Scripture Revealed

A Revelation of Jesus Christ – Revelation 1:1

Category: Bible Studies

Finding the “Church” In the Old Testament

tabernacle
The Tabernacle in the Wilderness (illustration from the 1890 Holman Bible)

What is a “Church”

When the word church comes to mind, many think in terms of a building where believers in Jesus Christ assemble. That’s certainly part of the dictionary definition of the word church, but it’s not the complete definition. The important part of the definition is that it’s the whole body of believers in Jesus Christ. In the King James Version Bible, the English word church appears in the New Testament but not the Old Testament. This simple word church has an interesting background and far reaching meaning. The focus here is how the word church was used prior to the New Testament.

Septuagint

One unique source that will help us in our quest is a Greek translation of the Old Testament called The Septuagint (sometimes abbreviated LXX). The Septuagint was written in the 3rd century BC, in Alexandria, Egypt by a group of 72 scholars. It was widely used among Hellenistic Jews. Many Jews, spread throughout the Roman empire, were beginning to lose their Hebrew language. The process of translating the Hebrew to Greek also gave many non-Jews a glimpse into Judaism. It has also been (...)

The Godhead – Part 4

creationhandThe Right Hand of God

There are only two ways to interpret the phrase “The Right Hand of God”,  literally or figuratively. Many have fallen into the error of taking the phrase “The Right Hand of God” literally.  When they hear the phrase, they picture in their mind, Jesus Christ seated on the right side of God. The question becomes is that the correct way to view this phrase. Does it mean that one divine person is on the right side of another divine person? Was the phrase “right hand” used in other places in the Bible? The answer is yes. One good example is when the children of Israel were crossing the Red Sea being pursued by Pharaoh’s army. A song was begun by all which we find in Exodus chapter fifteen.

“Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy” (Exodus 15:6 KJV).

What did the children of Israel see? Did they see the literally right hand of the Lord? The answer is no. They saw the waters rushing over their enemies. They called this manifestation of God’s power His Right Hand. So it’s (...)

The Godhead – Part 3

Holy BibleOne God

If there is one message that resonates throughout the Bible it is that there is one God.

Deuteronomy 6:4 (KJV) – “Hear O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord.”

 

Galatians 3:20 (KJV) – “Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.”

 

James 2:19 – “Thou believest that there is one God: thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

All must believe in one God. Why even the devils believe and tremble. The Godhead can be understood when we rightly divide the word of God.

1 Timothy 3:16 – “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness, God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory”

This “Mystery of Godliness” that Paul was speaking to Timothy about was not a mystery concerning how three persons of a supposed trinity could be one. Rather it was a mystery concerning how the great God of heaven robed Himself in flesh and dwelt upon mankind.

Christ’s Two Natures

Jesus Christ was both human and divine. As a man he was touched by out (...)

The Godhead – Part 2

Created by His Word

John 1:1-3, 14 (KJV) – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made……. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us…”

is-the-godhead-a-mystery-3-728This is one of my favorite scriptures. There’s a lot going on in these verses. One question we must ask: Is the “Word” a person? Is your word your person? Can you separate a man from his word? “Word” is English for the Greek term “logos”. “Logos” means a thought or a concept. In other words the “thought” was with God. The thought but not another divine person. It states that the Word was God. It’s impossible to separate God from His thoughts. The word “logos” is the same term as used in Matthew 8:16 when Jesus cast out devils with His Word. You can think of the Word as the expression of God. God conceived in His thoughts the creation. When the Word was spoken or expressed things became real. When God said “Let there be light, and (...)

The Godhead – Part 1

GodheadWho is God? What is His Name? Or better yet does He even have a name? What is the nature of God? I’m sure you have asked these questions at some point in your life.

Colossians 2:8-10 (KVJ) – “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy, and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the God-Head bodily. And ye are complete in him…”

Here in the book of Colossians the Apostle Paul warns the first century Church to beware of any system of thinking that would keep them from understanding the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I John 5:20 (KJV) – “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.”

Here John declares that Jesus Christ is the true God as well as being eternal life.

One Creator

Who created the world and everything in it? We find the answer in the very (...)

Bible Covenants – Let’s Make a Deal!

 

Covenants
“Cutting the Covenant”

How should we understand the Bible? What is it really all about? Here’s a good way to look at it. The Bible is the story of redemption with a three chapter introduction. Genesis chapters one and two tells us about God’s very good creation and His purposes for humanity. In Genesis chapter three we read about man’s’ fall into sin and how sin has corrupted the entire creation. The rest of the Bible, from Genesis 3:15, which is the first promise of redemption to the last verse in Revelation is the story of redemption. The Old Testament presents the promise of redemption through a series of covenants and related prophecies.

The rest of the Bible, from Genesis 3:15, which is the first promise of redemption to the last verse in Revelation is the story of redemption. The Old Testament presents the promise of redemption through a series of covenants and related prophecies.

Psalm 25:14 – The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

I Kings 8:23 – And he said, LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth

(...)

Heavens and Earth Shall Pass Away

Stars – Symbols of Kings and Kingdoms

Is there anywhere in Scripture that we find nations compared to heavenly bodies? The 1st chapter of Genesis gives us a clue as to why the Bible compares the sun, moon, and stars to rulers and their kingdoms.

In Genesis 1:16 (KJV) we read:  “And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.”

Please, notice that the sun (“greater light“) and the moon (“lesser light“) are said to “govern the day“ and “night.” Notice the word “govern” in Gen. 1:16. To “govern” denotes a government! Can we find examples of the sun and moon being used as symbols of government? Why, of course!

Joseph the Dreamer

Let’s go to Genesis 37:9: “And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.”

“Heaven and Earth will pass away” Matthew 24:17

In a dream, Joseph saw “the sun (...)

A Temple Made Without Hands

Jerus-n4i
A Model of Herod’s Temple – Jerusalem

What’s a Temple?

Webster’s Dictionary defines the word “temple” as “a building for religious practice”; “either of two successive national sanctuaries in ancient Jerusalem”; “a building for Mormon sacred ordinances”; “the house of worship of Reform and some Conservative Jewish congregations”; “a local lodge of any of various fraternal orders” or “a place devoted to a special purpose”.

Tabernacle in the Wilderness

In the book of Exodus, God directed Moses to build a sanctuary that He may dwell with His covenant people.

“And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it”. (Exodus 25:8-9)

God instructed that worship would be in a centralized tent structure where there would be a physical manifestation of His presence.

“Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle,” (Exodus 40:34).

Here we see God commissioning the tabernacle as a house of worship where He intended to manifest His presence visibly.

Solomon’s Temple

After the nation of Israel dwelt (...)

Who’s Got the Anointing? Psalms 105:15

touch-not-my-anointedThis is the fifth in a series of articles on “Leadership, Authority, and Submission”. The first article was entitled Jesus – The Chief Shepherd. It discussed the often misapplication of 1 Samuel 15:22-23. The second article was entitled The Hebrews 13:17 Dilemma. The third article was entitled Romans Chapter 13 – Which Power? Next in this series, we explored what 1 Peter 5:5 teaches who submission to authority – Who Is Subject To Whom.  This article explores just who’s got the anointing.

What do the scriptures have to say about the subjects of authority and submission? Well, Jesus had a lot to say about spiritual leadership. He said that leaders in the church should be servants. Christian leaders should not act as gentiles who “lord it over” people. A good example of this principle is found in Matthew chapter 20.

Matthew 20:25-28 (KJV) – “But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;  And whosoever (...)

Who Is Subject To Whom? 1 Peter 5:5

Saint Peter and Saint Paul Jose' de Ribera - circa 1616
Saint Peter and Saint Paul
Jose’ de Ribera – circa 1616

This is the fourth in a series of articles on “Leadership, Authority and Submission”. The first article was entitled Jesus – The Chief Shepherd. It discussed the often misapplication of 1 Samuel 15:22-23. The second article was entitled The Hebrews 13:17 Dilemma. The third article was entitled Romans Chapter 13 – Which Power?

What do the scriptures have to say about the subjects of authority and submission? Well, Jesus had a lot to say about spiritual leadership. He said that leaders in the church should be servants. Christian leaders should not act as gentiles who “lord it over” people. A good example of this principle is found in Matthew chapter 20.

Matthew 20:25-28 (KJV) – “But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to

(...)
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