasmus publishes The New Testament in Greek from various incomplete copies he put
together</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1517
Martin Luther triggers the Reformation a multitude of protestant denominations ultimately
result</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1519-1522
Portuguese sailor Ferdinand Magellan tried to sail around the world, he died on
the trip but his 22 of his men completed the journey – so Magellan gets the
credit</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1525
William Tyndale translates the New Testament into English and is burnt at the
stake for it</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJtIlRn4hp8yAng5hfWIdPvxQtpQmuC9NzfbAQ2ZA400fxSxZMta_kfS4mUDDp7QLuPjFJtqApG3LT_d00TzqXiBYYO6uI92FgfMQV3kN9nZXesNkGW_ffXYMzRFZjUvTbOkNNtV_hpNTDJGrKpkkWaZ-A1ZOjLLl-humQcTPujvQ3YFF5P2Xtmi0k/s400/330px-William_Tyndale.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="330" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJtIlRn4hp8yAng5hfWIdPvxQtpQmuC9NzfbAQ2ZA400fxSxZMta_kfS4mUDDp7QLuPjFJtqApG3LT_d00TzqXiBYYO6uI92FgfMQV3kN9nZXesNkGW_ffXYMzRFZjUvTbOkNNtV_hpNTDJGrKpkkWaZ-A1ZOjLLl-humQcTPujvQ3YFF5P2Xtmi0k/s320/330px-William_Tyndale.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><br /><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1526
Francisco Pizarro<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and Diego de Almagro
make the first contact with the Incas</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1528
Incan Civil war begins between two brothers (Atahualpa and Huascar) for control</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">By
1533 Pizarro and precious few Spanish were able to conquer the Incan Empire but
there was still aftermath fighting until 1572</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1558
Queen <st1:city w:st="on">Elizabeth</st1:city> I is born, she ascends to the
throne of <st1:country-region w:st="on">England</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ireland</st1:place></st1:country-region> in 1558</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1560
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Geneva</st1:city></st1:place> Bible
Published</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1560
Jacobus Arminius was a professor of theology and his views of theology were at
odds with at least three point of Calvinism. This spawns the Articles of
Remonstrance, which outline the views of Arminians. Calvinists then responded
with a written response detailing the 5 Points of Calvinism or TULIP. To this
day, denominations are split over these two systems</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1564
William Shakespeare is born and died in 1616</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1564
Creationist Galileo Galilei was born. He later argued that the earth revolved
around the sun, dispelling the Greek myth that the sun went around the earth.
Sadly, he had to argue against some in the Catholic Church who bought into the
Greek idea</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1571
Henry Ainsworth became a scholar well-versed in Hebrew and commented on a
number of books of the Bible, particularly the books of Moses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His commentary on Genesis is still a valued
resource to modern readers</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1571
Johannes Kepler, a creationist, is born. He goes on to formulates the laws of
planetary motion</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1581
Archbishop James Ussher was born and later published the book The Annals of the
World, which gives the history of the world from creation to 70 A.D., in
immense detail and calculation (many of his dates are in this timeline). His life’s work was published the same year he
died, 1656</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1588
The Spanish Armada (22 warships and 108 converted merchant vessels) came
against <st1:country-region w:st="on">England</st1:country-region> and was
decisively defeated, only 50 vessels made it back to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Spain</st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1611
King James Version Published</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1607
The first permanent English colony established in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Jamestown</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">Virginia</st1:state></st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1627
Creationist Robert Boyle was born in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ireland</st1:place></st1:country-region> and was a well-known
scientist in chemistry, physics and theology. He is most-known for Boyle’s Law</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1628
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Bedford</st1:city>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">England</st1:country-region></st1:place> resident, John Bunyan, was
born and was famous for writing the second most sold book in history: The
Pilgrim’s Progress (second to the Bible that is)</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1642
Galileo, a Christian, argued that the earth moved around the sun<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1643
Creationist Isaac Newton is born, arguably the greatest scientist who ever
lived. His mark can be heavily felt in many fields of science from gravitation
to laws of motion to mathematics such as calculus. He affirmed Archbishop James
Ussher’s chronology of earth history</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnzqVGVBOp2BQvtLwM8TZ7xFxiHOlxzwE73sXQLKhhtu75oYR4nTa9MNVnfHCxkafn43K49ZLBgZ-QnJicx63X1GHm3LvC6nNl9vvB3xTexXs-HY6ArD6ezkgtG7MjONWRGDhoHZrpbsKqjB3-bPq2AFM3si788OdWl_hvLPRuU2rn3_wW8aSRVlPp/s900/isaac-newton-25.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="900" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnzqVGVBOp2BQvtLwM8TZ7xFxiHOlxzwE73sXQLKhhtu75oYR4nTa9MNVnfHCxkafn43K49ZLBgZ-QnJicx63X1GHm3LvC6nNl9vvB3xTexXs-HY6ArD6ezkgtG7MjONWRGDhoHZrpbsKqjB3-bPq2AFM3si788OdWl_hvLPRuU2rn3_wW8aSRVlPp/w183-h153/isaac-newton-25.jpg" width="183" /></a></div><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></p>1644
Though a Christian, René Descartes, a philosopher, declares that man determines
truth, apart from God when he said: “I think therefore, I am.” It opposes God’s
statement “I AM that I AM.”</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1646
The <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Westminster</st1:city></st1:place>
Confession of Faith was drawn up by reformers</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1656
Archbishop Ussher’s book the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Annals of
the World</i> have a detail account of historical dates to arrive at 4004 BC as
the creation of the World</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1662
Presbyterian minister Matthew Henry was born and is well known for his
commentary on the Bible Exposition of the Old and New Testaments (from 1708–1710)
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1664
Rene Descartes states in his book Principles of Philosophy “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I think therefore I am</i>” which subtly
excludes God as being the “I AM” (Exodus 3:14)</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1697 John Gill was born. He was a leading Baptist theologian and scholar of Greek
and Hebrew and produced a long standing<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>and well-respected commentary of the Bible (Exposition of the Old and
New Testaments from 1746-1763) still used today</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1703
John Wesley was born Founders of the Methodist movement and known for his open
air-preaching</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1714
Anglican minister George Whitfield was born and was later famous for preaching
that spurred on the Great Awakening to Christianity</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1727
Arguably the greatest scientist who ever lived, creationist Isaac Newton, died.
He co-developed calculus, described gravity, laws of motion, invented a
reflecting telescope, and many other things</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1728
Captain James Cook, and English sailor in the Royal Navy, was the first to map <st1:state w:st="on">Newfoundland</st1:state> and the first to sail around <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New Zealand</st1:place></st1:country-region>. He
also was the first European contact with <st1:country-region w:st="on">Australia</st1:country-region>’s
east coast and explored the Great Barrier Reef and he even sailed to the <st1:place w:st="on">Hawaiian Islands</st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1730-1760
The Great Awakening Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield that swept across
the American colonies to become very Christian</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1732
George Washington was born</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1769
Napoleon Bonaparte was born. He was a military and political leader of <st1:country-region w:st="on">France</st1:country-region> that led the Empire of France into a
number of wars, conquering most of Europe, finally being pushed back by <st1:country-region w:st="on">Russia</st1:country-region> and removed from power and banished to
the <st1:placetype w:st="on">island</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">Elba</st1:placename>
but later returning to power, he was again defeated at <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Waterloo</st1:place></st1:city>. And again he was banished, but to
the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">island</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">Saint Helena</st1:placename></st1:place> where he later died</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1776
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United States of America</st1:place></st1:country-region>
become independent</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1779
Comte de Buffon estimates the age of the earth at 78 thousand years</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1788
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region>
is colonized by the British</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1789
George <st1:state w:st="on">Washington</st1:state> is elected as the first
president of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">United
States</st1:country-region></st1:place> under the Constitution</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiSBPry9PCCB1NMtoyNfYiB3aQWGItbsG4s2Rt__e6RndyJraFxJfxcwyHanSyNsu2bzn0GobGbAw6fOcYZ1cWzND_Vy_IVIMoG57gtyCuXFvItIlQkHKm6nEl9aYxR-jc0xQnmHil57scLuihWT_t0HAWc-uQVqQXKjFS1iFUWIOz4bw3BR-c8WHF/s267/Gilbert_Stuart_Williamstown_Portrait_of_George_Washington.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="267" data-original-width="220" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiSBPry9PCCB1NMtoyNfYiB3aQWGItbsG4s2Rt__e6RndyJraFxJfxcwyHanSyNsu2bzn0GobGbAw6fOcYZ1cWzND_Vy_IVIMoG57gtyCuXFvItIlQkHKm6nEl9aYxR-jc0xQnmHil57scLuihWT_t0HAWc-uQVqQXKjFS1iFUWIOz4bw3BR-c8WHF/w159-h193/Gilbert_Stuart_Williamstown_Portrait_of_George_Washington.jpg" width="159" /></a></div><br /><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1789
French Revolution which marked the end of the monarchy and Napoleon took power</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1791
Creationist Michael Faraday is born and is best-known for his work on
electromagnetism – though his influence is science is great all-round</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1795
Geological evolution introduced by James Hutton in his book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Theory of the Earth</i> where he argues
that only natural process <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that we observe
today</i> can be used to evaluate earth’s past (in other words, leave the Bible
out of it)</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1796
Pierre-Simon Laplace declares the universe to be ancient with countless ages,
he too was leaving the Bible out of it</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1796-1809
Erasmus Darwin and Jean-Baptiste Lamarck write books resurrecting biological
evolution (first proposed by Epicurus), but they do it by “acquired
characteristics”</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1804
Thomas Chalmers, a Scottish theologian who was trying to deal with longs ages
from a naturalistic worldview, popularized “gap theory” where he put vast ages
between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 to mix a secular worldview with the Bible</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1819
Queen <st1:state w:st="on">Victoria</st1:state> is born; she ascends to the
throne of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Ireland</st1:country-region></st1:place> in 1837-1901</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1822
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Mexico</st1:country-region></st1:place>
gained their independence</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1822
Creationist Louis Pasteur is born in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">France</st1:place></st1:country-region>. He was a leader in
microbiology and “pasteurization” still reflects his name. He opposed evolution
which Charles Darwin later popularized</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1830-1833
Charles Lyell (Lawyer turned geologist) rejects the global Flood in favor of
the rock layers being evidence of slow gradual change over millions of years
(in his book Principles of geology). The idea of millions of years then spread
throughout the Western World</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1836
<st1:state w:st="on">Texas</st1:state> gains it independence from <st1:country-region w:st="on">Mexico</st1:country-region>, <st1:city w:st="on">Battle</st1:city> of
the <st1:place w:st="on">Alamo</st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1842,
After the Opium wars between China and Britain, Hong Kong became part of
British territory – the Japanese took control of the city during WWII from
1941-1945</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1845
<st1:state w:st="on">Texas</st1:state> joined the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region></st1:place> as the 28<sup>th</sup>
state</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1854
Christian Hugh Miller, also trying to deal with naturalistic long ages,
proposes day-age views where the days in Genesis 1 are stretched out to be
millions of years</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1859
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">On the Origin of Species by Means of
Natural Selection for the Preservation of Favoured Races</i> is released by Charles
Darwin, building on Lyell’s and Hutton’s long ages, now introduces a mechanism
for biological evolution of animals</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1860
Republican Abraham Lincoln wins the presidency of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region></st1:place></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">
1861-1865 US Civil War; slavery finally abolished in the United States with the
13<sup>th</sup> Amendment</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1866
Gregor Mendel, a creationist, develops the field of genetics during his
research on pea plants</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1870-1880
Many Universities that were once Christian such as Harvard, Yale, and so on
switched to secular universities due to influence of naturalism, especially
millions of years, throughout the 1870s</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1870-1871
Franco-Prussian War (or Franco-German War)</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1871
Charles Darwin published the Descent of Man where he argues for human evolution
specifically</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1877
Thomas Edison invents the phonograph to record messages on a foil cylinder and
could play it back. This became essential for communications</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1879
Thomas Edison developed a practical incandescent light bulb</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1879
Albert Einstein was born in Germany and was later known for a number of
concepts in physics but is best known for general and special relativity as
well as the famous equation E=mc<sup>2</sup></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1882
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born. Trying to keep the <st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region> neutral, he finally led the <st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region> into WWII after the bombing of <st1:place w:st="on">Pearl Harbor</st1:place>. He died just prior to the end of the War.
He was longest reigning President being elected to 4 (four-year) terms. After
this, a law was passed that a president could only serve 2 terms</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1892
Charles Spurgeon, British Baptist preacher, known as the “Prince of Preachers”
died. His published sermons still reach thousands today</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1894
– 1895 The First Sino-Japanese War between <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>
and <st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region> over <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Korea</st1:country-region></st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">1895 </span><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">Cornelius</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Van Til born, a brilliant Christian philosopher</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1901
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Australia</st1:country-region></st1:place>
becomes an independent Commonwealth</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1902 Air conditioning invented (greatest invention ever!) by Willis Carrier</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1903
The Wright brothers (Orville and Wilbur) are the first to fly a powered airplane</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZz-rI_Ov5WNxET6RItZR9lu4yNwMdzo9WE4dg9at2S34SZVdvzTWArGYU4A2gxU7W8E-IeW3WGP6In_AQPcwgVgYDk1x0WUL8A53UiBpybxYeX6U__USVfIY7gNpsDpZqHjIyVh5fLgjpNr8Y5UkdK57ZlGRVa4ZuJqbYRGwLX_-FoMOPMBuppT_H/s1920/Wright%20Bros.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZz-rI_Ov5WNxET6RItZR9lu4yNwMdzo9WE4dg9at2S34SZVdvzTWArGYU4A2gxU7W8E-IeW3WGP6In_AQPcwgVgYDk1x0WUL8A53UiBpybxYeX6U__USVfIY7gNpsDpZqHjIyVh5fLgjpNr8Y5UkdK57ZlGRVa4ZuJqbYRGwLX_-FoMOPMBuppT_H/w218-h123/Wright%20Bros.jpg" width="218" /></a></div><br /><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1904-1905
Russo-Japanese war between Russian and <st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region>
over Manchuria and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Korea</st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1914 Expansion of Pan-Germanism born out of Darwinism finally ignited World War I with the "shot heard around the world", it was primarily the Central Powers (<st1:country-region w:st="on">Germany</st1:country-region>,
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Hungary</st1:country-region>, Ottoman Empire (<st1:country-region w:st="on">Turkey</st1:country-region>), and <st1:country-region w:st="on">Bulgaria</st1:country-region>)
against the Allied Powers (<st1:country-region w:st="on">United Kingdom</st1:country-region>,
France, and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Russia</st1:country-region></st1:place>).
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Russia</st1:country-region> bowed out during
their civil war in 1818 and made peace with <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Germany</st1:place></st1:country-region>. The <st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region> entered the War on the side of the Allies in
1917 and host of other nations also sided with the Allies such as <st1:country-region w:st="on">Italy</st1:country-region> and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region></st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1918
Russian revolution with Communism taking over under Lenin</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1918 Billy Graham born</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1919
Treaty of Versailles – the end of WWI</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1919-1921 The British Empire (United Kingdom) reached its peak size with over 1/4 of the world's area</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1925
John T. Scopes trial takes place in Dayton, Tennessee over the teaching of
human evolution in state schools and publicly mocks Christianity and begins a
trend to remove God, the Bible, and Christianity from public life in America,
even though the Christians won the case. Christianity was replaced by secular
humanism, the reigning state religion even up to today</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1937
The Great Depression; Stock market crashed and people were struggling to get
any food and money<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1937
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region>’s aggression in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> basically
began WWII in the East, often dubbed the Second Sino-Japanese War</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1939
World War II due to Hitler’s and the Nazi’s rise to power in Germany and his
aggressions to conquer Europe; Holocaust begins then ends in 1945</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1939
The first manufactured jet, Heinkel He 178, took flight by Erich Warsitz in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Germany</st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1941
Pearl Harbor in <st1:state w:st="on">Hawaii</st1:state> was attacked by the
Japanese forces to pull the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region>
into WWII</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1945
Allied forces which were largely dominated by the <st1:country-region w:st="on">UK</st1:country-region>,
US, and <st1:country-region w:st="on">Russia</st1:country-region> defeated Nazi
Germany, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Italy,</st1:country-region></st1:place>
and Japan; Germany is split into Communist East Germany and Democratic West
Germany</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1945
The first Atomic Bomb was detonated at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Hiroshima</st1:city>,
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region></st1:place> and
helped trigger the end of WWII</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1947
President Harry Truman declared the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region> was a Christian Nation</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">1948
</span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Israel becomes a nation; Greg Bahnsen, pastor and </span><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">philosopher</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> was born and later earned the title "the man most feared by atheists" after </span><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">the</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Great Debate with Gordon Stein</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1948
The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1949
Communist revolution in <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>
ends with Communism and the PRC (<st1:placename w:st="on">Peoples</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Republic</st1:placetype> of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>)</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1950
The Korean War begins and lasts until 1953 with an armistice between the
communist North Korea and democratic South Korea. The North being helped by <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region> and the <st1:place w:st="on">Soviet Union</st1:place>
and the South being helped by the United Nations the nation remains split into
two up until today</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1951 Ken Ham was born in Australia</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1959-1975
The Vietnamese conflict, an unofficial war that has roots back to WWII with the
Vietnamese, Japanese, French, Chinese, Soviets, and the US over French control,
communist control, or democratic control. It is arguably one of the most
unusual and complex conflicts post-WWII</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1961
First man in space Yuri Gagarin</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1962
Prayer was removed from state schools in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1962
First American in space John Glenn</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1962
Henry Morris and John Whitcomb publish The Genesis Flood to get Christians back
to the authority of the Bible by challenging to now popular idea of million of
years</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1963
The Bible was removed from state schools in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1963
President John F. Kennedy is assassinated in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Dallas</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">Texas</st1:state></st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1968
Baptist minister Martin Luther King Jr., civil right leader, was assassinated</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1969 First moon landing by Apollo astronauts with Neil Armstrong and Edwin Eugene “Buzz”
Aldrin, Jr.</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1974 Bodie Hodge was born</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1977
The Apple II was the first successful personal computer readily available to
the public. It was produced by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Apple
Computer</i>, (now <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Apple, Inc</i>.)</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1977
Elvis Presley, American musician and actor died</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1978
The first solar powered calculator, the Chicago Statement of Inerrancy was
drawn up and signed by a number of evangelicals and its sister statement on Hermeneutics
(interpretation) was also written but sadly, it did not take a stand on Genesis,
particularly a global Flood, and many refused to sign it because it allows compromise
between the Bible and the religion of Secular Humanism</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1980
Mt St. Helens erupts in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Washington</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">State</st1:placetype></st1:place>, it did again in
1982</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1982
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Canada</st1:country-region> gains full
independence from the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">United
Kingdom</st1:country-region></st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1983
Microsoft Windows was first released</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1986
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Australia</st1:country-region> became fully
separated from the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United
Kingdom</st1:place></st1:country-region> gaining full independence</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1986
Space Shuttle <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Challenger</i> explodes
after take-off killing all 7 on board</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1987
Creation was removed from state schools in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region></st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1989-1991
The Iron Curtain of communism comes down – the Soviet Union dissolves into
multiple countries, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Russia</st1:country-region></st1:place>
being at the forefront</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1990
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Germany</st1:country-region></st1:place>
is reunited</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1990
Hubble Telescope was launched into space</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1992
European Union forms</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1997
Hong Kong returns to <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>
from <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Britain</st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1998
The International Space Station begin construction</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">1999
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Columbine</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">High School</st1:placetype></st1:place> is the site of one of the
first major school <o:p></o:p></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">schoolings</span></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">2000
Teachers are forced to teach evolution and not question it or they can be
fired, Rodney LeVake was fired for questioning evolution in the classroom, the
Supreme Court refused to hear the appeal</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">2001
“9-11” or the September 11 terrorist attacks on the <st1:placename w:st="on">World</st1:placename>
<st1:placename w:st="on">Trade</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Center</st1:placetype>
in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:state></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">2003
Space Shuttle <st1:city w:st="on"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Columbia</i></st1:city>
disintegrates over <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Texas</st1:state></st1:place>
on reentry, killing all 7 aboard</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">2003
The Human genome was successfully mapped</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">2004
Tsunami levels coasts and kills around 230,000 people. It was triggered by an
earthquake in the <st1:place w:st="on">Indian Ocean</st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">2005
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Ten Commandments</i> are to be
removed from public buildings in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region></st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">2005
Hurricane Katrina, a Category 3, devastates the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Gulf</st1:placetype> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Coast</st1:placetype></st1:place></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">2007
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Creation</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Museum</st1:placetype></st1:place> opens</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">2010
President Barrack Obama declares the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region> is no longer a Christian Nation</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">2016
The Ark Encounter Opens <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">2022+ Jesus Christ still reigns over heaven and earth with all authority!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109261005126312685.post-82650809647578099592022-08-05T07:26:00.002-07:002022-08-05T07:35:30.892-07:00Crucifixes and Protestant Christianity<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Crucifixes and Protestant Christianity? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">B. Hodge, Biblical Authority Ministries, August 5, 2022<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Question:</b> Should Protestants
Display An Image Like This? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From RH </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQXPRNbPOavFy_FVWpwhwIauIChai3gq7FphfNnOPziNKVrt8d9BFTVYbwpRXL3BeRZHjt46hTVCUbmp5jz5I9-BCxwIWSH8G4_i32uJTVAoWpALIub3iFHJB8zo__kTd04sfNTHvfSrW49oGXpxHm3ugBkhxop78mXvPniXALxC43kZLrX4qeTDCn/s640/LAC.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="295" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQXPRNbPOavFy_FVWpwhwIauIChai3gq7FphfNnOPziNKVrt8d9BFTVYbwpRXL3BeRZHjt46hTVCUbmp5jz5I9-BCxwIWSH8G4_i32uJTVAoWpALIub3iFHJB8zo__kTd04sfNTHvfSrW49oGXpxHm3ugBkhxop78mXvPniXALxC43kZLrX4qeTDCn/s320/LAC.jpg" width="148" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Answer:</b> Roman
Catholics have Jesus on a cross (called a crucifix at that point). A crucifix
is widely known as a symbol of Roman Catholicism. So, I’d be careful of using
it or displaying it publicly especially at Protestant locations since we hold
to the 66 books of the Bible as the authority, not the Pope or apocryphal books
or alleged deuterocanonical works. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">That specific crucifix looks a lot like a Latin American Roman
Catholic crucifix. Many in Latin America were influenced by Catholic Spain.
Protestants tend to have Jesus off the cross indicative of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus being alive </i>and not still dead upon a cross; thus, there is a
revered focus on the resurrection (Luke 24:6) and His current position of
sitting at the right hand on the throne of God (e.g., Hebrews 12:2). The empty
cross is a reminder for Protestants to daily take up <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">their own cross and follow Christ </i>(e.g., Luke 9:23). </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One reason many protestants distance themselves from a
crucifix is that Catholics often pray to and worship graven images of Jesus (or
Mary, apostles, and saints, etc.), which is a form of idol worship. Protestants
pray to God to alone as our mediator (e.g., 1 Timothy 2:5). Some protestant
denominations go so far as to say that graven images of Jesus are a violation
of the graven image statute in The Ten Commandments. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Early Protestants debated these issues during the
early reformational period you may find some that have crucifixes as a
carryover from Catholicism, but most have moved to an empty cross. Though
Protestants largely recognize that images of Christ for teaching are one thing
and acceptable, but typical Roman Catholic version of images of Christ on a
cross (crucifix) in Catholicism is also largely for worship. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Protestants, not wanting to be confused with Catholicism,
tend to avoid crucifixes in the same way they avoid putting a picture of the
Pope up in their house. Think of it like this, the swastika has been used by
cultures for thousands of years—even by Christians. But it has become a symbol
of the religious and political movement called Nazism. If one were to display a
swastika, even if they had no belief in Nazism, they would immediately be
branded in that camp or associated with that movement. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Since crucifixes are seen as a Roman Catholic symbol
worldwide, even in innocence, one would often be lumped into that camp whether
they realize it or not. I hope this helps, God bless. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">B. Hodge<o:p></o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109261005126312685.post-6813426242174615192022-08-03T11:22:00.004-07:002022-08-05T07:30:15.051-07:00Image of God<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Is Man No Longer Made
In The Image Of God?</span> </p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">B. Hodge, Biblical Authority
Ministries, August 3, 2022</span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Question:</b> Our
church is deeply into teaching man is no longer made in “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the image of God”</i> all because of Genesis 5:3. Regarding Genesis 9:6
and James 3:9, they just say that the Bible was merely saying that man “was”
made in the image of God but that doesn’t mean we still are. Can you help? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From R.C. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Response:</span></b><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Thank you for contacting me.
That is an odd position of a church and I understand your reservation at your
local church. I’ve heard this position once before but it has been a while. Naturally,
there are problems with that view.</span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If man
is no longer made in God’s image, or more properly, man has been <i>remade</i>
to no longer be in God’s image, then the question of man’s eternal value is
called into question. Why does man need an eternal Savior unto eternal
salvation if we are no longer made in the image of an eternal God? <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">This, in turn, makes it a gospel issue.</span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Consider other aspects—we are made in the image of
a ruling God who gave us dominion (e.g., Genesis 1:28) and hence immense
inheritance laws, and nations with boundaries to rule over (Acts 17:26), etc.
Are we no longer made in the image of a </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ruling </span></i><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">God?
If so, why are there many laws and discussions about it in the Bible long after
Adam’s creation (Genesis 1-2) and fall in Genesis 3?</span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Are we no longer made in the image of a </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">personal</span></i><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
God? If so, then how can we <i>personally</i> communicate with God in prayer or
by reading His Word? If man is demoted to no longer be made in an </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">all-knowing</span></i><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
God’s image, then how can we <i>know</i> anything? When we go down the route of
denying that man is still made in the image of God, we run into hosts of
theological problems—this is just the start! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Genesis 9:5-6 makes no sense if man is no longer
made in God’s image as we would be no different from the animals from which we
were just told we could eat in the two verses prior (Genesis 9:3-4). But God
made a distinction by appealing to how we were made. The fact that there is a
lifeblood punishment is proof the image of God is still retained in man. If we
were remade in a non-godly fashion, why did God miss it here and impose a law
from that point forward (Noah’s day after the Flood) that only makes sense if
man is <i>still </i>made in His image? It is the same with James 3:9-10—if man
isn’t made in the image of God anymore, then why not curse your fellow man? The
context is reduced to rubble in such a position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I want to address Genesis 5:3 though. Having a son
made in Adam’s likeness has no bearing whatsoever that that son was still
inherently also made in God’s image. This is a bifurcation fallacy (either-or
fallacy). The argument is not that you can either be made in God’s image or in
Adam’s image, but the answer is both. Where Cain did not follow in his father’s
likeness of returning to God but succumbed to a sinful life, Seth did call upon
the name of the Lord. We are all borne into this sinful earthly image in need
of Christ’s rescue and all in need to be conformed to be more holy to a
heavenly image (1 Corinthians 15:49).</span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But follow the deductive logic if one is talking
about the inherent metaphysical nature of human life:</span> </p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Premise
1: Adam is made in God’s image<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Premise
2: Seth is made in Adam’s image<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Therefore:
Seth is also made in God’s image</span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It is sad that some have assumed that God </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">remade
</span></i><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">man in a different image, but that is without
Scriptural warrant. Sin affected the natural man (e.g., 1 Corinthians 2:14) toward sinful behavior but
not the created nature of man’s innate life. Therefore, we need to be
sanctified by the Spirit to conform to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29, 1
Peter 1:2) away from sinful actions and renewed in knowledge (Col 3:10) being
that such a thing is possible because man is still in the image of God (2 Corinthians
11:7). This is why man who is made in the image of an eternal God, both saved
or unsaved, will have eternal destinies in either heaven or hell (e.g., Daniel
12:2, Matthew 25:46).</span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I know this isn’t much but I hope it helps, God
bless.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">B. Hodge<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109261005126312685.post-81059431427272618342022-08-01T07:04:00.004-07:002022-08-01T07:04:39.014-07:00Revelation Study Landing Page<p> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Revelation 30-Day Study Landing Page</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">B. Hodge, Biblical Authority Ministries, August 1, 2022</p><ul><li style="text-align: left;">Day 1: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/05/revelation-day-1.html" target="_blank">Intro and Major Interpretive Understandings of Revelation</a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 2: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/05/revelation-day-2.html" target="_blank">Millennial Views of Revelation 20</a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 3: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/05/day-3-how-did-book-of-revelation-get.html" target="_blank">Transmission of Revelation: Was John Confused About the Vision?</a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 4: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/05/revelation-day-4.html" target="_blank">When was Revelation Written and Does it Relate to the 70 Weeks of Daniel?</a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 5: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/05/revelation-day-5.html" target="_blank">How Should Revelation Be Interpreted?</a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 6: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/05/revelation-day-6.html" target="_blank">When Were the Prophecies to Take Place?</a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 7: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/05/revelation-day-7.html" target="_blank">Should Revelation be Understandable?</a> </li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 8: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/05/revelation-day-8.html" target="_blank">What About the Tribulation?</a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 9: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/05/revelation-day-9.html" target="_blank">Are We Living in the "End Times" or "Last Days"?</a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 10: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/05/revelation-day-10.html" target="_blank">What are the Sun, Moon, and Stars in Revelation? </a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 11: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/05/revelation-day-11.html" target="_blank">Should Revelation Be taken Literally? </a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 12:<a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/05/revelation-day-12.html" target="_blank"> Imagery in Revelation, Parable of Vineyard and Jesus as an Earthly King? </a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 13: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/05/is-kingdom-now-will-churchchristianity.html" target="_blank">Is the Kingdom Now or in the Future? </a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 14: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/06/revelation-day-14.html" target="_blank">What are the First and Second Resurrections and the Heavenly Jerusalem?</a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 15: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/06/revelation-day-15.html" target="_blank">Who Does God Blame For Killing Christ?</a> </li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 16: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/06/when-christ-comes-in-clouds-matthew2430.html" target="_blank">When Christ Comes in the Clouds, Is That the End of It All? </a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 17: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/06/revelation-day-17.html" target="_blank">Is Matthew 24 About the Destruction of the Temple? </a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 18: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/06/revelation-day-18.html" target="_blank">What Verses Are Specifically for the Last Day or Final Judgment?</a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 19: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/06/revelation-day-19.html" target="_blank">What Does It Mean That "Every Eye Will See Him"?</a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 20: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/06/revelation-day-20.html" target="_blank">Who Is the Harlot of Revelation? Who Is Israel? </a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 21: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/06/revelation-day-21.html" target="_blank">Who Are the Two Witnesses?</a> </li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 22: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/06/revelation-day-22.html" target="_blank">What About the Rapture? </a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 23: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/06/revelation-day-23.html" target="_blank">What About the Beast and 666?</a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 24: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/06/revelation-day-24.html" target="_blank">What About the Mark on the Forehead and Hand?</a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 25: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/06/revelation-day-25.html" target="_blank">Who is the Man of Lawlessness and Antichrist? </a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 26: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/06/revelation-day-26.html" target="_blank">What About Those "Sevens" in Revelation?</a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 27: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/06/revelation-day-27.html">What About the Future Fulfillment of Israel's Seed Being Like "the Sand of Seashore" or "Stars of the Heaven"? </a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 28: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/06/revelation-day-28.html">Isn't the Millennium Exactly 1,000 Years?</a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 29: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/07/revelation-day-29.html">Did the Gospel Spread to All Nations?</a> </li><li style="text-align: left;">Day 30: <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/07/revelation-day-30.html" target="_blank">Revelation: It's a Letter!</a></li></ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109261005126312685.post-16523723281980783832022-07-19T09:55:00.003-07:002022-07-19T09:57:56.048-07:00Mary<p><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Mary—The Favored One</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">B. Hodge, Biblical Authority Ministries, July 19, 2022</p><p class="MsoNormal">No doubt, Mary was amazing! Let’s explore a few aspects of Mary
that often go overlooked. First let’s start with some Scripture.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<h1>Selected Passages About The Marian Account (NKJV)<o:p></o:p></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Matthew 1:18-25<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>18</b> Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows:
After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she
was found with child of the Holy Spirit. <b>19</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then Joseph her husband, being a just <i>man</i>,
and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away
secretly.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>20</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But while
he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in
a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary
your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. <b>21</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“And she will bring forth a Son, and you
shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” <b>22</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So all this was done that it might be
fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>23</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Behold,
the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name
Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>24</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him
and took to him his wife, <b>25</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and
did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called
His name JESUS.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Luke 1:26-38<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>26</b> Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent
by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, <b>27</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was
Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name <i>was</i> Mary. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>28</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And having
come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored <i>one</i>, the Lord <i>is</i>
with you; blessed <i>are</i> you among women!” <b>29</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when she saw <i>him</i>, she was troubled
at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>30</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then the
angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. <b>31</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“And behold, you will conceive in your womb
and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. <b>32</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He will be great, and will be called the Son
of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. <b>33</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“And He will reign over the house of Jacob
forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>34</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then Mary
said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” <b>35</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the angel answered and said to her, “<i>The</i>
Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow
you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of
God.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>36</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Now
indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and
this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. <b>37</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“For with God nothing will be impossible.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>38</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then Mary
said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your
word.” And the angel departed from her.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h1>Parallels Between Mary and Eve<o:p></o:p></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Although there are many parallels that can be drawn from
Adam, the first man who led man into death and Jesus who is called the Last/Second
Adam who rescues man from death (e.g., 1 Corinthians 15:45), some also draw
parallels between Eve and Mary. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Eve was the mother of all the living (Genesis 3:20), Mary
was the mother of Jesus (Acts 1:14) who is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Life </i>(e.g., John 14:6) and Creator of all life who became flesh (e.g., John
1, Hebrews 1, Colossians 1). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sometimes we miss a simple connection that Mary is a direct
descendant of Eve and both are made in the image of God (hence, people have
eternal value because man is made in God’s eternal image). And we all share
these commonalities with Mary in that we are descendants of Adam and Eve and
made in the image of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Church fathers and commentators uniformly believed that Eve
was a virgin when she and Adam fell into sin—which was very soon after their
creation. Based on this, there are some parallels that follow. Consider both
Eve and Mary in this state when they made the decision to either follow the
Word of the Lord or go against it. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Early church father Justin Martyr (~AD 100-165) writes in
his <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dialogue with Trypho, </i>chapter
100:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">“…<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">and that He became man by the Virgin, in order that the disobedience
which proceeded from the serpent might receive its destruction in the same
manner in which it derived its origin. For Eve, who was a virgin and undefiled,
having conceived the word of the serpent, brought forth disobedience and death.
But the Virgin Mary received faith and joy, when the angel Gabriel announced
the good tidings to her that the Spirit of the Lord would come upon her, and
the power of the Highest would overshadow her: wherefore also the Holy Thing
begotten of her is the Son of God; and she replied, ‘Be it unto me according to
thy word.’</span>”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Irenaeus (~AD 130-202), the Bishop of Lyons and early church
father, in his book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Against Heresies</i>
chapter 22 relates that Mary followed the Word of the Lord where Eve neglected
it. One virgin was drawn into disobedience where the other was drawn to
obedience according to Irenaeus. Recall that Eve sinned (Genesis 3) prior to the
Bible telling us that she knew (i.e.,<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">
having sexual relations with</i>) Adam, which did not occur until Genesis 4:1. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Adam and Eve had perfect bodies and should have had no
problem conceiving on the first try. Yet they sinned prior to conceiving their
first child Cain. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Both Eve and Mary saw a personal taste of the Lord’s command
in Genesis 3:16 that there would be pain and sorrows in childbearing—not just
with childbirth, but each saw one of their children put to death. For Eve, it
was Abel murdered by Cain and for Mary, it was obviously the crucifixion of
Jesus. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Hebrew terms for pain and sorrows in childbearing also
includes grieving and worrisome anguish which is directly related to the
excruciating pain a parent feels seeing one of their own children die. <o:p></o:p></p>
<h1>Mary’s Features Are Largely Unknown<o:p></o:p></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We are given very little about Mary’s actual physical
appearance. With Jesus, the Old Testament prophesied a little about His
appearance in human form:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">For He grew up before Him like a
tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or
majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be
attracted to Him. He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and
acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was
despised, and we did not esteem Him. (Isaiah 53:2-3, NASB)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She was surely a young lady—yet clearly old enough to bear
children and be betrothed and married per parental permission. This means she
was properly beyond the “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Flower of Age</i>”
or “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Flower of Youth</i>” (e.g., 1
Corinthians 7:36). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i>But if any man thinks he is
behaving improperly toward his virgin, if she is past the flower of youth, and
thus it must be, let him do what he wishes. He does not sin; let them marry.</i>
(1 Corinthians 7:36, NKJV)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mary’s physical features were likely similar to Jewish ladies
from Israel 2,000 years ago such as long hair (e.g., 1 Corinthians 11:15) with respectful
and modest apparel (consider 1 Timothy 2:9-10). But that then begs the question
about cultural features—what did Jewish ladies look like back then in their <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">physical</i> traits?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If we to look at people in Nazareth or Bethlehem today it is
different from back then. Today, many Israelites that have returned to Israel
had been gone from their homeland since about AD 70 to other places. Though,
some had sprinkled their way back to the land of Judea/Israel since the first
century, most have been re-migrating there since World War II. After the Jewish
War with Rome in the AD 60s-70s, there were two places that Jews ended up. They
are:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Germany and the regions surrounding it to escape
the Romans (what we call <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Germania</i> was
largely descendants of Noah’s great grandson Ashkenaz) and Jews who lived in
that region are still called the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ashkenazi
Jews</b>. They fled there since Rome’s grip hadn’t conquered many parts of
Germany when the Jews went to war against Rome about 2,000 years ago in the
latter part of the first century. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sephardic
Jews</b> who were largely taken into captivity to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Spain, Portugal, and North Africa</i> by the Romans after the Jewish
War with Rome about AD 70.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many Jews
were expelled from Spain due to the Alhambra Decree in 1492 due to Roman
Catholicism. Some returned to Israel at that point <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In both cases, there has been some intermixing with locals
over 2,000 years. Hence, many Ashkenazi Jews have many physical features that
are similar to Europeans and many Sephardic Jews have physical features similar
to the places they were at as well (e.g., Spain, etc.). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Nevertheless, it is possible to have features common to many
Middle Eastern persons today—especially those who claim descent from Abraham,
like the Israelites, Arabs, etc. But that also gives you a bigger range than
you might realize as Abraham’s descendants have mixed with hosts of people
throughout the Middle East too! <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The point is that we cannot be certain as to how Mary looked
but she was certainly modest and respectful in her decorum. <o:p></o:p></p>
<h1>Early Image Of Mary <o:p></o:p></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p> </o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">First Known Image of
Mary</i> is the title of the earliest surviving image we have of Mary. It is in
a fragment of the fresco from the catacomb of Priscilla, which is in Rome. Its
origin is estimated at AD 150-170. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the image, Mary is holding baby Jesus in her lap and
wearing what experts suggest is a woolen matron garment and a dedicated virgin
veil. Many images of Mary later on also have her sporting a virgin veil when
depicted with the baby Jesus. Perhaps this was a carryover from even earlier
times!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7vsPG7gp6bBZQM7Cj0Wut-yfPWnoqloYXuvPJByd2pu8e5P7AD_NXYUex5RN5_08Zt-rXiizQaH9_53kVIVUXIxqXOQ4z2QNX2AvRUPPDI6w6x-AaN3uqr8UHonsXWB8tUvTyNsf6T-wEGN8vH8E-d-FZVs8XQwb6Kb0SVPpO79yLAmaCwaItBWks/s350/MarianImage.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="332" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7vsPG7gp6bBZQM7Cj0Wut-yfPWnoqloYXuvPJByd2pu8e5P7AD_NXYUex5RN5_08Zt-rXiizQaH9_53kVIVUXIxqXOQ4z2QNX2AvRUPPDI6w6x-AaN3uqr8UHonsXWB8tUvTyNsf6T-wEGN8vH8E-d-FZVs8XQwb6Kb0SVPpO79yLAmaCwaItBWks/s320/MarianImage.jpg" width="304" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal">Although the detail is significantly lacking we can still
learn a lot from this. She was indeed modest in her clothing, as would be
expected due to Scripture.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<h1>Mary’s Lineage<o:p></o:p></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jesus is a physical descendant of Mary, even though she was overshadowed
by the Holy Spirit to remain a virgin for the miraculous conception. Take note
that it is a miraculous conception/fertilization, not a miraculous birth. The
birth was normal, outside of the fact that Mary was still virgin when giving
birth. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Why do Jesus’ lineages listed in the Bible both link to Joseph
(Jesus’ supposed father) in Matthew 1:16 and Luke 3:23?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i>Matthew 1:16<br />
And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is
called Christ.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i>Luke 3:23<br />
Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as
was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The obvious answer is that one of these lineages is Mary’s
line and the reason Joseph is listed this way is to reveal her <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">legal</i> genealogy—which is listed as the
husband (i.e., the male). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Before we dive into to the details, a few preliminary
comments need to be addressed. Luke’s genealogy is complete, and Matthew’s is
merely a selected one. Matthew’s genealogy was not meant to be complete
according to <i>Matthew 1:17</i>, where it is specifically broken into
groups of 14.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The two genealogies trace through two of David’s sons, and
both trace to Abraham. Matthew focuses on the kingly relationship through David
and, ultimately, to the Jewish patriarch Abraham. However, Luke doesn’t stop
there. He continues to trace Christ’s genealogy back to Adam. Luke focuses more
on the humanity of Christ going back to Adam, where sin and death
first entered into creation—hence the need for a Savior in the first
place.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Another note is that both genealogies are aware of Mary’s
virgin birth. For example Matthew says: “Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom
(feminine) was born Jesus.” Luke is more obvious in that he says: “being (as
was supposed) the son of Joseph.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With regards to the alleged “two fathers” of Joseph, the
explanation of the differences between <i>Matthew 1</i> and <i>Luke
3</i> is quite simple. Luke traced Christ’s lineage through Mary, while
Matthew traced it through Joseph.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Matthew’s Genealogy<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One of the main reasons Matthew is recording Joseph’s
lineage is due to Jeconiah (variant spellings: Jechonias, Jehoiakim). He is
listed in <i>Matthew 1:11</i>. Because of Jeconiah’s actions, a prophecy
came down that none of his descendants would ever sit on the throne of David.
Jesus, who forever sits on this throne, could not have been a physical
descendant of Jeconiah (<i>Jeremiah 22:30</i>). A virgin birth would obviously
prevent this.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This indicates that Matthew’s genealogy is Joseph’s, and
this confirms the significance of the feminine verbiage. When Matthew mentioned
Joseph’s wife, Mary, at the end of the genealogical list, he used the feminine
form for the parent of Jesus. This reveals that Jesus was indeed
Mary’s son and not Joseph’s.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Luke’s Genealogy<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When looking at <i>Luke 3</i>, the genealogical list is
strictly men from Jesus to Adam, whereas in Matthew’s list, some
women were included, such as Tamar, Ruth, and so on. So, if this were a
genealogy of Mary, then she would be listed.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Joseph, when he
married Mary, became the son of Heli according to the Law of Moses and could
legally be included in the genealogy. Hence, this lineage is the <i>legal </i>genealogy.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Moreover, in the genealogy, Heli is listed as the father of
Joseph, who had 2 daughters. The first is Mary, and the other was the wife of
Cleopas also rendered Mary (<i>John 19:25</i>).<a href="file:///C:/Documents/Documents/Documents/BAM/Mary.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
When there were no sons to preserve the inheritance in accordance with the Law
of Moses (<i>Numbers 27:1–11; Numbers 36:1–12</i>), the husband would
become the son upon marriage to keep up the family name. Therefore, Joseph,
when he married Mary, became the son of Heli according to the Law of Moses and
could legally be included in the genealogy in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all-male</i> listing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Also, in Luke’s genealogy the form is different from that of
Matthew’s. Matthew’s list gives the father and who they begot (Greek <i>gennao</i>).
In Luke the form is different, where X is the son of Y. But more precisely, the
word <i>son</i> is absent in Greek, but only inserted into English so
we can better understand it. The only place where <i>son</i> is used
in the Greek is in verse 23 where Jesus was the supposed son of
Joseph, of Heli, of Matthat, of Levi, and so on.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Luke is being very precise. Jesus was thought to be the son
of Joseph, who was <i>of</i> Heli. Notice that Luke never said that
Joseph was the son of Heli in the Greek. This reduces any alleged contradiction
to nothing and shows that Luke’s genealogy is Mary’s—with Joseph’s name listed
due to inheritance laws—and Matthew’s genealogy is Joseph’s.<o:p></o:p></p>
<h1>Mary’s Family and Home<o:p></o:p></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mary’s father was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Heli
</i>(Luke 3:23) a variation of the name Eli (Likewise, Mary is a variation of
the name Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron). Heli, Mary’s father, is listed
in the legal genealogy of Jesus in Luke 3 where Joseph’s name is listed as the
legal son or as we say today “son-in-law” (since it is all males listed in the<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> legal</i> genealogy). Yet Joseph’s partial
genealogy lists his father in Matthew 1. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Joseph’s father was Jacob (Matthew 1:16). One can’t help but
see the parallel to Jacob <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">of old</i>
having a son named Joseph—one of his twelve sons (and one daughter Dinah per
Genesis 34:1). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mary had a large extended family that included Elizabeth but
many others who we are not given the details (Luke 2:42-45). Technically, all
of Israel is related, going back to Israel (AKA Jacob) but even so, Joseph and
Mary both were related to many in Bethlehem directly and indirectly. Both have
lineages to David and hence they went to the city of David, which is Bethlehem
to register for the census (Luke 2:1-5)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mary and Joseph lived in Nazareth, then lived in Bethlehem,
then lived in Egypt, then lived back in Nazareth and Jesus later lived in
Capernaum (Matthew 4:13) when he began his ministry. Mary may have lived there
for a time when in Jesus’ care prior to Jesus putting her into John’s care on
the cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mary also had a sister (e.g., John 19:25). Furthermore, we
are not revealed what Mary’s mother’s name is either. There are traditions that
Mary’s parents’ names were Joachim and Anne but we need to be careful about
these names since biblically, we can know that Heli was the father of
Mary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<h1>Marriage Customs And Betrothal<o:p></o:p></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Marriage has always been a big deal since God created that
institution with His formation of Adam and Eve supernaturally [from dust and
from Adam’s rib respectively]. Sadly in our culture, marriage has been
attacked, demoted, denigrated, and reinterpreted. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">These are all part of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">modern</i> war on marriage (since the 1960s) by secular humanists and
others who neglect God and His Word as the supreme authority and elevate man to
be greater than God. But <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">by what</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">authority</i> can anyone object to the
absolute authority of God, and by extension His Word? Only by a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">lesser</i> authority—this is called a faulty
appeal to authority fallacy. Our culture is wrong and marriage is between a man
and a woman and God’s standard reigns supreme regardless of what any person on
the planet may try to argue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With that said, understanding marriage 2000 years ago in
Israel is much different than today. Even going back to the days of Moses
(about 1500 BC), there were stipulations on marriage including a bride price.
The potential husband or the groom’s family would pay a bride price to family
of the bride (e.g., Exodus 22:16-17 mention it). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Some marriages were done for love while others were arranged
by the family. And in many cases, it was both! At the instruction of the
father, women of Israel were given in marriage. Even prior to the Flood of Noah
(e.g., Luke 17:27) and after the Flood (Genesis 29:28) since the time of Moses
(e.g., Judges 12:9) brides and grooms were given in marriage by their parents—namely
the father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">betrothal</i>
period was also very serious (e.g., Deuteronomy 20:7). It is different from
today’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">engagement</i>. Upon a betrothal,
that was essentially the first stage of marriage and to get out of it required
a divorce, which was a very disrespectful thing and a result of the hardness of
hearts (e.g., Deuteronomy 24:1-4, Matthew 19:8). If a woman was with another
man during her betrothal, she could legally be put to death if found guilty.
Betrothal was a big deal. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">During the betrothal period a groom would prepare a place
for his bride (such as a bridal chamber) in the same way Christ prepares a
place for His church, His bride (e.g., John 14:2-3, 2 Corinthians 11:2,
Revelation 19:7–9, 21:1-2). Christ will return for His bride. The bridegroom
should be earning enough money for the bride price and to take a year off to
please his bride (Deuteronomy 24:5). Note the differences in classical biblical
marriages customs and modern marriage customs. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With a wedding, there was a wedding feast with a master of
the feast (e.g., John 2:1-10) and they required plenty of wine and food to
feast on. It was an embarrassment if such provision were not met. This was at
the situation at Cana’s wedding feast where Jesus turned water into wine. <o:p></o:p></p>
<h1>Misconceptions About Mary<o:p></o:p></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sadly, there are also a lot of misconceptions about Mary. Though
we cannot address them all, here are a few prominent ones that need to be
discussed in brief. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Some have elevated her to be perfect and
sinless—which goes against Scripture (e.g., Romans 3:23). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Some have suggested she is a
“co-redemptix”—don’t let the fancy name scare you—in other words, those in this
camp believe that one can be saved through Mary in a similar way that one can
be saved through Jesus. However, no one comes to the Father except through
Christ (e.g., John 14:6, Acts 4:12). When someone adds Mary as a “second
Savior”, it is without basis and an attack on Scripture.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Some pray to Mary which neglects that there is
one mediator and one intercessor between God and man (e.g., 1 Timothy 2:5,
Hebrews 7:25-28). God instructs us to pray to Him (e.g., Psalm 50:15, Matthew
6:9-13). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Marian Apparitions—supposed appearances of Mary
throughout history into modern times—are dubious. Yet there are those who hold
to them as though they were gospel truth. Most of them have been rejected, but
some leaders, particularly in Roman Catholicism, hold to certain ones as
legitimate where Protestants do not. These alleged private revelations,
visions, and prophetic messages are to be viewed as suspect. Though some
Christians may respectfully disagree with me, Daniel 9:24-27 indicated that
after the Messiah comes and is cut off (crucified) vision and prophecy would be
sealed up when holy city (Jerusalem) and the sanctuary (the Temple) were
destroyed. This aligns with an older prophecy of Asaph in Psalm 74:1-9 about
prophecy ceasing (no more prophets) once the sanctuary (the Temple) is
destroyed (consider 1 Corinthians 13:8-10). These things happened in the first
century.<a href="file:///C:/Documents/Documents/Documents/BAM/Mary.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, there should be no visions and prophecies
from then until the consummation (Daniel 9:27) thus the canon of Scripture was
sealed and sufficient with 66 books in the first century.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Some see Mary as a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">perpetual virgin</i>, which again violates Scripture. She had other
children according to the Bible (e.g., Matthew 13:55, Mark 6:3). It is
interesting to what the mental gymnastics of adherents [of this view] trying to
reinterpret these verses to be cousins, distant relations, adopted children,
children of Joseph with another woman, and so on. When people do this, they are
elevating their perpetual virgin belief to supersede the plain meaning of the
Scriptures to reinterpret God’s Word. In other words, people are erring by
demoting God and His Word to be lesser than man’s fallible imperfect opinions.
For a detailed refutation of this view please see <a href="https://answersingenesis.org/bible-characters/is-the-perpetual-virginity-of-mary-a-biblical-view/">Is
the Perpetual Virginity of Mary a Biblical View?</a> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My hope is that some of these thoughts are a blessing to
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Documents/Documents/Documents/BAM/Mary.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Though both are rendered Mary in our English translations there are variations
in the name such as Miriam (Hebrew form), Mariam (Greek form), Maria (Greek
form) and simply Mary. All can rightly be written as Mary. <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Documents/Documents/Documents/BAM/Mary.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> If
one argues that this was in reference to the first time the Temple and
Jerusalem was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, then we have bigger problems because
Daniel, Ezekiel, Joel, Jeremiah and Obadiah were still prophesying and having
visions before, during, and after that. And there were plenty of prophets that
followed after them as well. Furthermore, the Messiah had to come and be cut
off first per Daniel <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> the items in
the Temple had to be destroyed (Psalm 74:3) with perpetual desolations. With
Nebuchadnezzar, the Temple items carried off and they were later returned when
the Temple was rebuilt. The Temple in the Hoy City of Jerusalem (e.g., Nehemiah
11:1, Isaiah 52:1, Matthew 4:5) existed in the Messiah’s Day and is mentioned a
number of times in the New Testament and was once measured by John (Revelation
11:1-2). The Romans took the items and destroyed them in the first century and
desolations of the Temple remained for nearly 2,000 years now having the Dome
of the Rock (a Muslim mosque) in its place—so the first century destruction
matched the prophecies. As a point of note, some Christians may disagree with my
position and are okay with vision and prophecy not being sealed up but
continuing to this day. Other Christians agreed vision and prophecy close but
reopen in the last century (<i>Latter rain movement</i> from the early 1900s).
These positions have a potential open canon where it is possible to add to the
66 books of the Bible with alleged new prophecies. <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109261005126312685.post-30988940490302462602022-05-11T09:40:00.002-07:002022-05-11T09:40:37.252-07:00 Nephilim and the Sons of God<p>Landing Page</p><p><br /></p><ul style="background-color: #1c1c1c; color: #cccccc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Nephilim & the Sons of God</span></li><ul style="line-height: 1.4; list-style: disc; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/10/nephilim-introduction.html" style="color: #ff9900; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Nephilim and the "Sons of God": An Introduction</a></li><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/10/nephilim-major-views.html" style="color: #ff9900; text-decoration-line: none;">What are the Major Views of the Nephilim and the Sons of God?</a></li><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/10/why-do-some-believe-fallen-angels-view.html" style="color: #ff9900; text-decoration-line: none;">Why Do Some People Believe the "Sons of God" Means Fallen Angels?</a></li><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/11/why-do-people-believe-sons-of-god-mean.html" style="color: #ff9900; text-decoration-line: none;">Why Do Some People Believe the "Sons of God" Means Godly Men?</a> </li><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/11/earliest-view.html" style="color: #ff9900; text-decoration-line: none;">Weren't the Earliest Views of "Sons of God" Almost Always Leaning to Angels? </a></li><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/12/was-jesus-mistaken-about-angels.html" style="color: #ff9900; text-decoration-line: none;">Was Jesus Mistaken About Angels?</a></li><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://answersingenesis.org/bible-characters/who-were-the-nephilim/" style="color: #ff9900; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Nephilim: Who Were They? </a></li><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/05/nephilim-giants-in-genesis-6.html" style="color: #ff9900; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Were the Nephilim in Genesis 6 "Giants"?</a></li><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/05/sons-of-god-in-job-38.html" style="color: #ff9900; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">The "Sons of God" in Job 38</a></li></ul></ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109261005126312685.post-34478572727526527422022-03-02T12:37:00.000-08:002022-03-02T12:37:48.043-08:00Migdol<p> </p><div style="border-bottom: solid #4472C4 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent1; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0in 0in 4.0pt 0in;">
<p class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Is The Hebrew Word For “Tower” (Migdol) A Loan Word From
Egyptian? </span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">B. Hodge, Biblical Authority Ministries, March 2, 2022<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was shocked. I was in a meeting where someone made a claim that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">migdol</i>, the word for “Tower” in Genesis 11, “…is an Egyptian loan
word”. They proceeded to give a definition I’ve never heard; naturally, it piqued my interest. </p><p class="MsoNormal">I’ve studied the
subject of the Tower of Babel for about 15 years, worked with Hebrew scholars,
theologians, and historians on the subject, and have published on it
extensively, including <a href="https://answersingenesis.org/store/product/tower-babel-book/" target="_blank">a popular book</a> on the subject.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The person claiming this then proceeded to develop an
understanding of the Tower of Babel <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in
light of </i>neo-definition of the word as opposed to the Hebrew definition. Although
both words mean tower, the definitions vary more than one might think—for
instance, the Egyptian definition suggested a tower included things like a
sandbar in a river. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Then the new conclusions, based on this new definition, were
used in part to derive a Tower of Babel to be starkly different that anything
you might have imagined. But the argument was framed as saying the Israelites
were “Egyptized” due to the time in Egypt. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Nevertheless, this threw up a big red flag to me. First, I
wanted to check their claim that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">migdol </i>really
was a loan word from Egyptian. Secondly, wanted to know<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> why this was done</i>. <o:p></o:p></p>
<h1>Is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Migdol </i>An Egyptian Loan Word? <o:p></o:p></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One of the first places I looked was respected Hebrew
Lexicon Brown-Driver-Briggs.<a href="file:///C:/Documents/Documents/Documents/Babel/Migdol_XX_BH.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
It gives no indication that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">migdol</i> is
a loan word from Egypt. To the contrary, the Hebrew word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">migdol</i> is a Hebrew word with Hebrew variations and Hebrew derivations
from other distinctly Hebrew words. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Next, I checked the Theological Wordbook of the Old
Testament, OLB Hebrew Lexicon, NAS Hebrew Lexicon, Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lexique Hebreu</i>, <i>HALOT</i> (pp. 543–544),
<i>DCH</i> (5:130–132), <i>TDOT</i> (8:69–73), <i>NIDOTTE</i> (2:841–842), and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">none </i>said it was an Egyptian loan word.<a href="file:///C:/Documents/Documents/Documents/Babel/Migdol_XX_BH.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Each one consistently gave definitions like: 1. Tower 2. Elevated Stage and 3.
Raised bed (of flowers).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">These lexicons were consistent that the Hebrew word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">migdol</i>, is related to several other
Hebrew words which is typical for normal Hebrew words (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">migdal, gadol, godel gadel</i>) and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">migdol</i>
itself derived from the root Hebrew word “to grow up” (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">gadal</i>). A tower is aptly named since it is a building that was
built up above the surrounding structures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I also decided to check another languages that we know
derived from Eber the son of Selah that had <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">no
influence</i> from Egypt to see if they used <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">migdol</i>. Biblical Hebrew was ancient Israelite Hebrew—it does have
distinctions from modern Hebrew. Arabic is a language of Eber that came down
through Ishmael. Though it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">could </i>be
tainted with Egyptian words since he was half Egyptian himself—his mother Hagar
was Egyptian. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I decided to look to the Chaldean languages. The Chaldeans
were of Eber’s lineage (descendants of Eber and Peleg; think “Eberew” or “Heberew”).
The name Chaldeans and Chaldea is derived from the name Chesed<a href="file:///C:/Documents/Documents/Documents/Babel/Migdol_XX_BH.docx#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
and was used by Nahor, the brother of Abraham, for one of his sons (Genesis
22:20-22). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Chaldeans were Hebrews (descendants of Eber) and
therefore spoke a version Hebrew. Abraham, for instance was a Hebrew and was
called out of Ur of the Chaldeans (e.g., Genesis 11:28-31; Nehemiah 9:7), which
was his ancestral family area. The variant languages of Heber change through
the years of course. Aramaic, a form of the Chaldean language was similar and
yet distinct enough from the language of Judah in Isaiah 36:11. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Chaldeans were never in Egypt and were not influenced by
the Egyptians in any significant way. Naturally, any Middle Eastern nation is
going to have some remedial contact with other nations, but Chaldea was never
in a position like the Israelites, to be “Egyptized”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Chaldean language was the Hebrew form that prevailed and
became dominant during the Babylonian Empire. It became the common trade
language of the day for many places that Babylon had conquered. After the
Babylonian Empire was dissolved into the Persian Empire, its Chaldean language,
though not without its variations, continued as the trade language in many
parts of the Middle East even Galilee and Israel up until Christ’s earthly ministry.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Chaldean language split into variants such as Eastern
and Western Chaldean (sometimes called East and West Chaldee). West Chaldean
which was dominant in the lands of Aram (one of Noah’s grandson’s progeny who
mixed with some of Togarmah’s descendants) became known as “Aramaic” (with a
variation known at Syriac) and there are a few passages in the Old Testament
that use the Aramaic form of Chaldean (Ezra 4:8 – 6:18; Ezra 7:12-26; Daniel
2:4-7:28; and Jeremiah 10:11). Christian Professor Philip Schaff who was first
chair of Hebrew and Cognate Languages at Union Theological Seminary and was
involved in the Revised translation of the Bible (1888) writes in 1904:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“The
principal languages or the Aramaic group are the ARAMAIC proper, of CHALDEE,
and the SYRAIC. They differ mainly in pronunciation and spelling.”<a href="file:///C:/Documents/Documents/Documents/Babel/Migdol_XX_BH.docx#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[4]</span></b></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So, what word does the Chaldean languages use for Tower? The
Aramaic Lexicon and Concordance says it is<a href="file:///C:/Documents/Documents/Documents/Babel/Migdol_XX_BH.docx#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->(Eastern) MaG,D'LaA<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->(Western) MaG,D'LoA<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hebrew languages do not have vowels but vowels or vowel
points are added them to give us an idea of the pronunciation. So basically,
this is MGDL. If you can’t tell, this is essential transliterated as magdal and
magdol. It is the same basic word we find for Biblical Hebrew (MGDL) which is מגדל
migdal <i>mig-dawl’</i> also (in pl.) fem. מגדלה migdalah <i>mig-daw-law’. </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Therefore, there is no reason to presume this word is
anything other than a Hebrew word found in variant forms of Heber’s
descendants’ language. <o:p></o:p></p>
<h1>So why?<o:p></o:p></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Was it a simple mistake? If one looks at Egypt, they have
towers too. They also have a word similar to the Hebrew word for tower
too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dr. David A. Falk of the University of British Columbia who
is an expert in Egyptian studies write on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Torah</i> website while discussing towers in Egypt that:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">“The native Egyptian words for
“tower” are <i>ḫtm</i> and <i>swnw.”<a href="file:///C:/Documents/Documents/Documents/Babel/Migdol_XX_BH.docx#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[6]</span></b></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">He also points out
something unique when discussing <i>migdol</i> in Egypt. Dr. Falk write:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">“The idea that Pi-Hahiroth and Baal-Zephon were lookout posts fits with
a third toponym in this same section, Migdol, one of the fortresses on the Way
of Horus, a road that was guarded by several fortresses intended to control the
flow of traffic from the Levant. The Egyptian version of this name, <i>mˁktir</i> actually
derives from a Semitic loan word מגדל, “tower.””<a href="file:///C:/Documents/Documents/Documents/Babel/Migdol_XX_BH.docx#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[7]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">He points out that
the Egyptians borrowed the word from the Hebrews since they are not using their
native words in certain instances. This is an important reflection. We need to
exercise caution instead of naively saying the Israelites in Egypt borrowed a
word from Egyptian, when in fact, it could easily be the other way around. In
this case, we can ascertain that it was borrowed from the Israelite Hebrew. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">So, was it a simple
mistake? I hope so. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Documents/Documents/Documents/Babel/Migdol_XX_BH.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon, Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody
Massachusetts, 1906 (2005, Ninth Printing), pp. 153-154, 550. <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Documents/Documents/Documents/Babel/Migdol_XX_BH.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
All of these were checked in Online Bible Software, accessed November 3, 2021
or reference given in the text.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Documents/Documents/Documents/Babel/Migdol_XX_BH.docx#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers, Notes on Job 1:17 says, “The
Chaldeans.—Literally, Chasdim, or descendants of Chesed (Genesis 22:22; see
Note on Job 1:1). This name reappears in the classic Carduchia and in the
modern Kurdistan, as well as in the more familiar Chaldæa; it being a
well-known philological law that r and l and r and s are interchangeable.”, <a href="https://biblehub.com/commentaries/job/1-17.htm">https://biblehub.com/commentaries/job/1-17.htm</a>;
John Gill’s Commentary notes on Job 1:17 also affirm this relationship when he
says, “these Chaldeans or Chasdim were the descendants of Chesed, a son of
Nahor, who was brother to Abraham, Genesis 22:20, who settled in the east
country, not far from Job”, <a href="https://biblehub.com/commentaries/job/1-17.htm">https://biblehub.com/commentaries/job/1-17.htm</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Documents/Documents/Documents/Babel/Migdol_XX_BH.docx#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Philip Schaff, Theological Propaedeutic, Sixth Edition, Charles Scribner’s Sons
Publishers, New York, 1904, p. 116. <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn5" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Documents/Documents/Documents/Babel/Migdol_XX_BH.docx#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Aramaic Lexicon and Concordance, Entry: Tower, Accessed November 4, 2021, <a href="https://www.atour.com/cgi-bin/dictionary.cgi?string=tower&Search_Field=Meaning">https://www.atour.com/cgi-bin/dictionary.cgi?string=tower&Search_Field=Meaning</a>.
<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn6" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Documents/Documents/Documents/Babel/Migdol_XX_BH.docx#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> David
A. Falk, "What We Know about the Egyptian Places Mentioned in Exodus"
TheTorah.com (2018).
https://thetorah.com/article/what-we-know-about-the-egyptian-places-mentioned-in-exodus.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn7" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Documents/Documents/Documents/Babel/Migdol_XX_BH.docx#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[7]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> Ibid.
<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109261005126312685.post-60521294749107542932021-11-01T12:04:00.001-07:002021-11-01T12:07:45.437-07:00Sojourn<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Long or Short Sojourn By Chronological Derivation Strictly
Via The Biblical Text</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">B. Hodge, November
1, 2021 (Originally Published July 15, 2016)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Biblical Authority
Ministries<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>PRELIMINARY REMARKS<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b><i>Titus 3:9 </i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i>NKJV</i></b><i> <o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i>But avoid foolish disputes,
genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are
unprofitable and useless. </i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There is a major dispute among Christians regarding the
genealogical data over how long the Israelites were in Egypt. It is hard to
believe that people spend so much time on a chronological dispute, but in
recent years, I’ve been pushed into this debate several times. My preference is
to avoid spending any <i>significant </i>amount of time to the
subject. My hope is not to get caught up in this debate any longer than
necessary.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And lastly by observation, the debate often entails people
referring to other people’s opinions (e.g., Jones, Roshi, Cassuto, Ussher,
Josephus, or a specific commentator, archaeologist, professor, Christian
leader, etc.) as an authority on this issue to settle the alleged problem; so
I’m not going to do that. I am going to stick strictly with what God says on
the subject and leave the opinions aside of historians, scholars, commentators,
archaeologists, professors, and so on. This is not to neglect their value, but it
is to avoid muddying the waters.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The fact is we have people on both sides of this debate who
are experts in their field. But God is the greatest expert and it is <i>His </i>Word
that is to be counted above all. This doesn’t neglect that various ancient
texts of Scripture will be used, but people like Josephus, Jack Riggs, John
Gill, Adam Clarke, Paul J. Ray Jr., etc. will not be used as an end-all-be-all
argument or refer to their comments as a final authority. Even discussing what
all their opinions are would turn this into an extensive book to tell you what
different people have held to for thousands of years. But they all boil down to
two camps – a long or short sojourn.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Let’s clarify on a misconception right up front. Both camps
have the same length of sojourn—430 years. The difference is <i>where </i>was
that sojourn? Was it in Egypt only or was it in Egypt<i> and</i> Canaan.
Those who hold to a “long” sojourn has 430 years strictly in Egypt where the
time in Canaan was <i>not </i>seen as part of the sojourning. Those
adhering to the “short” sojourn count the 430 years as the total duration of
sojourning in both Egypt and Canaan.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hence, those who have a “long sojourn” have an overall
longer duration from Abraham to the Exodus (<b>time in Canaan + 430 years in
Egypt = total time</b>) and the short sojourners have a shorter total duration
time (<b>time in Egypt and Canaan = 430 years</b>).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>WHAT IS THE DEBATE OVER?<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As mentioned, this sojourn question is arguably the most
hotly debated chronological issue<i> in</i> biblical chronology. In
short, it is over the issue of “how long was Israel in Egypt?” prior to the
Exodus. So the debate is: was Israel in Egypt for 430 years (<i>long sojourn</i>)<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> or
was there 430 years from the point when the promise was given to Abraham to
when the Law was given (where the actual time in Egypt would have only been 210
years; <i>short sojourn</i>)? This comes from looking at passages like:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b>Exodus 12:40-41 NKJV</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">40 Now the <b><i>sojourn of
the children of Israel who lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years</i></b>.
41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty
years — on that very same day — it came to pass that all
the armies of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b>Galatians 3:16-17 NKJV</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">16 <b><i>Now to Abraham and
his Seed were the promises made</i></b>. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of
many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ. 17 And this I
say, <b><i>that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later</i></b>,
cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it
should make the promise of no effect.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This is a big deal because it looks like an insurmountable
biblical contradiction on the surface. This is another point that makes this a
hot discussion point on each side of the debate as biblical Christians readily
affirm the Bible has no legitimate contradictions—whether they believe in a
long or short sojourn. So this needs to be dealt with to get a proper
understanding of what is going on. Let’s look at some relevant passages to get
started and follow what is going on chronologically.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>THE PROMISE<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When was the promise first given to Abraham? It was given in
Genesis 12 when Abraham was 75 (Genesis 12:4).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b>Genesis 12:1-7 NKJV</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">1 Now the LORD had said to Abram:
“Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a
land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you
And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who
bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of
the earth shall be blessed.” 4 So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him,
and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed
from Haran. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">5 Then Abram took Sarai his wife
and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered,
and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the
land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan. 6 Abram passed through the
land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the
Canaanites were then in the land. 7 Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said,
“To your descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the
LORD, who had appeared to him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">According to Paul in Galatians, this begins the countdown
for the 430 years. Paul mentioned that the total sojourn from the <i>Promise</i> (between
Abraham and Christ, His Seed) to the Exodus (when the law was given) was 430
years<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b>Galatians 3:16-18 NKJV</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were
the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one,
“And to your Seed,” who is Christ. 17 And this I say, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i> the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot
annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should
make the promise of no effect. 18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is
no longer of promise; but God gave <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">it</i>
to Abraham by promise.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>THE PROMISE REITERATED AND EXPANDED TO ABRAHAM IN GENESIS
15 AND 17<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b>Genesis 15:13-16 NKJV</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">13 Then He said to Abram: “Know
certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs,
and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. 14 “And also
the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with
great possessions. 15 “Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace;
you shall be buried at a good old age. 16 “But in the fourth generation they
shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At this stage the promise is reiterated, but several years
have passed (about 10 years for Genesis 15). However, the promise is expanded
and its final reiteration to Abraham per Genesis 17:21-26 is about 24 years
after the initial promise. In Genesis 15, we find that Abraham’s <i>descendant</i>s,
obviously through the child of promise<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> (Isaac;
and could not rightly begin until the child of promise was born), will be
persecuted or oppressed for 400 years.<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Abraham did not have the child of promise yet and so this
couldn’t be a possibility until Abraham was 100 years old—when Isaac was born
(25 years after the initial promise given in Genesis 12). When Abraham was 99
years old, the promise was reiterated to him in Genesis 17 (the whole chapter)
and the following year, Sarah gave birth in her old age to Isaac.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Note that Isaac’s birth was 25 years after the promise was
first given to Abraham. Yet the reiterated promise was that Abraham’s<i> descendants</i> would
be oppressed or persecuted for 400 years. So the oppression could not be
possible until Abraham has the child of promise. Furthermore, does this mean
that every moment of every year the descendants of Abraham will be oppressed
for that 400 years? By no means! It gives an overall boundary of the first
persecution to the last persecution in question.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When was the first time, <i>according to the Bible</i>,
that one of Abraham’s descendants was oppressed and persecuted? The first
persecution came to Abraham’s descendant Isaac by the half-Egyptian Ishmael in
Genesis 21:8-9 and Galatians 4:28-30 when Isaac was weaned in his very early
years. It was enough of a persecution in the eyes of Sarah and Abraham that the
Lord affirmed to Abraham to do as Sarah wanted and banish the child and his
mother from them!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This was the first affliction by one of Egyptian heritage to
Abraham’s descendants of promise. Recall that Ishmael did not live under the
promise and is an outsider to the promise and <i>was treated</i> as
an outsider to the promise and the descendants of promise. The Lord made this
clear when Abraham plead to have Ishmael be the child of promise (Genesis
17:18-19).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Isaac’s weaning stage would be about 30 years after the
promise to Abraham in Genesis 12.<a name="_ftnref6"></a><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span style="mso-bookmark: _ftnref6;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _ftnref6;"></span><a href="https://biblicalauthorityministries.wordpress.com/2016/07/15/long-or-short-sojourn-by-chronological-derivation-strictly-via-the-biblical-text/#_ftn6"></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _ftnref6;"></span> This would put Isaac at about age
4-5, depending on what time of the year he was born and what time of the year
he was weaned.<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> So
there is 400 years to go when the oppression ends. Stephen, in the New
Testament (Acts), testified to Israel’s High Priest about Abraham saying:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b>Acts 7:6-7 NKJV</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">6 “But God spoke in this way: that
his descendants would dwell in a foreign land, and that they would bring them
into bondage and oppress them four hundred years. 7 ‘And the nation to whom
they will be in bondage I will judge,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall
come out and serve Me in this place.’<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Clearly this is discussing the reiteration of the promise
when the Lord reveals to Abraham that <b><i>his descendants</i></b> will
be in bondage or persecuted, which was not stated in the original promise
(Genesis 12) but in the reiteration of the promise in Genesis 15 and 17. So
Stephen was perfectly accurate to state 400 years of <i>oppression</i> at
this stage and is extremely accurate, being 30 years after the original promise
beginning with Isaac’s persecution by the half-Egyptian, Hagar’s son Ishmael.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So the time markers given in Scripture for these events are
spot on without contradiction at this stage. Some Christians have remarked that
Genesis 15 and Stephen were actually rounding off the 430 years to merely be
400 but that is <i>not</i> the case after carefully considering what
the text says and what the text doesn’t say.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Both Genesis 15 and Stephen were being extremely precise as
to how long the <i>persecution of Abraham’s descendants</i> would be,
neither the time in Egypt nor the total time of sojourn. Perhaps there was
confusion because both ended at the same time, with the Exodus. But a close
examination of the text shows great precision.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>4<sup>TH</sup> GENERATION<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We also learn in the reiterated promise that in the fourth
generation of <i>being strangers in a land</i> <i>not their own</i> (Egypt)
they will return to Canaan (which would be their own possession). Clearly,
Canaan was not in mind as that fourth generation would be the eldest of the
generations to return to Canaan <i>from</i> the nation in question.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Joseph, the son of Jacob (Israel) was the first in Egypt
(being the precursor to the whole nation’s arrival). So the sons of Jacob make
their way to Egypt through Joseph and survive. Here are some genealogical lists
as given in Scripture:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Table 1 Genealogical Data according to the Bible</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 660px;">
<tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">Judah’s line (e.g., Luke 3)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">Joseph’s line (Genesis 50:23, 1 Chronicles 7:20-27)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">Levi’s line (Exodus 6:16-20, with ages)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">1<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">Abraham<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">Abraham<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">Abraham<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">2<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">Isaac<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">Isaac<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">Isaac<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">3<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">Israel (Jacob)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">Israel (Jacob)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">Israel (Jacob)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">4<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">Judah<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">Joseph<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">Levi (137)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">5<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Perez</b><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Ephraim</b><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Kohath (133) </b>and<b> Jochebed</b><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">6<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Hezron</b><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Ephraim child</b> (e.g., <b>Shuthelah)</b><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Amram (137)</b><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">7<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Ram</b><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Ephraim’s grandchild (e.g., Bered)</b><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Moses (120)</b><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 8; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">8<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Amminadab</b><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Ephraim’s great grandchild (e.g., Tahath)</b><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Gershom and Eliezer</b><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p class="MsoNormal">If we begin with Joseph and his brother’s as the first
counted generation in Egypt, then the fourth generation would be Ram, Ephraim’s
grandchild (Bered), and Moses.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">However, if it is counted from Joseph’s and his
brother’s <i>children</i>, who spent much (if not all) of their life in
Egypt, as opposed to Canaan, then the fourth generation would be counted from
Perez, Ephraim, and Kohath to Amminidab, Ephraim’s great grandchild (Tahath)
and Gershom and Eliezer. Although time-wise, it makes sense that Ephraim’s
great grandchild and Moses were all living at about the same time—there is
nothing wrong with people of multiple generations co-living.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Moses’s generation underwent persecution of having the baby
boys killed and thrown into the Nile, when he was a newborn—this was<i> after</i> Pharaoh
had ordered the midwives to kill the baby boys, which failed. Although, that
means that the generations still alive (e.g., Moses’s father Amram, grandfather
Kohath <i>or</i> Tahath whose father was Bered, and grandfather
Shultelah and great grandfather Ephraim) were also affected by this oppression.
The affliction included being both (1) slaves and (2) watching the persecution
and murder of their descendants.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This later count for the fourth generation makes good sense
because the promise given to Abraham was that the fourth generation would <i>come
into</i> Canaan (Genesis 15:16), not just exit Egypt and the older
generation (which included Moses’s generation) was left to die in the
wilderness due to their disobedience to God (Numbers 14:34). So we know which
generation entered into Canaan so we merely count backwards for four
generations (bolded in the table above).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Now let us keep something in mind. The first generation to
be able to return to Canaan was to be the fourth generation. But does that mean
that the kids of the fourth generation (the fifth generation) didn’t come into
the Canaan (the Promised Land)? Of course they did too—they all came at once!
What this limitation is that the <i>earliest</i> generation to return
to Canaan was the fourth, but their subsequent descendants, who were
contemporaneous with them, were also obliged to come as well.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Well how many generations was that? It likely varied
extensively. Moses, living like the Egyptians for 40 years, had no children
yet. But the Israelites were growing under the Lord’s increase immensely. So
there could have been many contemporaneous generations after this fourth
generation. We know of Joshua’s genealogy, and he was contemporaneous with
Moses, yet younger. His lineage is revealed in 1 Chronicles 7:22-27 as:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Then Ephraim [1 Gen] their father mourned many days, and his
brethren came to comfort him. And when he went in to his wife, she conceived
and bore a son; and he called his name Beriah [2 Gen], because tragedy had come
upon his house. Now his daughter was Sheerah, who built Lower and Upper Beth
Horon and Uzzen Sheerah; and Rephah [3 Gen] was his son, as well as Resheph,
and Telah [4 Gen] his son, Tahan [5 Gen] his son, Laadan [6 Gen] his son,
Ammihud 7 Gen] his son, Elishama [8 Gen] his son, Nun [9 Gen] his son, and
Joshua [10 Gen] his son.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Joshua was the 10<sup>th</sup> generation from Joseph
(having his son Ephraim as the first generation). So Joshua, who was
contemporaneous with Moses and yet was the 10<sup>th</sup> generation, led
the 4<sup>th</sup> generation and their descendants into conquest of the
Promised Land.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Keep in mind that Joseph met his great grandchild through
Ephraim and his grandchildren through Manasseh. But more descendants were
coming rapidly even after Joseph died. But Joseph and some of his great
grandchildren were at one point contemporaneous. So the Israelites hadn’t
entered into slavery and bondage in Egypt yet as that occurred later when a
pharaoh came to power when Joseph (and his brothers) was no longer alive
(Exodus 1:6-8). And Moses was 80 at the time of the Plagues and Exodus (Exodus
7:7) so keep this information in mind and yet he was 40 when he first became a
father in Midian.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Now let’s pause—as everything seems to be moving in perfect
harmony at this stage with the chronology and following what is occurring
(e.g., the fourth generation (with their descendants will come to Canaan). I
say this as a precursor. This next verse is the one that seems to throw a huge
“monkey wrench” into the situation.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>LIVING IN EGYPT 430 YEARS?<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b>Exodus 12:40-41 NKJV (Time
of the Sojourn from the Promise to release from Bondage)</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">40 Now the sojourn of the children
of Israel who lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. 41 And it came
to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years — on that
very same day — it came to pass that all the armies of the LORD went
out from the land of Egypt.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Arriving at Exodus 12, it seem a new limitation is suddenly
thrown into the mix that was unexpected. It seems as though the text just
switched to say the children of Israel <i>were in Egypt</i> for 430
years! So what gives? I want the readers to know that it is this passage <i>alone</i> that
seems to introduce the alleged conflict.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So what do many Christians do? Many Christians take this
verse as the accurate one and try to reinterpret each of the <i>other</i> verses
we have already discussed. This view holds that the Israelites were in Egypt a
full 430 years. Again, this is called the “<i>long sojourn</i>”.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>HOW DO SOME TRY TO GET AROUND THIS?<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>MAYBE THIS VERSE IS ACCURATE AND PAUL ISN’T SO PRECISE?<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In other words, <i>long sojourners</i> take the
time from Joseph and his brothers in Egypt until the Exodus to be 430 years and
then add extra time on to that to go back to the Promise.<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[7]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> This
would be over 600 years from the time of the promise to Abraham and the giving
of the Law. Of course, this causes problems with Paul’s clear statement
Galatians 3:16-18 that it was 430 years from the promise given to Abraham to
giving of the Law during the Exodus.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Defending this view, I have heard several Christians suggest
that the promise to Abraham was not meant to be counted from Abraham but
instead from <i>Judah</i>, whom they argued was the seed in Galatians 3
and quoted the beginning of Galatians 3:16 (“Now to Abraham and his Seed were
the promises made….”).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">They assumed that the promise was to be counted from
Abraham’s descendant (seed) Judah (who went to Egypt) in trying to put the 430
years that Paul mentioned [from the Promise to the Exodus (giving of the law)]
strictly into Egypt.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">These Christian brothers assumed that the last reiteration
of the promise was to Judah (Genesis 46:2–4), therefore, the seed in Galatians
was actually Judah, not Christ. Now I am going to be bold here—these types of
mental gymnastics are uncalled for and make a mockery of the Scriptures.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There is only one seed in Galatians 3 and that is <b><i>Christ</i></b> and
Paul made that perfectly clear in Galatians 3:16 if the entire verse is read [<i>Now
to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to
seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ</i>].<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The reason for this argument for the seed to be Judah was to
try to get 430 years from one of Jacob’s sons who went to Egypt to the time of
the Exodus. So the whole reason was predicated on the fact they were trying to
fit 430 years of time in Egypt for the Israelites. Of course that means that
the Promise to Abraham that the fourth generation in the land not their own
(Egypt) would leave and come to Canaan, was purely false too.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Consider one more aspect. If we begin oppression in Egypt
with Judah, then this is a problem, as Judah was not oppressed. Oppression of
the children of promise by the Egyptians did occur until after Judah and his
younger brother Joseph had died. So this option is simply not tenable.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>GAPS IN THE GENEALOGIES?<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Another problem also arises for the long sojourn position.
The ages of Levi’s descendants and his children down to Moses cannot even come
close to 430 years once they are raised and have children (Moses was over 40
when he had his first child with Zipporrah in Midian).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Table 2 From Kohath to Gershom and Eliezer</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 660px;">
<tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>1<sup>st</sup></b><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Kohath (max age 133)</b><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>2<sup>nd</sup></b><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Amram (max age 137)</b><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>3<sup>rd</sup></b><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Moses (120) (at age 40 he had his first son)</b><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>4<sup>th</sup></b><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Gershom and Eliezer (Generation that entered Canaan)</b><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p class="MsoNormal">But this generational problem is much worse than initially
recognized. If some Christians argue that the Israelites were <i>in
oppression</i> by Egypt for 400 years (rounding) or 430 years
specifically, then that timeframe could not be counted until <i>after</i> Joseph
died. So there would be 430 years from the first oppression in Egypt (which
began with Moses’s generation) until the Exodus. This is impossible since Moses
came out of the Exodus and he only lived 120 years!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But the generational problem gets even worse than this!
Other Christians, many of whom I greatly respect by the way, readily try to
assert that there were gaps in the genealogies of the Israelites listed in
Egypt. For example, one scholar supporting the long sojourn reports:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">“The name Amram of vs. 20 may be a
conflation of the name of the Amram who was the head of one of the
third-generation families of Levi, with the name of a later Amram who was the
father of Moses and Aaron. There was a tendency among the Levites to name their
sons after their forefathers (cf. 1 Chr 6:7–13; Lk 1:5, 59–61). Thus, several
generations appear to have been telescoped here, with Amram, the father of
Moses and Aaron, probably being at least the grandson of the original Amram, if
not even a later descendant.”<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[8]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So the solution is to allegedly have more than one Amram and
have gaps in the genealogies. This is hugely problematic! First, it would no
longer be the fourth generation that would be exiting Egypt and coming into
Canaan, it would also mean Paul was in error in Galatians 3 for 430 years from
the promise to Abraham to the giving of the law in the Exodus. But it also
causes problems with other passages. Considers Moses mother for example.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Moses’ mother was Jochebed. We often think of Moses’ mother
actions when she put him in basket (ark) and floated him in the Nile and
Pharaoh’s daughter found him (Exodus 2:1-10). But we know more about her as
well—her genealogical data. The Bible says:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b>Exodus 6:20 NKJV</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">Now Amram took for himself
Jochebed, his father’s sister, as wife; and she bore him Aaron and Moses. And
the years of the life of Amram were one hundred and thirty-seven.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b>Numbers 26:59 NKJV</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">The name of Amram’s wife was
Jochebed the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt; and to Amram she
bore Aaron and Moses and their sister Miriam.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Moses father, Amram married his aunt Jochebed. She was the
daughter of Levi (see also Exodus 2:1). Levi was the son of Jacob. This means
that Levi was both Moses’ grandfather and great grandfather!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If one argues, then that there were other <i>Levi’s</i> as
well in the same lineage, then it makes part of the biblical text <i>meaningless.</i> The
Bible went to the effort of making it clear that Jochebed <i>was born in
Egypt</i>, in contrast to the possibility that she may have been born elsewhere
(e.g., the land of Canaan where Levi originally fathered three of her brothers
[Gershon, Kohath, and Merari] per Genesis 46:7-11). If she were a born of a
later Levi, supposedly after a long time in Egypt, then why would this text be
necessary?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Look also to Moses’ brother Aaron. Who was Aaron’s wife? The
Bible reveals:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b>Exodus 6:23 NKJV</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">Aaron took to himself Elisheba,
daughter of Amminadab, sister of Nahshon, as wife; and she bore him Nadab,
Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As a reminder, Judah’s lineage to Amminidab is:<o:p></o:p></p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 660px;">
<tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">Judah’s line (e.g., Luke 3)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">Abraham<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">Isaac<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">Israel (Jacob)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal">Judah<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>(1) Perez</b><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>(2) Hezron</b><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>(3) Ram</b><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 8; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt;" valign="bottom">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>(4) Amminadab</b><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p class="MsoNormal">Elisheba was Amminadab’s daughter (5<sup>th</sup> Generation)
and was the sister of Nahshon (5<sup>th</sup> Generation). Nahshon was the
leader of the forces of Judah for the conquest (Numbers 2:3) and is the lineage
of Christ down to Boaz and finally David (Ruth 4:18-22, Luke 3:32-38).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Knowing this, there is no way there are large numbers of
genealogical gaps between “alleged Amram’s” or “alleged Levi’s”. There was one
Amram, one Levi and the genealogy of Moses’ mother refutes this idea of
multiple Amram’s, multiple Levi’s and multiple gaps in the Bible’s genealogies.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If there are gaps in the genealogies between Levi’s (e.g.,
Joseph’s) generation to Moses’s generation at the Exodus 430 years later, then
that could be 10-11 generations (at a 40 year <i>slow </i>generation
time), 14-15 generations (at a 30 year <i>medium</i> generation time)
up to 28-29 generations (at a 15 year <i>fast</i> generation time;
see Genesis 17:2).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Since only two names are given in the Bible between Levi and
Moses (Kohath and Amram), then there could be a minimum of 8-9 or maximum of
26-27 missing names within the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">long
sojourn</i> reckoning! If there are 8-27 missing generation here, then what
does they say about Luke 3:23-38 which gives a continuous line from Jesus
Christ to Adam, <i>without </i>these alleged missing generations
[Judah (<i>to Egypt</i>), Perez (<i>to Egypt</i>), Hezron, Ram, Amminadab,
Nahshon (<i>leader at the Exodus</i>)]?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So if we take this tact (called the long sojourn) with the
Israelites in oppression for 400-430 years in Egypt, we begin to introduce
significant problems and conflicts elsewhere in the text of Scripture. The
actual solution to properly understand Exodus 12:40-41, though, is much simpler
and doesn’t damage the text.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>THE ANCIENT TEXT: SOLVING THE PROBLEM<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Now let’s look at this relevant passage in more detail and
look at the ancient textual witness. There are textual variants for Exodus
12:40 when we consult other ancient texts. The Masoretic text and the Samaritan
Pentateuch were Hebrew texts (Hebrew and Samaritan Hebrew) and the Septuagint
(LXX) was an ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible. Here is how ancient
Hebrew or Greek variations read <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>within
the NAS (bolded):<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b>EXODUS 12:40-41 NAS<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b>Masoretic (Hebrew text)</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">40 Now the sojourn of the children
of Israel “<b><i>who lived in Egypt”</i></b> was four hundred and thirty
years. 41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty
years — on that very same day — it came to pass that all
the armies of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b>Samaritan Pentateuch (Hebrew
text)</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">40 Now the sojourn of the children
of Israel “<b><i>and of their fathers</i></b> <b>who lived in the land of
Canaan and in the land of Egypt”</b> was four hundred and thirty years. 41
And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty
years — on that very same day — it came to pass that all
the armies of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b>Septuagint (Ancient Greek text)</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">40 Now the sojourn of the children
of Israel <b><i>who lived in the land of Egypt and in the land of
Canaan </i></b>was four hundred and thirty years. 41 And it came to pass
at the end of the four hundred and thirty years — on that very same
day — it came to pass that all the armies of the LORD went out from
the land of Egypt.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As you can see from the verse variants in question, there is
an issue over <i>where</i> these 430 years is to occur. It was both
Egypt <b><i>and Canaan</i></b> according to the other ancient
witnesses of the Old Testament. When looking at the ancient text, they are
actually mixed—some say just Egypt others say Egypt and Canaan (or vice versa;
Canaan and Egypt)—but which is to be preferred? The one that solves the problem
and doesn’t introduce conflicts elsewhere of course.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Table 3 Ancient Greek and Hebrew Text Traditions</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 660px;">
<tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 45pt;" valign="bottom" width="60"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 68.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="91">
<p class="MsoNormal">Ancient text<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 42.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="57">
<p class="MsoNormal">Date of copies<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 48pt;" valign="bottom" width="64">
<p class="MsoNormal">Language<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 54.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="73">
<p class="MsoNormal">Egypt Only<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 73.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="98">
<p class="MsoNormal">Egypt and Canaan/Canaan and Egypt<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 45pt;" valign="bottom" width="60">
<p class="MsoNormal">1<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 68.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="91">
<p class="MsoNormal">LXX (Septuagint)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 42.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="57">
<p class="MsoNormal">200 B.C. – A.D. 400<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 48pt;" valign="bottom" width="64">
<p class="MsoNormal">Greek<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 54.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="73">
<p class="MsoNormal">Some copies<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 73.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="98">
<p class="MsoNormal">Some Copies<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 45pt;" valign="bottom" width="60">
<p class="MsoNormal">2<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 68.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="91">
<p class="MsoNormal">Masoretic<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 42.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="57">
<p class="MsoNormal">A.D. 500-900<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 48pt;" valign="bottom" width="64">
<p class="MsoNormal">Hebrew<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 54.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="73">
<p class="MsoNormal">All MSS<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 73.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="98"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 45pt;" valign="bottom" width="60">
<p class="MsoNormal">3<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 68.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="91">
<p class="MsoNormal">Samaritan Pentateuch, A.D. 1100-1200 (earliest copies)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 42.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="57">
<p class="MsoNormal">A.D. 1100 –1200<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 48pt;" valign="bottom" width="64">
<p class="MsoNormal">Hebrew (Samaritan dialect)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 54.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="73"></td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 73.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="98">
<p class="MsoNormal">All MSS<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 45pt;" valign="bottom" width="60">
<p class="MsoNormal">4<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 68.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="91">
<p class="MsoNormal">Dead Sea Scrolls (4 QExod), 250 B.C.-A.D 70, Hebrew<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 42.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="57">
<p class="MsoNormal">250 B.C. – A.D. 70<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 48pt;" valign="bottom" width="64">
<p class="MsoNormal">Hebrew<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 54.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="73">
<p class="MsoNormal">One copy<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 73.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="98"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 45pt;" valign="bottom" width="60">
<p class="MsoNormal">5<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 68.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="91">
<p class="MsoNormal">Letter to the Galatians by Paul<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 42.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="57">
<p class="MsoNormal">A.D 1<sup>st</sup> Century – A.D. 400<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftn9" name="_ftnref9" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn9;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[9]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 48pt;" valign="bottom" width="64">
<p class="MsoNormal">Greek<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 54.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="73"></td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 73.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="98">
<p class="MsoNormal">All copies (from promise to Abraham to the Exodus) which
includes both Canaan and Egypt)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p class="MsoNormal">So texts either gained information or lost it during
transmission here. Keep in mind that it is easier for a copyist to<i> lose</i> text,
than to come up with it, especially when that is not what they are supposed to
be doing! From a big picture, the texts that have both Egypt and Canaan are
preferred, not just for this reason, but because it solves the problem.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This sheds immense light on the issue. 430 years, was not
just the time in Egypt, but also Canaan. Abraham received the promise, while
being called into Canaan. This solves the alleged contradiction entirely! In
fact, this solves the entire dilemma.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There was 430 years of sojourning in Egypt a<i>nd Canaan</i> from
the Promise in Genesis 12, which includes Abraham, to the giving of the Law at
the Exodus. There was 400 years of mistreatment to Abraham’s <i>descendant</i>s
beginning with Ishmael (the half Egyptian) toward Isaac until the last
persecution during the Exodus (again with the Egyptians).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The statements in the text are actually accurate and
extremely precise. This puts the time of the Israelites in Egypt at 210 years
specifically. This is called the “<i>short sojourn</i>” and there is no
contradiction and no problem—even with Moses, Paul, Stephen, and so on. There
are no generational problems and timeline conflicts.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But there is more. The land of sojourning was also included
the land of Promise according to other passages in the narrative.<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftn10" name="_ftnref10" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn10;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[10]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Genesis 17:8 NASB</b> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">“I will give to you and to your
descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan,
for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God”. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Genesis 28:4 NAS</b> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">“May He also give you the blessing
of Abraham, to you and to your descendants with you, that you may possess the
land of your sojournings, which God gave to Abraham”. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Exodus 6:4 NAS</b> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">"And I also established My
covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they
sojourned. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If there was any question whether the sojourning included
Canaan—the Bible solves it when we interpret Scripture (e.g., Exodus 12:40)
with Scripture (e.g., Genesis 17:8, 28:4, and Exodus 6:4). Canaan <b><i>was</i></b> considered
part of the sojourning of Abraham and his descendants! Even Jacob recognized
his own sojourning was not strictly in Egypt. He said:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Genesis 47:9 NAS</b> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">So Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The
years of my sojourning are one hundred and thirty; few and unpleasant have been
the years of my life, nor have they attained the years that my fathers lived
during the days of their sojourning”.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jacob only lived a total 17 years in Egypt, and yet he
recognized his own portion of the sojourning as being 130 years of duration so
far (Jacob died 17 years later at 147 in Egypt per Genesis 47:28).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Objection: </b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">why
does it state…“children of Israel” in Exodus 12:40?</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Recall that Exodus 12:40-41 NKJV says:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">40 Now the sojourn of the <b>children
of Israel</b> “and of their fathers who lived in the land of Canaan and in
the land of Egypt” was four hundred and thirty years. 41 And it came to pass at
the end of the four hundred and thirty years — on that very same
day — it came to pass that all the armies of the LORD went out from
the land of Egypt.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If the 430 years of sojourn was meant to be counted from
Abraham to the Exodus, why does it say “children of Israel”? Abraham is not
among the children of Israel. Doesn’t this prove that the children of Israel
were in Egypt for exactly 430 years?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The answer to this is actually revealed in the context. But
first, some variant texts have “and of their fathers”, which does include
Abraham—and Jacob again recognized that he was part of the sojourn (Genesis
47:9). Regardless though, the context reveals that we are discussing the <i>end </i>of
the sojourn, “And it came to pass <b>at the end</b> of the four
hundred and thirty years” and who this <i>now </i>pertains to,
which is the <i>children of Israel</i>. Why is this significant?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Abraham had a lot of descendants. For example there were
the:<o:p></o:p></p>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Ishmaelites
(children of Ishmael) of Abraham and Hagar<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Midainites
(children of Midian) of Abraham and Keturah<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Zimramites
(children of of Zimram) of Abraham and Keturah<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Jokshanites
(children of Jokshan) of Abraham and Keturah<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Medanites
(children of Medan) of Abraham and Keturah<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Ishbakites
(children of Ishbak) of Abraham and Keturah<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Shuhites
(children of Shuah) of Abraham and Keturah<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Edomites
(children of Esau) of Abraham and Sarah through Isaac and Rebekah<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Israelites
(children of Jacob/Israel) of Abraham and Sarah through Isaac and Rebekah<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
<p class="MsoNormal">This passage delineates whom the children of promise were
(children of Israel) and that the end of the 430 years has finally come to the
descendants of promise. This excluded these <i>other </i>descendants
of Abraham. These others (Ishmaelites, Edomites, Midianites, etc.) were also
descendants of Abraham, but <i>not of promise</i> that was through
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob/Israel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So now, at the very end of the sojourn, we find confirmation<i> of
who</i> the descendants are at the end of this 430-year sojourn beginning
with Abraham. After all, the Midianites, Ishmaelites, Edomites, and so on were
never strangers in a land not their own<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftn11" name="_ftnref11" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn11;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[11]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>,
nor oppressed and afflicted for 400 years, and were not brought out of a nation
that was then judged. We know without question [due to this verse] exactly who
it was—the children of Israel. They were the ones on the back end of the
promise and none of the other descendants of Abraham.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>THE MAIN OBJECTION!<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The main objection I’ve found is summed up in this question:
how could there be 603,550 males over twenty years of age in Numbers 1:1-3;
2:32 in just a few generations? Hence, long sojourners again appeal to an
actual 430 years strictly in Egypt under oppression to get such numbers basing
it on natural population growth variation we have in the world today.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In modern estimations, the world’s population doubles about
every 35-39 years. In the 1960’s, it was peaking about 35 years<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftn12" name="_ftnref12" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn12;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[12]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> but
due to factors like immense abortion and negative growth rates in some
countries, the rate has slightly slowed to about 39 years currently.<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftn13" name="_ftnref13" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn13;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[13]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
We know that Abraham’s progeny who went to Egypt was 66 people and with
Joseph’s family it makes about 70 (Genesis 46:26-27). Here is a chart of
doublings that have to occur to get the required number of people to make 603,550
males per the book of Numbers.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Table 4 Doublings</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 660px;">
<tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">Number of doublings<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">People beginning with 70<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">1<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">140<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">2<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">280<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">3<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">560<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">4<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">1120<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">5<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">2240<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">6<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">4480<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">7<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">8960<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 8;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">8<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">17,920<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 9;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">9<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">35,840<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 10;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">10<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">71,680<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 11;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">11<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">143,360<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 12;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">12<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">286,720<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 13;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">13<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">573,440<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 14;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">14<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">1,146,880<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 15; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">15<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 165.75pt;" valign="bottom" width="221">
<p class="MsoNormal">2,293,760<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p class="MsoNormal">So 14-15 doubling times would be required to get the numbers
if about half are males at age of counting. The long sojourner would argue that
it is more feasible with 430 years strictly in Egypt. Using 14 doublings, this
would make [430/14] = ~31 years per doubling which is comparable, but a little
faster than, the current world growth range which again varies from 35-39 years
currently. So it is argued that this is a confirmation of the 430 years, as
opposed to 210-215 years, of sojourn strictly in Egypt buy the short
sojourners.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">However, this conclusion is without warrant. Consider the
Lord’s prophetic promise to Abraham and then Isaac.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b>Genesis 13:16 NKJV</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">“And I will make your descendants
as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then
your descendants also could be numbered.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b>Genesis 22:17 NKJV</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">“Blessing I will bless you, and
multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as
the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate
of their enemies.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b>Genesis 26:4 NKJV</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">“And I will make your descendants
multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these
lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">And this came true. <i>God </i>is
the one responsible for multiplying Abraham’s descendants and this exceeding
increase came to Israel. And the Egyptians recognized this and wanted to do
something about this population explosion occurring with the Israelites—hence
enslaving them and trying to kill their baby boys in an effort to control them!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b>Exodus 1:7 NKJV</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">But the children of Israel were
fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and
the land was filled with them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b>Exodus 1:12 NKJV</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">But the more they afflicted them,
the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of
Israel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b>Exodus 1:20 NKJV</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">Therefore God dealt well with the
midwives, and the people multiplied and grew very mighty.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Now is this increase a problem? No. It is not a problem for
an all-powerful God to make the promise and keep it. There is no problem for
God to make the Israelites as numerous as He promised. It would only be a
problem if God hadn’t kept his promise, but that did not occur.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This would only be a problem if we allege that God had no
part and that the increase of Israelites could only be done by human means.
That is, by naturalistic means. But this population growth is no problem
whatsoever for God as the promise was fulfilled. After the Exodus, the Lord
comments:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Deuteronomy 1:10 NKJV<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">The LORD your God has multiplied
you, and here you are today, as the stars of heaven in multitude. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So if 210 years are in mind for the sojourn in Egypt, then
what would the doubling rate be? Using 14 doublings, this would make [210/14] =
15 years per doubling which is obviously faster than the current world growth
range which again is 35-39 years. You would easily be able to see the increases
as the hand of the Lord with this figure! But is it <i>possible</i>?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Yes it is. In fact, the current population growth rate (as
of 2015) of the country of Afghanistan is faster than this at 14.8 years!<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftn14" name="_ftnref14" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn14;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[14]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> It
is not at all impossible but clearly within the bounds of national growth rates
observed today. Yes it is exceedingly faster, but this is exactly what the Lord
declared He would do with the Israelites.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So this is actually a much better confirmation of what was
occurring because unlike the slightly faster growth rate (~31 year doubling),
the Israelites really were growing rapidly (~15 years doubling) as God
promised. Joshua was in the 10<sup>th</sup> generation, while 4<sup>th</sup> generation
was still alive (and much of the 3<sup>rd</sup> generation was still alive
too) so this is reasonable and expected here. Joshua was not the youngest one
going into the Promised Land either! There were plenty of younger generations contemporaneous
with him as well for him to be old enough to be a significant military leader. Having
multiple generations as contemporaneous is not a problem. So this overall
population objection to a short sojourn is really not a big deal.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>CONCLUSIONS<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The long sojourn introduces biblical conflicts whether
genealogically, generationally, chronologically, or neglects that God rapidly
multiplied the Israelites. It further causes disruptions of clear passages like
Paul’s boundary conditions of 430 years from the promise to Abraham to the
giving of the Law and that Canaan was included as the part of the land of
sojourn.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The short sojourn makes sense of the biblical data when
taking into account the variant ancient readings that mention that the sojourn
included Egypt <i>and Canaan</i>. Any alleged problems disappear when
looked at biblically and logically.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Now as a side note, readers should be aware that long and
short sojourners are <i>not </i>enemies. We are brothers and though
we do not agree with one another, this is not a reason to “go start a new
church” over the issue. So keep this in mind on this chronological debate.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Table 5 Summary Timeline</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 660px;">
<tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 51pt;" valign="bottom" width="68">
<p class="MsoNormal">Countdown (years; when applicable)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 121.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="162">
<p class="MsoNormal">Event<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 91.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="122">
<p class="MsoNormal">Notes<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Reference<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 51pt;" valign="bottom" width="68">
<p class="MsoNormal">430<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 121.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="162">
<p class="MsoNormal">Initial Promise, Sojourn begins<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 91.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="122">
<p class="MsoNormal">Abraham, 75 years old<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 68.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="91">
<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 12:1-7<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 51pt;" valign="bottom" width="68">
<p class="MsoNormal">420<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 121.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="162">
<p class="MsoNormal">Reiteration of the Promise<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 91.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="122">
<p class="MsoNormal">Abraham, 85 years old<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 68.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="91">
<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 15:13-15<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 51pt;" valign="bottom" width="68">
<p class="MsoNormal">419<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 121.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="162">
<p class="MsoNormal">Ishmael born (half-Egyptian)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 91.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="122">
<p class="MsoNormal">Abraham, 86 years old<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 68.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="91">
<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 16:16<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
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<p class="MsoNormal">406<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 121.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="162">
<p class="MsoNormal">Final reiteration of the promise to Abraham<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Abraham 99 years old<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 68.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="91">
<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 17<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
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<p class="MsoNormal">405<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 121.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="162">
<p class="MsoNormal">Isaac, child of promise born<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 91.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="122">
<p class="MsoNormal">Abraham, 100 years old<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 68.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="91">
<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 17:19-21; 21:3-5<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
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<p class="MsoNormal">400<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 121.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="162">
<p class="MsoNormal">Isaac, child of promise first persecuted by Ishmael, the
half-Egyptian; Ishmael and Hagar (his Egyptian mother) are banished as a
result;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">BEGINNING OF PERSECUTION OF ABRAHAM’S DESCENDANTS<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 91.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="122">
<p class="MsoNormal">Isaac weaning age (which is very young)<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftn15" name="_ftnref15" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn15;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[15]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> perhaps
4-5 years old making Abraham 105 years old<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 68.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="91">
<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 21:8-14<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 51pt;" valign="bottom" width="68">
<p class="MsoNormal">340<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 121.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="162">
<p class="MsoNormal">Jacob and Esau born<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 91.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="122">
<p class="MsoNormal">Isaac was 60<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 68.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="91">
<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 25:26<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 8;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 51pt;" valign="bottom" width="68"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 121.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="162">
<p class="MsoNormal">Esau sells his birthright to Jacob<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 91.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="122"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 68.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="91"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 9;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 51pt;" valign="bottom" width="68">
<p class="MsoNormal">330<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 121.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="162">
<p class="MsoNormal">Abraham dies<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 91.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="122">
<p class="MsoNormal">Abraham, 175 years old<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 68.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="91">
<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 25:7-10<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 10;">
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<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 121.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="162">
<p class="MsoNormal">Jacob renamed Israel<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 91.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="122"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 68.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="91">
<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 32:28<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 11;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 51pt;" valign="bottom" width="68"></td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 121.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="162">
<p class="MsoNormal">Israel has 12 sons (Levi, Joseph, Judah, etc.; Benjamin
last)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 91.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="122"></td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 68.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="91">
<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 29-30; 35:16 (Benjamin)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 12;">
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<p class="MsoNormal">249<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 121.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="162">
<p class="MsoNormal">Joseph born<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 91.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="122">
<p class="MsoNormal">Jacob/Israel, 91 year old<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 68.25pt;" valign="bottom" width="91">
<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 37:3<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftn16" name="_ftnref16" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn16;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[16]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 13;">
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<p class="MsoNormal">232<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 121.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="162">
<p class="MsoNormal">Joseph sold into slavery; finally to Egypt<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 91.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="122">
<p class="MsoNormal">Joseph 17 years old<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 37:28; Genesis 37:2<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
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<p class="MsoNormal">220<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Isaac dies<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Isaac, 180 years old; Jacob/Israel, 120 years old<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Joseph 29 years old<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 35:28<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">219<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Joseph in position of power in Egypt<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Joseph, 30 years old<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 41:41 Genesis 41:46<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">219-212<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Seven years of Plenty<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Joseph, 37 years old<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 41:47<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">210<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Israelites into Egypt (2 years into the 7 years of famine)<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Jacob, 130 years old<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Joseph, 39 years old<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 45:9-46:7; 45:6-11<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">193<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Jacob dies in Egypt<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Jacob, 147 years old; after 17 years in Egypt<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Joseph, 56 years old<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 47:28<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Levi fathers Kohath (born in Canaan per Genesis 46:7-11)<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Ephraim fathers Shuthelah (possibly before coming to
Egypt?)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 50:23, 1 Chronicles 7:20-27; Exodus 6:16-20<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Levi fathers Jochebed who was born in Egypt<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Shuthelah fathers Bered<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 50:23, 1 Chronicles 7:20-27; Exodus 6:16-20<o:p></o:p></p>
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<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 121.5pt;" valign="bottom" width="162">
<p class="MsoNormal">Kohath fathers Amram<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Bered fathers Tahath<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 50:23, 1 Chronicles 7:20-27; Exodus 6:16-20<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">139<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Joseph (and his brothers) had died<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Joseph, 110 year old<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 50:26<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Pharaoh enslaves the Israelites<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Exodus 1:8-14<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">81?-80<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Persecution of baby boys in Egypt<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Just before and after the birth of Moses<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Exodus 1:15-22<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">80<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Moses born to Amram<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Moses, 0 years old<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Exodus 2:1-10<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">40<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Moses flees Egypt<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Moses (40 years old)<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Exodus 2:15<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">0<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">10 plagues<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Moses 80 years old<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Exodus 7:7 (beginning)<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">0<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Exodus from Egypt/Giving of the Law<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Moses, 80 years old; Last persecution of Israelites by
Egypt<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Exodus; Exodus 20<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
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<p class="MsoNormal">+40<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Fourth generation was the first permitted to enter into
Canaan (with their descendants of course)<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Moses died 120 years old; Joshua leads the fourth
generation and their descendants into Canaan<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Numbers 14:34, Deuteronomy 1:35; 2:14;<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
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<p class="MsoNormal">+45<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">7 Canaanite tribes destroyed and land distributed; about
450 years after the promise given to the fathers (plural meaning at least
Abraham and Isaac) and this is 450 years after Isaac was born<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Caleb was 85 now (40 when he spied out the land, 40 years
after the wandering, and 5 more years after conquest and now the land
distribution)<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Joshua 13:1-7, 14:7, Act 13:16-19<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
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<p class="MsoNormal">+480<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Solomon is in his 4<sup>th</sup> year as king<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Temple began to be built; Okay—so this one is for fun!<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">1 Kings 6:1<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <span face=""Helvetica","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #333333;">430
years is a minimum in this view as many hold that 400 (rounding) or 430 years
(exact) was their specific time in <em><span face=""Helvetica","sans-serif"" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">oppression</span></em>,
hence the 430 doesn’t begin to count until after Joseph dies and the oppression
begins.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <span face=""Helvetica","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #333333;">The
reason I start with Paul here is that there are no variant texts of the numbers
given in the Galatians passage.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <span face=""Helvetica","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #333333;"> Otherwise,
Ishmael and the sons with Keturah would also be consider sons of promise as
would their descendants, but they are not.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <span face=""Helvetica","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #333333;"> Thus,
it cannot be in reference to Abraham’s descendants through Hagar or Keturah.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn5" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <span face=""Helvetica","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #333333;"> In
Jewish tradition, weaning was often between 18 months and 5 years old. It
usually involved a child who had their teeth and could eat normal foods without
the fear of problems. It was essentially beyond the fragile time when young
children had high infant mortality rates and thus seen as a time to celebrate
such an accomplishment. For more please see: What was the significance of
weaning a child in the Bible (Genesis 21:8)?, Got Questions Ministries, 2015, </span><a href="http://www.gotquestions.org/weaning-child-Bible.html" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; outline: 0px; text-align: start; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face=""Helvetica","sans-serif"" style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #777777; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">http://www.gotquestions.org/weaning-child-Bible.html</span></a><span face=""Helvetica","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #333333;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">.</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn6" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <span face=""Helvetica","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #333333;">If
Isaac was born at the end of one year and weaned at the beginning of another
year, that could only be just over 3 years of actual duration while
encompassing a 5 year time lapse.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn7" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[7]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <span face=""Helvetica","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #333333;">Others
insert the 430 years after Joseph’s death because that was when the oppression
begins which adds 430 years between Joseph and Moses. Also the overall time
would be more than 700-800 years from the promise to Abraham to the Exodus.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn8" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[8]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <span face=""Helvetica","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #333333;"> Paul
J. Ray, The Duration of the Israelite Sojourn In Egypt, Associates for Biblical
research, January 5, 2012, </span><a href="http://www.biblearchaeology.org/post/2012/01/05/The-Duration-of-the-Israelite-Sojourn-In-Egypt.aspx" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; outline: 0px; text-align: start; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face=""Helvetica","sans-serif"" style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #777777; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">http://www.biblearchaeology.org/post/2012/01/05/The-Duration-of-the-Israelite-Sojourn-In-Egypt.aspx</span></a><span face=""Helvetica","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #333333;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">.</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn9" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftnref9" name="_ftn9" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn9;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[9]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <span face=""Helvetica","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #333333;">By
A.D. 400 Koine Greek (biblical Greek), was essentially became a dead language.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn10" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftnref10" name="_ftn10" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn10;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[10]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <span face=""Helvetica","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #333333;"> Moses
knew what a sojourn was as he also partook one in Midian (Exodus 2:22).</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn11" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftnref11" name="_ftn11" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn11;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[11]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <span face=""Helvetica","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #333333;">They
often intermarried with the local pagan tribes and became part of the land.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn12" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftnref12" name="_ftn12" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn12;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[12]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <span face=""Helvetica","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #333333;"> Population
Growth Rates, About.com, 2015, </span><a href="http://geography.about.com/od/populationgeography/a/populationgrow.htm" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; outline: 0px; text-align: start; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face=""Helvetica","sans-serif"" style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #999999; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">http://geography.about.com/od/populationgeography/a/populationgrow.htm</span></a><span face=""Helvetica","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #333333;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">.</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn13" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftnref13" name="_ftn13" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn13;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[13]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <span face=""Helvetica","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #333333;">Silvio
Famularo, Where have all the people gone? </span><em style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; outline: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face=""Helvetica","sans-serif"" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Creation</span></em><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">, 31(2):18-19, March 2009.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn14" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftnref14" name="_ftn14" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn14;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[14]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <span face=""Helvetica","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #333333;">Population
Growth Rates, About.com, 2015, </span><a href="http://geography.about.com/od/populationgeography/a/populationgrow.htm" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; outline: 0px; text-align: start; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face=""Helvetica","sans-serif"" style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #777777; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">http://geography.about.com/od/populationgeography/a/populationgrow.htm</span></a><span face=""Helvetica","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #333333;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">.</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn15" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftnref15" name="_ftn15" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn15;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[15]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <span face=""Helvetica","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #333333;">1
Samuel 1:23-24</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn16" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Long%20or%20Short%20Sojourn%20By%20Chronological%20Derivation%20Strictly%20Via%20The%20Biblical%20Text.docx#_ftnref16" name="_ftn16" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn16;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[16]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> Calculations
further based on Genesis 35:28, Genesis 37:28; Genesis 37:2, Genesis 41:41,
Genesis 41:46, Genesis 41:47, Genesis 45:6-46:7, Genesis 47:28; See also, Age
of the Earth as Tallied from Creation to the Captivity using Biblical
References, B. Hodge, Biblical Authority Ministries, August 14, 2020, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/08/creation-to-captivity.html">https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/08/creation-to-captivity.html</a>,
specifically the section “How did you get the age of Joseph?”. <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109261005126312685.post-28301505967214250042021-10-13T09:57:00.000-07:002021-10-13T09:57:19.551-07:00Alcohol and the Bible Part 3<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Alcohol and the Bible
Part 3</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">D. Ishmael Abrahams<o:p></o:p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">October 13, 2021 (originally published January 28, 2016)</p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b>PART 3: HISTORICAL
VIEW OF ALCOHOL BY CHRISTIANS<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Christians for nearly 1800 years drank alcohol as part of
normal life and nearly always used wine as communion. It was not until a few
protestant churches in the U.S. began moving to a position of moderation in the
1800s and some, bearing out of that movement, moved to abstinence altogether.
This idea of drinking being sinful is a new idea that flourished in recent
times.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>Early Apostolic</u> <u>Church Fathers</u><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">According to the early apostolic Church fathers…<o:p></o:p></p>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Should
one abstain from wine? According John’s disciple Ignatius…no:<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Do not altogether abstain from wine and flesh, for these
things are not to be viewed with abhorrence, since [the Scripture] saith, “Ye
shall eat the good things of the earth.” And again, “Ye shall eat flesh even as
herbs.” And again, “Wine maketh glad the heart of man, and oil
exhilarates, and bread strengthens him.” But all are to be used with
moderation, as being the gifts of God.” Ignatius (Disciple of John), <i>The
Epistle Of Ignatius To Hero, A Deacon Of Antioch</i><o:p></o:p></p>
<ol start="2" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">Was
wine non-alcoholic? They confirm that it was alcoholic, as people could
get drunk on it:<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Again, when the Holy Ghost had descended upon the
disciples, that they all might prophesy and speak with tongues, and some mocked
them, as if drunken with new wine, Peter said that they were not drunken,
for it was the third hour of the day;” Irenaeus, <i>Against Heresies</i>,
Book 3, Chapter 12.<o:p></o:p></p>
<ol start="3" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in;">Did
they think Jesus drank wine? Yes:<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal">‘”Is not He thy father who hath obtained thee [by
generation], and formed thee, and created thee?” At what time, then, did He
pour out upon the human race the life-giving seed — that is, the Spirit of the
remission of sins, through means of whom we are quickened? Was it not then,
when He was eating with men, and drinking wine upon the earth? For it is said,
“The Son of man came eating and drinking;”’ Irenaeus, <i>Against Heresies</i>,
Book 4, Chapter 31.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Church fathers after this point also affirmed drinking as
acceptable. In some cases they did not want children or youth to drink for
reasons such as lust due to drinking too much (Clement of Alexandria). But
again this would be drunkenness (which is but one form of gluttony), not casual
drinking. Clement did admire those who did not drink.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But John Chrysostom, about the time of Augustine and Jerome,
argued that certain Bible passages should be used to refute those who say there
should be no wine at all! A host of other Christians rightly defended drinking
right up to the Reformation. Benedictine monks were permitted to have about 1
gallon (4 liters) of beer per day as their allotment.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>Reformation</u><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Through the Reformation, it was obvious that drinking was
permitted and encouraged. During the reformation for example:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“As the Protestant Reformation began, the Reformers from
Luther and Calvin to Zwingli and Knox strongly supported the enjoyment of wine
as a biblical blessing, and indeed Calvin’s annual salary in Geneva included
seven barrels of wine. The Lutheran Formula of Concord (1576) and the Reformed
Christian confessions of faith also make explicit mention of and assume the use
of wine, as does the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith and the Methodist
Articles of Religion (1784). In the Dordrecht Confession of Faith (1632), even
the radical Anabaptists, who sought to expunge every trace of Catholicism and
to rely only on the Bible, also assumed wine was to be used, and despite their
reputation as killjoys, the English Puritans were temperate partakers of “God’s
good gifts,” including wine and ale.”<a name="_ftnref1">[1] </a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Notice how John Calvin as part of his annual salary was
given 7 barrels of wine, which comes out to 2 and ¼ liters of wine per day!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Even great commentators and preachers of the past repeatedly
and openly preached of alcohol being good such as John Wesley, George
Whitfield, Adam Clarke, John Gill, and John Bunyan. These are but a few and
their writings clearly reflect a positive attitude of drinking.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">On the other sides of the fences, the Oriental churches, the
Roman church, and Orthodox churches are well-known for alcoholic beverages.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>MODERN MODERATION AND ABSTINENCE MOVEMENT (I.E. AMERICAN
TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT)<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It was rare to find early colonial Americans not drinking –
even George Washington is known for drinking and his favorite was a porter,
which is a dark beer that contains some molasses. Puritans <i>expected </i>people
to drink. Few realize today that it was a Baptist minister who developed the
formula for bourbon. Even Southern Baptists openly drank until 1896 when they
made a declaration of forced abstinence.<a name="_ftnref2">[2]</a> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The moderation and abstinence movements began with some
vague roots to John Wesley who suggested limiting extremely high alcoholic
beverages that were distilled (whiskey, vodka, etc.) to medicinal purposes.
Though his comments were largely neglected, it was not until Benjamin Rush who
in early 1800s argued against these same high alcohol beverages that were
distilled could be addicting and the only cure was abstinence (Rush was one of
the signers of the Declaration of Independence, though he staunchly opposed
George Washington and wanted him removed from commanding U.S. forces).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">During the 1800s in the U.S., there was a shift and this
idea grew and spread to the idea that<i> all </i>alcoholic beverages
should be abstained. This idea, lead by liberals no less, is not founded in the
Bible but fallible minds of men and consequently by 1919, the U.S. began
prohibition, which was later repealed in 1933 (although prohibition deceived
many church people into buying in to that philosophy, some denominations
strictly opposed it publically (others privately) in open civil disobedience
(e.g., Lutherans, etc.).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Most other nations do not have these issues, at least not to
this degree—unless they were influenced by American churches imposing their
view of alcohol on them. And as a result, wine and alcohol are often used –
Christian or not. (I’ve been to other places in North America, Europe, South
America, and Australia and Christians realize what the Bible says and drink
wine at their meals and partake in moderate amounts of alcohol. Even a number
of denominations in U.S. still use communion wine and partake in moderate
amounts of alcohol as well (e.g., Presbyterian, Lutheran, etc.).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Special Note: </i>In the 1800s, we saw the church
begin to severely compromise on Genesis rejecting the plain words of Scripture
to buy into long ages with gap theory, day age, and theistic evolution. We also
saw movements that started rejecting other parts of Scripture such as Mormon
and Jehovah’s Witness that reinterpreted the Gospels, etc. Then we saw Ellen
White reinterpret the passages on hell to get Annihilationism (Jehovah’s
Witnesses borrowed this idea from them), etc. So we need to be careful about
some of the theologies that came out of the 1800s where the Bible was being
significantly reinterpreted and downgraded as the authority. Even Charles
Spurgeon, the “prince of preachers” who made it clear that wine in the Bible
was alcoholic moved to a position of abstaining due to peer pressure (and he
also bought into secular humanism’s long ages over the Bible’s teaching on the
age of the earth too). [3] The issue of alcohol is no different. We need
to get back to the Bible to develop scriptural understanding, not theologies
that are dependent on man (forms of humanism) and try to mix them with our
Christianity.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>DOESN’T THE BIBLE SAY NOT TO GET DRUNK—EVEN ONCE…OR IT IS
SIN?<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Drunkenness is indeed a sin (e.g., Romans 13:13, Galatians
5:21). This would clearly be those who indulge way too far in their drinking
time and time again (e.g., dissipation). They are often labeled drunkards
(e.g., 1 Corinthians 6:10, Deuteronomy 21:20). They have clearly lost control
and “teeter and totter” when they walk (e.g., Isaiah 24:20).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But is the off occasion when someone drinks too much a sin
or someone who was <i>deceived </i>into getting drunk a sin—like the
instance of Noah in Genesis 9; or in the fictional series <i>Anne of Green
Gables </i>where young Anne accidentally served her friend Diana wine
instead of cordial and put her in a clear state of being drunk? These need to
be evaluated biblically, because let’s face it; this is right at that
borderline isn’t it? And let’s not rely on human wisdom to give us the answer,
but seek the wisdom of God on this delicate topic.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Let’s evaluate the first instance. The first example of
this in Scripture is with Noah. Genesis 9 says:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 9:20-27: 20 And Noah began to be a farmer, and
he planted a vineyard. 21 Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and
became uncovered in his tent. 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the
nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. 23 But Shem
and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and went backward
and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned away, and
they did not see their father’s nakedness. 24 So Noah awoke from his wine,
and knew what his younger son had done to him. 25 Then he said: “Cursed be
Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brethren.” 26 And he
said: “Blessed be the LORD, The God of Shem, And may Canaan be his servant. 27
May God enlarge Japheth, And may he dwell in the tents of Shem; And may Canaan
be his servant.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Righteous Noah (Genesis 6:9) was clearly drunk on wine in
this instance. In the privacy of his tent, he became uncovered and Ham looked
upon his naked body and bragged about it to his brothers who had to go in and
cover him (interestingly, Noah’s wife was not there to cover him, perhaps she
died and this was part of the reason for his drunk state?). In today’s
vernacular, that would be like seeing your parent naked, taking a video of it,
and posting it on the internet!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After Noah awoke and found out what happened, Noah cursed
Ham’s son Canaan as a result of Ham’s actions. Noah surely knew better than to
curse Ham, that God had blessed in Genesis 9:1, so he cursed the one who was
like Ham but likely much worse. Consider how sin expands in the next generation
when it is not dealt with in the previous generation and God will visit this
judgment on the next generation (Exodus 34:7). And the Canaanites went down in
history among the worse of sinners, being judged severely by Shem’s
descendants, specifically Abraham and Lot as well as God who was openly
involved:<o:p></o:p></p>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in;">as
Sodom and Gomorrah and the five cities of the plain.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in;">as the
judgment by the Israelites for their sins listed in Leviticus 18 as they
entered the Promised Land.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in;">as
Edom (descendants of Esau) judged the Horites who were Canaanites,
specifically out of the Hivites (Deuteronomy 2:4, 5, 12, 22).<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in;">as
Moab (descendants of Lot) judged those Canaanites at Ar (Deuteronomy 2:9,
29) which was the boundary between the Promised Land and that which has
already been given to Moab.<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal">But note that the Bible doesn’t say Noah was sinning here.
If so, this curse by Noah would have been done in unrighteousness, which again,
is not stated. We need to be careful about saying Noah was sinning here as a
one-off drunk state, as the Bible doesn’t say that in this instance.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Please don’t misunderstand me here. I’m not advocating that
people go get drunk. But we need to be careful about stating something is a sin
without Scriptural warrant.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The second example is that of someone who was forced or
deceived into getting drunk. With this, consider the case with Lot.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Righteous</i> Lot (2 Peter 2:7) was saved from the
judgment on Sodom, by the hand of God by means of sending angels to rescues him
and his family. Though in this, he lost relatives, including his wife, and was
left with his two daughters. No doubt he was devastated. The account goes:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 19:30-38: 30 Then Lot went up out of Zoar and
dwelt in the mountains, and his two daughters were with him; for he was afraid
to dwell in Zoar. And he and his two daughters dwelt in a cave. 31 Now the
firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man on the
earth to come in to us as is the custom of all the earth. 32 “Come, let us
make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve the
lineage of our father.” 33 So they made their father drink wine that
night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father, and he did not know
when she lay down or when she arose. 34 It happened on the next day that
the firstborn said to the younger, “Indeed I lay with my father last night; let
us make him drink wine tonight also, and you go in and lie with him, that we
may preserve the lineage of our father.” 35 Then they made their father
drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did
not know when she lay down or when she arose. 36 Thus both the daughters
of Lot were with child by their father. 37 The firstborn bore a son and
called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day. 38 And
the younger, she also bore a son and called his name Ben-Ammi; he is the father
of the people of Ammon to this day.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">These conniving daughters made Lot drunk (who was obviously
depressed and vulnerable having lost just about everything <i>and</i> his
wife), apparently so much so that he didn’t know what was going on! They had
sexual relations with their father, in one sense, for a noble action of
“preserving the family line”, but in another sense, without consultation of
their father or trusting in the hand of God to provide. It is true that if the
daughters married other men, Lot’s family line would end—unless he remarried as
well and bore a son. Tamar did something similar with her father-in-law Judah
as well (Genesis 38). Consider that even the lineage of Christ comes through
Ruth, who was of Moab, which are the descendants of Lot with his eldest
daughter.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Furthermore, it was not until the time of Moses (later on)
that it was forbidden to have sexual relations with close relatives (Leviticus
18). Abraham married his half-sister (Genesis 20:12) and Adam and Eve’s
children married each other. If anything, there is the sin of lying deception
by the daughters and the issue of family marriage.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We could discuss various aspects of this situation for quite
some time, but the issue here is: was Lot sinning for being deceptively put
into a drunken state by his sly daughters? In modern terms, imagine if someone
spiked some punch and people unknowingly got drunk on it: would they be the
sinners? Again we need to be careful attributing sin to someone like Lot, when
the Bible doesn’t give us that directive here.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What about other one-off events where a person is drunk,
after all, the Bible clearly forbade such a one-off event in Ephesians 5:18
(“do not be drunk on wine”)?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ephesians 5:18 is the one major verse that people use to say
a one-off event where someone gets drunk is a sin. In fact in a cordial
conversation, one person quoted this verse to me as “Do not be drunk on wine,
but be filled with the Holy Spirit”. And that sounds great, doesn’t it. In
fact, it sounds as though this settles the issue and righteous Noah and Lot
were indeed sinning. But let’s read it:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ephesians 5:14-20: 14 Therefore He says: “Awake, you
who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.” 15 See
then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming
the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand
what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not be drunk with wine, <b>in
which is dissipation;</b> but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking
to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making
melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things
to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The first thing you should notice is that the verse is not
“Do not be drunk on wine, but be filled with the Holy Spirit”—the person left
out a key phrase. It is: “And do not be drunk with wine, <b>in which is
dissipation;</b> but be filled with the Spirit”. There is a clarifying
remark about being drunk with wine (“in which is dissipation”).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So what is dissipation? Regarding alcohol, it is: “dissolute
way of living, especially excessive drinking of liquor” (Dictionary.com). This
passage is not speaking of a one-off event where someone happened to have drank
too much, but instead talking about the state of “being drunk” as a lifestyle
or way of living. Clearly, this is talking of drunkenness, not a one-off
[accidental] event. So this passage was ripped out of context in the conversation.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In fact, this passage goes perfectly with the surrounding
context. Paul is writing to the Ephesians about how to live in these evil times
(vs. 16) and to walk circumspectly (vs. 15) giving thanks always (vs. 20). This
is not referring to a one-off event, but clearly as a habitual lifestyle. It is
pointing out the fallacy of a state of getting drunk repeatedly (dissipation),
which is indeed drunkenness.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We may too quickly assume that verse 18 rules out the one
off mistaken situation where one overdrank as a sinful nature as it is
contrasted with being filled with the Holy Spirit. However, such a remedial
reading should never be done. Are we to think that we should only be filled
with Holy Spirit as a one-off event? By no means! This is speaking of an
ongoing lifestyle.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Consider the wedding at Cana:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">John 2:1-10: 1 On the third day there was a wedding in
Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Now both Jesus and
His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 And when they ran out of
wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” 4 Jesus said
to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet
come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do
it.” 6 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the
manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons
apiece. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they
filled them up to the brim. 8 And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and
take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. 9 When the master
of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it
came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the
feast called the bridegroom. 10 And he said to him, “Every man at the
beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the
inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This was no small amount according to the Scripture, but
clearly sufficient amounts being a minimum of 120 gallons of wine to a maximum
of 180 gallons of wine – this is about 2520-3960 glasses of wine (based on the
standard 6 oz. per glass). This was ready to be served, <i>after </i>the
other wine ran out! As you may recall, when Christ turned water into wine the
people were already well drunk (vs.10). Can we accuse Christ of wrongdoing
here? May it never be!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In a parallel respect, if drinking too much on an off
occasion is sin, then so is eating too much (gluttony, Proverbs 23:20-21, Luke
7:33-35) on the off occasion at a meal. I recall sitting with a humble and
godly man at a buffet, and yet I listened to him criticize Christians who think
it was okay to drink, while he was on his fourth plate of food and gorged
himself like few I’ve ever seen. One needs to consider the hypocrisy.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u>A word of caution</u></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Now, this is not a license to go get drunk—not by any means.
The sin is in the <i>intent</i>. If one has the motive to go out and get
drunk, I would suggest they have already sinned in their heart (e.g., 1 John
2:17, John 3:19, Matthew 5:28).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If one drinks a little and on an off occasion someone spikes
them with something harder, a wedding, or they have just enough to put them
over the edge, we still need to be cautious about calling that a sin. If over
drinking becomes a habit or repetitive, then of course, it is drunkenness or
dissipation and sinful and those need to be confronted and corrected gently.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But an even bigger caution is this: for if we call something
sin <i>that is not;</i> are we not sinning? For we would be sinning
by saying God says something is wrong that He didn’t say. We would be guilty of
adding to the Word of God (Proverbs 30:6). So we need to be extra careful about
stating something is a sin that the Scripture does not say is a sin.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>CONCLUSION<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b> </b>If someone wishes to abstain, then so be it. If
someone wants to drink, then so be it. The relatively new idea of abstinence
should<i> not</i> be forced on anyone but remain a personal decision
unto the Lord. But considering the Bible permits drinking and Christians have
recognized this for many years, one should not force abstinence on Christians,
and it may turn out to be a hindrance to one’s witness of unbelievers as well.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One should exercise caution about claiming that alcohol is
sinful otherwise fruit (which does have minute amounts of alcohol inherently in
them) must be avoided at all costs. So the issue really comes down to <i>how
much</i> alcohol is permissible and how much is not. The answer lies in
moderation.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Though some opt not to drink, and for right reasons and such
is a commendable position, e.g., there are some who cannot control themselves
(i.e., get violent or can’t recognize their limits and habitually over drink,
etc.), so they refrain from drinking altogether. Others do not like the taste
(though I doubt they have tasted many drinks to see); in rare cases, some are
allergic; and so on. However, such personal positions do not yield that
drinking is a sin.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Bible often mentions alcoholic wine and other fermented
drinks (Proverbs 20:1, Leviticus 10:9, Numbers 6:3, Deuteronomy 29:6, Luke
1:15, etc.) and nowhere in Scripture is drinking alcohol said to be sinful.
Many times it was even encouraged. So taking a position that it is sinful is
not wise, biblically. It leads toward Jesus Christ being a sinner. If Christ
was a sinner, then Christ cannot be God, as God cannot sin and everyone would
still be dead in his or her sins.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">By no means is this response meant to advocate drinking,
especially if one doesn’t want to. But it serves to educate what the Bible
teaches on the subject and also serves to show that forcing an abstinent view
on others is incorrect (Romans 14:16).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_ftn1"></a><a href="%5b1%5d"><span style="mso-bookmark: _ftn1;">[1]</span><span style="mso-bookmark: _ftn1;"></span></a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_and_alcohol">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_and_alcohol</a> References
to original sources appear in the Wiki article which are usually more reliable
than Wikipedia itself.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_ftn2"></a><a href="https://biblicalauthorityministries.wordpress.com/2016/01/28/alcohol-and-the-bible-part-iii/#_ftnref2"><span style="mso-bookmark: _ftn2;">[2]</span><span style="mso-bookmark: _ftn2;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _ftn2;"></span> Hailey, David J. “Beverage Alcohol and
the Christian Faith,” <i>Search</i> (Winter 1992).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_ftn3"></a><a href="https://biblicalauthorityministries.wordpress.com/2016/01/28/alcohol-and-the-bible-part-iii/#_ftnref3"><span style="mso-bookmark: _ftn3;">[3]</span><span style="mso-bookmark: _ftn3;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _ftn3;"></span> Charles Haddon Spurgeon, The Sword and
the Trowel, 1877, p. 437.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109261005126312685.post-26477058478264978762021-10-12T10:17:00.002-07:002021-10-12T10:17:36.553-07:00Alcohol and the Bible Part 2<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Alcohol and the Bible,
Part 2</span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">D. Ishmael Abrahams<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">October 12, 2021 (Originally published January
14, 2016)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b>PART 2: GETTING
INTO THE DEBATE POINTS<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With the history behind us and the Bible clearly discussing
alcoholic drinks many times, now we need to get to the crux. From a big
picture, there are differing church perspectives on the issue of drinking
alcohol. These positions (in a nutshell) are:<o:p></o:p></p>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Drinking
alcohol is a sin<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Drinking
alcohol is not a sin<o:p></o:p></li>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level2 lfo1; tab-stops: list 1.0in;">But
one should abstain<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level2 lfo1; tab-stops: list 1.0in;">But
one should not abstain<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal">Regardless of these positions, each view holds that drinking
in excess (i.e., drunkenness) is sinful. Many Scriptures attest to this (e.g.,
Ephesians 5:18, Luke 21:34, Romans 13:13, Galatians 5:21, 1 Peter 4:3) but this
is not the issue between the positions. And even someone who gets drunk will
usually be the first to tell you that it wasn’t a good idea the morning after!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There is also the issue of a one-off event where one gets
drunk, intentionally or not…is it sin? For example, if someone spikes the punch
bowl and someone gets drunk as a result! But that is not for discussion here. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">To look at these various views listed above, we will look at
common claims that have been presented by Christians of these various
positions.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><u>Answering common claims from both sides biblically</u></i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">To my experience, adherents for each position, when pressed,
rightly admits that there is no direct passage stating that drinking alcohol
(e.g., wine, etc.) is sinful. Any claims of drinking being a sin come from
loose <i>interpretations </i>of passages in the Bible.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But as we dive into this topic, let’s first evaluate some
common claims. Let’s check their validity against the Bible and their
relationship to theology:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Claim: Wine in the Bible was non-alcoholic.</b> False,
otherwise how could Noah or Lot get drunk on non-alcoholic wine (Genesis 9 and
19)? Throughout the Bible, wine was a substance that could lead to one getting
drunk (John 2:10, 1 Samuel 1:13-14, Proverbs 20:1, etc.), so this claim is
without merit. Even the terminology between “wine” and “grape juice” was rather
nebulous.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Claim: It is sin to make wine and other alcoholic
beverages. </b>False, otherwise Jesus was a sinner in John 2 when making
wine at Cana…yet Christ was without sin.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Claim: The wine that Jesus made was non-alcoholic.</b> False.
John 2:10 says: <i>And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets
out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You
have kept the good wine until now!”</i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">They ran out of wine, which showed that there was not enough
wine. So anyone would have noticed if grape juice was suddenly served, being
exceptionally sweet and without fermentation. If it was merely grape juice,
then they would have noticed and said it was inferior and perhaps would have thought
it to be a joke but in fact said the opposite. Aged wine is superior and the
price at retailers reflects this!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Claim: Alcohol kills brain cells.</b> False; when
used in moderation. Studies have revealed that moderate uses actually stimulate
the brain to function better and be more cognitive.[1] In massive amounts, alcohol would
kill brain cells; but this also occurs with other substances taken in too high
of quantities, including water.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Claim: It is a sin to give an alcoholic beverage to
someone.</b> False, otherwise Israelites were sinning when offering wine
to God through the Levites as a drink offering (Exodus 29:40). Christ gave wine
to the people of Cana. Again, Jesus was without sin.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Claim: Communion wine was non-alcoholic</b>. False;
because Paul chastised those who were getting drunk on it in 1 Corinthians
11:21 for having <i>too much</i>. He also chastised those who were showing
up and using the Lord’s Supper as a means to get a free meal!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Claim: Jesus never drank alcohol. </b>False, Luke
7:33-34 says: “For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking
wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ “The Son of Man has come eating and
drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber [drunkard as some
translations say], a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There is a direct contrast between John not drinking <i>wine </i>or
any other fermented drink (Luke 1:15) and Jesus drinking wine. This is obviously
referring to alcoholic wine as one comment is “name-calling” for Jesus being a
“winebibber”. Also it refers to Luke 1:15 where it specifically says fermented
drink. These verses simply do not make sense if it were non-alcoholic.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Consider also Jesus at the wedding in Cana, it seems
far-fetched that Jesus never partook in the wine He created at the wedding.
Christ also drank sour wine on the Cross. <b> </b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Claim: Drinking alcohol leads to bad things. </b>True,
it can – so can eating or talking! In fact, the Bible commands to not be
mastered by anything (1 Corinthians 6:12). See also Proverbs 20:1 and so on.
This shows that one should not get drunk (as the Bible clearly teaches) and
alcoholic drinks should not be taken in abundance – especially not on a regular
basis, which is dissipation and drunkenness! In the same way, someone should
not eat too much food; as they would be a glutton—is that any reason to
forbid <i>food</i>? The Bible talks extensively about the dangers of the
tongue—does that mean that one should refrain from talking?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Claim: Drinking alcohol has health benefits.</b> True.
The Bible doesn’t give many details on this, but it does give some. If we turn
to 1 Timothy 5:23, Paul instructs Timothy to drink a little wine to help his
stomach problems. Recent research in the last 50 years or so has revealed that
red wine and dark beer has significant health benefits, mostly for the heart
among other health benefits.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Claim: New wine was non-alcoholic.</b> False.
Otherwise, it was not wine. It only takes a short time (hours to days) to turn
grape juice into wine. Yeast quickly converts sugars to alcohol and carbon
dioxide. As time progresses, the yeast breaks down longer chain alcohols and
other by-products that sometimes form as intermediates in the brewing process.
This makes older wines better (fewer long-chains alcohol strains). But this
does not negate that new wine is non-alcoholic. Furthermore, fruits and their
juice inherently have a traces of alcohol in them when they are growing, so the
issue should not be that new wine or even juice had no alcohol, but instead,
how much.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Claim: The Bible says to “not drink wine” in Leviticus
10:9 and Numbers 6:3.</b> This is misleading. In Leviticus 10:9, Levite
priests were forbidden to drink wine <i>in the Tabernacle of Meetings</i>.
So this isn’t for everyone or even for Levite priests when in different
instances. In other situations, they<i> received</i> the drink
offerings in Exodus 29:40 to which they partook). But, this is a good reason
people should not be drinking <i>on the job</i>, since the Levite Priests
were not to be drinking on the job either.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The next passage (Numbers 6:3) is speaking of those taking
Nazirite vows. They abstain from wine and even non-alcoholic grape products.
But note that they are permitted to drink wine when the vow is complete
(Numbers 6:20). Other fermented drinks, such as grain alcohol (e.g., malted
barley) or mead (honey alcohol), were not forbidden here.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Claim: No place in Scripture gives wine a positive
light. </b>False, Ecclesiastes 9:7 says “<i>Go, eat your bread with joy,
And drink your wine with a merry heart; For God has already accepted your
works.” </i>Psalm 104:15 points out that wine can make the heart glad.
Amos 9:14 says to drinking wine from your own vineyard is a
blessing. And Isaiah 55:1 encourages the purchase of wine. Also,
consider 1 Corinthians 10:31 where one is to drink to the glory of God. Another
passage is when Paul instructed Timothy to drink wine in 1 Timothy 5:23! There
are many more. I suggest doing a study on wine in the Bible to search for all
of them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Claim: Drinking is a sin against the conscience as per 1
Corinthians 8:9-13</b>. Let’s view the entire passage to the get the context
here:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>7 However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for
some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an
idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 But food does not
commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not
eat are we the worse. 9 But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours
become a stumbling block to those who are weak. 10 For if anyone sees you
who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him
who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? 11 And
because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ
died? 12 But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak
conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother
stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.</i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This particular passage is not speaking of wine or alcohol,
but instead speaking of food sacrificed to idols (false gods). During the time
of Paul, there were many so-called “gods” and people regularly sacrificed to
them and feasted on the animals (an aberration of true sacrifice). Such false
“gods” are not real and have no power and Paul rightly states in verse 8 that
it is not sinful to eat, because of the sheer fact that those false “gods”
don’t really exist.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But if one eats in plain view of a new Christian whom they
know is weak in that area, then they may think that the sacrifice really is for
this other “god”. So that person is sinning by deceiving the weak Christian
into thinking it is acceptable to “pay homage” to this false “god”.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But what does this have to do with drinking alcohol? Alcohol
is not sacrificed to false “gods”, at least not to my knowledge today, nor do I
know people who struggle with alcohol being sacrificed as a drink offering to
false gods.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Claim: Drinking alcohol is a stumbling block for
non-Christians coming to know the Lord</b>. After some extensive searching
online (research beginning in 2007 as well as more searching since then) to see
what the top reasons why people, from their own mouths, resisted Christianity,
I found:<o:p></o:p></p>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">Hypocrisy
in the church over millions of years/evolution, when the Bible does teach
it<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">God is
silent, inert, and hidden<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">No
evidence<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">Origins
and Evolution (Creation not true)<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">Christianity
is intolerant<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">Christians
being hostile (Genocidal)<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">Christianity
is the enemy of moral progress<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">God is
a jerk<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">Jesus
is a liar<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">Jesus
was not real<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">Because
Christians don’t believe the Bible is true<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">The
Biblical God is not fit to worship<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">God
sends people to hell<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">God is
not just<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">God
neglects<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">It
requires blind faith<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">God
creates evil<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">Because
no miracles have proven to me<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">Christian
morality is flawed<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">The
Bible is not God’s Word<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">Bible
is full of errors<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">Bible
supports slavery<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">There
is no archaeology for the Bible<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">Adam
and Eve didn’t exist<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">Christianity
borrowed from other religions<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">I
couldn’t listen to boring Christian music<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">Books
of the Bible are not the right books<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">God is
irrational<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal">(As a note, many of these things are misconceptions, e.g.,
the Bible doesn’t have errors, but people, taking things out of context,
misinterpreting things, etc. which mistakenly led people to falsely conclude
there are contradictions). Not one person mentioned alcohol as a stumbling
block. These answers were repeated over and over again in various forms and
often times, there was more than one reason given. Yet none of these came up as
stumbling blocks for the gospel after I checked about 50 pages in Google, from
non-Christians own mouths.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I tried to find where drinking <i>was</i> a reason
for someone not coming to Christ, to my surprise, I found the opposite. One
result was that a person didn’t want to become a Christian because Christians
had told him drinking was sin and one must be abstinent and when he checked
this against the Bible, he found the opposite. So he wanted nothing to with
Christianity because they “lied to him”.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One person said, “A religion that bans drinking is more
about control that it is about God.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Since the time of this initial research, I met an individual
on a float trip down a river who told me he had walked away from the faith when
his church leadership said drinking was a sin and he knew better when looking
at the Bible. He said their hypocrisy caused him to walk away from the faith.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It appears that even making the claim that drinking is
wrong, <b><i>is more of </i></b>a stumbling block to non-Christians
coming to know the Lord.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Since 2007, the book <i>Already Gone</i> and <i>Ready
to Return</i> by Ken Ham, Britt Beamer of America’s Research Group, et.
al., asked kids who grew up in conservative churches why they walked away from
Christianity and not one out of 1,000 said that it was due to someone drinking,
but hypocrisy in the church was the biggest factor, especially over issues of
millions of years and evolution, when the Bible doesn’t teach it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Claim: Drinking alcohol is a stumbling block for
Christians as per Romans 14. </b>Paul in Romans 14:1-23 again addresses
food being a stumbling block (this time for the Jews who were new Christians).
Christians were set free from the strict regulations in the Law (e.g.,
sacrifice which Christ covered for example) and many new believers, who were
Jewish converts, were still struggling with what could be eaten. Jesus (in Mark
7:14) and Paul makes the case that all foods are now clean and can be eaten (v.
20), but again for the sake of the weak and new Christians, one should not
intentionally put a stumbling block ahead of them. At the end of this section,
Paul concludes:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for
peace and the things by which one may edify another. 20 Do not destroy the
work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil
for the man who eats with offense. 21 It is good neither to eat meat nor
drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is
made weak. 22 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is
he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts
is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is
not from faith is sin.</i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In this passage, it is evil to eat <i>meat</i> with
offense (v. 20) to others who may be coming out of Jewish heritage or even
later movements like Islam (e.g., where pork is also forbidden) and this may be
a weakness to them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Verse 21 shows that it is good not to eat meat, nor wine,
nor do anything else that causes one to stumble, be offended, or made weak.
Such things of themselves are not sin (v. 22). But again, to refrain from it in
view of those who have such a weakness (vs. 20-21) and do not know the
teachings in the Bible. But note that those who may be weak about food and
eat <i>with doubts</i> about the food are sinning.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So here is what we learn about this passage with a practical
example. If someone is Jewish and coming out of Judaism and becomes a
Christian, then they are free to eat any meat such as pork (v. 20).
However under the law, this was originally forbidden (Leviticus
11:7). Consider if a new Jewish-heritage person becomes a Christian and is
unaware that they now live by faith and a Christian decided to eat pork in
front of them, <i>knowing they would have trouble with it</i>, this is
evil, i.e., “doing it out of spite”.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But also learn that those who get offended are those with weak
faith. Hence, they need to be taught the truth of the Bible regarding meat or
wine, etc. to help them grow in their faith. So what needs to be done, if one
knows someone is weak in an area, <i>is to help teach them why that view
is incorrect</i> and so they will not be weak and can grow in their faith.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This is important considering verse 23. If the Christian
insists the new Christian who used to be Jewish eat the pork, and they eat with
doubts, then that person is sinning without teaching them the truth of the
Bible.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As a Christian, we should want no one to sin and encourage
no one to sin. To avoid such a sin, one needs <i>to explain</i> how
Christ fulfilled the Law and how the Apostles permitted the eating of unclean
meats again, so we are now under grace and can live by faith. Hence, one would
be free to eat pork, without a guilty conscience to resume the previous freedom
of food from a previous rules by God (Genesis 9:3). Once the new Christian
realizes this, <i>then </i>they can eat without doubts and not sin.
Also, the Christian can eat pork <i>with them</i>, knowing they have no
doubts and therefore, his actions are no longer sinful. The same thing could be
said of alcohol.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One needs to be careful and not take verse 21 <i>out of
this context</i> and use it as a blanket statement to cover anything that
someone may cause offense. Consider those Christians who are offended at those
who say alcohol is sinful? If this were a blanket statement, then it works both
ways. In fact, I’ve met people who were offended at Christians who think alcohol
is a sin! Naturally, a Christian should never do anything unbiblical in an
effort to avoid offenses to brothers. In other words, I’ve met people who
were offended at people who refused to drink!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Let’s face it, people are often offended at many teachings in
Scripture—does this mean we should avoid them? No. Christ himself was stumbling
block for the Jews (1 Corinthians 1:23), but the stumbling block <i>was
removed</i> due to preaching and teaching by Paul and Peter and others.
This is the key to solving the problem between the two parties: biblical
teaching. If a Christian is offended or weak due to seeing another Christian
drink alcohol, then that offended Christian <i>needs to be taught the
truth of what the Bible teaches</i>. Then they should no longer be as weak and there
should be no problem.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_ftn1"></a><a href="https://biblicalauthorityministries.wordpress.com/2016/01/14/alcohol-and-the-bible-part-ii/#_ftnref1"><span style="mso-bookmark: _ftn1;">[1]</span><span style="mso-bookmark: _ftn1;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _ftn1;"></span> Dufouil, C. Sex differences in the
association between alcohol consumption and cognitive performance. <i>American
Journal of Epidemiology</i>, 1997, <i>146(5)</i>, 405-412.<o:p></o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109261005126312685.post-25072201782408691822021-10-11T07:45:00.010-07:002021-10-11T08:18:17.814-07:00Alcohol and the Bible Part 1<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Alcohol and the Bible, Part 1</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">D. Ishmael Abrahams<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">October 11, 2021 (originally published January 7, 2016)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What should Christians know about the debate?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b>PART 1: ORIGIN AND BIBLICAL HISTORY OF ALCOHOL<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>INTRODUCTION<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There is a debate; in fact, it is often a heated debate. I
am repeatedly asked about alcohol by various Christians; for example, some who
use wine as communion and others who use grape juice. So I am pulled into the
debate from time to time, even though I tend to avoid it. The Bible gives
insight on this issue. So in an effort to be prepared, I have studied the
subject to see what the <i>Bible</i> says.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">God dictates what is right and wrong and is the absolute
authority on every subject, including alcohol. I grew up in churches that were
predominantly teetotalers (no drinking at all). And during that time, I rarely
knew what the Bible said, but often just trusted what <i>people </i>told
me the Bible said. But when I decided to study the subject regarding what the
Bible says, it was not only eye-opening but also exciting and yet relaxing to
see how God’s Word sets the record straight.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Before I get into the debate about drinking versus
no-drinking though, I wanted to address the origin and history of alcohol.
There are a lot of secular stories floating around out there, but again, we
will see what the Bible says (hence, look at the truth) and what we can learn
from it. This will be done in a chronological fashion encompassing aspects from
Creation, after the Fall, after the Flood, and results from Babel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>SOME BASIC TERMINOLOGY<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Wine</b>, in its broadest sense, could be fruit wines,
honey wines, or grain wines.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b>Fruit
Wine:</b> Wine made from fruit like apple wine or grape wine. Grape
wines are by far the most popular. Some of these can be accepted with
other fruits (e.g., passion fruit accents in Moscoto grape wine). Wines
are usually 9-16% alcohol by volume (ABV) but can be much higher than this
typical range.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b>Honey
Wines (Meads </b>and <b>Melomels</b>, which are accented meads<b>):</b> honey
based. Melomels are mead with fruit additions. For example, blackberry
mead is mead with blackberry accents for flavor. Honey wines usually ranges
from 8-18% ABV.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b>Grain
Wine or Beer/Biere:</b> malted barley based and sometimes wheat, rice
or corn additives: ales (typically top fermented at room temperature) and
lagers (typically bottom fermented at cold temperature) or other grain
alcohols (rice, wheat, corn, etc.). Beers are usually at 4-6% alcohol by
volume (ABV) unless you do it as a double or triple (think of a Doppelbock
or Tripelbock style). With some significant extra effort one can get it to
8-12%. Beers are generally low alcohol compared to wines, meads, and
especially distilled liquor.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b>Distilled
Liquor:</b> these are the strong ones, no less than 20% ABV but can
range up to 95% ABV. Heating and evaporating off the alcohol from beer,
sugar-based alcohol, or wine and recollecting it by condensing it together
in high concentrations make these.[1] These
distilled alcohols are not considered wine at all, even though they have
their origin in wine. <o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>BIBLICAL ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF ALCOHOL<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l6 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b><u>Creation
and Alcohol</u></b><o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal">God created all things during the 6 days of <i>Creation
Week</i> (God rested on the seventh day). Now this doesn’t mean that all
the people alive today were living during creation week! When it comes to
people, animals, or plants, etc., descendants living today go back to these
original created kinds. In the case of humanity, that would be Adam (1
Corinthians 15:45-47) and Eve (Genesis 3:20) our first parents.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This would have been roughly 6,000 years ago based on the
genealogies from Adam to Christ (who was about two thousand years ago) and tack
on 5 days before Adam. Hosts of chronologists, from Jews like Josephus to
Christians like Ussher, tallied these genealogies up over the past 2,000 years
and arrived dates very similar to this. Some places are not straightforward to
compute, so the dates vary ever so slightly. Exodus 20:11 give a good reason to
believe the creation days are normal-length days, as does Christ in Mark 10:6
when affirming man and woman came at the <i>beginning of creation</i>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The recent secular humanistic/naturalistic idea of an old
earth has not been part of Christian vocabulary until recent times where
Christians have been, sadly, mixing their religion with this humanistic
religion. For those who wish to know more about this subject, I highly
recommend you visit websites that deal with this in greater detail like <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">http://www.answersingenesis.org</a> and <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">http://www.icr.org</a>.[2]<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Back to creative acts in Genesis 1, God created laws of
nature by which He upholds all things (Hebrews 1:3) in a consistent fashion.
For example, consider Genesis 8:22. With laws in place, the existence of
alcohol was now possible as it is simply a set of molecules bonded together.
Let me explain <i>what alcohol is</i> for moment.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>What is alcohol?</u><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There is a little science in this, but don’t let it scare
you. Alcohol comes in various forms and are basically molecules that have OH
(one oxygen that is bonded with one hydrogen) that together are bonded to a
carbon atom (C) that has three other bonds attached to that carbon. In other
words it would look like:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Figure 1 Basic molecular outline of alcohols<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZw66AdFw4iXfZNAIQwRguyQ1agEmfRzotJr6PDv-Lc-9-fYg494FKCJEaoWKKSDe1NoGedX_IDdfw0PINxqmvcxCrp4qVHn_iVojHd1CpaFyeqPjd4fvFZxfAIJUxJRNNoCTu0ZDToYoTRgb64pAmj0Hfs-HiHMgY1wG_KTAY_4PVGlTG50Gl4vQG=s108" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="97" data-original-width="108" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZw66AdFw4iXfZNAIQwRguyQ1agEmfRzotJr6PDv-Lc-9-fYg494FKCJEaoWKKSDe1NoGedX_IDdfw0PINxqmvcxCrp4qVHn_iVojHd1CpaFyeqPjd4fvFZxfAIJUxJRNNoCTu0ZDToYoTRgb64pAmj0Hfs-HiHMgY1wG_KTAY_4PVGlTG50Gl4vQG" width="108" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">Figure 2 Methyl alcohol is a common industrial alcohol where
the other 3 bonds of carbon attach to hydrogen.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMLuVx5oo6Z1uGPErt1ZPqQqEebmSEfYY2BmpmLrBdWq_mIWqyFFUADAW9ExLq1G8NTvtwpJ9bmV6k9P3LpL0pg6Cf-h1vH4skmKbxgOC_PbVQ5wyn0vZJyL60myJcVRJZsSMS7pLvJYFH8by3VYO1jpgsWowvcGys6evmffWKiM83K3heJnC9Jbs8=s139" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="139" data-original-width="134" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMLuVx5oo6Z1uGPErt1ZPqQqEebmSEfYY2BmpmLrBdWq_mIWqyFFUADAW9ExLq1G8NTvtwpJ9bmV6k9P3LpL0pg6Cf-h1vH4skmKbxgOC_PbVQ5wyn0vZJyL60myJcVRJZsSMS7pLvJYFH8by3VYO1jpgsWowvcGys6evmffWKiM83K3heJnC9Jbs8" width="134" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">Figure 3 Ethyl alcohol [C2H5OH]: Ethanol is found in
alcoholic beverages, fruit, and are usually made by yeast. It is also used in
conjunction with gasoline for engine fuel (E-85 for instance).<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNALh6349EandNPCONpJphJcuTCW1kUYdO3kUAebzDk70YInJxGpCIOE7hsYD0Q-vxNSMacgYKn3kMjvsOpFnbGaRxzuiHOmfxn9m5WT089v7MkFr4Dgn7oBGRPXV8ucF1q-G7HiYWAMeN07GVtwkPyj1l_sr6nrzvv5OpXB9_ftpHJLFQ67CxE3WB=s152" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="126" data-original-width="152" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNALh6349EandNPCONpJphJcuTCW1kUYdO3kUAebzDk70YInJxGpCIOE7hsYD0Q-vxNSMacgYKn3kMjvsOpFnbGaRxzuiHOmfxn9m5WT089v7MkFr4Dgn7oBGRPXV8ucF1q-G7HiYWAMeN07GVtwkPyj1l_sr6nrzvv5OpXB9_ftpHJLFQ67CxE3WB" width="152" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">Figure 4 Isopropyl alcohol: Isopropyl alcohol is what is
found in rubbing alcohol sometimes dubbed “wood alcohol”. This form of
alcohol is poison.<o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWQ6wSOp4RJ3iY9Foq_ueMu7Nc6c00Fh6jlxCs8hZpp0ANkNqiH1FmSkiRC4xTv-Oxg6VBYq9-vPDJRCSTrv5OWCGZgo0NZ9KiYs6LCL3zyNrSOXnJeYccq56d_6qLG6tsfalIb5gAuXkkb6addtjWtYHLr9aq9Y6rpQfZNCzBscF5itPmytbThHE-=s146" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="103" data-original-width="146" height="103" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWQ6wSOp4RJ3iY9Foq_ueMu7Nc6c00Fh6jlxCs8hZpp0ANkNqiH1FmSkiRC4xTv-Oxg6VBYq9-vPDJRCSTrv5OWCGZgo0NZ9KiYs6LCL3zyNrSOXnJeYccq56d_6qLG6tsfalIb5gAuXkkb6addtjWtYHLr9aq9Y6rpQfZNCzBscF5itPmytbThHE-" width="146" /></a><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">There are many more and some are longer chains but they
still follow the basic format of a C bonded to an OH. Because of their basic
molecular structure, they are soluble in water.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In this article series, we are examining and discussing the
alcohol chain specifically dealing with alcoholic beverages, ethyl alcohol, but
bear in mind that some ethanol cannot be drank (denatured ethanol for example)
but that is not for this discussion. So when discussing alcohol, this is what
is referred to in the remainder of this book.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Essentially, yeast (small fungi) “eat” sugars and replicate.
In this process, the end result produces carbon dioxide (which is good for
plants) and alcohol (which is a natural solvent to break down carbon based
molecules that are insoluble in water[3]).
Also, it is a natural renewable fuel. Yeast provides a process that is
essential to keeping a balanced world and thus, it makes sense that yeast was
working in a proper fashion in perfect world to produce alcohol.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>What day was yeast created (since our primary source of
alcohol is yeast)?</u><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Bible simply does not tell us. Genesis 1:1-2:3 gives the
highlights and order of creation week and yeast was not a highlight; that does
not mean it was not important. But until recent times, few people studied the
various tiny fungi that produce alcohol. It really wasn’t until a French
Christian named Louis Pasteur did an in-depth study on the subject in the
A.D.1800s.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Usually, Christian commentators logically deduce that
various bacteria and fungi associated with the particular creatures were
created alongside them during that creation day. For example, water-dependent
bacteria would have been created on Day 5 with water creatures. Bacteria or
fungi associated with land animals or man (e.g., like those that live in our
gut in a symbiotic relationship, i.e., probiotics) would have been created on
Day 6 along with man or the animals. Keep in mind that the Bible never calls
fungi, bacteria, or even plants as living creature (<i>nephesh chayyah</i> in
Hebrew). Animals were living, and humans are living but humans unlike animals
were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Regardless, it may be several different days that various
fungi (and bacteria) would have been created depending on the type, purpose and
with what it was associated. Regardless, it was during creation week and all
very good in perfect symbiotic relationships originally of the whole creation
(Nehemiah 9:6, Genesis 1:31).<o:p></o:p></p>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l7 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b><u>After
the Fall</u></b><o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal">After the fall, things changed. The world went from a
perfect state to a world marred with death and suffering due to man’s sin. Man
had dominion over the world, so when man fell, so did man’s dominion. In fact,
this is the reason Christ later stepped into history to become a man and die
for mankind to redeem and save them. It goes back to the fall. This is why we
die and why we suffer; our common parents disobeyed God’s command. And a
perfectly Holy God must punish sin justly. But a loving God also cared enough
to step in die in our place; this is grace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But as a result, the world was no longer perfect (e.g.,
thorns and thistles came forth in Genesis 3:18, animals were cursed in Genesis
3:14, etc.). Paul even proclaimed that the whole creation was suffering under
this curse (Romans 8:22).[4] This
is why we need a new heavens and new earth discussed in Revelation 21 and 22.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>Did alcohol come into existence as a result of sin?</u><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Bible doesn’t say but likely not. What we can be sure of
is that there was no longer a perfect symbiotic relationship with things.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It seems perfectly logical to conclude that alcohol was
being produced by the natural physiology by which God created fungi<i> prior</i> to
sin. Fungi provided a vital role in a perfect creation. It was to break down
sugars, e.g., sugars in fruit or grains that fall to ground, and provide CO2 back
to the atmosphere for plants to use and nutrients back to the soil.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>Did abuse of alcohol begin after sin?</u><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">No doubt it was <i>after sin</i> that abuse of
alcohol began. Very little information has been revealed to us by God in the
Bible about the pre-Flood world. There are only 6 dedicated chapters in Genesis
and 2 of those (Genesis 1 and 2) were talking of the pre-Fall world!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jesus did give a potential hint to it in Luke 7. Consider
the phrase “eating and drinking”; it was directly associated with alcoholic
beverages as the Jews of Christ’s generation claimed of Christ that He was a
“glutton and a winebibber” when He was eating and drinking. In other words,
they claimed Christ was a drunk for drinking and this was directly contrasted
to John the Baptist, who was not “eating bread and drinking wine” in Luke
7:33-34. And Jesus reveals of the pre-Flood world:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>“For as in the days before the flood, they were eating
and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered
the ark (Matthew 24:38).</i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This knowledge of fermented drinks was surely common to the
pre-Flood world and is likely where Noah attained the knowledge to make wine
prior to his incident after the Flood. But there will be more to this in coming
sections.<o:p></o:p></p>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l8 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b><u>After
the Flood</u></b><o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal">After the Flood, the world had changed again. This time, it
was due to destruction of the earth by water (2 Peter 3:5-6) and numerous other
factors involved. For example, many Christians believe the continents were
shifted at this time and the mountains and ocean basins we have today were
formed as a result of the Flood.[5] They
even denote that the world’s climate underwent a significant change and caused
an Ice Age that followed the Flood and we are still essentially recovering from
that as you read this.[6]<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Some have suggested that the rearrangement of bacteria and
fungi throughout the world at the time of the Flood has caused further problems
since these creatures are no longer “stationed properly” as in the previous
world, where things were a little closer to the original perfect world.
Essentially, bacteria and fungi were now growing and reproducing outside their
normal boundaries and that can cause problems. Increased sickness for man and
animals are but one result when you ingest bacteria and fungi that are not
helpful to you.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In other words, in a pre-Flood and pre-Fall world, some
bacteria would have been in a perfect relationship, but now they cause problems
in a <i>different </i>environment.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>Did Noah know that the wine could get him drunk?</u><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Based on some of the thoughts in the section above, some
have suggested that this is when alcoholic beverages first came to be, due to
this imbalance. The argument is basically that due to this imbalance, wine is
now alcoholic after the Flood and Noah didn’t know it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There are problems with this of course. First, grapes have
what is called “bloom”. Natural yeast cells are on the grape skin by design and
these permeate the grape in small controlled amounts to cause small amounts of
alcohol to form inherently. This alcohol is beneficial in that it destroys
bacteria that try to get into the grape and cause problems. It is common for
many fruits to contain minute amounts of alcohol for this purpose. In fact,
this is why things like wine can keep for long periods of time; the alcohol
protects it from harmful bacteria. Furthermore, many winemakers use this
naturally occurring yeast to ferment their wine. It is not as predictable but
still effective.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Second, Noah was likely very aware of what he was drinking.
We often overlook a key phrase in the Scriptures (“Noah drank of the wine”).
This implies that it was not the first time he drank some, and logically he
would have made sufficient amounts to store until the next harvest. One
translation even mark this out as “drank <b><i>some </i></b>of its
wine – NIV”). After all, a vineyard is not a few vines, but entire groves of
the vines.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Lastly, recall Jesus statement about eating and drinking
prior to the Flood (see Matthew 24:38 and Luke 7:33-34? Was there more
naturally occurring fermentation going on after the Flood, I would indeed leave
this option open.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>Was the knowledge of beer (source: barley/wheat) and mead
(source: honey) known in Noah’s day?</u><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Bible simply does not tell us. Noah lived 350 years
after the Flood and was alive for 600 years until the Flood came. If Noah had
knowledge about wine making with his vineyard grapes, then there is no reason
to assume he didn’t know how to do it with other fruits, grains, and sugars,
which is an identical process.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In fact, brewing wine, mead (which is simply honey wine and
even easier to make than grape wine), and beer (made from malted grains like
barley and wheat) are all very similar. If one can do wine, then they can do
the others rather easily. Archaeologically, we have records of ancient
Sumerians (early descendants of Noah) making beer (more on this in a moment).
So the knowledge was available early post-Flood.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So I would leave open the option that this knowledge was
available at the time of Noah–who lived for 350 years after the Flood. It makes
more sense that intelligent people who knew how to make wine could do slight
deviations to make beer and mead than the common explanation given by the
secular world about the origin of beer.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the secular view, a farmer “who wasn’t so bright” left
some grain (e.g., barley) outside and it got rained on and started to germinate
then wild yeast started to convert the sugars and the farmer drank some of the
fermented beverage as it leaked out. Hence, he got drunk from there, decided to
repeat the process. This is but one the variations I’ve heard over the years.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It is a cute story, but that is how mythology gets started.
Although, not everyone on the secular side believes the origin of beer came via
this type of story. And many have recognized this. It is better to realize that
intelligent people can do variations from grape wine to use other ingredients
to make beer and mead.<o:p></o:p></p>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l9 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b><u>Results
from Babel</u></b><o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal">As people migrated from Babel in the Mesopotamian area to
other parts of the world, they took brewing with them. In many cases, they took
cultivated crops like grapes or grains with them. But in other instances,
people used the native fruits and grains in the place to which they migrated.
Obviously, the knowledge of wine making was around before Babel, with Noah.
Noah’s sons and grandsons were surely familiar with this process as well.
Furthermore, winemaking has been found throughout the world, even in ancient
times. Even variations of meads and beer have as well.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For example, people who made it to the Americas used a grain
called maize (corn) to make alcohol. In Peru for example, there is an ancient
purple corn drink Chicha that had an alcoholic version by chewing the corn and
then putting it back out in a container and allowing it to ferment. The
fermented version is done differently today.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Others used grains like rice, rye, oats, or fruits like
blackberries, raspberries, apples, and so on. In some cases, other sweeteners
were used like maple syrup, molasses, and so on. As you can see there were many
variations.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>What archaeological finds confirm an early use of
alcoholic beverages, particularly beer?</u><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There been a host of things found, primarily in written form
or pottery images. Naturally, the dates given by the secular side have errors,
as they do not follow biblical dating and need to be converted to the biblical
timeframe. Their long-age dates will not be used in light of this fact.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Middle East</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in;">In the
Zagros Mountains at Godin Tepe (today Iran, where Noah’s descendants of
Elam and Madai, the Elamites [including the Persians] and Medes
respectively, settled after Babel)[7],
there was fermentation residue in pottery that had chemical deposits
of Calcium Oxalate known as a “beerstone”. Laced in the fermentation
vessel, this was evidence of barley brewing specifically. Also at the same
location, were wine jars and carbonized barley.[8]<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in;">The
Hymn of Ninkasi was an ancient song written on clay tablets that included
a beer recipe in land of the Sumerians, which is where Nimrod took over
after events at the Tower of Babel. Interestingly Ninkasi is the daughter
of Enki, Lord Nidimmud, who may well be Nimrod or someone who later sat in
royal lineage and title of Nimrod. Ninkasi was elevated to a “godlike”
status by later descendants (it was common for pagans to elevate ancestors
to the level of “gods”). Though of course, they are not gods at all.[9] Anchor
Brewing Company followed the recipe and named the beer Ninkasi.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in;">Ancient
pottery found in the tomb of King Midas (yes, he was real, but has
been “mythized” too) in modern-day Turkey revealed a beer recipe that
Dogfish Head brewery also cloned and now offers it commercially entitled:
“Midas Touch”.[10]<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in;">Israelites
were known for their wine and drink offerings throughout the Old Testament
beginning in Genesis.<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Orient</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo7; tab-stops: list .5in;">Ancient
village of Jiahu in Northern China (some of Noah’s descendants primarily
out of Sineus (Sinites) yielded some pottery that had residues that were
tested. Based on the residues, a basic beer/mead/wine recipe resulted. It
contained grape, honey, and rice and other fruits. One brewery (Dogfish
Head) decided to recreate this beverage and named it Chateau Jiahu.[11]<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Americas</b> (We already discussed one previously,
alcoholic Chicha from corn.)<o:p></o:p></p>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list .5in;">An
ancient brewery in Peru was found aloft a mountaintop that was used to
make an alcoholic version of Chicha.[12]<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list .5in;">An
alcoholic beer made from chocolate was made by the Aztecs called Cocao
Wine.<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Africa</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo9; tab-stops: list .5in;">A
large-scale archaeological site was a brewery in ancient Egypt
(descendants of Noah’s son Mizraim) at Hierakonpolis near Luxor. The
residuals left in the ceramic vats included grapes, dates, and wheat.[13]<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Europe</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo10; tab-stops: list .5in;">Romans
(Rome was founded by Romulus in 748 B.C.) used to ferment fish into a
horrible concoction called Garum used in various cuisines along with wine
and beer.[14]<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo10; tab-stops: list .5in;">Vikings,
Germans, British, Scots and other northern European ancients like Celts
have evidence of drinking in ancient times. But let’s not be tedious here.<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal">The list could go on, but this should be sufficient to show
ancient use of alcoholic beverages after the Tower of Babel events occurred in
various parts of the world. Leading a researcher in the area of archaeological
and history of beer making, Professor Patrick McGovern (Scientific Director of
the Biomolecular Archaeology Laboratory for Cuisine, Fermented Beverages, and
Health at the University of Pennsylvania Museum in Philadelphia), has
researched many of these and more in his books and articles.[15] Although
reproductions of some of these are based on residuals at the bottom of
fermentation container, we need to keep in mind that several <i>different </i>batches
of things could have been brewed and left residual in these containers. So the
assumption that each of these was used in one batch is speculative to say the
least, but possible and interesting nonetheless.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The point is that alcoholic drinks from wine to mead to beer
and “everything in between” has been found all over the world. This is good
confirmation that the information was known prior to the split at Babel for
this technology to spread throughout the world in ancient times. Then as people
settled, they used what was in their area to make and ferment beverages.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It is possible that through trade and migrations this
process was shared, but that would tend to have similar types and <i>not
necessarily</i> the variety we saw in ancient cultures. For example, when
Europeans came to America they brought their recipes for beer, etc. to America.
In other words, they brewed things similar to the Europeans (e.g., Christian
Moerlein in Cincinnati brewed beers similar to German beers), not harnessing
maize or chocolate (in recent times, brewers in North America been
investigating all sorts of things though). Though I would leave this
possibility open and I’m sure this influences alcoholic beverages during later
migrations, I would suggest the primary reason for ancient alcohol, was due to
the knowledge of brewing, including beer and mead, prior to the dispersion at
Babel with Noah’s family.<o:p></o:p></p>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l10 level1 lfo11; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b>The
Bible and Alcohol</b><o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal">Wine/winepress/winebibber/wine worker is mentioned 215 times
in the NKJV. Here are some of these uses (Hebrew/Aramaic/Greek, Strong’s number
and what it was often translated as):<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>Hebrew/Aramaic</u><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>tiyrowsh</b>, 08492, New wine<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>yayin</b>, 03196, Wine<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>gath</b>, 01660, Winepress<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>chamar,</b> 02562, Aramaic for wine [Aramaic is a
Hebrew language (language of Eber) that carried over from the reign of the
Babylonian Empire that was made up of descendants of Abraham’s relatives that
originated in Chaldea (think of Ur of the Chaldeans, of which Abraham
was called out). After the Empire, the Chaldean form of Hebrew broke into two
variations-East Chaldee and West Chaldee. West Chaldee became known as
Aramaic since it dominated the land formerly known to Aram, a descendant of
Noah. Hence, the language was a trade language due to the influence of the
Babylonian Empire and was until it began being replaced by Greek
around the time of Christ as the new trade language. Hence Aramaic and Hebrew
of the Old Testament have many similarities.]<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>aciyc,</b> 06071, Sweet wine;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>cobe,</b> 05435, Heavy drinking of wine;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>tsa‘ah,</b> 06808, Wine worker<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>yeqeb,</b> 03342, Wine vat, wine press<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>Greek</u><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Oinos,</b> 3631, wine, winepress<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Oxos,</b> 3690, Sour Wine, vinegar mixture<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Gleukos,</b> 1098, sweet wine<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Paroinos,</b> 3943, given to wine, drunkenness<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Other words were also used for alcoholic beverages besides
wine such as “drink offering” in Numbers 28:7 (<i>necek</i>) or “strong drink”
as in Proverbs 20:1 (<i>shekar</i>) and many others. All this is to say that
the Bible does not shy away from the topic and much can be learned from reading
these passages in context.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There were quite a few people in the Bible who drank wine,
told people to drink, received, and gave wine. Here is a list of some of these
people:<o:p></o:p></p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="background: white; mso-cellspacing: 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 660px;">
<tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Whom?<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Reference<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">1<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">People before the Flood<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Matthew 11:18-19; 24:38; Luke 7:33-34; 17:27<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">2<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Noah<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 9:21-24<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">3<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Abraham<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 14:18<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">4<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Melchizedek<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 14:18<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">5<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Lot (and daughters)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 19:32-35<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">6<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Job’s sons and daughters<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Job 1:13<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">7<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Isaac<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 27:25-37<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 8;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">8<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Jacob<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Genesis 27:25-37<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 9;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">9<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Moses<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Exodus 29:40<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 10;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">10<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Aaron and the Levite Priests<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Numbers 18:12, Exodus 29:40, Leviticus 23:13, etc. (but
there were restrictions, e.g., while working at the Temple (Leviticus 10:9)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 11;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">11<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Nazirites<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Numbers 6:20<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 12;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">12<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Boaz and Ruth<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Ruth 2:14<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 13;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">13<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Jesse and David<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">1 Samuel 16:20<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 14;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">14<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Abigail to David<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">1 Samuel 25:18-35<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 15;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">15<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">David<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">2 Samuel 16:1<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 16;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">16<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Solomon<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Ecclesiastes 2:3, Song of Solomon 1:2-4<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 17;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">17<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (Shadrach Meshach
and Abednego)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Daniel 1:5-7<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 18;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">18<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Hosea<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Hosea 2:8-9<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 19;">
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">19<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Jesus<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Luke 7:33-34; John 2:1-11, John 19:29-30<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 20; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">20<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">Paul to Timothy<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #CCCCCC .75pt; padding: 4.5pt 2.25pt; width: 111pt;" valign="bottom" width="148">
<p class="MsoNormal">1 Timothy 5:23<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p class="MsoNormal">To be continued in Part 2<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">[1]</a> Some
claim the Arabs, Egyptians, and Greeks knew of the distilling process but it was not until the A.D.
1100s that we have evidence of it archaeologically; but it could have been much early than our
records of it; e.g., consider Proverbs 20:1, 31:6, and Isaiah 24:9. Forbes, Robert James (1948) A short history of the art of
distillation, p.89; <o:p></o:p>The process of distilling is simple. Heat the wine base until the alcohol evaporates off, then condense and collect the concentrated alcohol. The heat treatment process for separation is similar to the process of purifying and refining certain oils (or broadly, even metals) used in the Bible. So logically, the method existed in early Old Testament days. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">[2]</a> New
Answers Book 2, Ken Ham, Gen. Ed., Chapter 4 How old is the earth? by Bodie
Hodge, Master Book, Green Forest, AK, 2008, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/nab2/how-old-is-the-earth</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">[3]</a> Jim
Clark, ChemGuide, 2003, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">http://www.chemguide.co.uk/organicprops/alcohols/uses.html</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">[4]</a> For
a good treatment of this subject, I suggest the book <i>How could a loving
God…,</i> Ken Ham, Master Books, Green Forest, AK.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">[5]</a> <i>New
Answers Book 1</i>, Gen. Ed. Ken Ham, Master Books (Green Forest, AK), 2006,
pp. 186-197.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">[6]</a> <i>New
Answers Book 1</i>, Gen. Ed. Ken Ham, Master Books (Green Forest, AK), 2006,
pp. 207-219.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">[7]</a> Many
of the connections of peoples listed here come from Josephus, a Jewish
Historian living about 2,000 years ago. See his book The Antiquity of the Jews
Book 1, Chapter 6: Nations receive their names from their first inhabitants.
2219-1996 BC. See also Bodie Hodge’s expanded research on this on DVD: The
Tower of Babel,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">[8]</a> McGovern,
P., Barley Beer, <i>Biomolecular Archaeological Museum</i>, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">http://www.penn.museum/sites/biomoleculararchaeology/?page_id=84</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">[9]</a> <i>Ancient
History Encyclopedia</i>, The Hymn to Ninkasi, Goddess of Beer, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">http://www.ancient.eu.com/article/222/</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">[10]</a> <i>Smithsonian
w</i>ebsite, The Beer Archaeologist, Abigail Tucker, August 2011, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/The-Beer-Archaeologist.html</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">[11]</a> <i>National
Geographic News</i>, John Roach, July 18, 2005, National Geographic
Website: <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/07/0718_050718_ancientbeer.html</a> and <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/07/0718_050718_ancientbeer_2.html</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">[12]</a> <i>Science </i>magazine,
Beer of Kings, Mary Beckman, July 30, 2004, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2004/07/30-02.html</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">[13]</a> <i>Heirakonpolis
Online</i>, “Explore the City of the Hawk”, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">http://www.hierakonpolis-online.org/site/brewery.html</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">[14]</a> <i>Ancient
History Website</i>, N.S. Gill, Garum, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/romanfood/g/garum.htm</a> ;
Ussher, J., <i>The Annals of the World</i>, Master Books (Green Forest,
AK), translated by Larry and Marion Pierce, 2003, p 76.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">[15]</a> Professor
Patrick McGovern , <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/9109261005126312685/2507220178240869182">http://www.penn.museum/sites/biomoleculararchaeology/?page_id=10</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109261005126312685.post-69015247389505593542021-04-12T13:07:00.021-07:002022-02-09T11:20:57.472-08:00Tongues Prophecy<p> </p><div style="border-bottom: solid #4472C4 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent1; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0in 0in 4pt;">
<p class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Tongues And Prophecy…Are They Gifts In The Church Today?</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Ishmael Abrahams, Biblical Authority Ministries, April 12, 2021<o:p></o:p></p>
<h1>Introduction </h1>
<p class="MsoNormal">Have you been at a church gathering and suddenly you hear a
bunch of sounds that are reminiscent of gibberish (i.e., speaking in tongues)?
Did you feel out of place? I’ve been to some from time to time. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Perhaps you grew up in a charismatic church like this and you
don’t think much about it. If so, did you ever wonder why most other churches
don’t speak in tongues or prophecy in their services? <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">These are the things I’m going to discuss—in a kind and
civil manner but also with boldness while using a lot of historical and
biblical information as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<h1>Leading Up To Modern History </h1>
<p class="MsoNormal">Did you ever hear about Martin Luther or John Calvin
speaking in tongues? Nope. Did you ever hear of the early church fathers from
the second century forward speaking in tongues? Nope. From the completion of
the New Testament in 1<sup>st</sup> century until 1900s, you’d be hard pressed
to find churches from the Orthodox, to the Oriental, to the Roman Catholic, to
Protestants that were speaking in tongues (FYI, these are the four major church
splits since the inception of the church in the first century)! <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">You might find a scattered person here or there that had
deviated into this type of thinking (tongues or prophecy) throughout church
history, but nothing like what we see today. Yet in the early 1900s, a few
churches began blaring in tongues and interpretations. Stop for a moment and
ask a serious question—<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">why is this the
case</i>? What happened? Let’s (author and reader) analyze this, but you need
some crucial background information before we dive into the meat.<o:p></o:p></p>
<h1>The 1800’s: That Time Of “Reinterpreting” The Bible<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </h1>
<p class="MsoNormal">The 1800s were an odd time for the church as a whole. There
were a lot of great individual local churches particularly in the West like
Europe and the USA. But something began to happen in their midst that would
baffle even the most ardent Bible believer. Massive numbers of people began <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">reinterpreting </i>the Bible—sometimes due
to influence of alleged new “prophets” or other outside ideas being imposed on Scripture. These precursors are important to this
discussion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<h4>Advent of Genesis Compromise</h4>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the late 1700s and early 1800s, secularists (anti-God,
non-Bible believers) and deists (those who believe some sort of “god” exists
but not a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">revelatory</i> God like that of
the Bible, but instead, a “distant god” who merely set things in motion) began
discussing long ages and denying the commonly held ~<a href="https://answersingenesis.org/age-of-the-earth/how-old-is-the-earth/">6,000
year old age of the earth</a>. Many Christians, accepted what these Bible
attackers were saying and <a href="https://answersingenesis.org/why-does-creation-matter/evolution-vs-creation-the-order-of-events-matters/">reinterpreted
Genesis</a> to mean that God created over long ages instead of <a href="https://answersingenesis.org/days-of-creation/could-god-really-have-created-everything-in-six-days/">six
normal-length days</a> and that man showed up millions of years later than land
animals that had come and gone. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">They also reinterpreted the <a href="https://answersingenesis.org/the-flood/global/was-the-flood-of-noah-global-or-local-in-extent/">worldwide,
global Flood of Noah</a> to be a little local flood in the Middle East. The
idea of millions of years comes from geologic rock layers. These layers, were
largely produced in the Flood of Noah over the course of about a year. So
Christians who were compromising with long ages, had to get rid of a global
flood so they could have the rock layers as evidence of millions of years. So
Genesis 6-8 were reinterpreted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This movement still exists today where Christians are
influenced to believe in millions of years prior to Adam. <a href="https://answersingenesis.org/genesis/gap-theory/what-about-the-gap-and-ruin-reconstruction-theories/">Gap
theory</a>, day-age (like <a href="https://answersingenesis.org/creationism/old-earth/progressive-creation/">progressive
creation</a>), <a href="https://answersingenesis.org/theistic-evolution/what-about-theistic-evolution/">theistic
evolution/evolutionary creation</a>, <a href="https://answersingenesis.org/creationism/old-earth/whats-wrong-with-the-framework-hypothesis/">framework
hypothesis</a>, and many other forms of reinterpretations now plague many
churches as a result. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sadly, many Christian proponents of long ages accept the anti-Genesis
understanding of origins and reinterpret what God says. This is called<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> syncretism</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">compromise</i>, where Christians are <a href="https://answersingenesis.org/store/product/world-religions-and-cults-vol-3/">mixing
their religion with secular religion</a>. <o:p></o:p></p>
<h4>Advent Of Modern Cults </h4>
<p class="MsoNormal">Many cults began springing up in the 1800s too. Mormons
reinterpreted the Bible to have many gods and Jesus is but one of them—and they
claim that you can become one too! The Mormons changed many passages in the
Bible (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Joseph Smith Translation, aka., King James Version</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> [of 1833]</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, New Translation, </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">or</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Inspired Version</i>) and
reinterpreted the Bible in light of its alleged new prophet <a href="https://www.gotquestions.org/Joseph-Smith.html">Joseph Smith</a> (d. 1844). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jehovah’s Witnesses also claimed to have a new prophet, <a href="https://www.gotquestions.org/Charles-Taze-Russell.html">Charles Taze
Russell</a>, and changed the Bible (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">New
World Translation</i>) and reinterpreted Jesus to be a created being—the archangel
Michael, and published his "Studies in the Scripture" in 1886. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They came out with new
prophecies in their Watchtower, now Awake!, magazine, many of which have proved
to be false but they are still promoting their religion nonetheless. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<h4>Adventist Movement </h4>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jehovah’s Witnesses were one group that came out of the
Adventist movement. Adventists were in the vein of <a href="https://carm.org/seventh-day-adventism/the-history-of-the-seventh-day-adventist-church/">William
Miller</a> (d. 1849), which is why Adventists are often called Millerites or Millerism as
well. William Miller and other Adventists fervently believed the end of the
world was imminent and would occur at any moment. Therefore, they often made
claims of when Christ would return. Of course, that all turned out to be wrong.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jehovah’s Witnesses were no differently in that they
repeatedly claimed by prophetic knowledge exactly when Christ would return to the
year—but <a href="https://carm.org/jehovahs-witnesses/jehovahs-witnesses-and-their-many-false-prophecies/">these
turned out to be false prophecies</a> too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Seventh Day Adventists (SDA’s) also came out of the
Millerite movement. Claiming to be a prophetess, <a href="https://www.gotquestions.org/Ellen-G-White.html">Ellen White</a> (d. 1915)
reinterpreted the Bible and had subsequent “prophetic” writings to be
vegetarian and so on. Like Jehovah's Witnesses, White held that the soul is not eternal and that the unsaved would be annihilated instead of spending eternity in hell. This is a subtle denial of man being made in the image of an <i>eternal </i>God. White was a prolific writer in the last half of the 1800s and early 1900s. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">More cultic groups arose out of this movement. Christandelphians,
Branch Davidians, and the Worldwide Church of God all came out of the Adventist
movement and they reinterpreted the Bible to be unitarian and have Jesus as a
created being. Some of these other Adventist groups also do not believe the soul to
be eternal, like Jehovah’s Witnesses and SDA’s. <o:p></o:p></p>
<h4>Advent Of Dispensationalism </h4>
<p class="MsoNormal">John Nelson Darby (d. 1882) was most responsible for modern
views of <a href="https://testallthings.com/2007/03/20/the-heresy-of-dispensationalism/">dispensationalism</a>
and the “rapture” in the 1820s-1830s. He was instrumental in the early Plymouth
Brethren denomination and then later founded the <a href="https://archive.spurgeon.org/s_and_t/dbreth.php">Exclusive Brethren
churches</a> (also called Darbyites or a sect called Darbyism). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">His futurism eschatological scheme ended up with a two-fold
return of Christ due to influence by alleged prophetess Margret MacDonald. It
is frustrating that some claim that she invented the rapture or that she was
purely responsible for influencing Darby, but that is without warrant. At most,
she did have a small influence. Furthermore, Darby disagreed with MacDonald on
many things but the point of a twofold return, he utilized. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Like Adventists, Darby saw the return of Jesus being
immanent very soon. An extremely influential dispensational leader Clarence
Larkin saw the return of Christ a little bit later than Darby. In his 1918-1920
book, Dispensational Truth (p. 16), Larkin predicted Jesus would return in the
year AD 2000. Again, from an historical perspective, that prediction as well as
Darby’s immanent return view turned out to be wrong. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Being schooled as a lawyer, Darby developed a new method of
interpreting the Bible unseen in any church in history, particularly the law.
He saw previous laws <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in total</i>) be done away in his 7 [newly
defined] “dispensations”. So the only rules to follow were the new ones as the
old ones were tossed out at particular times/dispensations in history. In other
words, all Old Testament law is done away with and the only law to follow now
is if a new law is stated or reaffirmed in the New Testament. So history is
seen as a series of 7 dispensations with different laws at each dispensation
(hence, the name dispensationalism). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dispensationalism also sees among the saved—one through
Christ and the other by the nation of Israel. Dispensationalism sees <a href="https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/the-church-and-israel-the-issue/">distinctions
between the church and Israel</a> and one day the church will end (at the rapture)
and God will return His focus to the new nation of Israel. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dispensationalism, both its interpretive themes and eschatology,
quickly found its way into many churches in the 1900s. Particularly, many
Baptist churches today use the Exclusive Brethren dispensationalism for
interpreting the Bible and its eschatology. Darby’s pre-tribulation,
pre-millennial rapture scheme is an easy test to see if people hold to
Exclusive Brethren teachings of dispensationalism. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The point is that the 1800s saw some crazy things happening
where churches were neglecting <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">what the
Bible clearly says </i>and were happy to reinterpret the Bible to have whatever
they wanted. These churches became cults or to otherwise compromised with
millions of years, dispensationalism, false prophets, or other doctrines that
deviate from the clear teachings in the Bible. The 1800s saw movements
with new prophets and prophetesses, as well as other biblical deviations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
bring us to…the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Holiness movement</i>—which
is what triggered a campaign that would develop into modern tongues and
prophecy.<o:p></o:p></p>
<h1>The Holiness Movement </h1>
<p class="MsoNormal">The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.gotquestions.org/Holiness-movement.html">Holiness movement</a></i>
began in the 1840s by a Methodist Episcopal named Phoebe Palmer. She was a very
influential evangelist and writer. Palmer held that belief in God was enough to
assure salvation and that Jesus was to return very soon, like contemporaries Darby and Miller. But again, this never
happened. Even so, this gave an urgency of her evangelism. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Palmer also held a position that a person can be entirely
free from sin and attain perfection on this earth. This is in opposition to
traditional church teachings that we all have original sin inherent from when
we sinned in Adam and our perfection will not be complete until the general
resurrection with new bodies. But this new view held that with effort, one can
attain personal perfection in this life. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This influence led to Pentecostalism. If you work to attain
this “perfection” or “sinless state”, often through emotional experience, you
can have a “second blessing” of the Spirit which opens the door to prophecy and
tongues and seals you in perfect sinless state of being. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A big problem with this is that only Christ is sinless and
it is his sinless righteousness that needs to be imputed (i.e., transferred) to
us for entrance into a perfect heaven. Thus, we are seen as spotless <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">because of Christ</i>, not because of our
works. Even Paul in Romans 7:14-23 was not able to be sinless yet he could
speak in tongues and prophecy (e.g., 1 Corinthians 13:2, 14:18). According to
Matthew 7:22-23, prophesying is not a sign of true faith either. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Though many in the Holiness Moment (and its “daughter” Pentecostalism—more
in a moment) do not hold to a works-based salvation, some can be led into it if
they are not careful. Nevertheless, in the 1800s, there were movements that
opened the door to supposed new prophets and a movement that that led to alleged
new prophecies, miraculous healing, and tongues. <o:p></o:p></p>
<h1>Pentecostalism And Charles Parham </h1>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Holiness movement lead to a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">charismatic</i> system known as <a href="https://www.gotquestions.org/Pentecostals.html">Pentecostalism</a> where
those who get saved are migrating to a post-conversion religious experience
called “baptism of the Holy Spirit”. Thus in a similar fashion to what happened
at Pentecost, believers are supposed to experience prophecy and tongues like
what happened at Pentecost in the New Testament (Acts 2). Hence the name “Pentecostal”
or “Pentecostalism”. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There are two levels to this “Baptism of the Holy Spirit” in
Pentecostalism. The first is initial signs. Then when one moves on to maturity
(perfectionism), then they can be fully immersed in prophecy or speaking in
tongues. Many Pentecostals also believe in another gift—that of miraculous healing.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Leading the charge for Pentecostalism was Bethel College in
Topeka, Kansas, with its director and founder <a href="https://www.gotquestions.org/Charles-Parham.html">Charles Parham</a>, a
former Methodist who was heavily influenced by the Wesleyan Holiness movement. Parham
believed that the Holy Spirit directly communicated with him (i.e., like other
alleged prophets often claimed). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Parham didn’t believe in hell for the unsaved, but rather
annihilationism (i.e., that the soul would cease to exist for the unsaved) like Jehovah's Witnesses and Ellen White. He
also believed in a partial rapture where only tongue-speakers would be raptured—note
the influence by Dispensationalism and Exclusive Brethren teachings from Darby. <a href="https://atwistedcrownofthorns.com/2011/04/20/charles-f-parham-learning-from-errors-in-church-history/" target="_blank">Parham also believed that Adam was not the first man that God created.</a> This is but a
small list of deviations to which he held.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He pushed his students to await the gifts of the Holy
Spirit. In 1901, his first student to speak in tongues was Agnes Oznam (later, LaBerge)—speaking
in an unknown tongue, that onlookers thought might be Chinese. <a href="https://www.gty.org/library/Print/Blog/B131009" target="_blank">But upon further analysis, it was not Chinese or any other known language</a>. Then more students joined in. Parham
and his class began viewing these as signs that the end was near; therefore
there was an urgency to begin evangelizing—though it was met with little
success. From an historical perspective, the end wasn’t near by the way. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In 1903, Parham began teaching faith healing. Then the
charismatic movement began to grow, particularly in 1906 in Los Angeles. There was a
major evangelical event called the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Azusa
Street Revival. </i>Many people in LA began “speaking in tongues” and expressing other alleged "gifts". William J. Seymour, another of Parham’s students,
saw what was occurring in LA and saw it as demonic as opposed to spirit-filled.
As a result, he and Parham parted ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As the Pentecostal movement grew, it took over certain
churches that became Pentecostal or in other cases, they formed their own
denominations and grew from there. There are three major groups of Pentecostals
today: <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>One group teaches that <i>Baptism of the Holy Spirit</i> was
only for people who have been [1] converted and [2] have been sanctified (made holy or
perfect). This comes directly from the Holiness movement and is largely held by
those came out of the Methodist and Nazarene denominations that switched to become
Pentecostal such as the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Church of God</i>
and the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Church of God in Christ</i>
denominations. They hold to a three step process--having these two points as precursors to <i>Baptism of the Holy Spirit</i>:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">a.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Justification or forgiveness of sins when one
puts their faith in Christ<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">b.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Sanctification or “the second blessing” when you
are being made perfect<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">c.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->“Baptism of the Holy Spirit” when you have been
sanctified and receive the gift of tongues, prophecy, and/or healing<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Another group that says that the Holy Spirit was
for every believer. This was largely for those churches that became Pentecostal
that were originally Baptist. The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Assemblies
of God</i> denomination is an example here. The step of sanctification is
obviously null and void for this group to attain the “Baptism of the Holy
Spirit”. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>The third group of Pentecostals is modalistic
and oneness (i.e., God is unitarian). Thus, they are cultic like Charles Taze Russell's Jehovah's Witnesses. They deny that God
is Triune (one God, three persons). They hold that Jesus and the Holy Spirit
are just different modes of the same person as opposed to distinct persons or that Jesus is a created being spoken into existence. Any
oneness Pentecostal church holds to an unitarian view of God such as the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Apostolic Pentecostals</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">United Pentecostals</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This brief introduction is really just a taste of the
influence of the Pentecostal and Holiness Movements sitting in our backyards
today. Among the many popular Pentecostals today are Joyce Meyer and Benny
Hinn. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<h1>What Does The Old Testament Say? </h1>
<p class="MsoNormal">From the end of the first century to almost AD 1900,
churches were not speaking in tongues, doing miraculous healings, or prophesying
in the spirit for church services. This now brings up an obvious issue. Was the church wrong for
about 1800 years, was there a "reopening" of gifts, or is this new movement of Pentecostalism in error? <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This is a big deal if you aren’t paying attention. Bear in mind that most churches that came out of the Reformation oppose Pentecostalism—still to this day! </p><p class="MsoNormal">Note some parallels to this modern movement. Mormons
in the 1800s said the church had it wrong for 1800 years and the Joseph Smith,
a self-proclaimed prophet, and his followers are here set everyone straight.
Jehovah’s Witnesses said the church had it wrong for 1800 years and another
self-proclaimed prophet Charles Taze Russell and his followers are here to set
the church straight. Now Charles Parham and his followers are saying the same
basic thing! This should be a red flag. Let’s check this against Scripture. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What does God say? The Old Testament prophesied that
prophecy (i.e., there will be no more prophets) would cease upon the
destruction of the Temple’s sanctuary, when it would be burned with fire per
Psalm 74:3–9: <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lift
up Your feet to the perpetual desolations. The enemy has damaged everything in
the sanctuary. Your enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place; They set
up their banners for signs. They seem like men who lift up Axes among the thick
trees. And now they break down its carved work, all at once, With axes and
hammers. They have set fire to Your sanctuary; They have defiled the dwelling
place of Your name to the ground. They said in their hearts, "Let us
destroy them altogether." They have burned up all the meeting places of
God in the land. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">We do not see our
signs; There is no longer any prophet; Nor is there any among us who knows how
long.</b></i> (Psalm 74:3-9 NKJV, emphasis added)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Building on this, Daniel points out that when the sanctuary
is destroyed and the things in it with fire and broken down and all the meeting
places (e.g., synagogues in Israel) are destroyed, there will no longer be any
prophet in the land. Daniel 9:24-27 says: <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"Seventy
weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the
transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To
bring in everlasting righteousness, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">To
seal up vision and prophecy,</b> And to anoint the Most Holy. "Know
therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore
and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and
sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in
troublesome times. "And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut
off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall
destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And
till the end of the war desolations are determined. Then he shall confirm a
covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring
an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one
who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured
out on the desolate."</i> (Daniel 9:24-27 NKJV, emphasis added)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Vision and prophecy shall cease when the Holy City (that is,
Jerusalem per Nehemiah 11:1, Isaiah 52:1) and sanctuary (that is, the Temple;
e.g., 1 Kings 6:19) are destroyed which occurred in the first century around AD
70. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One might initially object and say this is in reference to
the first time the Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586-588 BC. After
all, the Psalms were written well before that destruction. However, prophets
like Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, and Obadiah still existed when the Babylonians
came in and destroyed Solomon’s Temple. They were prophesying before, during,
and afterward. There were prophets afterwards too (think of the books of Ezra
and Nehemiah). Biblically, vision and prophecy didn’t cease when the
Babylonians destroyed the Temple. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Also, the prophecy doesn’t exactly match the Babylonian
captivity. For instance, the items were largely taken out of the Temple by the
Babylonians and were later returned and not destroyed (2 Chronicles 36:7, Ezra
5:14, etc.). Contextually, the event in question is clearly in reference to the
first century because Jesus, the Messiah, must bring an end to all sacrifice
and make an end of sins per Daniel. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">No doubt these prophecies are about the destruction of the
Temple when the Romans carried off and destroyed the items from the Temple in
AD 70. It was after Jesus sacrificed Himself to solve the sin problem. The
Romans burned up all the synagogues in the land (meeting places). This is why the
Psalm passage and the Daniel passage are referring to the first century event. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So vision and prophecy (i.e., new prophets) are no longer
possible after the <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/05/revelation-day-4.html" target="_blank">New Testament was completed by AD 70</a>. God has sealed it up
when the Bible was completed. This means Muhammad, Joseph Smith, Charles Taze
Russell, Margret MacDonald, or anyone else claiming a prophetic word is not a
prophetic word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">from God</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So for 1800 years, the church was largely silent on
prophecies in church for a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">good </i>reason.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<h1>What Does The New Testament Say? </h1>
<p class="MsoNormal">Apostles of Christ were given authority over prophets and,
together with the prophets of the Old Testament, are the foundation with Christ
as the chief cornerstone (e.g., 1 Corinthians 12:28–29; Ephesians 2:20; 2 Peter
3:2). The implication is that any alleged prophets after the Apostles of Christ
are still subject to the Apostles’ teachings as superior to any of their
alleged writings or sayings (i.e., the New Testament which holds authority over
any of them). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This is consistent with previous revelation being used to
judge any alleged new revelation. The New Testament was defended by using the
Old Testament for example (e.g., Acts 17:2, 18:28). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the New Testament, Jude 1:3 affirms that the faith was
once for all delivered to the saints (Christians) now that Christ fulfilled the
Old Testament (e.g., Matthew 5:17; Acts 3:18). So there is no reason for the
faith to have to change; it was completed and salvation was made possible <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">once and for all</b>. </p><p class="MsoNormal">If it is once for
all, then no new prophecy is required as the completed Bible is sufficient for
all. Thus, Scripture is sufficient (i.e., the doctrine of sufficiency would be
called into question if new prophecy is afforded).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p>The gift of the Holy Spirit is for those who believe the Gospel and in obedience repent and get baptized. As Acts 2 says, "<i>37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" 38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" </i>(NKJV).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Furthermore, the New Testament affirms that tongues and
prophecy were to cease as well (the indwelling of the Holy Spirit will not cease, e.g., Ezekiel 26:27; Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:6; 2 Timothy 1:14). The discussion of cessation is contained in 3 chapters in 1 Corinthians.
It is lengthy but the context is vital. 1 Corinthians<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>12:27 – 14:40 (NKJV) says:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">27
Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And God has appointed these in the church:
first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then
gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 29<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all
teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all
interpret? 31<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But earnestly desire the
best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way. <o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">1
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Though I speak with the tongues of men
and of angels</b>, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a
clanging cymbal. 2<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries
and all knowledge</b>, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove
mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my
body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">4
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself,
is not puffed up;5<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>does not behave
rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;6<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in
the truth; 7<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>bears all things, believes
all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">But whether there are prophecies, they will
fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge,
it will vanish away.</b><o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">9<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">For we
know in part and we prophesy in part. 10<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will
be done away.</b> 11<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I was a child,
I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I
became a man, I put away childish things. 12<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in
part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 13<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And now abide faith, hope, love, these three;
but the greatest of these is love.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">1
Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak
to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks
mysteries. 3<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But he who prophesies
speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 4<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself,
but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied;
for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed
he interprets, that the church may receive edification.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">6
But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit
you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying,
or by teaching? 7<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even things without
life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a
distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? 8<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound,
who will prepare himself for battle? 9<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to
understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into
the air.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">10
There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them
is without significance. 11<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore,
if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who
speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. 12<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual
gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel. 13<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray
that he may interpret. 14<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For if I pray
in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">15
What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray
with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with
the understanding. 16<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Otherwise, if you
bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say
"Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what
you say? 17<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For you indeed give thanks
well, but the other is not edified.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">18<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thank my God I speak with tongues more than
you all; 19<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>yet in the church I would
rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also,
than ten thousand words in a tongue. 20<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be
babes, but in understanding be mature.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">21
In the law it is written: "With men of other tongues and other lips I will
speak to this people; And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me," says
the Lord. 22<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore tongues are for a
sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for
unbelievers but for those who believe. 23<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak
with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will
they not say that you are out of your mind? 24<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in,
he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. 25<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And thus the secrets of his heart are
revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that
God is truly among you.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">26
How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm,
has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all
things be done for edification. <o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">27<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be
two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. 28<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But if there is no interpreter, let him keep
silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. 29<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let two or three prophets speak, and let the
others judge. 30<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But if anything is
revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. 31<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For you can all prophesy one by one, that all
may learn and all may be encouraged. 32<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 33<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For God is not the author of confusion but of
peace, as in all the churches of the saints. 34 Let your women keep silent in
the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be
submissive, as the law also says. 35<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for
it is shameful for women to speak in church.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">36
Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it
reached? 37<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If anyone thinks himself to
be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to
you are the commandments of the Lord. 38<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant. 39<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to
prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. 40<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let all things be done decently and in order.</i>
(1 Corinthians<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>12:27 – 14:40 NKJV, emphasis
added)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Until AD 70 when vision and prophecy were sealed up, the
Corinthian church regularly had tongues and prophecy. But tongues and prophecy
were to cease as prophesied by Paul. Paul stated, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are
tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For
we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has
come, then that which is in part will be done away.”</i> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the context of tongues and prophecy at church services to
the Corinthians, Paul instructed that women are not to engage in these things
and if they had a problem with understanding tongues or prophecy at the service,
then they should wait and ask their husbands at home (1 Corinthians 14:27-35).
At the church in Corinth prior to AD 70, they were to have no more that 3
people doing tongues or prophecy at the service. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But when the perfect had come, the written Word of the Holy
Spirit (i.e., the complete Bible with 66 books), these gifts were no longer
necessary. The prophetic mysteries were now revealed to the saints (e.g.,
Colossians 1:26-27, Romans 16:25, and Ephesians 3:8-11). Unlike Daniel (Daniel
12:4-9) or Abraham (John 8:56) who had to look forward to it mysteriously, the
mystery of Christ has been made known to us through prophecy in the New
Testament books. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tongues, prophecy, and knowledge [of understanding prophetic
mysteries] came to an end just as Paul had prophesied and just as the Psalmist
prophesied and just as Daniel had prophesied. God’s perfect Word was complete
by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thus, these temporary gifts can now be done
away with: tongues, prophecy, and knowledge (regarding prophetic
mysteries).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Consider the converse. If these things did not cease, then
Paul would be a false prophet. Daniel would be a false prophet too. So would
Asaph, the Psalmist who wrote Psalm 74.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<h1>Objection: What about Joel’s prophecy which <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">reopens</i> prophecy and spiritual divine gifts as “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">latter rain</i>”? </h1>
<p class="MsoNormal">In an effort to get around this problem of silence for so long since the First Century, some Pentecostals argue that there was indeed a silence and an end to the gifts but in AD 1900, things were reopened. This idea from the Holiness movement was expanded as the Latter Rain movement. Now with the Pentecostal movement, to become fully whole, one is
to expect the “latter rain” gifts as mentioned in the book of Joel to allow speaking in tongues
and prophecy [as a result of Baptism of the Holy Spirit]. </p><p class="MsoNormal">This is supposed to occur immediately prior to the second coming of Christ and the judgment. Joel 2:21-27
says:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fear
not, O land; Be glad and rejoice, For the LORD has done marvelous things! Do
not be afraid, you beasts of the field; For the open pastures are springing up,
And the tree bears its fruit; The fig tree and the vine yield their strength.
Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the LORD your God; <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">For He has given you the former rain
faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you — The
former rain, And the latter rain in the first month</b>. The threshing floors
shall be full of wheat, And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.
"So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten,
The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great
army which I sent among you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You shall
eat in plenty and be satisfied, And praise the name of the LORD your God, Who
has dealt wondrously with you; And My people shall never be put to shame. Then
you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the LORD your God And
there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame</i>. (Joel 2:21-27
NKJV, emphasis added)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Then </i>Joel continues:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">"And it shall come to pass
afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your
daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall
see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out
My Spirit in those days. "And I will show wonders in the heavens and in
the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into
darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome
day of the LORD. And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of
the LORD Shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be
deliverance, As the LORD has said, Among the remnant whom the LORD calls. (Joel
2:28-32 NKJV)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This latter rain in Joel 2:23 is no different from any other
latter rain mentioned in the Bible (Deuteronomy 11:14; Proverbs 16:15; Jeremiah
3:3, 5:24; Hosea 6:3; Zechariah 10:1; and James 5:7). It was favorable physical
rain in the context of watering the crops—with the exception of Proverbs 16:15
which uses this favorable rain cloud (based on literal latter rain) as a
metaphor for receiving positive favor from a king.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Using Joel 2:23 as a springboard, some Pentecostals relate
that this is similar to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our modern times.
In other words, the “initial rain” was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at
Pentecost, then it ceased, and now with the Pentecostal movement in the early
1900s, this is the “latter rain” where tongues and prophecy are reopened. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The problem with this is the context. Joel 2:28 only
mentions one outpouring of the Holy Spirit with no hints at a secondary one. This prophecy entails its occurrence after the restored
blessing to Israel. Thus Joel’s prophecy, which is explained in the book of
Acts, is seen as <i>fulfilled</i> per Peter speaking in the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 and this outpouring preceded the
judgment of Israel (e.g., Luke 11:50; Hebrews 10:29). Therefore, the prophecy is fulfilled. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This outpouring is discussed in detail in Acts 2:1-12. Peter, by the power
of the Holy Spirit which was now poured out, explains:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">But Peter, standing up with the
eleven, raised his voice and said to them, "Men of Judea and all who dwell
in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. "For these are
not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.
"But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘And it shall come to
pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all
flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And on
My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the
earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into
darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome
day of the LORD. And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of
the LORD Shall be saved.’ (Acts 2:14-21 NKJV)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This outpouring reopened the canon of Scripture so the New
Testament could be written as God had been silent regarding additions to His
written Word for 400 years. The prophecy of the turning point from silence is
given in Malachi 4:5-6 regarding the coming of Elijah (Matthew 17:10-13). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Of course Christ, the Living Word, spoke directly to man
during His incarnation (Hebrews 1:2). And the Holy Spirit, now poured out, was
responsible for reminding the Apostles and guiding them into all truth (John
16:13; Ephesians 6:17; 2 Peter 1:21; Revelation 19:10). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Apostles were appointed first in the church followed by New
Testament prophets (who were under the authority of the apostles) who are
responsible for the sufficient 27 books of the New Testament (1 Corinthians
12:28; Ephesians 2:20; 2 Peter 3:2; Jude 1:3). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Peter reiterated that Joel was fulfilled when he said, "Therefore
being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the
promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear" (Acts
2:33). Any application of this to modern times is not warranted <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">from</i> the Scriptures and is a mere
conjecture (arbitrary).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Furthermore, if this latter rain was supposed to come just before the judgment, did we miss the judgment? From 1901 to today (2021), its been 120 years of supposed latter rain and still no judgment. Take note that the duration of supposed latter rain far exceeds the time from Pentecost, which was just after the Ascension of Christ (AD 33) to the close of the New Testament (AD 70). Judgment came in AD 70 on the <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/06/revelation-day-15.html" target="_blank">Jews, Jerusalem, and the Temple</a> (e.g., Hebrews 10:29) only about 47 years after the supposed initial rain!</span></p>
<h1>Conclusion </h1>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Scriptures are complete and no new prophecy is required.
The Christian faith has <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">once for all </i></b>been delivered to the
saints (Jude 1:3). The canon is closed and the temporary gifts poured out in
apostolic times ceased in the first century. And Scripture doesn’t reveal that
these special gifts will be reopened on this side of heaven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Parham and Pentecostalism is part of a movement that came at a
time of reinterpreting Scripture and an open door to hosts of false prophets in
the 1800s. There is no need to deviate from the clear passages in Scripture to
reinterpret it so that tongues and prophecy can come back. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Interestingly, churches who are not part of this movement often
get criticized for not placing an emphasis on the Holy Spirit. However, this is
an arbitrary charge. For 1900 years, churches honored the Holy Spirit by
honoring Christ’s work and honoring the Word of the Holy Spirit—the Bible. If
one is to place an emphasis on the Holy Spirit (which isn’t a bad thing by the
way), it had better be done in accordance with the Holy Spirit’s teaching in
Scripture, in contrast to the new allegations presented by Parham et al.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<h4>The Elephant In The Room </h4>
<p class="MsoNormal">So let’s now deal with the elephant in the room. If these
tongues and prophecies in Pentecostal churches are not from God, then who are
they from? <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>It is possible they are from oneself. A person
can deceive themselves into believing things (James 1:14-15). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Another possibility is that it is Satan and
demons. The Bible reveals that they have spoken too. Satan spoke and/or worked through
a serpent (Genesis 3:1-4; Revelation 12:9, 20:2), the King of Tyre (Ezekiel
28:12-17), Judas (John 13:27), and Peter (Matthew 16:23). Demons have spoken and
taken over people as well such as Legion in Mark 5:9, the little girl in Mark
7:29, the mute man in Luke 11:14, or the slave girl in Acts 16:16. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>There were also false prophets (e.g., Bar-Jesus,
that is, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">False</i>-Jesus in Acts 13:6)
and false teachers (2 Peter 2:1) that permeate the church from the earliest
days until now. These can be known by testing them against the absolute
authority of the 66 books of God’s Word. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">God commands:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Test
all things; hold fast what is good.</i> (1 Thessalonians 5:21 NKJV)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Beloved,
do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God;
because many false prophets have gone out into the world. </i>(1 John 4:1 NKJV)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">God is not a God of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33) and
cannot deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13). Test the spirits against the Scripture (2
Timothy 3:16-17). For Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light (2
Corinthians 11:14) seeing whom he can devour (1 Peter 5:8). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Keep in mind that the Pentecostal movement can be traced
back to one man, a teacher named Charles Parham, who put his students to the fire
to do this. One of his prized students later parted ways with him because he
was convinced Parham’s movement was becoming demonic (William Seymour).<o:p></o:p></p>
<h4>A Call To Repentance </h4>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you have been involved<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>in prophecies and tongues, then what you’ve read here might be a bit of
a wake-up call. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not enemies with my Pentecostal
brothers—we’ve stood side-by-side praising God together. But in truth, this is
where the rubber hits the road with most Christians outside the Pentecostal movement
and why they do not affirm Pentecostal teachings. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Imagine standing before God and when questioned about
tongues and prophecy, the best response is “well, I trusted Parham and his
followers”. Perhaps it is time to humbly reevaluate these issues and be in
prayer. It’s time to get back to God’s Word.<o:p></o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109261005126312685.post-17453364397225000272021-03-16T10:09:00.010-07:002021-08-06T08:02:35.722-07:00Eternal Security<p> </p><p class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: left;"></p><p class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">What About Eternal Security?</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoSubtitle" style="text-align: center;">B. Hodge, Biblical Authority Ministries, March, 16, 2021<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<h1>Introduction </h1>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt;">When
you get saved—are you always saved or can you lose your salvation and have to
regain it from time to time? Whole churches have been split on this since the
Reformation and is still a hot button issue 500 years later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 0in;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt;">There
are several passages of Scripture that discuss eternal security.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are a few:</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">"You are My
witnesses," declares the LORD, "And My servant whom I have chosen, So
that you may know and believe Me And understand that I am He. Before Me there
was no God formed, And there will be none after Me. "I, even I, am the
LORD, And there is no savior besides Me. "It is I who have declared and
saved and proclaimed, And there was no strange god among you; So you are My
witnesses," declares the LORD, "And I am God. "Even from
eternity I am He, And there is none who can deliver out of My hand; I act and
who can reverse it?" </span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">(Isaiah 43:10-13 NASB)</span><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">"But you do not believe because you are
not of My sheep. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow
Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one
will snatch them out of My hand. "My Father, who has given them to Me, is
greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. "I
and the Father are one."</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> (John 10:26-30 NASB)</span><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Do not love the world nor the things in the
world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all
that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the
boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The
world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God
lives forever. Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that
antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we
know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not really
of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they
went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us. But you have
an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know.</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> (1 John 2:15-20 NASB)</span><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">"All that the
Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly
not cast out. "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will,
but the will of Him who sent Me. "This is the will of Him who sent Me,
that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last
day. "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son
and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on
the last day."</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">
(John 6:37-40 NASB)</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Do not be surprised,
brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into
life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.
Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has
eternal life abiding in him. We know love by this, that He laid down His life
for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has
the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against
him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love
with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. We will know by this that we
are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (1 John 3 NASB)</span><b><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p>
<h1>The Doctrine of Eternal Security<b><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></h1>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt;">The
doctrine of eternal security is essential for the Christian to better
understand God’s grace. The Bible teaches that salvation is of God (Ephesians
2:8) not of us. Before we are saved, we are dead to sin. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“And you were dead in your trespasses”</i> (Ephesians 2:1). Some may
want to claim that we were drowning in sin and we reached out our hand for God
to save us, and He reached down and saved us.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 0in;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt;">Actually,
as the Scripture records, we were more rightly dead, not drowning, already
lying on the bottom of the lake. He had to come down and resuscitate us—like
Lazarus dead in the grave—only Christ could bring life back into him (John
11:14-45).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 17.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 17pt; text-indent: 0in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt;">And
you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked
according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of
the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among
them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires
of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the
rest. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 17.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 17pt; text-indent: 0in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 17.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 17pt; text-indent: 0in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt;">But
God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with
Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us
with Him in the heavenly <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">places</span>
in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing
riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you
have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">it is</span> the gift of God; not as a
result of works, so that no one may boast.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">
</b></span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt;">(Ephesians
2:1-9 NASB)</span><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt;">Please
note clearly, there is nothing we add to our salvation. God found us
spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14) and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dead in our transgressions</i>. We were dead to sin and Christ made us
alive. Because our salvation is entirely of God, we can do nothing to add to it
or take away from it. Are we mightier than God? Absolutely not.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 0in;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt;">Since
God has “made us alive” there is nothing we can do to make ourselves
spiritually dead, otherwise we control our salvation, not God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If this were possible, we can add salvation
and remove it when we want based on our thoughts and actions.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt;">Allow
this illustration to help explain it: being born into a physical family mirrors
being born into the family of God. The family you were born into will forever
be your family. There is nothing you can do to exit that family. As long as you
live you will have the genetic makeup of your parents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can move across the earth, deny them, you
can even murder them, and they are still your family. You can do nothing in
your power to erase the fact that you are part of that family.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 0in;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt;">So
it is in the family of God. Once you are born into the family of God, you have
no power or ability to remove yourself from it. Why? Because you don’t have the
power to do so in the same way you had no power to get into it (this is not to
deny man’s responsibility though which is a different topic). It was the Holy
Spirit prompting and convicting you (2 Thessalonians 2:13, John 16:7-8, Titus
3:3-5, 1 Corinthians 12:3).</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: 0in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt;">It is so important to understand this
point because if one does not recognize that salvation is totally a gift from
God and nothing of oneself, it reduces the concept of grace and there are
implications. If salvation is of one’s doing, it is not a free gift. Therefore,
if one can lose and gain it based on their thoughts and actions, it is a work,
and that is not in accordance with the clear teaching of Scripture. “For by
grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, <i>it is</i>
the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
(Ephesians 2:8-9, see also Titus 3:5-7)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt;">Therefore,
believing that one can lose salvation <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can,
but doesn’t always</i> lead to a road of salvation by works. Though this
doesn’t negate one’s salvation, so please do not confuse this issue. Further
reading of Romans 8:38-39, Ephesians 1-2, 1 Corinthians 1:12-14, and Titus
3:3-7 would be of great help. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h1>Answering objections </h1>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Objection: What about
Hebrew 10:26?</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">For if we go on
sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer
remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE
FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. (</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Hebrews 10:26-27
NASB)</span><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">This doesn’t say that
those who are in Christ will lose their salvation but says that if they
willfully sin after knowing not to, the Law’s sacrifices can’t help. God will
still judge his peoples’ sins and all of us will give an account of our sins.
This is the culmination in the context if we continue reading to Hebrews 10:30.
This is also confirmed in Romans 14:12. Thank the Lord that Christ’s
righteousness has been imputed to Christians.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Objection: What about
Hebrews 3:6-14?</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">But Christ was
faithful as a Son over His house — whose house we are, if we hold
fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end. Therefore,
just as the Holy Spirit says,</span></i><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">"TODAY IF YOU
HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME, AS IN THE
DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS, WHERE YOUR FATHERS TRIED Me BY TESTING Me, AND
SAW MY WORKS FOR FORTY YEARS. "THEREFORE I WAS ANGRY WITH THIS GENERATION,
AND SAID, ‘THEY ALWAYS GO ASTRAY IN THEIR HEART, AND THEY DID NOT KNOW MY WAYS’;
AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, ‘THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.’"</span></i><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Take care, brethren,
that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away
from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is
still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the
deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast
the beginning of our assurance firm until the end. </span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">(Hebrew 3:6-14 NASB)</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Note that those who
turn away from the living God are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">unbelievers</i>
in verse 12. There is no reason to propose they believed prior to this. They
may have tasted the heavenly blessing, but it was never theirs. If Christians
follow after these sinful unbelievers, then they run the risk of being hardened
or stagnant in their Christian faith, but not a loss of salvation. But
Christians should recognize that these are sinful and want to turn from such
things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Objection: What about
Hebrew 6:4-6?</span><b><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">And this we will do,
if God permits. For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and
have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy
Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,
and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since
they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.</span></i>
<span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">(Hebrews 6:3-6
NASB)</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">This is a passage
where the writers of Hebrews draw a comparison with a more mature topic (Hebrew
6:1-2). And clearly this is referring to people who have been saved
“enlightened”, “tasted the heavenly gift”, “partakers of the Holy Spirit” and
so on. But the key is given in verse 3. Verse 3 indicates the following verses
(4-6) are a hypothetical situation as indicated by “if God permits”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">The point is simple,
if one could lose their salvation, then they can never be saved again because
Christ would have to die on the cross and put Him to open shame again for them,
which will never happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So the
hypothetical resolve concludes that one cannot lose their salvation and is
consistent with other passages in the Bible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">
This has strong implications.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Consider
if one does lose their salvation and fall away even in a minute manner of
momentary doubt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In keeping with such a
philosophy, then that person would be lost forever with no possibility of
salvation. This would mean that someone of the vilest and evilest of intentions
would have a better possibility of entering into the kingdom of heaven than a
person who has been trying and yet stumbled briefly in their faith. But the key
in this passage is that this was a hypothetical to show that salvation really
is eternal life, and not temporary life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Objection: What about
Matthew 7:21 where it says “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall
enter the kingdom of heaven”?</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">"Beware of the
false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous
wolves. "You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from
thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? "So every good tree bears
good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. "A good tree cannot produce
bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. "Every tree that does
not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. "So then, you
will know them by their fruits. "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord,
Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father
who is in heaven will enter. "Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord,
Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and
in Your name perform many miracles?’ "And then I will declare to them, ‘I
never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (Matthew 7:15-21
NASB)</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">The context clears
this up easily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is referring to false
prophets who do not bear good fruit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See
Matthew 7:15.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So they were never saved
it the first place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Objection: What about
1 Corinthians 9:24-27?</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">I do all things for
the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. Do you
not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize?
Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games
exercises self-control in all things.</span></i><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">They then do it to
receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a
way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I
discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to
others, I myself will not be disqualified.</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (1 Corinthians 9:23-27 NASB)</span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Paul is pointing out
a contrast between the race being run for the Gospel and a physical race by
runners. With runners, they all run and yet only 1 receives a prize and it will be forgotten in time anyway (perishable). But in contrast, Christians
run for an imperishable crown—and there is no uncertainty about it. This crown
being eternal life and one can be certain of it as Paul says in verse 26.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Also in contrast to a
physical race, those running toward an imperishable crown <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all</i> win, not just one. So Paul sets the example, that if you know
what you are running for and know you will win, then run the race the race like
you mean it, and that is what he is doing. So he disciplines himself to run race
to win, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> sitting around on his
laurels and failing to try (i.e., be disqualified). And this discipline leads
to his preaching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">But take note of the
phrase “when I have preached to others”, which immediately precedes becoming
disqualified. So what would Paul be disqualified from? Is it the imperishable
crown or the right to preach the Gospel? This is the crux of the issue. This
phrase, “when I have preached to others” is placed perfectly to reveal that the
disqualification in reference is to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">preaching</i>,
not to eternal life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">And this makes sense
of the context. If Paul is slack about running the disciplined race when
preaching, then he would not be qualified to be their preacher. But he does it
for the Gospel’s sake to be fellow partakers with those he is preaching to
(verse 23).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Objection: What about
Luke 13:24?</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">And someone said to
Him, "Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?" And He said to
them, "Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will
seek to enter and will not be able. "Once the head of the house gets up
and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door,
saying, ‘Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not
know where you are from.’ "Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank
in Your presence, and You taught in our streets’; and He will say, ‘I tell you,
I do not know where you are from; DEPART FROM ME, ALL YOU EVILDOERS.’ "In
that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and
Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being
thrown out.</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">
(Luke 13:23-28 NASB)</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">In
verse 24, it reveals that there will be many who<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> seek</i> the Lord but will not enter. But take note that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">seeking the Lord</i> is not the requirement
for salvation, whereas a saving belief in Jesus Christ is. For example the
Bible says:</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; tab-stops: 9.0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal
life.</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">
(John 3:16<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>NASB)</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">The
Bible does not say:</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; tab-stops: 9.0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SEEKS </b>Him
shall not perish, but have eternal life.</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (John 3:16<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>NASB)</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">The
Bible says:</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">And after he brought
them out, he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">They said,
"Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (Acts 16:30–31 NASB)</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">The
Bible does not say:</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">And after he brought
them out, he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">They said, "<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SEEK</b> the Lord Jesus, and you will be
saved, you and your household."</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (Acts 16:30–31 NASB)</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">So
the people in Luke 13:24 were not saved in the first place, so they did not
fall away from salvation, since they never had it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h1>Final thoughts </h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">John
makes a powerful statement when he wrote:</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">These things I have
written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know
that you have eternal life.</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (1 John 5:13 NASB)</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">How
could anyone know they have eternal life if it could be snatched from them at
any time? The fact is, if a person could lose their salvation at any moment,
then they can’t know for sure that they have eternal life. If they could walk
away at anytime, then this would presents a serious problem for John’s
statement. For such a guarantee could not be decreed unless one stood firmly
until the end of their life, without doubt; but John, speaking by the power of
the Holy Spirit, said they could know <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">well
before</i> the end of their life.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">When
the Lord says eternal life, He means it; it is eternal, not to be taken away at
any moment. So to reiterate Isaiah: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"And
I am God. "Even from eternity I am He, And there is none who can deliver
out of My hand; I act and who can reverse it?"</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109261005126312685.post-86628515386047649512021-03-12T09:21:00.003-08:002021-03-12T09:23:56.150-08:00Unborn Saved?<p> </p><p class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Can Unborn and Young Children Who Died Be Saved?</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><st1:personname w:st="on"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">B. Hodge, </span><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">Biblically</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Authority </span><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">Ministries</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">, </span><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">March</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> 12, 2021</span></span></st1:personname><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Thank
you for contacting the ministry. I want to give my <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">personal views</b> and I know others may disagree with me but my hope
is to help give comfort to fellow Christians who ask about this serious topic. I
am open to the possibility that I am wrong and ask forgiveness up front.
Nevertheless, I ask that my fallible response not be a reflection of a perfect
God and His Word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h1>Who Are Sinners?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </h1>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">For all have sinned
and fall short of the glory of God. </span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">(Romans 3:23 NKJV)</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Romans
5:12 also indicates that all have sinned because Adam sinned. Isaiah 48:8
(speaking of <st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Judah</st1:place></st1:country-region>) and
Psalms 51:5 (speaking of David) alludes to the sinful nature of children even
in the womb. The punishment for sin is death (Genesis 2:17, Romans 6:23).</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Why
do I start here? There are some people who try to argue that the unborn (or
even newly born children) are sinless or without sin—blameless and pure in the
sight of God. Thus, they can be saved by having a form of righteousness and
purity apart from Christ. I want to caution people from using this argument
because there are significant theological problems with this view.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Consider
the implication of the unborn if they are not sinners. If the unborn have not
sinned, then they cannot die because the punishment for sin is death. Sadly,
they <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can </i>die whether by miscarriage, <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/07/common-abortion-excuses-refuted.html">abortion</a>,
still born, etc. God cannot lie (Hebrews 6:18) so, as we (author and reader
together) just read, all are sinners. I have four children in my house and from
personal experience, I can attest from the moment they were born, they are definitely
little sinners. </span><span face=""Segoe UI Emoji","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji";">😊</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">There
is another theological problem if we assume that the unborn are not sinners. In
Romans 5:6-8 and 1 Timothy 1:15 both indicate that Jesus came to save sinners,
i.e., the ungodly. If the unborn are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sinless</i>,
then Jesus didn’t die for them. This would pose a problem for the unborn then since
no one comes to the Father except through Jesus (John 14:6).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they were not sinners, they wouldn’t even
have the possibility to go through Jesus so they wouldn’t make it to <st1:personname w:st="on">G</st1:personname>od the Father in Heaven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Another
theological issue is in Hebrews 7:26 where Jesus is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">set apart</i> from sinners as He is the only one blameless and pure. If
there are others who are blameless and pure, then Jesus wouldn’t be set apart
in that respect.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">In
our hearts, we desperately want children to be blameless and pure but they
inherit sin because we were all in Adam when he sinned.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Let
me explain this further. My life came from my parents and your life came from
your parents. Where their life come from? It came from their parents…all the
way back to Adam and Eve. When Adam sinned our life was wrapped up in Adam so <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">his</i> sin is also <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">our </i>sin. This is called original sin because it came from the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">original sin</i> in the Garden of Eden. We
are sinners by the nature of our life going back to Adam but we are also
sinners by our own actions and choices. Hebrews 7 reveals:</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Even Levi, who
receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, for he was still in
the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him. </span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">(Hebrews 7:9-10 NKJV)</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Note
that Abraham’s great grandson Levi was considered “still in the body” of his
ancestor Abraham when Abe paid tithes to a priest called Melchizedek. Thus our
life was indeed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in </i>Adam when he first
sinned. The Son of God—Jesus Christ, being the Creator God Himself per John 1,
Colossians 1 and Hebrews 1, was without sin (Hebrews 4:15) yet came in the
likeness of sinful flesh (Romans 8:3) <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">to
save sinners</i>. So to argue that children are without sin would be to negate
that they have the possibility of salvation.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<h1>Significance of the Sinless Christ </h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Jesus,
being sinless, meant that rightly, He shouldn’t have been able to die either.
Recall that death is the punishment for sin. But Jesus should not have been
able to die. So how is it that He was able to die on the cross? According to
the Bible, Jesus <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">became sin</i> for us (2
Corinthians 5:21) in order to die.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Upon
Christ’s death via the Roman crucifixion incited by the Jews (including the High
Priest himself), the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">infinitely powerful
Son</i> also took the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">infinitely powerful
punishment</i> we deserve from the<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">
infinitely powerful Father</i>. Christ’s spilt blood satisfied God’s wrath upon
sin and makes salvation possible.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Thus
Christ’s righteousness can be imputed (or transferred) to us when we repent of
our sin and receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior (Romans 4:23-5:1) by
believing in His death, burial, and resurrection (John 3:16-18, Romans 10:9).</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Salvation
is a work of God and a free gift offered to sinners (Ephesians 2:8). So
believers are seen as without blemish and pure and spotless as the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">perfect</i> bride of Christ to enter into a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">perfect </i>heaven (Revelation 21:27) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>with a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">perfect</i> God for eternity.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Jesus
being the new federal head of humanity (Matthew 28:18, 1 Peter 5:11), unlike
Adam (who led us into death through sin) cannot sin and therefore cannot deny
Himself (2 Timothy 2:13); so for eternity we will never fall back into sin and
death. This is why we can have eternal life enjoying God’s goodness forever
(e.g., Daniel 12:2, Matthew 25:46).</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<h1>Are human babies “human”? </h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">It
is hard to believe that people in our culture fail to understand this basic
fact of life, but yes. human babies are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">human</i>—even
the unborn. They are people, albeit younger, but people nonetheless and we were
all like this except Adam and Eve. Our respective grandparents were made with
fully mature bodies and God supernaturally gave them life—this is not a problem
because God is omnipotent (i.e., all-powerful).</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Some
evolutionist have argued that babies are not yet human but going through
evolutionary animal phases during embryonic development (called: “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">embryonic recapitulation</i>”). Sadly many
are deceived into believing this religious view as it is taught in most state
schools. This religion is why some people try to justify abortion children.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Even
so, such a story is absurd as babies are unique persons from the moment of
fertilization where a new child is made by the combining of the DNA from both
mother and father. At no stage in the womb are baby humans going through animal
phases—and this can be eye witnessed today through technology.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Sadly,
many <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Christians</i> today try to mix
their religion with the secular evolutionary religion. In doing so, some join
with this idea of human babies are going through animal phases in the womb and
they assume their baby can be aborted because it is just like an animal and not
made in the image of an eternal God to have an eternal soul yet.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Thus,
they reason that the child in the womb isn’t eternal but more like an animal and
so salvation isn’t necessary for discussion. Even so, murdering a child is
simply that—murder and God will deal with those sins on judgment day if one
doesn’t repent. God is merciful to those who humble themselves and admit and
repent of their sin to Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<h1>Don’t Be Rash </h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">For
many years, I quickly assumed that the children that died early or were aborted
were saved without much thought. I do want to encourage caution on this
position though too. If this position is taken, then the conclusion could
result that Christians <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">should encourage</i>
abortions and the murder of the young particularly among non-believers, so that
these children can be saved. Of course, this should never even be a thought of
Christians who should be holding to the sanctity of life and the repeated
biblical commands not to murder.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">But
look at the converse. Consider the possibility that all the aborted,
still-born, or miscarried children are lost for eternal damnation. Such a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>sobering thought could dissuade even the most
ardent evangelical from action knowing that nearly a billion children have been
aborted the world over since I was born in the 1970s. Although one can see why Christians
often stand up against abortion and the killing children. But let’s look at
this issue in more detail before succumbing to such a rash conclusions one way
or another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<h1>How Do We Know If Someone Is Saved? </h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Jesus
died for all (who receive Him—e.g., John 12:48) including those prior to and
after His death on the cross and resurrection as indicated in Hebrew 2:9. The
Old Testament people of <st1:personname w:st="on">G</st1:personname>od could
not testify of Jesus in the flesh because He hadn’t come yet but they knew <st1:personname w:st="on">G</st1:personname>od and with Jesus being <st1:personname w:st="on">G</st1:personname>od,
they were His when they placed their faith in God.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">The
godly Old Testament persons looked forward to Christ’s finished work on the
cross and His resurrection in the same way we look back to what Christ did.
This is why the <st1:personname w:st="on">G</st1:personname>reek word for “everyone”
in Hebrews 2:9 indicates <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all people of
all time</i> – Old Testament, New Testament, those up to now, and those hereafter
until Christ bodily returns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">But
determining who is saved and not can become a hairy situation sometimes – from
a human perspective that is. Of course, God knows and He is the best judge
anyway. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">If
someone were to ask me if someone walking down the street was saved, that would
be a very difficult task to ascertain, unless I could ask that person. And then
see if they were producing the fruits a Christian should produce as a potential
confirmation (e.g., Luke 6:43-44).</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Let’s
face it, a non Christian can lie and say they are a Christian even when they
have not received Christ as their Lord. Leading atheist Richard Dawkins often
calls himself a “cultural Christian” or “cultural Anglican” (the Church of
England).<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Final/ResponsesBH/Children%20Saved%20%20Sinners.doc#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> He
is by no means a follower of Christ. So seeing fruits are a good confirmation
but even then it is still not absolute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">When
it comes to children—namely the unborn, seeing fruits and even asking is
impossible from a human perspective. So in reality, it would be extremely
difficult for me to say if anyone is saved or not. But that is really between
God and that person, even the youngest of children.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<h1>God Searches And Draws All People </h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">God
says He searches <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all </i>hearts for example
when He is speaking to Solomon:</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">"As for you, my
son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and
with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the
intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you
forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. </span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">(1 Chronicles 28:9 NKJV)</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">This
includes the heart of children – even in the womb. It is God that draws them to
Himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Consider:</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">"No one can come
to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the
last day. </span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">(John
6:44 NKJV)</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Jesus
affirmed that He draws <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all people </i>to
Himself:</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">"And I, if I am
lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself." </span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">(John 12:32 NKJV)</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">The
unborn are people and Jesus said He draws them. This means that God has drawn children
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in the womb that is about to be aborted
and a child that dies while very young, even after being born. For one to be
saved though, God is the one who works in them and who of us can know who the Holy
Spirit has saved in the womb and young children out of the womb?</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">God,
who knows the future, is aware if a child is about to be aborted, die early of
disease, or other problem. Who are we to say that God has not already been
working in the hearts of the unborn and the young children who have been born
and will die soon. God has mercy on those on whom He wills to have mercy.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Therefore He has
mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Romans 9:18 NKJV)</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">I
believe that children <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can </i>be saved even
though they are extremely young but they can only be saved through their faith
in Jesus Christ (John 14:6). It would not be via any other means.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">If
someone argues that a child is too young to be saved because they do not have
sufficient understanding to properly ascertain a thorough comprehension of the
salvific work of Christ unto saving believability then we must ask how young
and how much understanding must one have? (See what I did there—did you have to
read that sentence twice?!? </span><span face=""Segoe UI Emoji","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji";">😊</span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">). Don’t forget that it is a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">child-like faith</i> that is the type of
faith for which we strive (Matthew 18:2-4)!</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">What
I’m getting at is that salvation is predicated on Christ’s work in one’s heart
by the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3) unto saving faith—not the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">depth</i> of knowledge that we learn about
Christ and His Work. I am still learning daily about His awesomeness and am
overwhelmingly dwarfed by the immensity of the wisdom in His Word. I feel like
a child in the depth of what I want to know about God and His Word. Consider
the fact that we are all very young little children to someone like Jared and
Methuselah who lived 962 and 969 years old respectively.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<h1>David </h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Now
consider Psalm 22:10:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">
I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother’s womb You have been My God. </span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">(Psalm 22:10 NKJV)</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">The
Bible teaches us that David, while in the womb, knew God and was His (Psalm
22:10).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take note that this doesn’t
negate that David was sinner prior to birth.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Now
the point I’m getting to is that there is a difference in being aware of sin
and being a sinner. Even now, there are adults living that don’t realize they
are sinners and are well beyond the state of awareness. Does this make them
sinless? No.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">So
with respect to the unborn, just because they are unaware that they are
sinners, does this make them sinless? No. We are committing the logical fallacy
of equivocation when we equate <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">being sinless</i>
with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">salvation</i>. There were elect angels
(e.g., 1 Timothy 5:21) that did not sin and thus were not in need of salvation.
The only way we can have salvation is to be in need of salvation (i.e., be in
sin). Being sinful doesn’t negate salvation, but what it does do is give <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">eligibility to be saved</i> through Jesus
Christ. If children weren't sinners, they couldn't be saved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">But
I believe children and the unborn have the possibility of salvation because the
Bible says that the Lord was David’s God as early as the womb (Psalm 22:10). Psalm
22:9, just before this, indicates that God gives<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> trust</i> as well. Jeremiah was a similar case—God both knew and
sanctified Jeremiah in the womb (Jeremiah 1:5).</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Therefore,
there is the possibility that even extremely young children can be saved for their
faith in the Lord Jesus – as far back as the womb as in the case of David and Jeremiah.
Though we need to be careful about projecting this to all children in the womb.
Because God has not revealed that all children in the womb are His. Judas
wasn’t and he was in the womb once too. Consider these passages:</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Even a child is known
by his deeds, Whether what he does is pure and right</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">. (Proverbs 20:11
NKJV)</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">The father of the
righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who begets a wise child will delight in
him. </span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">(Proverbs
23:24 NKJV)</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Children
can be known by their deeds and even have wisdom. It is the Lord that gives
wisdom (Proverbs 2:6). So at early ages, the Lord is already working in
children as well. Has He drawn them to salvation? That is between the Lord and
the child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">But
a little more comfort presents itself. You may also recall the instance with
David’s young child in 2 Samuel 12:15-22 indicating that even though the child
died, David would again be with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This indicates that the child was still in the care of God and thus
Jesus Christ and David was saved (Psalm 27:1).</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<h1>Judas </h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Consider
another instance. Judas. Satan entered him and he betrayed Christ (John 13:27).
He committed suicide by hanging himself (Matthew 27:5) then later his body fell
and was split open (Acts 1:18). But Jesus said of him:</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">"The Son of Man
indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son
of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been
born." </span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">(Matthew
26:24 NKJV)</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">"The Son of Man
indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son
of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been
born."</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">
(Mark 14:21 NKJV)</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">It
sounds as though the nature of a child dying prior to birth has a better
outcome (i.e., still born or miscarriage) than dying in sin as Judas did.
However, the word for “born” means “to beget” or to be fathered”. So the
passage may be saying prior to Judas’s conception/fertilization from his father
(i.e., when he was beget). Does this mean it would have been better for Judas
to have remained in the his father’s loins rather than to have been made.
Anything would be better than an eternal hell in which he now is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<h1>The Ten Commandments </h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">The
Ten Commandments states something that has intrigued people down through the ages.
In the Second Commandment, God writes:</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">"You shall not
make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven
above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the
earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God,
am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the
third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to
thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (Exodus 20:4-6 NKJV)</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">The
last part of this discusses God’s judgment of iniquity down to the third and fourth
generation of children to those who hate God. Consider this with regards to the
children of those who hate God and have them aborted. The punishment for
abortion is immediate in having your child taken away from you.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">But
look also to the blessing. God shows mercy to a thousand generations of children
of those who love God. David was a great example here. David did love the Lord.
Although he sinned and had a child with Bathsheba in adultery and murdered Bathsheba’s
husband, the child was taken from them regardless of David’s subsequent actions.
David repented, he did love God even though he made mistakes. And he was
comforted in knowing that the He would again see the child when he would die many
years later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<h1>My Fallible Final Remarks </h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">The
point in all this is that there is much to consider. But as a fallible humans
on this side of heaven, it is difficult for me to put a perfect answer down on
paper for this difficult subject. God simply didn’t reveal enough for me to be
definitive. Although I must caveat, perhaps God did and I am just not able to
have reasoned it yet. If so, the fault is mine alone.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">I
also understand that people asking this question have often undergone loss and
for that I’m sorry. It can be difficult. You may think that I don’t know how to
deal with this loss but the fact is I do. My wife and I lost a child to a
miscarriage many years ago and it is a painful reminder of a sin-cursed and
broken world. It was unbelievably tough on us. It is all the more reason to
turn our eyes to Christ who is the Great Healer.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">From
this perspective, my advice is time and prayer are among the best things you
can do. Search the Scripture and find comfort in Christ and remember that God
knows all things and He knows best and He is a righteous judge—far better than
you or me. With sincerity, take humble comfort in that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Final/ResponsesBH/Children%20Saved%20%20Sinners.doc#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> For example
see: Dawkins, the Cultural Christian? December 15, 2007, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="https://answersingenesis.org/christianity/dawkins-the-cultural-christian/">https://answersingenesis.org/christianity/dawkins-the-cultural-christian/</a>.
<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109261005126312685.post-77553677066675208622020-12-02T10:35:00.007-08:002020-12-02T10:35:48.962-08:00Was Jesus Mistaken About Angels<p> </p><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Was Jesus mistaken about angels? </span><o:p></o:p></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p> </o:p><span style="text-align: center;">B. Hodge, Biblical Authority Ministries, December 2, 2020</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Who makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire. (Psalm 104:4)</i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Perhaps another “nail in the coffin” to the fallen angels
view came from Christ Himself. Upon the resurrection, Jesus makes a statement
about the nature of spirits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luke 24
says: </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">33<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the
eleven and those who were with them gathered together,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">34<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>saying, "The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!"<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">35<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He
was known to them in the breaking of bread.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">36 Now as they said these things,
Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, "Peace to
you."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">37<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a
spirit.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">38<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And He said to them, "Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise
in your hearts?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">39<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>"Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and
see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">40<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jesus appeared in a room with the disciples but they were
terrified and thought they had seen a spirit. They recognized it was Jesus, but
they didn’t think it was Jesus in bodily form. They seemed to think it was
Jesus’ spirit and that was it—no body. In their minds, it was like the spirits that
some of them had encountered at the transfiguration for instance. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jesus then says something profound to dispel this idea that
it was just His spirit. He says that a spirit doesn’t have flesh and bones as
He had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus did this as proof of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bodily</i> resurrection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But it is fascinating that he who knows all things
(Colossians 2:3) made it clear that spirits do not have flesh and bones as
Christ’s body had. Why is this so significant? Angels are ministering spirits
per the book of Hebrews.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hebrews 1 says: </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">13<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But to which of the angels has He ever said: "Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool"? 14
Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those
who will inherit salvation? </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Angels then do not have flesh and bones as Christ did. They
are spirits. So how can a spirit breed physically with a woman? This would be
impossible without the power of God! </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One friend who recognized this could be the death kneel of
his fallen angel view made the argument that what Jesus meant here is “ghost” and
not<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> spirit</i>. In other words when the
disciples saw this ghost in the room they were terrified.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My friend defended this by arguing that the
Greek word [<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pneuma</i>] could also mean
“ghost” and so it doesn’t necessary refer to “spirits” like angels which could
then presumably still materialize when they want to. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But this explanation falls tragically short and presents a
problem. First why didn’t the text use the common word for ghost (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">phantasma</i>)? Why did Jesus use the word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pneuma</i> or spirit as in Holy “Spirit” or
God is “Spirit” (John 4:24) or angels are ministering “spirits”, etc. Was Jesus
just being inaccurate? </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Phantasma</i> is where
we get our modern word “phantom”, which means “ghost” or “apparition”. It was
used when Jesus was walking on water: </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">Matthew 14:26<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And when the disciples saw Him walking on the
sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">phantasma</i>)!" And they cried out for fear.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">Mark 6:49<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And when they saw Him walking on the sea,
they supposed it was a ghost (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">phantasma</i>),
and cried out; </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the distance from the boat the disciples saw something
and the use of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">phantasma</i> gives us a
clue as to what they meant. It appeared in the distance as an apparition,
phantom, or ghost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They couldn’t quite
make out what it was. The disciples weren’t even sure what it was because they
could not discern it very well. This is why they were troubled. That is until Christ
called out to them and they recognized who it was. Then they realize their
error. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The difference of context of being in the room with Christ
when He appeared to the disciples is simple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They saw Christ immediately, and knew<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">
</i>it was Christ. But they simply thought it was the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">spirit </i>of Christ, not him in bodily form (again think of the
spiritual transfiguration with Elijah and Moses). It wasn’t a question of
identification of Jesus from a distance (not knowing what they saw) but a
question of the nature of Jesus after the resurrection. So using the word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pneuma </i>was indeed significant. It meant
that Christ did not mean ghost at all—but truly did mean <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">spirit</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Otherwise, it
destroys the very meaning of why Christ responded the way he did distinguishing
his bodily resurrection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But let’s analyze this further. If <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pneuma</i> really meant, “ghost” instead of “spirit” in Luke 24:39,
then it still doesn’t help the case anyway! The reason is simple, if <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pneuma </i>really meant ghost, then when<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> pneuma</i> is used in Hebrews 1:14 where
angels are ministering spirits or “ghosts”, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pneuma</i> could just as easily be ghost there too and so we are right
back to the problem of angels not having flesh and bones as Christ had
regardless of the terminology! This really is a death kneel argument for the
fallen angels view. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This is a situation where someone has a belief about
something and they are willing to try to play <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>games of strange semantics to reinterpret the
plain meaning of Scripture. </p>
<h2>Implications </h2>
<p class="MsoNormal">Let’s consider for a moment the implications of this idea
that fallen angels can materialize when they want to and do things (like marry
women) when they want to. How can those who hold to this view consistently
argue that it was not a fallen angel that faked the resurrection? If they could
materialize whenever they want to in an effort to deceive people, then how can one
know? If one responds, well the Bible says so. The Bible also says angels are
spirits that don’t marry (Mark 12:25)… So this is problematic either way for a fallen angels view. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The fact is that never once in Scripture is there even one
instance where fallen angels materialized. Not one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is why Christ’s proof of the bodily resurrection is so powerful when presented to the disciples by the Word of
God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Spirits do not have flesh and bones
as the resurrected Christ has.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109261005126312685.post-13433434315721052072020-11-12T07:30:00.011-08:002022-05-11T09:52:34.355-07:00Earliest View<p> </p><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Weren’t the Earliest Views of “Sons of God” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Almost Always</i> Leaning to Angels?</span><o:p></o:p></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">B.
Hodge, Biblical Authority Ministries, November 12, 2020<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">It
is often pointed out that the earliest <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">records</i> about the “sons of God” in Genesis 6 by the Jews were viewed as angels (predominantly but not exclusively). The
earliest we have is about 250-200 B.C. as shown in the deviations in the LXX Jewish
translation from Hebrew into Greek. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">Nevertheless, Jews writing in the Apocrypha,
though not Scripture, also yielded “sons of God” as people/men from 400 B.C. to
the opening pages of Matthew. So even the earliest Jewish thought on this was actually split. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">One
thing needs to be noted up front. All the recorded views of the “sons of God”
originated long after the original events took place by nearly 1500 years. So
if one were to argue that the true account is the one view that showed up
slightly earlier than another, this would be fallacious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Consider:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The first one to plead
his cause seems right, Until his neighbor comes and examines him.</i> Proverbs
18:17<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>NKJV<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">Think
of it this way: we are disconnected from Christ’s earthly ministry by about
2,000 years. Imagine if someone today published that Jesus had orange ears and began
promoting that idea. And a few others buy into it too. Since no one else
commented on His ears up to this point and this would essentially be the first
reference, does this mean this is the truth—that Jesus had orange ears? By no
means.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">The
earliest we have been able to determine anyone’s viewpoint on the Genesis “sons
of God” was with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">some </i>copies of the LXX
that was originally translated about 200-250 B.C. This is about 2,250 years
after the Flood (where the original issue of the “sons of God” was well before
the Flood). Even from Moses's record of it in Genesis, it is still very disconnected. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">Also,
consider that it has been well over 1400 years since Moses penned these words
in Genesis 6 as well. To make things worse, the Jews, in their history had
walked away from the Lord on numerous occasions and in one grossly negligent
instance, even had to find a copy of the Scriptures (in 2 Kings 22:8-13)
because no one knew God’s Word anymore! Furthermore, the Jews had been
conquered and put into captivity and the Old Temple had been destroyed with many
precious documents and items that were carried away. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">For
the Lord was not pleased with the Jews for quite some time now. And the Lord
sent them no prophet for 400 years and the LXX translation occurred in the midst
of this time and therefore, was not overseen by a prophet. Don’t get me wrong,
the LXX is very useful, but not inerrant and not without its problems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">The
Jews, if they would have understood the Old Testament better, should have been
expecting Jesus Christ—for the whole Old Testament points to Him. But due to
many errant theologies among the Jews of that day, be it Pharisees, Sadducees,
Essenes, or others, most missed Jesus Christ when He stood amongst them and had
it preached by apostles. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">So
how good has the Jewish record and transmission of events, theology, people,
and angels been in the translation of the LXX and their traditions? It is not
the best. Even Jesus disputed with them over their traditions and defended the
Word of God that had been distorted by traditions (Matthew 15:1-6, Mark
7:1-13). But due to the translation of “sons” as angels in the LXX in some
copies, this <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">influenced</i> many reading
Greek to follow suit with this poor translation, simply because they didn’t
know better. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">But
take note that some copies of the LXX did retain “sons of God”, not “angels of
God.” It is possible that the original retained the “sons of God” and later
this change was made due to the fallen angel theology during copying. The
earliest copies we have of the LXX is around the 4<sup>th</sup> century A.D. So
somewhere in these 600 years or so of Greek copies of the LXX, we find that
some had the change of “sons” to “angels” or vice versa where someone had
corrected it in accordance with the Hebrew text. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">So
why did some Jews feel the need to change “sons” to “angels”? Though we may
never know for certain, one possible reason is that a “son” carries the weight
of the father. For example, when Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, the Jews
wanted to stone Him for claiming equality with God (e.g., John 10:29-39). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">A
“son” of God would be near blasphemy to many Jews during this intertestamental
period (because of some deviant theology).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So rendering “sons” as metaphorical for “angels” was more acceptable in
their theology. If this were the case, why didn’t the LXX do this with the
“sons of God” in Job? This would become a Jewish theology that is<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> elevated</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in stature</i> to a position above the plain meaning of the Word of
God. <o:p></o:p></p>
<h2>Why the shift from fallen angels? </h2>
<p class="MsoNormal">Beginning about A.D 400, we find a major shift in theology
from the fallen angels view to fallen men views? This view persisted through
the Reformation and until modern times. But why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Consider that many LXX copies translated “sons” as “angels”
in Genesis 6:4 from about 200 B.C. until about A.D. 400. So the average reader,
without consulting the Hebrew text, would have naturally thought this to be
angels because the common trade language that dominated the area was Greek
during much of this time. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">However, Koine Greek was rapidly becoming obsolete by about
A.D. 400. Most readers were already utilizing translations that were in Latin,
the common vulgar tongue (pre-Latin Vulgate translations) throughout the Roman
Empire. But there existed no standardized translation yet. Then Jerome, the
famous scholar, was commissioned to translate the Bible into Latin for an
official translation. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jerome began translating the Bible from original language
texts but still consulting translations like the LXX (OT: Hebrew and some Aramaic
and NT: Koine Greek) into Latin. This was completed about A.D. 400. In it, Jerome
translated the “sons” properly as “sons”, instead of as “angels” in Genesis
6:4. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So the translational bias was now removed. Naturally, people
were not reading into the text that angels bred with women anymore. And the
context of godly men given in the lineage immediately prior to Genesis 6 was
now read naturally. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Few Christians felt the need to take the Jewish myth that
had persisted for so long. Hence, the fallen angel view died a quick death with
a more accurate translation. Even influential theologians of the time (e.g.,
Augustine) began promoting the view that “sons of God” were just as they were
in most of the Scripture, godly men. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But this a lesson to learn. An errant theology, imposed on
Scripture in translation can cause false belief to linger for a long time if
not checked. The error of the firmament has persisted much longer because
Jerome also took the Greek view of the heavens being solid and put it into the
Latin Vulgate (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">firmamentum</i>) which was
the dominant translation that influenced early English translations which made
the same error (firmament).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only in
recent times have people really gone back to the Hebrew for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">raqia</i> to arrive at expanse, which
deviates from the Greek view of the heavens to a better understanding of the
sky. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">In the 1800s, the LXX was translated into English and once again people began seeing "angels of God" instead of "sons of God" in Genesis 6 and thus some scholars began reviving the Jewish myth about angels and women marrying and breeding. </span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109261005126312685.post-53306557647742876612020-11-01T17:42:00.005-08:002020-11-01T17:45:05.853-08:00Why Do People Believe "Sons of God" Mean "Godly Men"?<p> </p><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Why do some people think “sons of God” mean humans (godly men)? </span><o:p></o:p></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">B. Hodge, Biblical Authority Ministries, November 1, 2020</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Obviously, not everyone agrees with the arguments presented
for “angels” being the proper interpretation of “sons of God”. So, what is the biblical
case for interpreting “sons of God” as humans or specifically <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">godly men</i>? </p>
<h2><span style="font-size: large;">What about other instances of “sons of God” in the Bible? </span></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal">Did you know that the Bible talks extensively about the “sons
of God”—not just the passages in Job? Why are so many of these passages
ignored? </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If there was a verse or phrase within a verse that was
difficult to understand, the place to go was elsewhere in Scripture—including the
New Testament. The whole counsel of Scripture should not be ignored. Use clear
Scriptures to interpret unclear Scriptures. That should settle the issue. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If one wants to know how to interpret “sons of God”, then
look to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">whole </i>of Scripture to
gather a better understanding. In doing this, we are not limiting an
interpretation to one metaphorical use in Job 38 while ignoring other passages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in;">Table of Scriptures to interpret
“sons of God” in Genesis 6 </p>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; margin-left: 0.25in; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 63.9pt;" valign="top" width="85">
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 166.5pt;" valign="top" width="222">
<p class="MsoNormal">Sons of God used<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.6in;" valign="top" width="154">
<p class="MsoNormal">Style<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.6in;" valign="top" width="154">
<p class="MsoNormal">Meaning<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 63.9pt;" valign="top" width="85">
<p class="MsoNormal">1<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Exodus 4:22-23 (God’s son Israel)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.6in;" valign="top" width="154">
<p class="MsoNormal">Historical Narrative<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.6in;" valign="top" width="154">
<p class="MsoNormal">Godly men (Israelites)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 63.9pt;" valign="top" width="85">
<p class="MsoNormal">2<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Deuteronomy 14:1 (the children of the LORD your God)<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.6in;" valign="top" width="154">
<p class="MsoNormal">Historical Narrative<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.6in;" valign="top" width="154">
<p class="MsoNormal">Godly men (Israelites)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 63.9pt;" valign="top" width="85">
<p class="MsoNormal">3<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 166.5pt;" valign="top" width="222">
<p class="MsoNormal">Job 1:6<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
(sons of God)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Historical Narrative<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.6in;" valign="top" width="154">
<p class="MsoNormal">Disputed (godly men, or godly angels)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 63.9pt;" valign="top" width="85">
<p class="MsoNormal">4<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 166.5pt;" valign="top" width="222">
<p class="MsoNormal">Job 2:1<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
(sons of God)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Historical Narrative<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.6in;" valign="top" width="154">
<p class="MsoNormal">Disputed (godly men, or godly angels)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 63.9pt;" valign="top" width="85">
<p class="MsoNormal">5<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 166.5pt;" valign="top" width="222">
<p class="MsoNormal">Job 38:7<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
(sons of God)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.6in;" valign="top" width="154">
<p class="MsoNormal">Poetic/Metaphorical<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.6in;" valign="top" width="154">
<p class="MsoNormal">Godly angels, luminaries<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
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<p class="MsoNormal">6<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 166.5pt;" valign="top" width="222">
<p class="MsoNormal">Psalm 2:7 (My Son)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Poetic/Metaphorical<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.6in;" valign="top" width="154">
<p class="MsoNormal">Kingly men of Israel; prophetic of Christ per Acts 13:33<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 63.9pt;" valign="top" width="85">
<p class="MsoNormal">7<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 166.5pt;" valign="top" width="222">
<p class="MsoNormal">Psalms 82:6 (sons/children of the Most High)<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.6in;" valign="top" width="154">
<p class="MsoNormal">Poetic/Metaphorical<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 1.6in;" valign="top" width="154">
<p class="MsoNormal">Godly men (Israelites)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 8;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 63.9pt;" valign="top" width="85">
<p class="MsoNormal">8<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Hosea 1:10 (sons of the Living God)<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Prophetic<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Godly men (Israelites)<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">9<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Hosea 11:1 (God’s son)<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Prophetic<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Godly men (Israelites)<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">10<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Luke 3:38 (son of God)<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[7]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Historical Narrative<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Godly man/Adam (who afterward sinned)<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[8]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">11<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Luke 6:35 (sons of the Most High)<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftn9" name="_ftnref9" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn9;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[9]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Historical Narrative<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Godly men<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Luke 20:36 (sons of God/sons of the resurrection)<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Historical Narrative<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Godly men<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">12<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Matthew 5:9<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftn10" name="_ftnref10" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn10;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[10]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
(sons of God)<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Teaching Sermon by Christ<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Godly men (peacemakers)<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">13<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Matthew 5:45 (sons of your Father in heaven)<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Teaching Sermon by Christ<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Godly men<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">14<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Romans 8:14<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftn11" name="_ftnref11" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn11;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[11]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Epistle/Teaching<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Godly men (those led by the Spirit)<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">15<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Romans 8:19<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftn12" name="_ftnref12" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn12;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[12]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Epistle/Teaching<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Godly men (those who are saved)<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">16<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Galatians 3:26<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftn13" name="_ftnref13" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn13;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[13]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Epistle/Teaching<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Godly men (those who are saved)<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
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<p class="MsoNormal">17<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Only begotten Son of God (Numerous) <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Gospels, Epistles<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Fully man and Fully God—Jesus Christ<o:p></o:p></p>
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</tr>
</tbody></table><br /><div>To argue that “sons of the Most High”, “children
(Hebrew: <i>ben</i> or<i> bene—</i>“sons”) of
the LORD your God”, “sons of the Living God”, etc. should be excluded for
discussion would be to argue that God is referring to someone <i>other </i>than the true God (e.g., a false
god). But they clearly refer to the true God and should be used. </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Children of God</b></span><br /><p class="MsoNormal">Furthermore, in the New Testament, there are multiple uses
of “children of God” and they all refer to godly men/mankind.<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftn14" name="_ftnref14" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn14;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[14]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In one case, there is the use of “children of
the devil” (1 John 3:10) and even these are in reference to human too, but
ungodly ones! See the list<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftn15" name="_ftnref15" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn15;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[15]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
(NKJV): </p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->John 1:12<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become
children of God, to those who believe in His name:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->John 11:52<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in
one the children of God who were scattered abroad.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Romans 8:16<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of
God,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Romans 8:21<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of
corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Romans 9:8<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the
children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Philippians 2:15<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without
fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine
as lights in the world,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->1 John 3:1<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should
be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did
not know Him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->1 John 3:2<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed
what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him,
for we shall see Him as He is.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->1 John 3:10<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest:
Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not
love his brother.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->1 John 5:2<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and
keep His commandments. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>What can we learn from all of this? </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Nowhere does “sons of God” [or varieties of it]
refer to the ungodly. So why interpret sons of God in Genesis 6 as ungodly
[angels]?<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">2.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">The vast majority are in reference to godly men,
so the rendering of Genesis 6’s “sons of God” should not ignore godly men.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->The only one that definitely means “angels” is
based on a passage that<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> interprets</i> it
as angels in a poetic/metaphorical context. Why take a metaphorical meaning of
a phrase and use it to interpret a passage that is historical narrative? <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->One should not miss that one man in the Old
Testament, who lived prior to Genesis 6, was directly called a “son of God”
(not to be misconstrued as the only begotten Son of God), and he happen to be a
man and the father of us all—Adam (Luke 3:38).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->The New Testament passages exclusively use “sons
of God” as godly people, so this should settle the issue. The New Testament is
not “off limits” regarding this issue of theology in the Old Testament. Imagine
if someone said Jesus and Peter’s comments about the Flood in Noah’s day were
“off limits” when discussing Genesis 6-8 because they used the Greek word (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">kataklusmos</i>), and not the Hebrew word (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mabbuwl</i>)? This would be fallacious. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>What else can we learn about the “sons and children of God”?</b></span> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Reading the context of who has the right to be called “sons of God” are those
who are led by the Spirit, receive and are faithful to Christ, practices righteousness,
love God and keep His commandments, loving your enemies, and doing good,
peacemakers, etc. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For an obvious reason, rebellious fallen angels who join the
ranks to fight against God, doing evil, and so on are not the marks of one who
can be counted among the “sons of God”. But godly men do fit these requirements
and many godly men have fallen from their positions of good grace due to sin
throughout their lives (e.g., Saul, Solomon, and many others)—hence the fallen
man position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Consider that Adam was called a “son of God” in Luke. This
connects that “sons of God” are those godly men continuing to call upon the
name of the Lord continuing with Seth (Genesis 4:26). Interestingly, this is
the immediate context preceding Genesis 6. No doubt this line had godly men—Enoch,
for example, walked with God and He took Enoch without death (Genesis 5:24,
Hebrews 11:5). </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Few would dispute that Lamech (Noah’s father) and Methuselah
(Noah’s grandfather) were godly. Methuselah was raised by extremely godly
father Enoch after all. But were Lamech’s and Methuselah’s wives godly? I ask
this question sincerely—as both Lamech and Methuselah had children and other
descendants that died in the Flood (e.g., Genesis 5:26 and Genesis 5:30) that
were not among the eight on the Ark unless three of them were Shem, Ham, or
Japheth’s wives. Were these pre-Flood patriarch’s wives among the “daughters of
men”—ungodly wives who led most of their children astray to fall from God’s
grace and be judged in the Flood? It is something to ponder indeed. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There are many cases in Scripture where children “of men”
(e.g., similar to “daughters of men”) were seen as ungodly. Passages such as 1
Samuel 26:19, Psalm 14:1-2, Psalm 89:47-48, and Lamentations 3:31-35 do not
give a good light to the title of one being the “children of men”, so why
assume “daughters of men” are not ungodly in Genesis 6?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I find it fascinating that the fallen angels position, that
I was once part of, held that the title “sons of God” in Genesis 6 were those
who were ungodly and the “daughters of men” were the godly! This is
back-to-front when looking consistently at the rest of Scripture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> "You
are the children of the LORD your God; you shall not cut yourselves nor shave
the front of your head for the dead.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> Now
there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the
LORD, and Satan also came among them.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> Again
there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the
LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> When
the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn5" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> I
said, "You are gods, And all of you are children (“sons”) of the Most
High.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn6" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> "Yet
the number of the children of Israel Shall be as the sand of the sea, Which
cannot be measured or numbered. And it shall come to pass In the place where it
was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ There it shall be said to them, ‘You
are sons of the living God.’<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn7" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[7]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> the
son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn8" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[8]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Yes Adam sinned, but who hasn’t. It should be safe to say Adam was saved, he
only had one sin on record and we knew the prophecy to look forward to Christ
(seed of a woman), Eve clearly knew it and looked forward to it. The knowledge
of God was clearly passed along from Adam to Seth (Genesis 4:25) to people like
Enoch (Genesis 5:24). The Lord did offer a sacrifice to cover Adam and Eve
(Genesis 3:21). <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn9" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftnref9" name="_ftn9" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn9;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[9]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> "But
love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your
reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to
the unthankful and evil.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn10" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftnref10" name="_ftn10" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn10;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[10]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> Blessed
are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn11" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftnref11" name="_ftn11" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn11;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[11]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> For
as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn12" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftnref12" name="_ftn12" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn12;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[12]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> For
the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the
sons of God.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn13" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftnref13" name="_ftn13" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn13;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[13]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> For
you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn14" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftnref14" name="_ftn14" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn14;" title=""></a><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn15" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftnref15" name="_ftn15" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn15;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[15]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> There
is one use of “children of God” in the apocryphal book of Wisdom (verse 5:5) as
well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109261005126312685.post-42993616655882676592020-10-28T08:24:00.004-07:002021-05-06T08:25:36.361-07:00Bible Versions<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif""><span style="font-size: x-large;">Bible Translation Dates/Translation
Basics</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: red; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">B. Hodge, Biblical Authority Ministries, October 28, 2020<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: large;">Translations basics</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">There
are basically two ways to translate from one language into another:</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .75in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Word-for-word
(Sometimes called a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">literal </i>translation
or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">formal equivalence</i>)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .75in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Thought-for-thought
(sometimes called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dynamic equivalence</i>)</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Word-for-word
is accurate to the word but can sometimes fail to get the point across if it is
figurative language.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, if I
say in English “let’s hit the sack”, this means “to go to bed” but translating
that into Spanish word-for-word would be to “literally” hit a sack, and not go
to bed. So the thought wouldn’t get across.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Therefore,
sometimes you need to use a thought-for-thought translation on particular
verses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, doing a
thought-for-thought can lead to adding the translators <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">own ideas</i> to the translation and avoid what the text actually says
if the translator goes too far. So, one shouldn’t go completely
thought-for-thought either. There needs to be a balance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">The
NASB, KJV, ESV, and NKJV and so on are known as word-for-word translations
though not entirely word-for-word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">The
older NIV is a mixture of word-for-word in some cases and thought-for-thought
in other cases. Again, a word of caution needs to be stated when deviating too
far into the thought-for-thought translations since one may end up with the
translator’s interpretation of the verse rather than the verse itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">In
light of this, it is be better to err on the side of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">literal</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">formal equivalence</i>
as opposed to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dynamic equivalence</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is why scholarly respect is given to
translations that are closer to word-for-word such as the KJV, NKJV, ESV, NASB,
AMP, and so on). They use word-for-word but also some dynamic equivalence when
necessary, some more than others.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Do we have the
originals texts to translate from?</span></b> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">The
original writings by the original authors <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are</i>
the inspired text.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But as such, not one
has survived to this date that we know of. Copies were encouraged (Deuteronomy
17:18). This precedent was followed in the New Testament so that the reading of
various epistles could be accomplished by different churches (e.g., Colossians
4:16, 2 Corinthians 3:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:27). This shows the value in the
inherent text, not the original penned version.</span> </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">The
logical question that follows is “how do we know what the original text said?” Within
Christianity, there are two primary arguments and both stem from Psalms 12:6-7
and other passages (e.g., Matthew 5:18 and Matthew 24:35) which states that the
Word of God would be preserved and will not pass away.</span> </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">This
brings us to the question of “preservation,” which is distinct from inerrancy
(which applied to the original autographs). Knowing that God revealed that He
would preserve His Word (Psalm 12:6–7), there are two views on how this
preservation has taken place:</span> </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">1.
One preserved inerrant copy of a copy of a copy (etc.) has been passed down
(some claim one per language).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">2.
Preservation has occurred by the very fact that numerous copies exist which
allow us to observe the original via textual analysis.</span> </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Evaluating
the first view, and strictly looking at the Old Testament, the Masoretic text (MT)
is easily the best collection of Hebrew manuscripts (where our earliest extant
copy is about AD 900); however, we need to keep in mind that it, too, is a copy
of a copy of a copy, etc. And copyists were never given the privilege of prophetic
inerrancy, unlike the prophets or apostles whose God-given authority allowed
for an inspired text. Although the MT may be the best, we need to be careful
about in-depth studies of words and phrases without consulting other ancient
texts.</span> </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Consider
that Jesus quoted from the Old Testament about 64 times in the Gospels. More
than half of His quotes agree with the precision of wording in both the LXX (Septuagint
– a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures done about 200-250 years before
Christ but out earliest copies are about AD 400) and the MT. In 12 instances,
Jesus’ quotes differ from both the LXX and the MT. In 7 instances, His
quotations side with the LXX over the MT. And in another 12 instances, Jesus’
phraseology agrees with the MT over the LXX.</span> </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">So if we
make a case that other ancient texts such as the LXX, Samaritan Pentateuch (an
ancient Hebrew copy of the first five books of the Bible done in Samaria)
should <i>never</i> be used instead of the MT, then Jesus would be in error as
He clearly didn’t draw explicitly from what we know today as the MT (which
existed far after Jesus earthly life anyway).<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/TwelveStones/Bible%20Translation%20Dates.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span></a></span></span></span> </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Throughout
the history of the church, the second view has been dominant. Jerome, who
translated the Latin Vulgate around A.D. 400 relied on multiple Greek texts
when he translated the New Testament and went to Bethlehem to gain access to multiple
Hebrew texts of the Old Testament.</span> </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">With
English translations, for example, from Tyndale forward, each translator made
use of textually criticized texts (looking at several texts to make sure you
are using accurate Greek text for the New Testament) and often consulted
variant texts when doing translations. This shouldn’t come as a surprise. The
idea that one inerrant copy lineage has been passed along is a relatively new
idea that, sadly, doesn’t take into account the past.<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/TwelveStones/Bible%20Translation%20Dates.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span></a></span></span></span> </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Early
English translators relied heavily on the various <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Textus Receptus</i> (TR) editions, published copies of the Greek New
Testament, as well as a few other sources, whether English, Latin, or other.
Dutch Catholic Erasmus in 1516 did textual criticism of a handful of variant
copies (three primary copies and three others) of the Greek New Testament to
arrive at this standard text.<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/TwelveStones/Bible%20Translation%20Dates.docx#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> He
even used quotations by church fathers for comparison and back-translated
excerpts of Revelation from the Latin Vulgate that did not appear in any
versions of his Greek copies.</span> </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Erasmus
issued three editions of his Greek New Testament, the latter editions
correcting earlier errors as he got a hold of more Greek texts. His first
edition, some say, was rushed for competition with another family of texts that
was used for the Roman Catholic Polyglot Bible, and it became the dominant text
used throughout Europe.<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/TwelveStones/Bible%20Translation%20Dates.docx#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[4]</span></span></a></span></span></span> </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Others,
such Stephanus, Beza, and the Elzevir brothers, further edited Erasmus’s TR for
subsequent printings when they gained access to other Greek texts. So early
English translations such as Tyndale’s, the Geneva Bible, Luther’s Bible, and
other New Testaments generally came from this text family because this was what
was available. But even then, popular versions such as the King James New
Testament differs from the TR nearly 170 times and over 60 times agreed with
the Latin Vulgate over any Greek text, including the TR.<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/TwelveStones/Bible%20Translation%20Dates.docx#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[5]</span></span></a></span></span></span> </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Since the
time of Erasmus, nearly 5,300 Greek texts and fragments have been documented.<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/TwelveStones/Bible%20Translation%20Dates.docx#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> So
why remain confined to Erasmus’s small library that didn’t even have a complete
version of Revelation in Greek? There have been many attempts to utilize these
other texts instead of ignore them. Among the most popular was Westcott and
Hort’s text. But as far as we know, no modern translation uses the Westcott and
Hort text except the poorly translated New World Translation.<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/TwelveStones/Bible%20Translation%20Dates.docx#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[7]</span></span></a></span></span></span> </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">There has
been further study and textual criticism to arrive at standard texts. Today,
the latest editions are used when translating the Bible, whether Old Testament
or New Testament.</span> </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">But just
for the reader’s sake, there are very few discrepancies (mostly spellings and
slightly varied words from generation to generation) between something like the
TR and modern texts – nothing that would any major theology would hinge on. It
shows the competence of copyists throughout the ages. With the Old Testament, the
Lord has preserved other texts besides the MT so that we’re able to compare
various texts – consider the Dead Sea Scrolls and other ancient texts (Peshitta,
Samaritan Pentateuch, etc.). The point is that God has preserved His Word, just
as He said He would.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Some popular English
translations and a few the different editions of them:</span></b> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Wycliffe or WYC
1382-1395 </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">translation
from the Latin Vulgate<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Tyndale or TYN 1525</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (William Tyndale’s
Version) (NT only)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">TYN or TRC 1535</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (NT and OT)
(Tyndale’s version with Myles Coverdale to finish it as Tyndale was martyred)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Great Bible 1540 </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">revised and updated
Tyndale Bible by Myles Coverdale sometimes known as the<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Cromwell Bible </b>since he directed the publication; Authorized by
King Henry VII<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Bishop’s Bible 1568 </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">authorized by the
Church of England<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Bishop’s Bible 1572</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> update<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Geneva or GSB 1560 </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">(Geneva Study Bible) included
apocrypha <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Geneva or GSB 1599 (</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Very archaic
spellings, no apocrypha) <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">GSB 2006</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (Updated version
with modern spellings)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">KJV 1611</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (King James
Version), includes Apocrypha, authorized by King James<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">KJV 1613</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> revision of the 1611<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">KJV 1629</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> another revision<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">KJV 1638</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> another revision<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">KJV 1762</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> Cambridge (Modernized
for the time using J instead of I, etc.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">KJV 1779</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> Oxford (Modernized
for the time, this is one of the standard KJVs common today)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">WEB 1833</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (Noah Webster’s
Version from the famous American dictionary creator)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">YLT 1862 (</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Young’s Literal
Translation) extreme literal in translation form; that is, formal equivalence,
thus making it difficult to understand in places<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">KJV 1873</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (Oxford Parallel,
also common today)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">KJV 21<sup>st</sup>
Century 1994</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">
(Basically an easier to read KJV – same grammar, sentence structure, but
changing some words)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">ERV </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">(English Revised
Version) Updated KJV in 1881; Authorized, but the first time King James’ name was
not used<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">ASV 1901</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (American Standard
Version) American rendition of the ERV, which was an update of the KJV; the RSV
1946 and 1971 as well as the NASB 1971 and 1995 are newer styles of this older
one <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">RSV</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1946</b> (Revised Standard Version) update of the ASV<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">RSV 1971 </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">update<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">NRSV 1989-90 </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">(New Revised Standard
Version) Update of the RSV <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">NASB 1971 </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">(New American
Standard Bible) New translation based on the ASV 1901<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">NASB 1995</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (Revision of the
1971)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">NKJV 1979</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (New King James
Version) (NT only) <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">NKJV 1982 </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">(NT and OT)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">NKJV 1984</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (Revision of the
1982)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">AMP 1958</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (Amplified Version) (NT
only)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">AMP 1964</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (NT and OT)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">AMP 1987</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> updated<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">NIV 1978</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (New International
Version) (NT only) <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">NIV 1984</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (Revision of the
1978 NT and has OT)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">NLT 1996 </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Much dynamic
equivalence which leads to getting some of the translator’s thoughts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes gender neutral and thus not as
accurate to the original language – this is not to be confused with the Living
Bible, which is a paraphrase<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">ESV 2001 </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">(English Standard
Version)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">HCSB 2003</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (Holman Christian
Standard Bible) Southern Baptist translation <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">CSB 2017</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (Update of the
Holman Christian Standard Bible)<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">NET 2005 </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">(New English
Translation)</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">Some versions to
really watch out for:</span></b> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">NWT <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(New World Translation) </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">(Jehovah’s Witnesses
have many changes to adhere to their theology, e.g., Jesus is demoted to being
a “created god”, that is not really “a god” at all and but is seen as an the
angel Michael)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">KJV 1833</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (“Inspired Version” by
Mormons that change over 3,410 verses)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">JST 1978</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (Joseph Smith
Translation) (Latest title of the KJV 1833) <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">NAB 1970</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (New American Bible)
Catholic American rendition – it has the added apocrypha <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">NAB 1995</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (New American Bible)
Catholic American rendition updated – it has the added apocrypha and changed
the Ten Commandments to allow for graven images of God – in fact, with any
modern Romanist based Bible you need to look out for things like this. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">TNIV</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> (2002 NT, 2005)
Gender neutral rejects far too much Greek and Hebrew wording so we would stay
away from using it as it does change meanings in some instances<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">NIV (2011) </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Gender neutral and
hence not accurate to the original texts – now replaces older NIV translations<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Living Bible 1962 NT </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">– paraphrase version
of the NT, not based on original languages <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Living Bible 1971 NT
and OT</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">–
paraphrase version of the Bible, not based on original languages <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">Message Bible</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1993 NT 2002 NT and OT</b> – paraphrase version of the Bible, not based
on original languages<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">CEB 2009-2011 </span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt;">– liberal translation
that is often inaccurate to the Greek and Hebrew. Also includes the Apocrypha<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/TwelveStones/Bible%20Translation%20Dates.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> G. Miller, “Septuagint,” <i>A
Christian Thinktank</i>, <a href="http://www.christian-thinktank.com/alxx.html" target="_blank">http://www.christian-thinktank.com/alxx.html</a>, January 30,
1995.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/TwelveStones/Bible%20Translation%20Dates.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> For a more detailed
history of the Bible in English please see Donald Brake, A Visual History of
the English Bible (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 2008). <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/TwelveStones/Bible%20Translation%20Dates.docx#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> “Erasmus 1516,” <i>Bibliography
of Textual Criticism</i>, <a href="http://www.bible-researcher.com/bib-e.html" target="_blank">http://www.bible-researcher.com/bib-e.html</a>, accessed
December 15, 2008.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoPlainText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/TwelveStones/Bible%20Translation%20Dates.docx#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
<a href="http://www.textusreceptusbibles.com/Editions"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">http://www.textusreceptusbibles.com/Editions</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">; </span><a href="https://www.gotquestions.org/Textus-Receptus.html"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">https://www.gotquestions.org/Textus-Receptus.html</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"">.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn5" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/TwelveStones/Bible%20Translation%20Dates.docx#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> Douglas Kutilek, “Westcott
and Hort vs. Textus Receptus: Which is Superior?” May 24, 1996, reprinted at <a href="http://www.bible-researcher.com/kutilek1.html" target="_blank">http://www.bible-researcher.com/kutilek1.html</a>,
accessed December 15, 2008.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn6" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/TwelveStones/Bible%20Translation%20Dates.docx#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> J. McDowell, <i>A Ready
Defense</i> (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1993), p. 43.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn7" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/TwelveStones/Bible%20Translation%20Dates.docx#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA;">[7]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <i>New World Translation
of the Holy Scriptures (Revised)</i> (Brooklyn, NY: Watchtower Bible and Tract
Society of Pennsylvania and the International Bible Students Association,
1984), p. 5; <a href="http://www.bible-researcher.com/metzger.jw.html">http://www.bible-researcher.com/metzger.jw.html</a>
<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109261005126312685.post-56481835374995603172020-10-20T12:11:00.013-07:002020-10-20T13:48:12.632-07:00Why Do Some Believe The Fallen Angels View<p> </p><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Why Do Some People Think “Sons of God” Mean Fallen Angels?<o:p></o:p></span></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></o:p>B. Hodge, Biblical Authority Ministries, October 20, 2020</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When one looks at the phrase “sons of God” in Genesis 6, it
is the Hebrew words <i>bene ha ‘elohim</i>. <i>Bene</i> means “sons” and <i>Elohim</i> is one of the names of God that
He has revealed to us in the Old Testament Scriptures. In fact, <i>Elohim</i>
is used in Genesis 1:1. But this phrase translates as “sons of God”.</p><p class="MsoNormal">From here, people logically decided to look in the Old
Testament to see if this Hebrew phrase is used elsewhere. And it is in three
places in the book of Job: Job 1:6, 2:1, and 38:7. There has been some <a href="https://www.biblicalauthorityministries.org/2020/05/sons-of-god-in-job-38.html" target="_blank">debate among commentators</a> over the meaning of “sons of God” in Job 1 and 2 – whether they
are angels or godly men. But if one turns to Job 38:7, it says: </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">When
the morning stars sang together And all the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">sons of God</b> shouted for joy?</i> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Clearly, “sons of God” in this instance is not in reference
to godly <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">people </i>since this is
speaking in the context of creation week and specifically during the phase
where God laid the foundations of the earth (Job 38:4-7). Let’s face it, when
God created the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">foundations </i>of the
earth (be it Day 1 [creation of earth] or Day 3 [solid foundation of land] of
Creation Week), man did not exist to shout for joy!<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span></a></span></span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Commentators are almost unanimous that “sons of God” is a
metaphorical use of angels or otherwise heavenly beings in this context. And
this is consistent as angels are often spoken of as luminaries (e.g., Judges
5:20; Daniel 8:10; Jude 13; Revelation 1:20). </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Some copies of the ancient Jewish translation of the Hebrew
Scriptures into Greek about 200-250 B.C. called the Alexandrine Septuagint (or
LXX) translated Genesis 6:2 (6:3 in the LXX) to say<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>: </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">that the<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> angels</i></b> of God having
seen the daughters of men that they were beautiful, took to themselves wives of
all whom they chose. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">From this point forward, many Jews and early Christians reading
the LXX followed suit with the “sons of God” being fallen angels in this
context.<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> In
Scripture when angels materialized such as those at Sodom, they appeared as
men. These are the<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> primary</i> reasons
why people commonly say that the “sons of God” are fallen angels in Genesis 6. </p>
<h2>So why doesn’t everyone buy into the fallen angels arguments for the “sons
of God being angels<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>then?<o:p></o:p></h2>
<h3>Using poetry as the absolute to interpret literal history? </h3>
<p class="MsoNormal">First, there is the issue of interpreting literal history in
light of a poetic book. Dr. Hugh Ross and Dr. Fuz Rana (as well as their
ministry <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Reasons to Believe</i>) are
well-known for their tact at taking poetic/metaphorical passages in the Bible
as the baseline to reinterpret historical accounts.<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Mr. Tim Chaffey and Dr. Jason Lisle refute this notion in the book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Old Earth Creationism on Trial</i>, when
they say:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“It has become popular lately for old-earthers to try and use
poetic sections of the Bible to override the plain teachings of historical
sections. Since a straightforward reading of Genesis does not support their
view, some old-earth creationists hope to reinforce their position by
selectively quoting poetic passages like Psalms or Proverbs. Hugh Ross states: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-left: 1in;"><span class="ellipsis"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">. . .</span></span><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
not all the answers are in Genesis. And in particular, there’s three of them: </span><a href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/Proverbs%208" target="_blank"><i><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Proverbs 8</span></i></a><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">,
</span><a href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/Psalm%20104" target="_blank"><i><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Psalm 104</span></i></a><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">,
and </span><a href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/Job%2038%20and%2039" target="_blank"><i><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Job 38 and 39</span></i></a><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
that actually take you through each of the six creation days of </span><a href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/Genesis%201" target="_blank"><i><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Genesis 1</span></i></a><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">.
And when you do that (integrate those four in particular) you discover that
it’s not possible to take that word “yom” in any context other than a long
period of time. (“Heart and Soul” BBC radio broadcast. (Hugh Ross is
interviewed by Eugenie Scott.) Accessed March 30, 2007. 19:46–20:12. <</span><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p002vsn4" target="_blank"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/heart_and_soul.shtml</span></a><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">>.
Accessed 3/30/2007.) <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But, when read in context, there is nothing in these poetic
sections of Scripture that would contradict a straightforward reading of
Genesis: that God did indeed create in six literal days. After all, the same
God that inspired Genesis also inspired these sections of the Bible. But since
poetic books, like the Psalms, Proverbs, and Job, contain figures of speech,
metaphors, and other non-literal imagery, many people feel a greater liberty to
interpret these passages as they wish, rather than according to the standard
rules of biblical interpretation. Some old-earth creationists have even
mislabeled poetic passages as “accounts of creation,” presumably in an attempt
to revise the biblical history by pulling certain poetic sections out of
context. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In one of his more recent books, Hugh Ross lists 21 “major
creation accounts in the Bible.” (Hugh Ross, <i>A Matter of Days</i> (Colorado
Springs, CO: NavPress, 2004), p. 66.) Many of the passages are from poetic
sections of the Bible; four of the listed passages are from the Psalms, two are
from Job. (For that matter, many of the narrative passages Ross cites do not
pertain to the initial creation at all, such as <cite><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Genesis 6–9</span></cite>; these
verses describe the Flood.) Proverbs and Ecclesiastes are also included.
Sections of the Bible such as the Psalms are not “accounts” at all, but rather
poetic songs of praise to God. They are just as inspired and true as the rest
of God’s Word; however, they require knowledge of the historic narrative
sections of the Bible in order to fully understand and properly interpret the
poetic language. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">One of the most important rules of hermeneutics is that the
unclear should be interpreted in light of the clear; therefore, poetic sections
using symbolism and literary imagery should be interpreted in light of the more
straightforward historical narratives. This is not to say that poetic sections
never shed light on narratives; they can. But they should never be used to
override the clear teaching of historical narratives.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Essentially, there exists a problem of taking interpretive
poetic and metaphorical passages as the absolute literal standard and
reinterpreting historical narratives. This problem persists in the instance of
taking Job 38, which has a clearly allegorical/metaphorical nature and
reinterpreting Genesis 6, a historical narrative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such a fallacious methodology should be
questioned. We should be able to get our understanding of Job 38 due to
historical accounts and not vice versa. Let’s view the context of Job 38: </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">4
"Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you
have understanding.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">5<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who determined its measurements? Surely you
know! Or who stretched the line upon it?<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">6<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To what were its foundations fastened? Or who
laid its cornerstone,<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">7<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the morning stars sang together, And all
the sons of God shouted for joy?<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">8<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Or who shut in the sea with doors, When
it burst forth and issued from the womb;<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">9<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I made the clouds its garment, And thick
darkness its swaddling band;<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">10<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I fixed My limit for it, And set bars
and doors;<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">11<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I said, ‘This far you may come, but no
farther, And here your proud waves must stop!’</i> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It should be notable that there is immense imagery here as
God is speaking to Job. This is not a historical narrative. Job 38:7 appears to
be in reference to some form of heavenly host, singing during creation week
being called “morning stars” or as “sons of God” shouting for joy. That is if
this interpretation is correct, which seems proper. Even so, by the power of
God even stones can cry out (Luke 19:40), bones can speak (Ezekiel 37:1-11),
donkeys can talk (Numbers 22:21-33), and so on! For all we know, the stars
really did sing! This is something to ponder, although I do think contextually
this is angelic host in this instance. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But the point at hand is, should Job 38 be interpreted in
light of Genesis or Genesis in light of Job 38? In other words, should historic
narrative supersede poetic, metaphorical, imagery or vice versa? Do you realize
that Satan tried using this methodology when tempting Christ: using poetic
passages to supersede historical narrative accounts?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Christ pointed out this error. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Consider the historical situation between Satan and Christ
in Matthew 4. Christ was fasting and hungry. When Satan tried tempting Him,
Jesus appealed to an historical book of the Bible (Deuteronomy 8:3) that was in
the context of hunger regarding the Israelites and the manna God provided for
them. As a response, Satan quoted from a Psalm (91:11-12) to refute Christ’s use
of Deuteronomy. Christ then used a passage that teaches the correct theology
about His current situation that is built on another historical account (again
referring to history in Deuteronomy 6:16). </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Essentially, Satan tried to counter Christ by trying to
reinterpret the situation by taking a Psalm that was metaphorical in nature to
supersede the straightforward interpretation that Christ used which was not of
metaphorical nature but historical narrative. Of course, Christ saw through
this and re-quoted from Deuteronomy again (historical narrative passage). </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We need to have extra care when someone uses a
song/allegory/metaphor/ etc. to reinterpret historical narratives, because that
is exactly what Satan did to confuse the situation. Do Psalms and Job have
their place? Absolutely; but it should not be as a means of taking metaphors as
the absolute over literal historical narratives. Rather, it would be better to
have looked to other historical narratives in Scripture first so that you can
better reason from the clear to the unclear passages. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But should this <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">interpretation
</i>based on Job 38:7 be used to override historical narratives as to their
meaning in Genesis 6 with the “sons of God”? Therein lies the problem. It would
be better to interpret historical narratives with common uses in other
historical narratives (like what Jesus did) and not forget about the New
Testament where God gives His sufficient and complete Word. </p>
<h3>Should “sons of God” in Job 38 which seems to be talking of holy, unfallen,
angels, be used to interpret Genesis 6:2 as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fallen</i>
angels? </h3>
<p class="MsoNormal">If this is talking of angelic or heavenly beings, then it is
obviously prior to sin which would have occurred <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">after </i>Day 6 of creation because God declared all things “very good”
at the end of creation week (Genesis 1:31)—and sin is not very good! Deuteronomy
32:4 confirms that God’s<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>creation during
Creation Week was indeed perfect since every work of God is perfect. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So “sons of God” in Job 38:7 is used of holy angels or holy
heavenly host at best in this context. But anytime we interpret something in a
psalm or metaphor, we need to be cautious because this is after all, how <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">WE</i>, as fallible, sinful, human beings
perceive it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Furthermore, there is a big theological problem here if we
go ahead and grant that “sons of God” are angels in this instance. Job 38:7 is
referring to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">godly </i>angels, so there
is a big jump to say that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ungodly </i>angels
are<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>also called “sons of God”. Is
Satan, for instance, rightly called the “son of God”? May it never be! Such a
godly title should not be the inheritance of the ungodly who have forfeited
their right to the title. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Do we call ungodly people godly titles like “sons of God” or
“children of God”? If such a title is transferable upon high treason from God
(as fallen angels and Satan have done), then every man [who has sinned and not
repented] should also retain that godly title; for we were<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> in</i> Adam (Hebrews 7:9-10) when He sinned and he was originally called
the “son of God” upon his creation (Luke 3:38). </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Biblically, are unbelievers counted among the “sons of God”?
Not according to the New Testament (e.g., 1 John 3:8-10)! Neither were the
scribes and Pharisees in John 8:44 where their title had become sons of their
“father the devil”. There is a sharp contrast between ungodly people who are
termed “sons of this world/age”, “sons of disobedience”, or “sons of the wicked
one” vs. those godly people who are “sons of light”, “sons of the kingdom”,
“sons of the resurrection”, and of course, “sons of God” (e.g., Matthew 13:38, Luke
16:8<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>,
Luke 20:34-36, John 12:36, Ephesians 5:6, Colossians 3:6, 1 Thessalonians 5:5).
There is also a sharp contrast between those born of God and sinners who are
dubbed the “children of the devil” (1 John 3:8-10). </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Furthermore, if one is going to interpret Genesis with Job’s
poetry, they should say that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">godly</i>
angels were marrying women. Of course, such a thing is impossible among the
godly and obedient angels according to Jesus (Matthew 22:30). </p>
<h3>Poor translation of LXX in Genesis </h3>
<p class="MsoNormal">Another problem presents itself. It is a common
misconception that the Alexandrine LXX translated “sons of God” as angels. This
is a common argument presented by fallen angel adherents. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">However, if you look closely, the LXX translates “sons” [Hebrew
word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ben</i>] as “angels”—not “sons of
God” as angels. This is a serious mistake by modern commentators. Consider if
the translator kept this hermeneutic throughout the rest of Genesis. Noah would
have begot three angels (e.g., sons) in Genesis 6:10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Adam would have begotten angels (Genesis 5:4). </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The LXX not only made this error, but the surrounding
context failed to accurately translate the ages of the patriarchs in Genesis 5
immediately prior to Genesis 6:1-4. If you tally these inflated ages up in the
LXX, then Methuselah, Noah’s grandfather, would have been living over a decade
after the Flood without being on the Ark! </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In some cases, the LXX translator(s) for Genesis had also
bought into the common Greek philosophies of the day. Consider, the translation
of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">raqiya</i> in Genesis 1:6, 7, 8, 14,
15, 17, and 20. The LXX translates it as στερεωμα or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">stereoma </i>in Greek. And from this, we get the word “firmament” in
some English translations. This was derived from the Latin Vulgate which used <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">firmamentum</i> which itself is a
translation of the LXX’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">stereoma</i>. Essentially,
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">stereoma,</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">firmamentum</i>, or firmament means something solid or firm but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">raqiya</i> is something more akin to being
stretched or an expanse. The NASB translates it as expanse (see below): </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Genesis
1:6 Then God said, "Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters,
and let it separate the waters from the waters."<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Genesis
1:7<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God made the expanse, and separated
the waters which were below the expanse from the waters which were above the
expanse; and it was so.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Genesis
1:8<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God called the expanse heaven. And
there was evening and there was morning, a second day.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Genesis
1:14 Then God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to
separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and
for days and years;<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Genesis
1:15<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and let them be for lights in the
expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth"; and it was so.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Genesis
1:17<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God placed them in the expanse of
the heavens to give light on the earth,</i> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Many other translations, going back to Hebrew in the Old
Testament, follow suit and translate <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">raqiya</i>
as expanse (e.g., ESV, NET, YLT, etc.) So why did the LXX translators use <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">stereoma</i> meaning something solid? </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Here is why. The common Greek philosophy of the day was that
the heavens were basically solid and the stars were largely stationary in it.
The sky was viewed by the Greeks and those they influenced as a predominantly
solid/firm fixture above the earth. Certain objects could move through this
solid sky but they did it slowly, which is why it was seen as a solid dome—or
more properly a series of hard spheres.<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
The Jewish translators <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bought into the
Greek philosophies of the day</i> and used that to reinterpret Genesis, or more
properly to “retranslate” it to another meaning instead of expanse. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Why is this important? Keep in mind <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">other </i>views that the Greeks held to. They believed in “demi-gods”
which were the children of their pagan gods who came down from heavenly places
and married or had offspring by mortal women. Sound familiar? Having a Jewish
translator use “angels” instead of demi-gods, shows how the Jews of the day
were influenced by the their Greek conquerors. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Historically this is nothing new. Throughout the Old
Testament, the Israelite nation was known to walk away from God’s plain Word
and be influenced by the pagans around them. How often did they engage in Baal
worship, sacrifice to Molech, set up high places to foreign and pagan “gods”
After Moses presented the Law and the Israelites entered the Promised Land,
they began deviating from God and serving false gods, idols, and following
false beliefs. Even Solomon’s wisdom couldn’t keep him from sacrificing to
pagan gods as he was led astray (1 Kings 11:7-8, Nehemiah 13:26). </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When they crucified Christ, the Jews in unison rejected God
as their king and said they had no king but Caesar—placing a pagan Emperor
Tiberius above the Creator! Even the modern Jewish calendar today is influenced
by Babylonian paganism from the days of Captivity (e.g. Tammuz, a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mesopotamian god, for instance, is one month
on the Jewish Calendar). Much of the Old Testament is calling Israelites and
their leaders out for such deviant sin to return to God and His Word. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We need to realize that the Jewish translator of the LXX was
influenced by the Greek religion of the day. But like any translation, the LXX
needs to be judged by original language texts. Clearly, the LXX cannot be
trusted as the absolute standard on this issue of translation of “sons” as
“angels” of God in Genesis 6 but should itself be subjected to Hebrew texts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The use of “sons of God” by the Jews in their literature elsewhere
shows this title being used of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">people</i>—not
exclusively of angels. The apocryphal literature, though not Scripture and
written in Greek near in time to the LXX, does provide a valuable understanding
of events from ~400 B.C. to the birth of Christ. This Jewish literature
mentions the “sons of God” in Wisdom 18:13 as humans. So a Jewish understanding
of “sons of God” is by no means limited to Job 38’s interpretive meaning of
angels and the LXX’s use of angels for “sons” in Genesis 6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
The foundations of the earth are either discussing the day the earth was
created (Day 1) or potentially the day God made dry land. In either case, man
was not around yet. <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
The Vaticanus text of the LXX that Brenton primarily used still translated this
phrase as “sons of God”.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Greek was the common trade language in that time due to Alexander the Great,
the Greek Macedonian, who conquered most of these lands years before. Josephus,
for example a Jewish historian near the time of Christ also appealed to this
viewpoint as he used the LXX quite often.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> If
you would like to see this from their own words please watch their
presentations on reinterpreting Genesis at the Fullerton debate, entitled: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Question of Age: Conference on Creation,
the Bible and Science</i>. <a href="http://www.answersingenesis.org/PublicStore/product/A-Question-of-Age-Conference-on-Creation-the-Bible-and-Science,5633,229.aspx">http://www.answersingenesis.org/PublicStore/product/A-Question-of-Age-Conference-on-Creation-the-Bible-and-Science,5633,229.aspx</a>
<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn5" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> Luke
16:8<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"So the master commended the
unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are
more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light. (NAS)<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn6" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> R.
Younker and R. Davidson, The Myth Of The Solid Heavenly Dome: Another Look At
The Hebrew Raqia, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Andrews University<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seminary Studies</i>, No. 1, pp. 125-147,
2011, <a href="https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3130&=&context=auss&=&sei-redir=1&referer=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.bing.com%252Fsearch%253Fq%253Dgreek%252Bview%252Bof%252Bheavens%252Bsolid%252Bdome%2526form%253DEDGEAR%2526qs%253DPF%2526cvid%253Dfc2c628b7a5a4fbab2716588a25a2132%2526cc%253DUS%2526setlang%253Den-US%2526plvar%253D0%2526PC%253DHCTS#search=%22greek%20view%20heavens%20solid%20dome%22">https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3130&=&context=auss&=&sei-redir=1&referer=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.bing.com%252Fsearch%253Fq%253Dgreek%252Bview%252Bof%252Bheavens%252Bsolid%252Bdome%2526form%253DEDGEAR%2526qs%253DPF%2526cvid%253Dfc2c628b7a5a4fbab2716588a25a2132%2526cc%253DUS%2526setlang%253Den-US%2526plvar%253D0%2526PC%253DHCTS#search=%22greek%20view%20heavens%20solid%20dome%22</a>.
<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109261005126312685.post-33140589331808435762020-10-14T10:10:00.002-07:002022-05-11T09:52:58.793-07:00Nephilim Major Views<p> </p><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">What are the major views and why? </span><o:p></o:p></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p> B. Hodge, Biblical Authority Ministries, October 14, 2014</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There
is a popular unbiblical view that the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nephilim</i>
are space aliens [as a result of trying to mix Christianity with secular
religions]. Of course, most Christians rightly reject this syncretistic view for
multiple reasons, but that is not for this discussion.<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The actual identity of the nephilim ultimately hinges on the
identity of the “sons of God”: for they are the fathers of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nephilim</i>. The debate stems over the
meaning of the “sons of God” and their ultimate origin. There are two camps on
this foundational point within this debate. They are: </p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->The “sons of God” are fallen angels.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->The “sons of God” are human (godly men).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">From these two differences, we arrive at several different
viewpoints. You can probably already imagine some of the outworking views of
who the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nephilim</i> were just by
understanding these two premises!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From
an “aerial view” of this debate the various positions emerge as: </p>
<h2>Fallen Angels Views </h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span class="Heading3Char">1. Fallen
angels view:</span> Fallen angels married and bred with women (daughters of
men) whether by force or by choice and the resultant offspring were giant mixed
race beings (half angelic and half human) who were mighty, wicked, and made a
name for themselves (“men of renown”).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">2. [<span class="Heading3Char">Fallen]
Angelic possession view:</span> Fallen angels inhabited men (e.g., like demonic
possession) and these men married women (daughters of men) and the children were
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nephilim </i>[giants or possibly just
human who were mighty, wicked, and made a name for themselves (“men of renown”)].
<o:p></o:p></p>
<h2>Fallen Men Views </h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">1. <span class="Heading3Char">Generic
fallen men:</span> Godly men married ungodly women (daughters of men) and
had<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ungodly, fallen children (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nephilim</i>) who were mighty, wicked, and
made a name for themselves (“men of renown”).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>2. <span class="Heading3Char">Sethite</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1in;">a. <span class="Heading4Char">Generic
Sethite:</span> Godly men (“sons of God”) were specifically of the Sethite
lineage (such as Adam who was the son of God per Luke 3:38 through Seth (who
called upon the name of the Lord per Genesis 4:26) to Noah down the Genesis 5 lineage)
and they married ungodly women (daughters of men) and had ungodly, fallen
children (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nephilim</i>) who were mighty,
wicked, and made a name for themselves (men of renown).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1in;">b. <span class="Heading4Char">Royalty</span><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><b><i><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-themecolor: accent1;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-themecolor: accent1;">[2]</span></b></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></i></b></span></a><span class="Heading4Char">:</span> “Sons of God” were a royal line (e.g., kings,
rulers, or heads of leading family groups) both pre-Flood and post-Flood that
included Sethite “kingly” line in the pre-Flood world (Adam to Noah) and they
married women who were ungodly and had children by them (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nephilim</i>) who were mighty, wicked, and made a name for themselves (“men
of renown”).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">3. <span class="Heading3Char">Cainite
</span>(This rare view is not popular at all—I’ve never met anyone who has actually
held it): The “sons of God” were supposedly of Cain’s lineage prior to the
Flood and they were the ones who married ungodly women and had fallen children
by them who were mighty, wicked, and made a name for themselves (“men of
renown”).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As you can see, there are a multitude of viewpoints on this.
Historically, the two most popular views are the Sethite and the fallen angel
viewpoints.<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though, fallen man, angelic possession, and
royalty also shared some success as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When it comes to ancient sources and commentators as far
back as 2,000 years ago, many did not use these terms or go into great detail; but
we try to decipher what their view was based on a handful of comments. So in
some ancient commentators there may be cases where one may be appealing to a Sethite,
fallen man, or royalty view and we can’t be certain and likewise some ancients may
be referring to fallen angels view, or angelic possession view.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Also, there may be some other very minor viewpoints and
variants floating about but these constitute the majority. And so these will be
the focus of discussion.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
For more on this please see: The New Answers Book 1, Ken Ham, Gen. Ed., chapter
by Dr. Jason Lisle: Are ETs & UFOs real?, Master Books, Green Forest, AK,
2006. <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Some may pull this out as distinct from the Sethite view, and I have no problem
with that. But since it follows with Sethite kings prior to the Flood (and
potential some others) and also, by default all kings post-Flood are Sethite,
as a categorical viewpoint, it would be safe to give this as a Sethite variant.
<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> It
depends on who is speaking but some think the fallen angels view is the most
popular today and other say they Sethite is the most popular. I’ve found that
it depends on which theological group one is speaking to. Many within the
dispensational framework hold to the fallen angels view, but not all of course.
Then regarding reformed, Lutheran, and covenant theology circles, most hold to
the Sethite view which was the view of most reformers. <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109261005126312685.post-18372533446814481062020-10-02T08:35:00.003-07:002020-11-03T07:25:12.918-08:00Nephilim An Introduction<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>What about the "Nephilim" and the “sons of God” in Genesis 6? <o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>An Introduction</b></span><span style="font-size: xx-large;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">B. Hodge, Biblical Authority Ministries, October 2, 2020</p>
<h1>Introduction<o:p></o:p></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am one of the “sons of God”.<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Just the mere mention of “<i>nephilim</i>” or the “sons of God” is likely to conjure up
hard-to-believe notions of strange and wacky beliefs. If you are reading this
looking for support for the idea of 10-to-20 foot giants and half-demonic
beings fighting Jesus and His resurrected saints back to Jerusalem, this isn’t
for you.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Instead, this is designed to reasonably look at this subject
from a balanced and biblical viewpoint and avoid some of the crazy speculations
and far-fetched beliefs that many <i>nephilim</i>
commentators have done. In fact, many of those arbitrary conjectures are going
to be refuted in this series.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Far too often, I read reused arguments that have long since
been refuted but the refutation was ignored. Scripture is often twisted to make
strange interpretations in an effort to convince readers of a particular
position. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It’s time for an honest and diligent assessment of the <i>nephilim</i> and the “sons of God” in
Genesis 6 from someone who has changed their position on the subject as a
result of biblical study. I used to hold to the position where fallen angels
married and bred with women to get half angelic and half human beings. But no
longer—and I’m up front about that. But because I used to hold to that
position, I want to be honest with its teachings (which tend to vary depending to whom you are talking) while at the same time respectfully showing its flaws.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The previous position I held was based on the teachings of
Dr. Henry Morris, the founder of <i>The
Institute for Creation Research</i> (ICR). He was a godly man to whom great
respect is deserved. Though disagreeing on biblical grounds on this subject, much
of Dr. Morris’ groundbreaking work on creation is highly recommended. He is
still seen as a hero of the faith in my eyes.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But let’s (you and me—author and reader) dive into this discussion
together—not as a heated debate but as brothers and sisters in the Lord wanting
to grow and understand this “hot-button” issue at a much more profound level. I’m
writing this to Christians who have a basic understanding of Christianity but want
to sincerely understand what is going on with the “sons of God” and <i>nephilim</i>
debate. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<h1>Where to begin?<o:p></o:p></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal">Reading through Genesis chapter 6, we learn about the “sons
of God” and the <i>nephilim </i>(transliterated
from the Hebrew; translated as “giants” in some translations). The greater
context begins in Genesis 4:1-24 where we learn the genealogy and events from
Adam to Naamah. Then the text shifts in Genesis 4:25 to reveal the genealogy
from Adam to Noah and his three sons which ends in Genesis 5:32. In both lineages
we seen where men were multiplying on the earth. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>Immediately following these lineages, we get to the
pertinent text in Genesis 6:1-4</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">Now it came about, when men began
to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, that the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">sons of God</b> saw that the daughters of
men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they
chose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then the LORD said, "My
Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh;
nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years." The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Nephilim</b> were on the earth in those
days, and also afterward, when the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">sons
of God</b> came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them.
Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. (Genesis 6:1-4, NAS)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>The other relevant passage is in the book of Numbers which takes place long after the Flood.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">Then Caleb quieted the people
before Moses and said, “We should by all means go up and take possession of it,
for we will surely overcome it.” But the men who had gone up with him said, “We
are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us.” So
they gave out to the sons of Israel a bad report of the land which they had
spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone, in spying it out, is a
land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in it are men
of great size. There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the
Nephilim); and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in
their sight.” (Numbers 13:30-33, NAS)</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If someone ask who these “sons of God” were or who the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nephilim</i> were, they are liable to get a
host of different answers and perhaps even be drawn into a debate on the
subject just by asking the question! This happened to me countless times when
researching the topic. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Furthermore, we read about “sons of God” in several places
later in Scripture. This is not to be confused with the only begotten Son of
God, Jesus Christ, who is the Creator (John 1, Colossians 1, and Hebrews 1) of
all things. We also find the <i>nephilim</i>
mentioned once again by Moses in Number 13. Though, <i>nephilim</i> is spelt slightly different
in Hebrew in this instance. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>The <i>nephilim</i>
debate is rather heated in some circles and merely simmering in others. It is
like a bomb and it is ready to explode, if someone even “breathes” on the fuse!
And there is a reason…Christians are not in agreement as to who the “sons of God”
and the <i>nephilim </i>were. It is one of
those topics that encompass controversy in both Genesis and Revelation (the <i>nephilim</i> are utilized in some
eschatological models).</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And just to note, people have been debating this for 2,000
years!<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span></span></a> Entire
theologies are built around their alleged identity, as well as novels, and even
some specific <i>end times</i> models have
major points that hinge on it.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So their identity is indeed important and so the debate
rages and as mentioned, I have even changed my position from my original
leanings (fallen angels views) to now lean toward another position (fallen men
views) for reasons that will be discussed in this series. If one disagrees with
the conclusions, we can remain brothers and sisters in the Lord regardless of
our stance on this debate.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What I hope to do is teach what the positions are within the
debate and what many of the debate points really boil down to from a <i>biblical authority</i> perspective. Some positions
are rather untenable and my hope is that these refutations are used when evaluating what you believe
regarding the subject. </p>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Per John 1:12, Romans, 8:14-16, Galatians 3:26<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/Books/Nephillim/What%20about%20the%20nephilim%20and%20the%20sons%20of%20God%20in%20Genesis%206.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Due to the volume of authors, theologians, commentaries, etc. that have written
about the sons of God and the Nephilim, I’ve opted to not reference each
argument and counterargument in detail, or I would have had more references
than text. In an effort to keep this an easily readable document, I will merely
be focusing on the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">arguments</i> as the basis for this discussion. A few references are given that are required though.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109261005126312685.post-44741136086579962372020-08-26T09:06:00.008-07:002020-08-27T10:20:52.669-07:00Tithe<p> </p><p class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">How Much Should Christians Give…A Tithe?</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: center;">B. Hodge, Biblical
Authority Ministries, August 26, 2020<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">In many Christian churches, they request a tithe—a
certain percentage of their earning “given back to the Lord”. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tithe</i> literally means “one-tenth<span style="font-family: inherit;">”. </span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;">A tithe is therefore 10%. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">In the Old Testament, a tithe is often mentioned and is
the Hebrew word <span style="font-family: OLBHEB;">מעשׂר</span> or transliterated as<span style="font-family: OLBHEB;"> </span><i>ma‘aser</i>. Recall that Christ lived under the Old Covenant
and fulfilled it. So references to tithing before Christ’s death, burial, and
resurrection on the cross would have been under the <i>Old Covenant</i>. Tithing was directly commanded to the Israelites in
the previous covenant to be paid to the Levites as their inheritance (more on
this in a moment), but interestingly it goes back well before Moses. </p>
<h1>Giving before Moses<o:p></o:p></h1>
<p class="MsoPlainText">In searching for tithe/tithing/tithes, there were no
commands for it in the New Testament. Though there are a couple of references
to it in Hebrews 7 looking back to the Old Testament account where Abraham gave
10%, a tithe, to Melchizedek, the priest-king of Salem. </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">This is the first recorded instance of a tithe in the
Bible when Abraham gave Melchizedek (the priest of God) a tenth of his plunder
in Genesis 14:18-20 (see more in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Heb+7%3A1-12&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Hebrews 7:1-12</a>): </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">Then Melchizedek king of Salem
brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And he blessed him and said: "Blessed be
Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most
High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand." And he gave him a
tithe of all. (Genesis 14:18-20, NKJV) </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">The next instance is Jacob’s vow to give a tenth to God
in Genesis 28:22: </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">Then Jacob made a vow, saying,
"If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give
me bread to eat and clothing to put on, "so that I come back to my
father’s house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God. "And this stone
which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me
I will surely give a tenth to You." (Genesis 28:20-22, NKJV) </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Perhaps these are a reflection extending as far back as the
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">amount </i>given by Abel from his flocks
(fat portions in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=gen+4%3A4&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Genesis 4:4</a>) and Cain’s (first fruits in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=gen+4%3A3&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Genesis 4:3</a>). However,
we cannot be sure of the amounts given prior to Abraham nor was there a command
revealed to us by God to give a tenth. Abraham and Jacob set their own amount
to give, as it wasn’t commanded by God. So I would not be dogmatic about pre-Abrahamic
amounts, but it is something to think about. </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Another tidbit that escapes many expositors is that
Pharaoh received a double tithe (1/5<sup>th</sup>) from the Egyptians’ increase
when they sold themselves into slavery. After they had sold their land to
Pharaoh, this was the purchase price for slave labor in Egypt that Joseph
imposed (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=gen+47%3A19-24&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Genesis 47:19-24</a>). Nevertheless, to understand tithing further though,
we need to dive into the Law of Moses. </p>
<h1>Tithing with Moses and the Law </h1><p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">‘And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of
the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’S. It is holy to the LORD. ‘If a man wants
at all to redeem any of his tithes, he shall add one-fifth to it. ‘And
concerning the tithe of the herd or the flock, of whatever passes under the
rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the LORD. (Leviticus 27:30-32, NKJV)</span><i> </i></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span><span style="font-family: inherit;">After Moses gave the law to the
Israelites, there were tithes of the land (seed and fruit) per Leviticus 27:30.
There were tithes of livestock per Leviticus 27:32.</span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="color: black;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Tithing.doc#_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face="" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span></a></span></span></span> </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">This is the beginning of the Bible’s references to
tithing as a command to the Israeli<span style="font-family: inherit;">tes<span> under the Law.</span></span>
Under the Mosaic Covenant, the Israelites were commanded to give 10% of what
they earned to the Lord. One of the reasons for this tithe was for the
Levites income, who were the priests. The Levites, who had no land allotted to
them. Instead, they worked for the Lord performing sacrifices and doctoral
duties and so on. God had set them apart to work in the Tent of Meeting, Tabernacle,
and later the Temple. </p><p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">The LORD had said to Moses: "You must not count the tribe of Levi
or include them in the census of the other Israelites. Instead, appoint the
Levites to be in charge of the tabernacle of the Testimony—over all its
furnishings and everything belonging to it. They are to carry the tabernacle
and all its furnishings; they are to take care of it and encamp round it.(</span>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Numbers 1:48-50, NKJV)</span> </p><p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">When Israelites were giving to God, they were also
providing for the Levites and the upkeep of the Tabernacle and later the Temple,
Synagogues, and so on. </p><p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">"I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their
inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the Tent of
Meeting. From now on the Israelites must not go near the Tent of Meeting, or
they will bear the consequences of their sin and will die. It is the Levites
who are to do the work at the Tent of Meeting and bear the responsibility for
offenses against it. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come.
They will receive no inheritance among the Israelites. Instead, I give to the
Levites as their inheritance the tithes that the Israelites present as an
offering to the LORD. That is why I said concerning them: ‘They will have no
inheritance among the Israelites.’" The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to
the Levites and say to them: ‘When you receive from the Israelites the tithe I
give you as your inheritance, you must present a tenth of that tithe as the
LORD’s offering. (Numbers 18:21-26, NKJV)</span><i> </i></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">This tithe was to be for the Levites for their
“inheritance” because they didn’t inherit land as the other Israelite tribes. Even
so, the Levites were to still give 10% of their earning as a gift to God. </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">In Malachi, the Israelites were not tithing as they were
commanded. At this point, the Levites weren’t getting any sort of proper “income”,
so in a way they were robbing those who worked in God’s house, and that was the
same as robbing God. </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">"Will a man rob God? Yet
you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes
and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this
whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food
in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I
will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it.(Malachi 3:8-10, NKJV)<span style="color: blue;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">God blesses those who give. Of course, Leviticus 26
speaks of blessings and curses if the Israelites didn’t obey God (this would
include tithing), which they weren’t doing in Malachi. This is why God was
cursing the Israelites for their disobedience.<span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">You are cursed with a curse, For
you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation.(Malachi 3:9, NKJV) </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">When Jesus spoke of tithing (e.g. <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt+23%3A23&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Matthew 23:23</a>, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=lk+11%3A42&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Luke 11:42</a>, etc.) we need to keep in mind that Jesus was living during the Old
Covenant. The Temple was in place, the Levite priests and their families needed
to be paid for their religious duties. <o:p></o:p></p>
<h1>How to view law changes<o:p></o:p></h1>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Christians are now under the New Covenant in Jesus Christ
as He fulfilled the Old. </p><p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is
the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. (Luke 22:20, NKJV) </span> </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">In that He says, "A new covenant," He has made the first
obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish
away.(</span> <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Hebrews 8:13, NKJV)</span> </p><p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Because of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, we are
under a New Covenant (not to mention we don’t have to provide for Levites because
they no longer have the Temple in which to work and the sacrificial duties are
no more as Christ died once for all. In fact, the body is now the new Temple of
the Holy Spirit <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>per 1 Corinthians 6:19.The
point is that things changed. </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">Or do you not know that your
body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God,
and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God
in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">This is where you need to understand some theology to
understand these changes. For example, the way Christians look at various Old
Testament laws is primarily based on one of two theologies. They are either
dispensational or covenantal (sometimes people try to mix these two to get
hosts of variations). These views have similarities and differences. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">As a note of history, most Christians historically have
been covenant theology. However in the mid-1800s, a new idea emerged called
dispensationalism in the Plymouth Brethren<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>denomination in the United Sates. Since then, it has spread to several
other notable denominations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Both covenant theology and dispensationalism agree that when
a new covenant came about, rules changed.<a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Tithing.doc#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face="" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> Some
of these covenants are the original Adamic (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hosea+6%3A7&version=NASB" target="_blank">Hosea 6:7</a>), Noahic (e.g., <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gen+9%3A9&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Genesis 9:9</a>), Mosaic (e.g., <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+24%3A8&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Exodus 24:8</a>), and now the new one in Christ’s blood (e.g.,
<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=lk+22%3A20&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Luke 22:20</a>). </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">For example, from the Adamic, man was vegetarian (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=gen+1%3A29-30&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Genesis 1:29-30</a>).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When there was a new covenant
with Noah, man was allowed to eat clean and unclean meat (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=gen+9%3A3&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Genesis 9:3</a>). With Moses
and the covenant with the Israelites, it was even more strict limiting them to
eat only meat that was clean (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=lev+11%3A47&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Leviticus 11:47</a>, etc.).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the new covenant with Christ’s blood, this
was again changed (Romans 14:1-4) as Christ, showing His godly power, made all
foods clean (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mk+7%3A19&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Mark 7:19</a>, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts+11%3A6-9&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Acts 11:6-9</a>, etc.). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">And in heaven, we will be vegetarian again to complete
the cycle (there will be no death in heaven [Revelation 21:4], so no meat will
be available).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Food permitted to be eaten<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; margin-left: 41.4pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-insideh: .5pt solid windowtext; mso-border-insidev: .5pt solid windowtext; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 480;">
<tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="border: 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 2.25in;" valign="top" width="216">
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">Edenic<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border: 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 239.4pt;" valign="top" width="319">
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">Vegetarian<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="border: 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 2.25in;" valign="top" width="216">
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">Noahic<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 239.4pt;" valign="top" width="319">
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">Vegetarian foods, clean and
unclean meats<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="border: 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 2.25in;" valign="top" width="216">
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">Mosaic<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 239.4pt;" valign="top" width="319">
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">Vegetarian foods, clean meats<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="border: 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 2.25in;" valign="top" width="216">
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">New Covenant in Christ<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 239.4pt;" valign="top" width="319">
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">Vegetarian foods, expanded
listing of clean meats<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="border: 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 2.25in;" valign="top" width="216">
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">Heaven<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 239.4pt;" valign="top" width="319">
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">Vegetarian<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p class="MsoPlainText">So God’s rules <i>to
man</i> can change at various covenants (but God’s character has never changed).
With regards to various other laws, there are also some changes but it may not
be as “cut and dried” as the example<span style="font-family: inherit;"> above. These two views differ in the way
they look <i>how</i> the laws change. In
essence, they say: </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Covenant
theology:</b>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">rules apply unless done away with or
modified in the next covenant by God.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In other words, each of the covenants is seen as part of a greater
covenant that now has modifications.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><o:p> </o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dispensational
theology:</b>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">previous rules don’t apply in a new
covenant unless reiterated in the next covenant. </i>In other words, new
dispensations do away with previous rules in previous covenants and new rules
need to be stated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Both
of these affect the way that Old Testament laws are viewed. Both sides agree on
most laws (where they don’t is where it gets interesting –bestiality, tattoos,
etc.), because so much was reiterated in the New Testament that both sides
agree for the most part. But some things went away – obviously the sacrificial
stuff, which Christ fulfilled. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Since
the duties of the Levite priests have been fulfilled and no longer necessary,
by both dispensationalism and covenant theology. So let’s look at tithing from
these perspectives.<b><o:p> </o:p></b></span><b> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><h1>New Testament Giving</h1>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Under the new covenant (New Testament), we find no direct
passages insisting on a tithe to the Levites or the church. So from a
dispensational perspective, tithing should be extinct, when Old Testament law
came to an end with the new covenant in Christ’s blood per dispensationalism. Even
Levites, who were Israelites, are now the same as gentiles (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=gal+3%3A28-29&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Galatians 3:28-29</a>). </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">For the covenant theologian, it gets interesting—because
God never said to stop tithing in the New Testament although the New Testament
makes it clear, the Temple, sacrifice, and associated Levitical duties to be
done away with. So did tithing, which is connected to those duties, end as
well? God discusses giving and gave rules concerning it so indeed there has
been changes. </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Both dispensationalists and covenant theologians should completely
agree on this part by the way. God discusses how He loves a cheerful
giver. Furthermore, we, as Christians, should set aside a certain amount
according to our income <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">as purposed in our
heart</i>. This is found in 2 Corinthians: </p><p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he
who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he
purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful
giver. (2 Corinthians 9:6-7, NKJV)</span><i><span style="color: blue;"> </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">This was in the
context of setting aside funds for the ministering saints, such as Paul when he
arrives (2 Corinthians 9). Paul also directs the church in Corinth to set aside
a sum of money each week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span> </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Now concerning the collection for the saints,
as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the
first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he
may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. And when I come,
whomever you approve by your letters I will send to bear your gift to
Jerusalem. (1 Corinthians 16:1-3, NKJV)</span><span style="color: blue;"> </span></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">This was directed specifically for the New Testament church
at various places such as <st1:country-region w:st="on">Galatia</st1:country-region>,
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Corinth</st1:city></st1:place>, etc.,
it is a principle that can be applied today, concerning giving within the
church. However, we can’t neglect that this gift was ultimately given to another
church for their use. Building on this, consider to whom giving is now
directed? </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">If we have sown spiritual things
for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things? If others are
partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless we have
not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ.
Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of
the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the
altar? Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should
live from the gospel. (1 Corinthians 9:11-14, NKJV) </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Those who preach the Gospel are to reap their living from
the Gospel as well—in a manner similar to the way the ministering Levites did. So
there has been a change from the ministering Levites to those preaching the good
news. </p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">We should be encouraged to give to God’s ministry of
saints whether through the local church, missions work, para-church
organizations, or other specific ministries of the church as a whole or locally
(supplementing widows and orphans, etc.)—so long as the Gospel is being
preached. Jesus says it is more blessed to give than to receive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><span style="color: blue;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">"I have shown you in every
way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the
words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to
receive.’" (Acts 20:35, NKJV)<span style="color: blue;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">It is of importance that Christians give as it is
commanded, but they should give because <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">they
want to, </i>and not because they are forced to. Consider the gracious
gift that was freely given to the saints:<i><span style="color: blue;"> </span></i></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">Moreover, brethren, we make
known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in a
great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty
abounded in the riches of their liberality. For I bear witness that according
to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing,
imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the
fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but
they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God. So
we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in
you as well. But as you abound in everything — in faith, in speech,
in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us — see that
you abound in this grace also. (2 Corinthians 8:1-7, NKJV)<span style="color: blue;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The
Corinthian church actually excelled in giving! This lets us know that
Christians were indeed giving different amounts freely. Some purposed to give a
certain amount in the New Testament but then tried to rob God. They were Ananias
and Sapphira (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ACTS+5%3A1-10&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Acts 5:1-10</a>). They were put to death for God lying to God. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Transference</i></b> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some
Christians hold to a theological concept called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">transference</i>. Those in this camp hold that Christians are like the
Israelites and the church leadership and buildings are like the Temple and the
Levitical workers from the Old Covenant and so the tithe law is to be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">transferred</i> to the New Covenant where it
now means Christians and the church. Transference is then used to justify
tithing to the Christians. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Transference
is also used by many to transfer circumcision to infant baptism (utilizing
<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=COL+2%3A11-12&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Colossians 2:11-12</a> of instance), Sabbath rest to Sunday rest, and so on. The
problem is that transference is not justified Scripturally to transfer one
doctrine to another in its practices. For instance, no longer would giving be cheerfully
and freely purposed in one’s heart but now a command and a set amount. In the
same way, just because there is a comparison of circumcision to baptism doesn’t
justify transferring infants who were circumcised in the Old Testament to
infant baptism (<i>paedobaptism</i>). Transference
comes out of a theology, not the text of Scripture. <span> </span></span></p>
<h1>Conclusions </h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We
are commanded to give</span>—<span style="font-family: inherit;">but that cheerful amount is between you and God. Keep in mind that if we do not give to God, then we are
robbing God in the same way the Israelites were in Malachi. So what has been
purposed in our hearts by each individual to give and should be followed through with and if
that is 10%, then so be it. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Christians
should excel in giving and the tithe would probably be a good guideline to use
but it shouldn’t be a hindrance, as giving could easily be much more than 10%—consider
the widow’s offering (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=MARK+12%3A42-44&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Mark 12:42-44</a>) who far exceeded the tithe. The Lord
honored such a thing by revealing it to us in His Word. So why restrict the
Christian who wants to give more by only permitting 10%? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Please
read Paul’s exhortation to those who were generous givers as a closing to this
brief discussion on tithing:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">Nevertheless you have done well
that you shared in my distress. Now you Philippians know also that in the
beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with
me concerning giving and receiving but you only. For even in Thessalonica you
sent aid once and again for my necessities. Not that I seek the gift, but I
seek the fruit that abounds to your account. Indeed I have all and abound. I am
full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a
sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. And my God
shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians
4:14-19, NKJV)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Tithing.doc#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face="" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> In verse
31, a person could redeem (keep back) their tithe of fruits, seeds/grains, etc.,
by taking its value and doubling it (so the value is equal to 1/5<sup>th</sup>
or a double tithe) and sending that equivalent monetary value (or something
else equivalently valued) to the Levites. <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///Z:/Documents/Documents/BAM/Tithing.doc#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face="" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Dispensationalists also have other dispensations beside covenants, and the
covenants are also largely seen as dispensations. <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com