THE SECOND COMING ... PART ONE
There are still some loose ends in my life that I was trying to tie up before I began writing about end time events. Even though I have decided to begin this series... that does not mean I finished the other things: it is just that it is taking longer than I anticipated to get that done... if I ever do? With that understanding: I now begin.
I am going to begin explaining (in some detail) how we keep time in today's world. I am hoping by doing that it will explain why for centuries Christian's have “falsely” believed that when Christ was speaking about the end of the world and His eminent return that we (as believers) could not possibly know when that time would be? Of course, that is patently wrong and we (both) can, and should know! The verse I am speaking about is Matthew 24:36: “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” (BUT OF THAT DAY AND HOUR KNOWETH NO MAN) At first blush and to the casual reader that seems pretty clear... right? I mean... no man could possibly know... isn't that what He just said? Well, let's look and see if that is what is meant by what the Lord said.
The Bible is never to be read, followed, or correctly understood by only reading a single verse without further study. I need to repeat that statement so that it will not be easily forgotten: THE BIBLE IS NEVER TO BE READ, FOLLOWED, OR CORRECTLY UNDERSTOOD BY ONLY READING A SINGLE VERSE WITHOUT FURTHER STUDY! That statement does not mean that even a single verse in the Bible is wrong... it is not. But, only pulling verses out here and there without proper comparison and study has fostered countless false cults and churches since the start of Christendom more than 2,000 years ago. The key to proper Bible study and understanding is found in Isaiah 28:10.
However, I will quote verses nine and ten so that you can see why verse ten was given. Verse nine: “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.” Do you want to understand Bible truth? In other words... do you always want to have to have other men teach: or would you rather “grow up” in the Lord and be weaned and able to understand what you read in the Holy Writ. If you want to be found in the latter group... then follow the next verse which is ten: “For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.” That is what all believers must do in reading and studying the Bible... that is if you want to find truth? Compare Old and New Testament verses continually: then, you can be certain that you are truly understanding what has been written.
Why do you think the scribes “SEARCHED the Scriptures” daily? In seeking truth they did not find a single line in the Old Testament and then say, “Aha!” No, again, NO... they found a line, then they compared that line with another line... and that one with another, etc. etc, etc. That is precept upon precept... line upon line reading and understanding. Believe me, without that type of study neither you nor anyone else will really understand what the Bible is truly teaching.
Sometimes verses that upon first reading seem easy to grasp and fully understand... after comparison reading with other verses on the same subject in both Testaments means something entirely different than when you first read them. I'll give just two easy to see examples of why verses need to be compared and read together in order to get to the truth. It is also why a person should always stay with the KJV in your Bible reading. It is because most of the more popular versions being used in churches today subscribe to Westcott and Hort's “conflate theory” and have discarded repetitive or longer verses in favor of being succinct. In other words: if John said it, and especially if he was "wordier"... then why do we need to see it repeated in Luke? The problem with that devilish theory is that great truth is lost, because each man who was inspired by the Holy Ghost wrote about these same events and some added more to the account, and without being able to compare as Isaiah 28:10 teaches: then, truth is lost.
Here is the first example. If you (as a believer) want to know what was written above Christ when He was crucified... you CAN NOT know by reading a single Gospel account! You have to be able to compare what each writer saw and recorded in their respective books: i.e., Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. That fact alone ought to cause every true believer in Christ to lay down whatever translation they are reading and pick up the KJV as you are not getting the whole truth as you read!
The same holds true for the second example. And that is the signs that Christ said would precede His Second Coming. The ten signs are NOT found in consecutive verses: again... line upon line (comparing Scripture with Scripture) and precept upon precept! Well, I didn't get very far this morning and I now have to stop and dress for work. I suppose if I didn't go I couldn't pay my electric bill and without electricity then I can't type, and neither could I ever finish this. Sadly I say... I'm off to work. And I really do mean that... sadly I go!
posted by Robin Johnson @ 10:47 AM
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